Tags on application icons in Xiaomi: decryption, settings and removal

Have you ever noticed the little red circles with numbers or the colored dots on the app icons in Xiaomi smartphones? These tags are not just decoration: they carry important information about the state of the application. MIUI (Xiaomi’s branded shell, the notification system is integrated deeper than standard Android, and icon tags are a key element of this mechanism. They can signal new messages, unread emails, pending updates or even system errors.

But what if these labels are annoying, they interfere with, or they don't provide useful information?

• 🔍 Types of labels and their meaning (digits, points, icons)
• ⚙️ How to Configure or Disable Labels for Individual Applications
• 📱 Features of the work of labels in different versions MIUI 12/13/14 and on models Redmi/POCO
• ⚠️ Hidden problems associated with labels (for example, why they do not disappear after reading)

Whether you want to return a clean desktop look or just get a better understanding of Xiaomi’s logic, read on – there are no template tips here, only proven solutions for specific firmware versions and smartphone models.

1.Tag types on app icons in Xiaomi: full decryption

V MIUI Icon tags are divided into three main types, each of which carries a different meaning, their appearance and behavior depend on the version of the shell and the settings of the application.

Digital tags (like the "3" on the WhatsApp icon) are the most common type, and they show the number of unread notifications: messages, emails, missed calls. This number may not be updated immediately, sometimes you need to open the application or restart the smartphone to zero the meter. MIUI 14 added support for dynamic tags that change color depending on the priority of the notification.

Colored dots (usually red, green or blue) are a simplified version of tags that signal notifications but no number, a format often used for system applications (e.g. Security or Topics). POCO Launcher points can flash if notification requires urgent attention.

Indicator icons (such as an exclamation point or arrow) are a rare type of tag that appears in system events, for example, a yellow triangle on the Settings icon may mean an available firmware update, and a green tick may mean successful data synchronization.

V MIUI 13 and later, tags can change color depending on the type of notification: red for messages, blue for system events, green for successful operations. This feature is called Dynamic Badges and is included in Settings. → Home screen → Application tags → Dynamic tags.

2.Why do the tags not disappear after reading the messages?

One of the most common problems with Xiaomi is that badges don’t reset even after reading the notifications, and it happens for a number of reasons, and the solutions depend on the case.

Reason 1: Notification cache: Sometimes the system saves ghost notifications that have already been deleted, but the tag remains.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app with a “hung” tag (for example, Telegram).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

Reason 2: Synchronization of notifications. MIUI There's a smart synchronization feature that can conflict with tags. Turn it off in Settings. → Accounts and synchronization → Smart synchronization.

Reason 3: Error in MIUI Launcher.If tags don't disappear for all apps, reset launcher settings:

Settings → Home screen → Additional → Reset settings

⚠️ Warning: If the tag doesn't disappear on the Message or Call icon, check the Spam folder in the standard app. Sometimes notifications from it don't count in the counter.

3. How to disable the marks on the icons: step-by-step instructions

If the tags annoy you, you can turn them off completely or customize them. MIUI There are several levels of tag management: global settings, settings of individual applications and launcher parameters.

Method 1: Disable tags for all applications

1. Open the Settings. → Home screen.
2. Go to the Application Labels section.
3. Turn off the switch Show app tags.

After that, all the numbers and dots will disappear, but the notifications will remain in the curtain.

Method 2: Configure tags for individual applications

• 📌 Go to Settings. → Notifications → Management of notifications.
• 🔧 Select the application (for example, VK or Gmail).
• 🔘 Turn off the Mark option on the icon or adjust the display style.

Method 3: Use an alternative launcher

If standard settings don’t work, install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) that has more flexible tags, including:

• 🎨 Changes in colour and size of labels.
• 🔄 Automatically hide tags after reading.
• 📵 Complete disabling for selected applications.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 after disabling the tags through the launcher settings, you may need to restart the changes to take effect. If the tags return, check if the settings reset after the system update.

💡

If you use POCO Launcher, press your finger on the desktop, select Settings → App tags and activate Minimalist tags – they will only show up when you are notified constantly.

4.Tags in MIUI 14 vs MIUI 12: What's changed?

With the exit. MIUI 14 The logic of the tags has undergone major changes. MIUI 12 or MIUI 13, some of the things that we've been doing may have gone missing or changed:

V MIUI 14 adds Cloud Tag Sync, which keeps the counts in place when you reinstall apps or change devices, which is convenient, but can lead to conflict if you use multiple Xiaomi devices under one account:

Settings → Accounts and synchronization → Mi Account → Data Synchronization → Application tags

Another innovation is context tags, which can now show not only the number of notifications, but also the type of notifications, for example, a cloud icon can appear on the Camera icon if the photos are not synced to the Mi Cloud.

5 Hidden functions of labels: what they can do, but do not show

Taggeds in Xiaomi are not just notification indicators; they hide a few useful features that most users don't know about.

1. Quick access to notifications

If you pinch your finger on the tagged app icon, you'll see a context menu with the latest notifications, which works even if the notification curtain is rolled up, for example, WhatsApp can respond quickly to a message without opening a chat.

Priority tags

V MIUI 14 tags can be ranked by importance, for example, messages from specific contacts on Telegram will be displayed in red and others in gray:

Settings → Notifications → Priority Notifications → Tagged settings

3.Tags as triggers for automation

Using the Automate or MacroDroid app, you can create a rule: If a tag appears on the Mail icon, automatically turn on Do Not Disturb or start the vibration.

4. Hidden tags for developers

In Developer Mode (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — tap 7 times, and you get the option to show debugging tags, and it adds tags with technical information to your system application icons (e.g. version). APK or status of services).

💡

Taggeds in Xiaomi can be not only indicators, but also an automation tool, for example, they can run scripts when new notifications appear.

6.Tag problems on popular Xiaomi models

Some Xiaomi models, Redmi and POCO They have unique tag-related bugs, and we've collected the most common problems and their solutions for specific devices:

Nana POCO F3 and POCO F4 Users often find that tags are not updated for apps from Google Play. MIUI And Google services. Solution:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Google Play Services and clear its cache.
3. Reset the device.

For the Xiaomi Pad 5, there is a problem with the icons in Horizontal screen mode, which can be displayed incorrectly (for example, cropped or overlapped), and you can fix this by turning on the option Adaptive tags in the tablet settings.

7. Alternative ways to manage notifications without labels

If you don’t like the tags, but don’t want to lose control of the notifications, you can use them. MIUI There are several alternative tools:

1. Notification panel with grouping

V MIUI 14 notification curtain supports the smart grouping, for example, all messages from Telegram will be collected in one block, which is more convenient than the tags on the icons:

Settings → Notifications → Grouping of notifications

Notification widgets

Add the Notifications widget to the desktop (long tap on the screen) → Widgets → Systemic → Notifications. It shows the last notifications without tags on the icons.

3.Gesturals for quick access

Set up a gesture (such as swiping down the app icon) to open notifications without tags:

Settings → Additional features → Gestures and movements → Launch gestures

Organizer applications

Utilities like Sesame Shortcuts or Action Launcher allow you to create custom tags that work by their own rules, for example, you can configure the display of the tag only for important contacts.

💡

If you’re using Nova Launcher, there’s a Notification Dots option in its settings – it replaces digital tags with neat dots that are less noticeable but retain functionality.

FAQ: Frequent questions about badge marks in Xiaomi