Where to find installed apps on Xiaomi: a complete guide

Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a situation where, after updating the system or resetting the settings, the familiar interface changes beyond recognition, especially in the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, where the logic of the location of system shortcuts may differ from “pure” Android. The question of where to find installed applications on Android shaomi becomes critical, especially if the standard Settings icon or program management menu is missing.

In this article, we will take a look at all the possible ways to discover software, from simple search to advanced methods through the file system. You will learn how to restore access to program management even if standard methods do not work. It is important to understand that the structure of the menu can vary depending on the firmware version, but the basic principles remain unchanged.

There are several levels of access to the list of programs: user, system and hidden. Each of them requires a different approach. We will look at them sequentially so that you can choose the most convenient solution for your case, and you should not panic if you do not see the icon you want, it is likely just hidden or moved.

Standard menu and desktop: where to look for shortcuts

The most obvious place where all your programs are located is the app menu. Depending on the theme settings and the MIUI version, it can be called by swipe from the bottom up or located on a separate desktop page. If you switch from another brand, the usual logic can be confusing. Check if the "No App Menu" mode is turned on, in which case all shortcuts should be scattered across desktops.

Sometimes, when you update your firmware, shortcuts disappear from your desktop, but the files themselves remain in the system. To return them, you need to go to the theme or launcher settings. Often users accidentally delete shortcuts, thinking they are deleting the application itself, which is a common mistake. Deleting the shortcut is not the same as uninstallation.

To quickly restore order, you can use the built-in sorting functions. Press and hold your finger on the empty desktop, then select Add widgets or Settings. This often hides the possibility of resetting icons to factory values, which will bring all standard shortcuts back to their place.

• 📱 Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the full menu of all programs.
• 🔍 Use the search bar in the application menu by entering the name of the desired software.
• ⚙️ Check the launcher settings in the Desktop section for hidden folders.
• 🗑️ Make sure that the application has not been accidentally moved to the Tools or Services folder».

It is worth noting that in new versions of HyperOS, the grouping algorithm has become more aggressive, and the system can automatically hide rarely used programs in folders with names like “More” or “Other” and carefully inspect all folders on the desktop, especially those with standard names.

Use of the application system manager

If visual search doesn't work, you should go to the system manager, which is the central control node that displays all the software, including system processes and services, and you can get there through the Settings menu by selecting Applications, and here the list is sorted by frequency of use or alphabetically.

You'll find detailed information on each element in the Manager, including space, version, access rights and power consumption, which is an indispensable tool for diagnosing performance problems, and this is where you can force a crashed program to stop or clear its cache, and these features are available to every user without having to get root rights.

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In the Application Manager, enable the display of system processes through a three-point menu to see all the hidden system components.

The app management section is worth special attention, and unlike the simple list, the "Delete", "Disable" and "Stop" buttons are available here. If the program is not removed, it is system-based and protected from removal by standard methods. Trying to disable a critical system component can lead to unstable phone operation.

⚠️ Note: Do not disable system applications with names like the System Framework», «MIUI Core" or "Google Play Services" if you're not 100% sure of their purpose.This can result in a cyclical device reboot.

To get to the right section, use the path: Settings → Applications → Application Management. The list that opens can use size sorting to help you find heavy games or media editors you may have forgotten to remove, and it also displays the date of the last install, which is useful for finding recently downloaded software.

Search through settings and global search

The fastest way to find a particular app, if you know its name, is to use global search. On Xiaomi smartphones, it is called by swipe down the center of the screen or through the search bar widget. Type in the name of the program, and the system will show not only the file itself, but also the settings associated with it. This saves time on manually combing through the menu.

An alternative is to search inside the settings. Open Settings, and at the top of the screen, find a magnifying glass or input bar. By entering the word "apps," you will access the corresponding menu section, which works even when the settings shortcut has been removed from the desktop, because the search goes directly to the system's database.

Google's global search also indexes installed programs. If you're using a Google widget on your desktop, start typing in a name. Often, the system suggests not only opening an app, but also finding information about it on the Internet or Play Market Store, which is convenient if you're looking for a program that needs to be updated or reinstalled.

In some cases, the search may not yield results if the application is hidden in Second Space or Guest Mode. Check the active user profiles. Switching between profiles is done through settings or a quick swipe in the notification menu if the appropriate switch is added.

Hidden Applications and Second Space

MIUI is famous for its privacy features, one of which is hiding apps, you could accidentally or deliberately hide the program, and now it doesn't appear in the general list. To check, you need to go to the hidden application settings, usually through the Security app or special gestures in the app menu.

Second Space creates a completely isolated environment, like a new phone inside your phone. Apps installed in the second space are not visible in the first space, and vice versa. If you use this feature, check the profile switch. Often users forget exactly where they installed certain software.

There is also a Full Screen Mode or Game Mode mode that can hide notifications and restrict access to certain programs while running. Check the settings of Game Turbo or similar optimizers. Sometimes apps are added there automatically and their shortcuts can lead to special game panels rather than a standard launch.

• 🔒 Open the Security app and find the Hidden Apps section».
• 👤 Switch to Second Space via the settings or notification curtain.
• 🎮 Check the list of games in the Game Turbo app for hidden shortcuts.
• 👁️ Enable One-Hand or Pocket Mode to check if they block the display.

If the application was hidden through a third-party launcher, you should search for its settings in the menu of the launcher itself. Android standard settings in this case may not display the fact of hiding, since this is a function of the interface, not the system. MIUI, to eliminate the impact of third-party software.

Search through the file manager and APK-file

For advanced users looking for installation files or remnants of remote programs, a file manager is indispensable. The file manager built into Xiaomi has the category “Applications” or “APK.” This is where the installation packages are stored. If you were looking for where the application files are, the path usually looks like Internal Memory → APK or Android → data.

It is important to distinguish between application data and installers: the Android/data folder stores cache and save files for games and programs; removing the contents of this folder equates to resetting the application to factory settings; be careful when working with this directory, especially if it stores important offline map data or game progress.

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File Manager is the only way to find installation copies of apps (APKs) that have been downloaded from the browser, not from the store.

If you use a third-party file manager with root rights, you can see the system partition /data/app. This is where all the applications installed by the user are physically located. However, without special knowledge, it is strongly recommended not to touch files in this directory, as this can violate the integrity of the system.

What to do if the menu "All applications" is missing

When the All Apps button or menu item disappears completely, it is often caused by a launcher failure. It is the system process that displays the desktop. You don't have to reboot the entire phone to reboot it. You just go to the settings, find Apps, then All Apps, find System Launcher (or System Launcher), and click Stop or Clear Cache.

When the launcher stops, the screen blinks and the icons reboot. Often, this returns missing interface elements. If the problem persists, check if a specific design theme has been installed. Third-party themes may contain configuration errors that hide important UI elements.

⚠️ Warning: Before clearing the launcher data, make sure you don't mind losing the current location of the icons on your desktop, as they will be dropped off to the factory.

In extreme cases, if the entire settings menu is missing, you can try running it through a command. This will require a connection to the computer and installing ADB. The command to run the settings menu is as follows:

adb shell am start -a android.settings.SETTINGS

This method bypasses the GUI and directly accesses the system component, and is useful in situations where a virus or critical bug has blocked access to standard management, but it is easier for the average user to reset the launcher settings through Safe Mode or Restore.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)