Where Xiaomi Stores Apps: A Complete Search and Management Guide

Have you downloaded a new app on your Xiaomi but can’t find it on your desktop? or want to uninstall unnecessary programs but don’t know where they’re hidden in the app? MIUI? The problem is familiar to many smartphone owners of this brand — the shell interface often hides applications in non-obvious places. In this article, we will analyze all possible locations where installed programs may be located, including system folders and hidden menus.

The peculiarity of Xiaomi is that it uses its own shell. MIUI, It's a big change to standard Android, and it sometimes gets even the most experienced users lost: where to look for a list of all the apps, how to find hidden programs, or how to access system utilities. We’ll look at not only standard methods, but also little-known tricks – for example, how to find apps that don’t appear in the menu, or how to manage access rights to folders with a new name. APK-file.

It is important to understand that the location of applications may vary depending on the version. MIUI (12, 13, 14 or HyperOS) and smartphone models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T But the basics remain the same, and if you want to not just find an app, but optimize your phone, read it all: the article has tips for cleaning up cache, migrating applications to a memory card, and even restoring deleted programs.

1. Standard application menu: where to look in MIUI

The most obvious place is the app menu, which swipes up from the bottom of the screen (on newer versions). MIUI) or by clicking on the All Apps icon (older ones) that shows all installed programs except those hidden manually or that are system-based.

To open this menu:

• 📱 On the main screen, swipe your finger up from the bottom edge (on the MIUI 12/13/14 hyperos).
• 🔍 If you have an older version of the shell, look for the All Apps icon (usually in the dock at the bottom of the screen).
• 🔄 To quickly find the app you want, search at the top of the menu – just start typing the name.
• ⚙️ To sort apps by alphabet, installation date or usage frequency, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Sort.

If the app doesn’t appear in this menu, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🚫 The application is hidden in the settings (more on this in the next section).
• 📁 It is system-based and not intended for user access.
• 🗑️ The app was removed, but its icon remained on the desktop (this happens when crashes).
• 🔒 It is installed in another user profile (for example, in the mode "For a guest" or "Work profile").

2. Hidden applications: how to find and return to the screen

MIUI It allows you to hide apps from prying eyes — it's useful if you don't want someone to accidentally open your banking programs or messengers — but sometimes users forget they've hidden the app and then they can't find it.

To see hidden applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select Hidden Apps.
3. Enter a password or confirm with a fingerprint (if security is installed).
4. Select the app and click Show to return it to the menu.

If you don’t remember if you’ve hidden the app, check for the following signs:

• 🔍 The application is not located through a search in the menu, but takes up space in memory (check in Settings). → Memory).
• 📱 There is an “empty” icon with a gray background on the desktop – it can be a hidden application.
• 🔒 In the list of installed programs (c Settings) → Annexes) marked as “hidden".

Also, apps can be hidden by default, as some system utilities (e.g. Security, Themes, or Game Turbo) can be seen:

1. Open the Settings. → Additional (or Special Features on New Versions).
2. Find the Hidden System Applications section and turn on the display of the desired ones.

3. System folders: where are physically stored APK-file

If you need not just to find the application in the menu, but to access its installation files (APK) Or data, you'll have to dig deeper into the phone's file system, and all the programs you've installed are stored in a few key folders, but access to them may be limited.

Main locations:

To view these folders:

1. Use a file manager (such as embedded Files or Solid Explorer).
2. To access /data/ and /system/ need root rights or ADB-team.
3. If root is not available, you can try connecting the phone to the PC and use it. ADB: adb shell ls /data/app/

💡

If you need to get out APK-file installed without root, use programs like APK Extractor (available on Play Market) It creates copies APK All installed programs right in the Download folder.

Important: Delete or modify files in folders /system/ and /data/ If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to use standard methods of removing through the application menu.

4. Search through Settings: A complete list of installed programs

The most reliable way to find all installed applications (including system ones) is to use the Settings section. → Apps. Even those programs that are not visible in the main menu are displayed here.

How to get there:

1. Open the settings (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Apps (or Application Management on some models).
3. At the top of the screen you will see the tabs: 📱 Installed – All user programs. 🔧 System – pre-installed utilities. ⚙️ All - full list (including disabled).

On this menu you can:

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary applications (click on the program) → Delete).
• ⚡ Clear cache or data (useful if the app is slowing down).
• 🔒 Disable system programs (if they are not needed, but can not be deleted).
• 📊 See how much space each application takes up (Memory tab).

✅ Check if it is system-based (in this case, you can only disable it).

✅ Try to remove through ADB: adb uninstall com.package.name (you can find out the name of the package in the application settings).

✅ If it’s a virus, use Malwarebytes or built-in security from Xiaomi.

✅ In some models (POCO F3 etc.) you must first disable the device administrator in the security settings.

-->

If you are looking for a specific application but don’t know its name, you can sort the list by:

• 📅 Installation Date (useful for finding newly added programs).
• 📏 Size (to find heavy applications that take up a lot of space).
• 🔍 Alphabet (if you remember the first letter of the name).

5. Memory Card Applications: How to Find and Move

If you have a microSD card installed, some of the apps could be moved there automatically or manually, in which case they won't be displayed in the main memory of the phone, but will remain in the app menu.

How to check which programs are on the map:

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Choose yours. SD-card (usually marked as an external drive).
3. Click on the Applications - here will be a list of transferred programs.

If you want to transfer the application to the memory card (or back):

1. Open the Settings → Applications.
2. Select the appropriate application.
3. Press Warehouse. → Change.
4. Choose. SD-The card (or internal memory if you transfer it back).

💡

Not all applications can be transferred to SD-System programs and some games (e.g. Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) block this function. Also, after the transfer, the application can run slower if the memory card class. UHS-I lower.

If the transfer option is inactive, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🚫 The application does not support transfer to external media (this is decided by the developer).
• 📱 Yours. SD-The card is formatted as a portable storage (you need to format as internal memory in the settings).
• 🔒 There is not enough space on the map (check in Settings). → Memory).

6. Search through ADB: for power users

If standard methods do not help, and the application is precisely installed on the phone, you can use the app. ADB (Android Debug Bridge – a debugging tool that allows you to control your phone through a computer.

To find all the installed applications:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Open the command line (or Terminal) Mac/Linux) and type: Adb devices (to make sure the device is connected).
3. Execute the command to output a list of all packages: adb shell pm list packages -f
4. If you want to find a specific application (e.g. Facebook), use the filter: adb shell pm list packages. | grep facebook

To find out the way APK-file:

1. First, look for the name of the package (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
2. Follow the command: adb shell pm path com.facebook.katana It will bring back the way of the species package:/data/app/com.facebook.katana-1/base.apk.

• Adb shell pm list packages – all packages.
• adb shell pm list packages -s — system-only.
• adb shell pm list packages -3 — user-only.
• adb uninstall com.package.name – uninstall the application.

-->

Warnings when working with ADB:

⚠️ Attention: Adb uninstall commands for system applications can cause the phone to run unstable.Always back up before removing anything through ADB.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using MIUI 14 or HyperOS, some of them. ADB-To unlock, do adb shell settings put global settings. hidden_api_policy 1.

7 Recovery of Remote Applications

If you accidentally deleted the app and want to return it, there are a few ways:

Method 1: Recovery from the basket (if included)

• 🗑️ Open the files. → Recycle Bin (if the function is enabled in the settings).
• 🔍 Find it. APK-Remote application file and restore it.
• 📱 After recovery, install APK manually.

Method 2: Reinstall from Google Play or Mi App Store

• 🛒 Open the Google Play Market or Mi App Store.
• 🔍 Enter the name of the application in search.
• 📥 If you have previously installed it, you will see the Install button (not Buy).

Method 3: Restore from backup

• ☁️ If you have backup enabled in Mi Cloud or Google Drive, go to Settings → System system → Backup and restore data.
• 📱 When restoring, select the Application option to return deleted programs.

Method 4: Using third-party utilities

Programs like Dumpster or DiskDigger can scan your phone’s memory for deleted files, including: APK. However, the chances of success depend on how long it has been since the deletion and how actively the memory has been used.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi apps