Where to find apps on Xiaomi: a complete guide to finding programs in MIUI

Have you just installed a new app on your Xiaomi, but can't find its icon on your desktop? Or accidentally removed the shortcut and the program continues to take up space in memory? App search is one of the most common problems among users of MIUI smartphones, especially after updating the firmware or resetting. Unlike "pure" Android, the Xiaomi shell offers several ways to access programs, and not all of them are obvious.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible places that applications can be stored on Redmi, POCO, and Xiaomi devices, from the standard menu to hidden system folders, how to find remote shortcuts, where to look for preinstalled services (such as Mi Video or Mi Browser), and why some programs don’t show up in search, and if you’re faced with an application that’s installed but doesn’t start, you’ll find a solution here, too.

1. Standard App Menu: Where to Look First

The most obvious way is to use the standard app drawer menu, which works differently in MIUI than in other Android shells: there is no separate application box, but there are several options for access:

• 📱 Scroll to the left: Most Xiaomi devices just swipe across the screen to the left to open the full list of installed applications, and it shows all the programs, including those that don’t have shortcuts on the home screen.
• 🔍 Search bar: There's a search box at the top of the app menu. Start typing in the program name, and the system will show all the matches, even if the application is hidden or its icon is removed.
• ⚙️ Sort and filter: There's a three-dot button in the top right corner of the menu, and you can turn on the hidden apps or sort programs by installation date.

If you can't see the app menu when you scroll left, you probably have "No App Menu" mode on, which is an iOS analogue, to bring back the standard view:

1. Go to Settings. → Desktop.
2. Select the "Desktop Style" item.
3. Activate the option "With the list of applications".

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If the app doesn’t appear in the menu, try rebooting your smartphone – sometimes MIUI doesn’t update the list of programs after installation.

2. Hidden applications and system utilities: where to look for what you can’t see

Xiaomi is known for pre-installing dozens of system applications, many of which don’t have desktop shortcuts, such as Mi Cloud, Security, Game Turbo or Mi Pay, to find them:

• 🔎 Search system: swipe down the desktop to open the search bar, and type in the name of the application. The system will show even those programs that are not displayed in the menu.
• 📁 App settings: Go to Settings → Applications → Application management. This shows the complete list of all installed programs, including system ones.
• 🔧 Through "Advanced": In the same Application Management section, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show System Processes" so you will see even the utilities that are usually hidden.

Some applications (such as Mi Roaming or Mi Mover) can be disabled by default to activate them:

1. Find the program in the Application Management list.
2. Click on it and select "Enable" (if the button is active).
3. Go back to the desktop and check if the icon appears.

3. folder "All applications" and shortcuts on the desktop

If you prefer the classic Android style with desktop shortcuts, there are a few nuances to MIUI:

• 📂 All Apps folder: Some devices (like POCO F3 or Redmi Note 10) have a folder that's called that in the app menu, and all programs that don't have separate labels are collected here.
• 🖼️ Adding a shortcut manually: find the app in the menu, pinch its icon and drag it to the desktop. If the shortcut disappears after rebooting, check the launcher settings (shells).
• 🔄 Reset Launcher settings: If shortcuts disappear or duplicate, go to Settings → Desktop → Additional → Reset Launcher settings.

Some models (such as Xiaomi 12T or POCO X5 Pro) have a Smart Folder feature that automatically groups similar applications (social networks, instant messengers, games) to disable it:

1. Hold the empty space on the desktop.
2. Select "Desktop Settings".
3. Turn off the option "Automatic sorting of applications".

In the application menu | Through search on the system |In settings |Use voice assistant |Another way-->

4.File System Search: Where APKs and Application Data Are Stored

If you want to find the physical location of an application (for example, to back up or delete residual files), you will need a file manager. MIUI has File Explorer installed by default, but you can also use third-party programs like Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer.

The path to the installed applications:

• 📱 User Applications: /data/app/ (available with root rights only).
• 🔧 System applications: /system/app/ or /system/priv-app/.
• 📁 Application data (cache, settings): /data/data/[name packet]/.
• 📦 APK- files of downloaded applications: /sdcard/Download/ or /sdcard/Android/data/.

Without root permissions, you can't view /data/ and /system/ folders, but you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to access it. For example, to see a list of all packages installed, follow the command:

adb shell pm list packages -f

Open the file manager|Go to the file. /sdcard/Android/data/|Find a folder with the name of the application|Copy APK safe-haven|Check the file extension (should be.apk)-->

5. Search through Settings: Managing Installed Programs

The most reliable way to find all installed applications is through the Settings → Applications section.

• 📱 All user programs.
• 🔧 System utilities (if display is enabled).
• 🗑️ Cache and data of each application.
• ⚙️ Access rights (camera, microphone, location).

To find a specific application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. At the top of the screen is a search bar – type in the name.
3. If the application is not found, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show System Processes".

This section may include:

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If the application is not removed in the standard way (the "Delete" button is inactive), then it is system, in which case you can only disable it or delete it through ADB.

6.Search through voice assistant and gestures

MIUI offers several alternative ways to run applications without searching the menu:

• 🎤 Voice Assistant: Say "OK, Google," or activate the Mi AI Assistant (if installed) and say the program name, such as "Open YouTube."
• 👆 Quick Start gesture: On some models (e.g., Xiaomi 13 or POCO F5), you can assign the application to launch with a double touch of the screen or gesture upwards.
• 🔍 Content Search: In the search bar (swipe down the desktop), you can enter not only program names, but also keywords. For example, if you search for "messages", the system will offer SMS- messenger, Telegram and WhatsApp.

To set up gestures for a quick start:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Gestures and movements.
2. Select "Quick App Launch"
3. Assign the desired application to the gesture (for example, double tapping the screen).

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If the voice assistant doesn’t find the app, check if startup rights are included in the background: Settings → Apps → Permissions → AutoRun.

7.What to do if the application is installed but does not open

A situation where the program is on the installed list, but does not start, can occur for several reasons:

• 🚫 Application disabled: check in Settings → Applications if it is disabled.
• 🔒 No permissions required: some programs (e.g. banking) require permission to overlay windows or access SMS.
• 🗑️ Damaged data: Clear the cache and application data in the settings.
• 📱 Incompatible with MIUI: Some programs do not run on new firmware (e.g., MIUI 14 may block outdated APK).

If the app is installed but not displayed anywhere, try:

1. Reboot the smartphone.
2. Clear Launcher Data: Settings → Applications → Launcher (MIUI Launcher) → Clear Data.
3. Install another launcher (like Nova Launcher) and check if the program is displayed in it.
4. Check the availability of the application through ADB: adb shell pm list packages | grep "name packet"

⚠️ Warning: If you have removed a system application (e.g., Mi Gallery) through root or ADB, its recovery may require a complete flashing of the device. Always back up before deleting!

8 How to find hidden or remote applications

Sometimes applications disappear from the desktop, but continue to take up space in memory.

• 🔄 Updates MIUI.
• 🧹 Clearing the launcher cache.
• 📱 Use optimization functions (e.g., Battery → Optimization).

To find such programs:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show all apps."
3. Check the “Recently Deleted” tab (if any).
4. Use the file manager to search for residual files in /sdcard/Android/data/.

If you suspect that an application is hidden by a virus or optimizer, follow the following steps:

1. Install an antivirus (such as Malwarebytes) and scan the system.
2. Check the list of device administrators: Settings → Passwords and security → Device administrators.
3. Disable all suspicious programs in the Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.

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If the application was removed via ADB or root, it can only be restored by reinstalling the firmware or manually copying the APK to /system/app/ (super user rights are required).

FAQ: Frequent questions about finding apps on Xiaomi