Where in Xiaomi are stored applications by default: hidden folders, system utilities and recovery methods

You just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone or updated your firmware MIUI, But you can't find the apps you're familiar with, the browser is gone, the gallery is gone, the calculator is either remote or hidden, and this is a problem that many of the brand's users are familiar with. MIUI Known for its flexibility, but sometimes it plays a cruel joke, hiding standard utilities in unexpected places.

Unlike “naked” Android, where system applications are always in sight, Xiaomi often moves them to special folders, integrates them into other services or even deactivates them by default. MIUI 14 Mi Browser can be replaced with Google Chrome, and File Manager can be hidden in the Tools menu. Even experienced users sometimes get lost when the camera or phone disappears after the update.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at all the possible places Xiaomi stores apps by default, from obvious folders on the home screen to hidden system partitions. You'll learn how to return remote utilities, why they disappear after resetting, and what to do if even a search on the system does not find the right application. 8 or Mi 9T) We will look at the specifics of working with MIUI 11-12, where the logic of the application is different from the current versions.

1. Main screen and Tools folder: first place to search

So let's start with the obvious, the home screen and the app menu. MIUI Most standard utilities are placed in two places by default:

• 📱 Tools folder — this is all the system applications that didn't fit on the home screen, usually on the back page or in the app menu (swipe up from the dock panel).
• 🔍 Search System – Swipe down the main screen and type in the name of the application (for example, “calculator” or “dictophon").
• 📁 Google folder – if you use Google services, some apps (such as Chrome or YouTube) may be hidden here.

However, there is a nuance: in MIUI 14 Tools folder can be hidden by default on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12) to return it:

1. Click the empty space on the home screen → select Screen Settings.
2. Go to the Application Folders → Enable the option to Show folder "Tools".
3. If the folder is not in the list, try resetting the home screen settings: Settings → Main screen screen → Resetting the mock-up.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. global version) MIUI For Europe, the Tools folder can be called Utilities or System Tools. If you don't find it, check the language of the system, sometimes translating the menu is confusing.

2. "All Apps" menu: how to find hidden system utilities

If the app doesn't show up on either the home screen or in the Tools folder, the next place to look is the full list of installed programs.

1. Make a swipe up from the dock panel (or click on the All Apps icon if any).
2. Touch three points (⋮) top-right → Select Hidden Applications or Show Systems.
3. Scroll down the list – there may be disabled utilities, for example, FM-Radio, Screen Recording or Scanner.

V MIUI 13/14 Some system applications (e.g., Security or Cleanup) may be integrated into settings:

• 🔒 Antivirus and cleaning → Now part of the Settings section → Annexes → Security.
• 📊 File Manager → It can be called Files and be in Settings. → Warehouse.
• 🎵 Music. → In some regions, it was replaced by Mi Music or Google Play Music.

If you do not find the application in the list, try searching by settings:

1. Open the settings (cog on the main screen).
2. In the top line of the search, enter the name of the application (in English or Russian).
3. The system will show not only the application itself, but also the associated settings.

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If you're looking FM-radio, but it is not in the list of applications, connect the headphones - they act as an antenna, and the icon of the radio can appear automatically.

3. System folders and hidden partitions: where Xiaomi hides apps

Some of Xiaomi’s standard utilities are stored in hidden system folders, not in the app menu, but in hidden system folders, which cannot be removed or moved, but can be accessed through a file manager or a file manager. ADB-team.

Here are the main ways where applications can be located by default:

For example, if you want to manually launch the Camera but its icon is gone, you can try the following:

adb shell am start -n com.android.camera/.Camera

For the phone (caller), the team will be as follows:

adb shell am start -n com.android.dialer/.DialtactsActivity

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Requires developer mode enabled (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times. Wrong commands can cause the system to crash. If you're not sure, you'd better use the alternative methods in this article.

4. Recovery of Remote Standard Applications

If you accidentally delete a system application (like a Gallery or Calendar), it can be restored in a number of ways, depending on whether it was a complete uninstallation or just hiding from the home screen.

Method 1: Through "Application Archive" (without root)

V MIUI 12-14 There's a built-in application archiving feature to return a remote utility:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Archive of Applications.
2. Find the app you want in the list (like Notes or Weather).
3. Click Restore – the system will reinstall it from Xiaomi’s cloud storage.

If the archive is empty, try updating the firmware – sometimes system applications are restored after installing a new version. MIUI.

Method 2: Reinstall via APK (for power users)

Some standard Xiaomi apps can be downloaded as APK-files from official sources, for example:

• 📷 Camera. MIUI → APKCombo (Select the version for your model!).
• 📁 File Manager → APKMirror.
• 🌐 Mi Browser → Google Play is available as Mi Browser Global.

Important: Only install versions that are compatible with your firmware. For example, the Xiaomi 13 Ultra camera won’t work on the Redmi Note 10.

5. Features of different versions MIUI: Where to look for applications in old firmware

The logic of placing standard applications is very different depending on the version. MIUI. If you have an older smartphone 2020 year (e.g. Redmi Note) 8 Pro or Mi 9), You probably have it installed. MIUI 11-12, where the interface is different.

Here are the key differences:

For example, in MIUI 11 document scanner was a separate application called Scanner, and MIUI 14 it's integrated into the Camera (Documents mode) If you can't find the usual utility, check it out:

• 🔄 Has the firmware been updated (the application may have been replaced by a new one).
• 📌 Is it hidden in the settings of the screen (Settings) → Main screen screen → Hidden applications).
• 🌍 Does it depend on the firmware region (for example, Mi Pay is not available in all countries).

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On smartphones with MIUI China (CN-version) many Google apps are not available by default. They can only be installed manually through APK org-change.

6.Why apps go missing after an update or reset

One of the most common problems is the disappearance of standard applications after updating. MIUI Or resetting to factory settings. It happens for a number of reasons:

1. Replacement with analogues: Xiaomi can replace Mi Browser with Google Chrome, and Gallery with Google Photos.

To put it back in place:

• 🔄 Reinstall firmware through Settings → The phone. → System Update (select Reinstall).
• 📥 Download the absentees APK from official sources (see section 4).
• 🔧 Reset the main screen settings: Settings → Main screen screen → Resetting the mock-up.

⚠️ Warning: If the Security app (shield icon) is missing after the update, don’t try to install it from third-party sources – it could be a virus. → Annexes → Application management, where antivirus and cleaning functions are now located.

7. Alternative ways to run system applications

If standard methods don't work, you can use workarounds, and here are some non-obvious ways to run hidden utilities:

Method 1: Google Assistant or XiaoAI

Activate the voice assistant (click the Home button or say “OK, Google”) and say:

• "Open the camera" → It will launch the camera even if its icon is not.
• "Show me my pictures" → open the gallery.
• "Turn on the flashlight" → Activate the flashlight without looking for the application.

Method 2: Widgets on the main screen

Some system functions can be run through widgets:

1. Click the empty space on the main screen → Widgets.
2. Find the widget of the desired application (for example, Weather or Calendar).
3. Drag it on the screen – it can restore access to the utility.

Method 3: Quick settings (notification curtain)

Some applications are integrated into the notification panel:

• 🔊 Dictaphone → in some models is started by long pressing the icon "Microphone" in the curtain.

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If you can’t find Screen Recording, try adding it to the notification bar: swipe down → pencil (edit) → Find the Screen Record icon and drag it into active elements.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with standard Xiaomi applications, users often make mistakes that lead to even bigger problems, and here are the most common ones and how to prevent them:

• 🚫 Removal of systemic APK backup → It can cause firmware to crash. Always backup through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.
• 🔄 Updating the firmware through third-party sources → Use only official ones. ROM Xiaomi.
• 🔒 Disabling important services (e.g. Google Play Services) → This can break the work of other applications.
• 📱 Resetting settings without linking your Mi Account → After resetting, the phone may require an old account to unlock.

If you do have a problem, here is an algorithm for action:

1. Check if the application is hidden (see section 2).
2. Try to recover it through the archive (Section 4).
3. If nothing helps, search the phone via Fastboot (instructions are on the forum). 4PDA).

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Before any manipulation of system applications, check whether the bootloader is blocked on your Xiaomi. On locked devices, some actions (for example, removing system systems) APK) This can lead to a “brick” (phone breakage).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions