How to add a page to the Xiaomi desktop: all the ways for MIUI and Android

Adding a page to Xiaomi’s desktop is a simple, but not always obvious task. Users of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones often find that standard Android methods do not work due to the features of the MIUI shell. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways, from saving web pages from the browser to creating shortcuts for applications and even manually adding through ADB.

It is important to understand that the algorithm depends on the firmware version. For example, in MIUI 14 and later, the menu of the Mi Browser browser has changed, and in older versions (before MIUI 12), some options may not be available. We took into account all the nuances and prepared universal instructions that work on 90% of Xiaomi devices (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11, etc.).

If you tried to add a page through a long click on the icon in the browser, but it didn’t work out – don’t worry.The article has alternative methods, including the use of third-party launchers and hidden features. MIUI. For advanced users, we have prepared a section with ADB-manually-created.

1. Save a web page through Mi Browser

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in Mi Browser browser, which supports Add to Home Screen on all versions of MIUI starting from the 10th.

1. Open the page in Mi Browser (if you use Chrome or another browser, see the next section).
2. Click on the icon. ☰ (Menu) in upper right corner.
3. Select Add to the main screen (in some versions – Create a shortcut).
4. Confirm the action by clicking Add.

The shortcut will appear on the desktop with a thumbnail of the page, and when you click it will open in Mi Browser (even if the default browser is installed).

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If the "Add to the home screen" option is missing, update the Mi Browser via Google Play or the App Store. In older versions, this feature may be hidden.

Note that MIUI 14+ does not create a shortcut as a separate application, but as a quick access to a page, which means that:

• 🔹 It will not appear in the menu of all applications (App Drawer).
• 🔹 It cannot be moved to a folder with other labels.
• 🔹 When removing the label, the bookmark itself in the browser is saved.

2. Alternative: Chrome and other browsers

If you use Google Chrome, Firefox or Opera, the algorithm will be different. In Chrome, for example, the shortcut creation function works differently:

1. Open the page in Chrome.
2. Press on. ⋮ (Three points) in upper right corner.
3. Select Add to the main screen.
4. If necessary, edit the name of the shortcut and click Add.

The main difference from Mi Browser is that the Chrome shortcut will open in PWA (Progressive Web App) mode, without an address bar, as a separate application. This is convenient for frequently used services (for example, Vkontakte, Tinkoff Bank or YouTube Music).

Firefox and Opera have a similar process, but there are some nuances:

• 🦊 In Firefox, a shortcut is created through a menu. ⋮ → Home screen.
• 🎭 Opera needs to be pressed. ☰ → Add to the main screen.
• ⚠️ V MIUI 12 and below shortcuts from third-party browsers may not be displayed – a firmware update is required.

Manually creating a label through "Widgets"

If the browser method doesn’t work (for example, because of outdated firmware), you can create a shortcut manually through the widget menu, which is universal and works even on Xiaomi with custom firmware.

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop with your finger.
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets.
3. Scroll through the list to the Tools or Tagged Tools section.
4. Find the shortcut widget for the website (or Quick Access) and drag it to the screen.
5. Enter. URL-page address and label name.

This method is suitable for creating shortcuts not only for web pages, but also for:

• 📱 Hidden Android features (e.g. #4636## for test menu).
• 🔧 System settings (direct access to Settings) → Battery).
• 📁 Local files (for example, shortcut for Download folder).

4.Use of third-party launchers

If standard methods are not satisfactory (for example, shortcuts are not saved or disappear after a reboot), the solution will be to install an alternative launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports customization of shortcuts and folders.
• 📱 Microsoft Launcher – Integration with Windows and Office.
• 🔍 Action Launcher – Quick access to widgets and settings.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Assign it to the default launcher (at the first start, an offer will appear).
3. Press and hold the empty space on the screen → Widgets.
4. Select Nova Actions → Shortcut for the website.
5. Enter the URL and the name.

Advantages of third-party launchers:

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Third-party launchers not only solve the shortcut problem, but also improve performance on weak devices (such as the Redmi 9A or POCO C31).

5. Creating a shortcut through ADB (for advanced)

If you're familiar with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can create a shortcut manually through the command line.

• 🔧 You need to add a shortcut for the system application (for example, com.android.settings).
• 🛠️ Standard methods do not work due to firmware limitations.
• 📱 Automation is required (e.g., mass labeling).

Instructions:

1. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Press 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT \ -n com.android.launcher3/.ShortcutInstallActivity \ --es name "Name of label" \ --es uri "https://example.com"
3. A window will appear on the phone with a suggestion to add a shortcut - confirm the action.

To create a shortcut for an application (not a web page), use the command:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT \


-n com.android.launcher3/.ShortcutInstallActivity \




--es name "YouTube" \




--es uri "#Intent;action=android.intent.action.MAIN;category=android.intent.category.LAUNCHER;package=com.google.android.youtube;end"

✅ Debugging is on. USB

✅ Installed drivers Xiaomi on PC

✅ Downloaded and tuned ADB (For example, through Platform Tools)

✅ Phone is connected in the mode "File transfer"-->

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB You can crash the system, don't execute commands unless you understand their purpose, like erroneous parameter setting. --es uri could cause launcher crash.

6. Problem Solving: Labels are not retained or disappear

Sometimes added shortcuts disappear after a reboot or update to MIUI. Causes and solutions:

If the labels continue to disappear, try:

• 🔄 Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Annexes → Launcher MIUI → Warehouse → Drop it.
• 📥 Reinstall the browser through which the shortcut was created.
• 🛠️ Reverse the update MIUI, If the problem has occurred after the update (see para. FAQ).

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro with a MIUI 13.0.6) Shortcuts from Chrome may not be saved due to conflict with Google Play services, in which case only installing a third-party launcher will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions