How to add the app shortcut to Xiaomi Redmi Android

Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face a situation when, after updating the system or accidentally removing the icon of your favorite messenger or game disappears from the main screen. This does not mean that the program is removed from the device's memory, it is simply hidden from visual display in the launcher. MIUI The new HyperOS has its own widget management features and shortcuts that are different from stock Android.

Restoring access to the right software can be done in several ways, from standard system settings to the use of third-party launchers. Xiaomi smartphones have powerful functionality that allows you to flexibly customize the interface for yourself. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the current methods of returning icons to the desktop.

Before you start to do complex manipulations, you need to make sure that the application is actually installed on the system. Sometimes users mistakenly delete the program itself, thinking that they are removing only the label.

Search and Recovery through the App Menu

The easiest and most obvious way to find a missing program is to use the built-in menu of all applications. Unlike some other manufacturers, Xiaomi often by default hides the list of all programs, leaving only favorites on the desktop. To change this, you need to go to the settings.

Open Settings and find Desktop. You're interested in Mode or Additional Settings. If you have No App Menu mode on, all installed programs must automatically appear on the tables. If the application menu is activated, all shortcuts are in a separate folder.

To return the icon, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Swipe up the screen to open the full menu of all apps.
• 🔍 Find the program you want in the alphabetical list or through search.
• ✋ Press the icon and hold your finger until the vibration appears.
• 🏠 Drag the icon to any free space on the desktop.

⚠️ Warning: If the system issues a space shortage message when dragging the icon, free one cell on the desktop by removing the unnecessary widget or folder.

Sometimes the shortcut may not be added because of the launcher's overflowing cache, in which case clearing the cache through the application settings can help restore the interface to normal operation. Don't be afraid to experiment with the arrangement of elements, it won't lead to data loss.

It is important to understand that system constraints can block the creation of duplicate shortcuts for some pre-installed services. If a program is system-based, it can only have one active icon in the system.

Configure the display through system parameters

If standard drag and drop doesn't work, the problem may lie in the deep display settings. The MIUI shell allows you to hide applications to improve privacy or just to clean up visual noise.

Go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps. Find the program you're interested in in. Click on it to open the detailed menu. Here, look at the desktop shortcut or similar switch.

This is especially useful when you want to hide an app from your kids or colleagues without removing it. However, if the switch is turned off, the icon disappears. Enabling this option forcibly returns the icon to its place. This works even for system utilities that are not usually removed.

Also worth checking is the launcher's settings. Click on the empty space on your desktop to call the edit menu. Select Add widgets or Settings. Some firmware versions have "Hide Apps" on them.

Remember that after updating the firmware, some settings may reset to factory values. So if the icon disappeared immediately after the update, most likely, this particular setting flew. Carefully check all menu items related to the appearance.

Use of the Hidden Applications function

Redmi and Xiaomi have a privacy mode that completely hides apps from the menu and desktop, and only access them through a special code or fingerprint, and if you accidentally activate this feature, the program will not be available in the usual way.

To check if the app has been hidden, open the Security app (green zipper icon) which is a system utility that is on every device of the brand. Scroll down to the Hidden Apps section.

Here you'll see a list of programs that have been hidden by the user, and you just need to remove the tick or switch next to the name to return them, and then the label will instantly appear in the general list of applications.

There is also a quick way to get into this section:

• 🔐 Open the menu of all applications (swipe up).
• 👆 Click on the search bar or simply pull the list down.
• 👀 Enter a special password if it was previously set.
• 📂 Or find a hidden folder in the security settings.

⚠️ Warning: If you forget the password from hidden apps, it may not be possible to restore access to them without resetting security settings.

This feature is often used to hide banking apps or personal photo albums. Be careful when cleaning your phone so you don't accidentally activate the hiding of important programs.

Creating Site and Web Application Shortcuts

Often, users need to not just return an application, but create a shortcut for a specific site to open as a separate program. Chrome, Mi Browser or Yandex browsers allow you to implement this feature.

To create this shortcut, open your browser and go to the desired site. Click on the menu (three dots in the corner of the screen). In the drop-down list, select Add to the home screen or Create a shortcut.

The system will prompt you to rename the shortcut if the standard name is too long. Confirm the action, and a new icon will appear on the desktop. It will look like a regular application, but will lead directly to the resource page.

Such shortcuts are especially useful for web versions of social media or instant messengers that don’t have native apps or take up a lot of space.

Solving problems with launcher and theme of design

Sometimes the reason for the disappearance of shortcuts is not in settings, but in conflicting themes or launcher failures, MIUI themes can change the appearance of icons, making them invisible against a certain background or replacing them with transparent plugs.

Try temporarily switching to a standard Classic or Default theme, go to the Themes app, go to profile, and select the standard option, and if the shortcuts are back, it means that the problem was in the third-party graphic.

If the theme change didn't help, there may have been a malfunction in the launcher itself. Try clearing its data. Go to Settings -> Apps -> All Apps. Find System Launcher (or Launcher).

Click Clean -> Clear Everything. This action will reset all icons and widgets on desktops to factory status, but it won't remove the apps themselves. It's a radical but effective method.

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the launcher data will remove all folders and widgets you created. Before performing this operation, make sure you have time to reconfigure the desktop.

It’s also worth checking for updates to the System Launcher component in the GetApps store or Google Play. Developers often release patches that fix bugs with the display interface.

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If the shortcuts are lost after you install a new theme, try resetting the theme to a standard one first, and then clearing the launcher data.

Advanced methods and third-party solutions

For users who lack standard functionality, there are powerful customization tools, and apps like Shortcut Maker allow you to create shortcuts for any hidden Android features, settings, or specific pages within apps.

These snails are especially useful if you want access to a deep settings menu that is hidden from the average user. You can create a shortcut that immediately opens, for example, the LTE testing menu or battery usage statistics.

The process of creating a shortcut through third-party software looks like this:

• 📥 Download the app to create shortcuts from the Play Market.
• ⚙️ Run the program and select a category (Applications, Settings, Web).
• 🎨 Choose the right icon and name for the new label.
• ✅ Click "Create" and allow installation.

Using these tools gives you complete control over your Redmi or Poco interface, and you can create scenarios where one shortcut triggers a chain of action, which makes your smartphone a powerful automation tool.

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Third-party launchers and shortcut generators are the only way to add items to the desktop that are not provided by the manufacturer by default.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)