How to Add an App Shortcut to Xiaomi’s Desktop: All Ways to 2026

Creating an app shortcut on Xiaomi’s desktop seems like an easy task, but users often face unexpected challenges. MIUI (12, 13 or 14), smartphone models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T) And even the interface shell that you have installed, the process can be different: someone doesn't find the option in the menu, someone doesn't have the shortcut after they reboot, and some people don't understand why some apps (for example, some apps) are not the right option, APK-Files or system utilities do not want to create icons in the traditional way.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven methods for adding shortcuts – from standard drag and drop to hidden features MIUI, You'll learn how to get around the limitations of the system, why some apps don't show up in the shortcut list, and what to do if the icon disappears after the update. And also a unique way to create shortcuts for applications that are not in the All Apps menu (for example, hidden system utilities or other applications). ADB-team).

1. Standard method: Drag from the application menu

The most obvious method works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, but even here there are nuances: Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen) and find the desired application. Press its icon for 1-2 seconds until it sticks out of the background. Now drag it to the free space on the desktop.

If the label is not created:

• 🔍 Check if the application is blocked in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Autorun: Some programs (e.g. Google Play Games) do not create shortcuts if they are not allowed to run autorun.
• 📱 Make sure there is free space on the desktop. on some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) The system blocks shortcuts if the maximum number of widgets is already placed on the screen (usually the maximum number of widgets). 5×6 or 5×7 icon).
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone. Sometimes glitches. MIUI Launcher prevents shortcut creation – a simple reboot helps.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and an updated launcher (POCO Launcher or HyperOS) when dragging an icon, a context menu may appear with the options "Delete", "Information", "Tag" and "Tags". Select "Tags" if you want to create a duplicate instead of moving the original.

This method does not work for:

• 📁 Application folders (cannot be pulled to the desktop as a shortcut).
• 🔧 System utilities (e.g., Equipment Testing or Developer Mode).
• 📎 Annexes installed through ADB or SAI (Split APK Installer).

2. via the context menu of the application (for MIUI 13/14)

In newer versions of MIUI, developers have added an alternative way to create shortcuts: Find an app on the menu, pinch its icon, but instead of dragging it, select Create a shortcut (or Add to the home screen, depending on localization) from the menu that appears.

• 🎯 You need to create a shortcut for an application that is already on the desktop (duplicate).
• 🔄 You're using it. POCO Launcher or third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) where standard drag and drop works differently.
• 📱 You have the easy mode (Settings) enabled → Special facilities → Easy mode where the interface is simplified.

If there is no item Creating a label:

1. Update MIUI Launcher via Play Market or App Store (for global versions).
2. Check if the "Advanced Launcher Features" are disabled in Settings → Home → More
3. Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Home → Reset settings.

Press the icon for 2+ seconds | Check for "Create a shortcut" |Update MIUI Launcher |Reset the launcher settings (if necessary)

-->

3. Creating a shortcut for hidden or system applications

Some applications (e.g. Hardware Testing, Engineering Menu Mode, or Local Backup) don’t appear in the main menu, but they can be pulled to the desktop via the activity menu.

1. Install the free Activity Launcher app from Google Play.
2. Open it and find the app you want (e.g. com.android.settings for settings).
3. Slip it, select activity (e.g..TestingMenu for hardware testing).
4. Click Launch, and then in the app menu select Create a shortcut.

This method works even for:

• 🔧 ADB-commands (you can create a shortcut for fast execution of the script).
• 📡 Hidden modem menus (e.g. ##4636### for network testing).
• 📦 Annexes installed through SAI (Split APKs Installer).

⚠️ Note: Do not create activity shortcuts with the names.Secure,.Admin or.Root, which can cause system failures or claim superuser rights. For example, com.android.settings.SecuritySettings activity can block access to security settings.

4.Use widgets for quick access

If an app doesn't want to create a shortcut, but it does support widgets, you can go a detour, for example, for Google Assistant or Xiaomi Home, it's often easier to add a widget than a shortcut.

1. Click the empty space on the desktop and select Widgets.
2. Scroll through the list to the desired app (such as Weather or Calendar).
3. Select the size of the widget (1×1, 2×2, 4×1, etc.).
4. Drag the widget to the desktop.

Advantages of this method:

• 📊 Widgets can show up-to-date information (weather, calendar, notes).
• 🔄 Some widgets (such as Xiaomi Quick Ball) allow you to quickly run applications or system functions.
• 🎨 Widgets can be scaled, unlike standard shortcuts.

Limitations:

• ❌ Not all apps support widgets (e.g. Chrome or Telegram don’t provide them).
• ⚠️ Widgets consume more RAM than conventional shortcuts.
• 🔒 On some models (Redmi) 10A, POCO C40) widgets from third-party applications may not be displayed due to performance limitations.

💡

If the widget doesn’t update automatically, go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization and turn off optimization for this app.

5. Manual shortcut creation through the file system (for advanced)

This is a good way to create a shortcut for:

• 📂 APK-file in the memory of the phone.
• 🖥️ Website (to open it as an application).
• 📟 ADB-script.

You will need a file manager with root rights (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) or ADB.

1. Create a.shortcuts folder at the root of internal memory (if it is not available).
2. Inside it, create a file with the.desktop extension (for example, myapp.desktop).
3. Open the file in the text editor and insert the following code (replace the paths and titles):

[Desktop Entry]


Name=Name of the label




Exec=am start -n com.android.settings/.TestingSettings




Icon=/sdcard/Download/icon.png




Type=Application

Where:

• Name is the name of the label on the desktop.
• Exec is a command to run (e.g. am start -n com.xiaomi.calculator/.cal.CalculatorActivity for calculator).
• Icon is the path to the icon image (you can download any image of 100×100 pixels).

⚠️ Note: This method only works on hardened devices with Magisk or TWRP. On standard Xiaomi smartphones without root rights, the label will not appear. MIUI The.shortcuts folder can be deleted.

💡

To create website shortcuts, it’s easier to use the built-in Chrome feature: open the site → Settings → “Add to the home screen.”

6 Problem Solving: The label is gone, not created or not working

If the shortcut is gone after the reboot, doesn’t click, or appears as a grey square, try these steps:

If nothing helps:

1. Remove the launcher cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → MIUI Launcher → Clear the cache.
2. Try a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) where shortcut creation works more consistently.
3. Check if the Second Space (Settings → Second Space) mode is enabled – the shortcuts in it are not synchronized.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Xiaomi