How to add an app shortcut to Xiaomi desktop: all ways to MIUI 14/15

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have a “Add to Desktop” feature and what to do about it

Users of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Often faced with an unexpected problem: in the shell MIUI There's no "Add to Desktop" option when you press the app icon long enough. Unlike "pure" Android, where it's available by default, the manufacturer has removed it from the context menu, replacing it with alternative mechanisms. MIUI, where the emphasis is on widgets and quick action, not classic shortcuts.

However, the lack of a direct option does not mean that the task is impossible. There are at least 5 working ways to add a shortcut to the home screen - from standard MIUI tools to workarounds through Settings or third-party utilities. It is important to understand that the methods may differ depending on the shell version (MIUI 14 vs MIUI 15) and the device model (for example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 algorithms slightly vary).

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways, including hidden MIUI features, working with the All Apps folder, using Google Play Market, and even manually creating shortcuts through ADB for advanced users.

Method 1: Drag from the All Apps folder (the easiest one)

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the version of MIUI. The algorithm is as simple as possible and does not require additional settings:

1. Swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen to open the All Apps folder (aka App Menu).
2. Find the desired application in the list and pinch its icon for 1-2 seconds.
3. Without letting go of your finger, drag the icon to any free space on the desktop.
4. Release your finger – the label will be automatically created.

This is a universal approach, but it has a limitation: it only works for applications that are already installed on the system.If you are trying to add a shortcut to a website or system feature (like Game Mode), other methods will be required.

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If the All Apps folder doesn't swipe, check your gesture settings in Settings → Display → Lock screen and password → Gestures. An alternative way to call the menu may have been enabled.

Method 2: Through the context menu of the application (for MIUI 15 and later)

In the latest versions of MIUI 15 (based on Android 14), the developers returned a simplified option to add shortcuts through the context menu, but hid it under an additional tap.

• 📱 Open the folder "All applications" (swipe up).
• 👆 Press and hold the app icon until the vibration appears (usually 1-1.5 seconds).
• 📌 In the menu that appears, select “Add to the home screen”** (on some models it may be called “Create a shortcut»).
• 🔄 If there is no item, try dragging the icon upwards – sometimes the menu only appears when you move.

This method doesn't work on all devices, because Xiaomi is testing different interfaces. For example, on Xiaomi 14 Ultra, the option is available, and on the POCO X5 Pro it may not be. If you don't work, move on to the next method.

Method 3: Using the app shortcut widget

If the first two methods don't work, you can go around widgets. MIUI offers a special widget for quick access to applications that you can customize to your needs:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop, then select “Widgets”**.
2. Scroll down and find the App Shortcuts widget** (or App Shortcuts on English firmware).
3. Select the size of the widget (usually 2×2 or 4×1) and drag it to the screen.
4. Click on the widget, then select “Configure”** and add the desired apps to the list.

The downside of this is that you don't get a separate icon, but you get a bunch of shortcuts in a single widget, but you can add up to 8 apps in one block, saving screen space, which is especially useful for commonly used utilities like Google Keep, Calculator or Flashlight.

Method 4: Adding a shortcut through Google Play Store

Few people know, but Google Play Store allows you to create shortcuts for installed applications, even if the option itself is hidden in MIUI. This method works for all applications downloaded through the Play Market, but is not suitable for system utilities like Settings or Callers.

Instructions:

• 🛒 Open Google Play Market.
• 🔍 Find the application you want through search (it should already be installed).
• 📌 On the app page, click on three-point (⋮) top-right.
• 🖥️ In the menu, select "Add to the main screen»**.

Importantly, this method will not work if the application was installed outside the Play Market (for example, via an APK or a third-party store), and some MIUI firmware for China may not have this option due to restrictions on Google services.

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If you often install APK-manually, before adding a shortcut through the Play Market, first uninstall the application, then install it again through the Google Store.

Method 5: Manually create a shortcut through ADB (for advanced)

If none of the previous methods worked and you need a shortcut for the system application (e.g. Developer Mode or Security), you can use the app. ADB-This requires you to connect your smartphone to your computer and enable debugging. USB.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable Developer Mode on your smartphone: go to Settings → About the phone and 7 times click on the "Version" MIUI»**.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate “Debugging by USB”**.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install it. ADB-drivers (e.g. via Mi) PC Suite) and open the command line.
4. Enter the command to create a shortcut (example for Settings): adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT -n com.android.settings/.Settings

For other applications, replace com.android.settings with the desired application package (you can find out through the App Inspector or adb shell pm list packages). After completing the command, a dialog will appear on the screen with a suggestion to add a shortcut.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause system failures if you type the wrong command.Do not experiment with system packages (e.g. com.miui.home), as this can cause a launcher crash.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successfully adding a shortcut, Xiaomi users sometimes run into problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Shortcut disappears after reboot: This is due to memory optimization in the MIUI. To fix, add the app to the auto-clean exceptions via Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.
• 🚫 You cannot add a shortcut to the website: MIUI There is no built-in feature to create web shortcuts.Use Google Chrome browser: open the site → press ⋮ → Add to the main screen.
• 📱 Shortcut does not open the application: Remove the shortcut and recreate it. If the problem persists, clear the launcher's cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher.

If none of these methods worked, check if you have a third-party launcher (like a Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) on your device, in which case the rules for adding shortcuts are determined by the alternative launcher settings, not MIUI.

Make sure the device has the latest version of MIUI| Check the free space on the desktop (maximum 5×5 icons)|Reboot the smartphone | Try adding a shortcut in another way-->

FAQ: Answers to popular questions