How to add an app icon to the Xiaomi Redmi home screen: all ways

Why Xiaomi Redmi doesn’t have an app icon and how to fix it

You have installed a new app on your Xiaomi Redmi or POCO, But you can't see his badge anywhere, and this is a problem that's familiar to many smartphone users. MIUI The fact is that by default, the system does not always automatically add shortcuts to the main screen – especially if the application was installed not from Google Play, but through the main screen. APK-file-store.

Another common situation is that you accidentally deleted the icon from your desktop and now you can't find a way to get it back. Unlike pure Android, the MIUI shell has its own shortcut management features. Fortunately, you can bring the icon back to the screen in several ways, from standard to hidden launcher features. In this article, we'll break down all the current methods for the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5 and other models on MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS.

Before you go to the instructions, make sure that the application is actually installed on the device.

• 🔍 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Manage applications and find the right one in the list.
• 📱 Check the All Apps folder (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
• 🔄 If the application does not start, it may have been deactivated by the system (relevant to the MIUI 14 with the function "Deep optimization").

Method 1: Add a shortcut through the All Apps menu

The simplest and most versatile method, which works on all versions of MIUI and HyperOS. Suitable for applications installed from both Google Play and APK.

Instructions:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the All Apps menu.
2. Find the desired application in the list (you can use the search at the top of the screen).
3. Press the app icon for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
4. In the menu that appears, select Add to the home screen (or Create a shortcut in HyperOS).
5. Drag the icon to a free space on the desktop.

If there is no option to add to the main screen in the context menu, then:

• 🚫 The application is system-based and hidden from shortcut creation (for example, Settings or Phone is already on the default screen).
• 🔧 Your launcher is modified (installed by a third-party, such as a Nova Launcher or a third-party launcher). POCO Launcher).
• 📱 You have the easy mode (Settings) enabled → Special facilities → Easy regime).

The application is installed and displayed in the menu "All applications" |

There is free space on the home screen (not all cells are occupied)|

"Easy Mode" mode is disabled in settings |

The launcher is not modified (standard is used). MIUI Launcher)-->

Method 2: Creating a shortcut through application settings

If the first method didn’t work, try adding an icon through the app management menu, which is especially useful for system utilities that don’t appear in the All Apps list (e.g., Security, Themes, or Game Turbo).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want in the list (use the search at the top).
3. Slip it to open the page with information.
4. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Create a shortcut or Add to the main screen.
5. Confirm the action - the icon will appear on the desktop.

This method also works for hidden applications that are not displayed in the menu, but are installed on the system. FM-radio on the Redmi model 9A or POCO M3, where it is not available on the main screen.

Method 3: Using the "Application Shortcuts" widget

If standard methods don’t work, you can bypass the launcher’s limitations with a special widget, which is suitable for all versions of MIUI, including HyperOS, and allows you to add an icon even for those applications that are usually hidden.

How to do this:

1. Press and hold your finger in the free place of the main screen.
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets.
3. Scroll down and find the App Shortcuts widget (or App Shortcuts in English).
4. Drag the widget to the main screen.
5. In the window that opens, select the desired application from the list.
6. Click Ready - a widget with a shortcut will appear on the screen.

The advantage of this method is that it works even for deactivated applications (unless they have been completely removed).However, note that the widget will take up more space than a regular icon (typically a 2×2 or 4×1 cell).

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear data

After that, the widget should appear, but all your desktop settings will reset!-->

Method 4: Adding a shortcut through ADB (for power users)

If none of the previous methods worked, the last method is the use of Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This will require connecting the smartphone to the computer and executing several commands, but will allow you to add an icon of any application, including system.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This method is recommended only for experienced users.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your smartphone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and turn on USB Debugging.

Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable (use the original cable for a stable connection).

adb devices

Make sure your device is listed.

com.example.app

adb shell cmd shortcut create-home --package com.example.app --activity com.example.app.MainActivity

Example for Google Chrome:

com.android.chrome

adb shell am force-stop com.miui.home

To find out the batch name of the application, use the command:

adb shell pm list packages | grep "appendix name"

For WhatsApp, it would be com.whatsapp.

💡

ADB-commands allow you to add a shortcut even for those applications that are usually hidden in the MIUI (However, once the system is updated, the label may disappear and the procedure will have to be repeated.

Table: Comparison of ways to add shortcuts on Xiaomi Redmi

Frequent problems and solutions

Even after successfully adding a shortcut, Xiaomi Redmi users sometimes face unexpected problems, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The badge appears, but nothing happens when pressed.

• 🔄 Restart your smartphone – sometimes the launcher does not have time to update the cache.
• 📦 Check if the application has been removed (open Settings). → Apps and find it in the list).
• 🔧 If the application is system (for example, the Camera), try resetting its settings: Settings → Annexes → [Name of name] → Warehouse → Clear the cache

Problem 2: After the MIUI update, the shortcuts disappeared.

⚠️ Note: For major updates (e.g., with MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) the system may reset user shortcuts. To avoid this, back up the launcher settings via Settings before upgrading. → System system → Backup.

• 🔄 Repeat the process of adding a label again.
• 📱 If the label was created through ADB, execute the command again.
• 🔧 Check if the launcher settings have reset (Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clearing the data will return the standard view).

Problem 3: You can’t add a shortcut to a game or social network.

In MIUI 14 and HyperOS, some applications (such as TikTok, Facebook or games) can be blocked by the battery optimizer to unlock the ability to create a shortcut:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Optimization
2. Find the app in the list and select No Limits.
3. Reboot your smartphone and try adding a shortcut again.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions