How to Add an App Icon to Xiaomi’s Home Screen: All Ways

Did you install a new app on Xiaomi but it doesn't have an icon on the home screen? Or did all the shortcuts disappear after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones. Unlike "pure" Android, the MIUI shell has its own nuances of working with shortcuts - they can't just drag from the app menu, like on other devices.

In this article you will find 5 We've tried and tested ways to add an icon to Xiaomi's screen, from standard to hidden shell features. MIUI 12-14, We explain why shortcuts sometimes disappear after an update, and show you how to return them to the public. 30 - And if you have POCO Launcher or custom firmware – there is a solution for you too.

Important: The instructions are relevant for all modern Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12/13, POCO X5/F5, Mi 11/12/13 and other devices based on MIUI 12.5+. If you have an older version of the firmware (before MIUI 12), some methods may not work – we will warn you about this separately.

Why can’t you just drag the icon to the screen on Xiaomi?

Smartphone owners from other brands are often surprised when they first encounter Xiaomi: MIUI doesn’t have the usual mechanism for dragging shortcuts from the app menu.

📱 No "classic" app menu. MIUI The default is the application bar (swipe up), where the icons are not designed to drag and drop.
🔄 Automatic Desktop Optimization: The system itself groups frequently used applications into folders, removing "extra" shortcuts.
🔒 Protection from accidental changes: Xiaomi believes that the user should deliberately add icons, not fill the screen with everything.

MIUI 13/14 also introduced the Smart Desktop feature, which automatically hides rarely used applications. If you can't find the icon, it may have just hidden it in the Other Apps or Recommended folder.

⚠️ Note: If you are using a third-party launcher (such as a Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher), the standard methods are MIUI In this case, read the section on alternative methods.

This is the simplest and most versatile way, which works on all versions of MIUI from 12 to 14.Suitable for most applications except system (for example, Settings or Phone - their shortcuts are added differently).

Open the Apps Panel (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
Find the app you want in the list. If it's not, check the Other Apps or Recommended Apps folders.
Press and hold your finger on the app icon for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears.
From the menu, select Add to the home screen (or Create a shortcut in some versions).
Drag the icon to the right place on the desktop.

If there is no item in the context menu Add to the main screen, it means:

🔹 The app has already been added to the screen (check other desktop pages).
🔹 This is a system application – it needs another way (see the section on system applications).
🔹 You have Child Mode or Protected Mode enabled – they block desktop changes.

Make sure the application is installed (check in Settings → Apps)

Turn off the mode for children in the notification curtain

Check if the application is hidden in Settings → Main screen → Hidden applications

Reboot your phone if the menu doesn’t appear-->

Method 2: Creating a shortcut through the home screen settings

If the standard method didn’t work (for example, for system applications), try adding an icon through the Home Screen Settings.

📞 Phone, Contacts, Messages
⚙️ Settings, Camera, Gallery
🔒 Security, Files, Notes

Instructions:

Press and hold the empty space on the home screen until the menu appears.
Select Widgets (or Home Screen Settings in MIUI 12).
Scroll down to the Application Shortcuts section.
Find the right application and drag it to the desktop.

If the app is not listed, it does not support shortcut creation through this method, and the alternative is to use the app widget (if any).

Annex	You can add it through the menu (Method 1).	You can add it through settings (Method 2)	Alternative method
WhatsApp	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	—
Settings	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	Widget Quick settings
Google Chrome	✅ Yes.	❌ No.	—
Camera.	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	Swipe gesture down on the lock screen
Files.	❌ No.	✅ Yes.	Widget Recent Files

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 for some regions (e.g. Europe) the ability to add shortcuts to system applications through settings is disabled. If you have this version, use the method with ADB.

Some applications (especially system ones) don't allow you to create a classic shortcut, but offer widgets. A widget can look like an icon, but provide additional information.

📅 Calendar widget shows current date and upcoming events.
📱 Weather widget displays temperature and forecast.
🔋 Battery widget shows the level of charge.

How to add a widget:

Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
Pick the Widgets.
Scroll through the list and find the widget of the desired application (for example, Camera Shortcut or Quick Settings).
Drag the widget to the desktop and adjust its size (if required).

The downside of this method is that not all widgets look like standard icons. For example, the Settings widget takes 2×1 place, and the Weather widget can be 4×2. If you want a compact shortcut, try the following method.

How to make a widget look like an icon?

Many widgets in MIUI can be reduced to icon size: 1. Add the widget to the screen. 2. Press and hold it, then select Change the size. 3. Reduce the widget to a minimum size (usually 1×1). 4. If the widget still doesn't look like an icon, try replacing its cover through themes (Themes → Icons).

Method 4: Adding system applications via ADB (for advanced)

If you need to add a system application (like Developer Mode, Hardware Testing, or Google Local Services) to the screen and standard methods don’t work, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help, which requires a connection to a computer but gives you full control over shortcuts.

What you need:

🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
🛠️ Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
⚙️ Included Developer Mode and Debugging by USB phone-on.

Step-by-step:

Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI until you become a developer!

Settings → Additional → For Developers

USB debugging

File Transfer (MTP)

adb devices

If the device appears in the list, you can continue.

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 ADB or App Inspector).

On the phone screen, a request to create a shortcut will appear - confirm it.

In MIUI 14, some system applications block shortcut creation even through ADB. In this case, only installing a third-party launcher or manually editing system files (requires root rights) will help.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause system failures if you type in the wrong commands. Don't change the settings if you're not sure what they're going to do. For a safe experiment, back up your data.

Standard (via the app menu)|Through the home screen settings |Use widgets |ADB (for system applications)|I have another way-->

Method 5: Install a third-party launcher (for complete freedom)

If you're annoyed by MIUI limitations, the most radical way is to install an alternative launcher.

🎨 Customize icons, themes and animations without restrictions.
🔄 Drag shortcuts from the app menu (like on "pure" Android).
📂 Create folders with an unlimited number of applications.
🔍 Use gestures and hotkeys to start quickly.

Popular launchers for Xiaomi:

Launcher	Advantages	Deficiencies	Download link
Nova Launcher	Maximum customization, gesture support, backup settings	Premium version for some functions	Google Play
POCO Launcher	Optimized for Xiaomi, lightweight, supports dark theme	Less customization than in Nova	Google Play
Lawnchair	Open source, support for Adaptive Icons icons, frequent updates	No official support (developed by the community)	Official website
Apex Launcher	Gesture support, hidden apps, backup	The interface looks outdated.	Google Play

How to install and configure Nova Launcher:

Download the launcher from Google Play.
After installation, click the Home button and select Nova Launcher as the default launcher.
To add a shortcut: Open the App Menu (swipe up).Tap and hold the app icon, then drag it to your desktop.

Settings Nova

Settings

Important: After installing a third-party launcher, some MIUI functions may not work properly.

🔋 Battery widget may not be updated.
📱 Navigation gestures MIUI They will be switched off (they will be replaced by the launcher navigation).
🔍 Quick Search will stop working (you need to use launcher search).

💡

If after installing the launcher, system application icons (for example, Settings or Phone) are missing, add them manually through the launcher menu. In Nova Launcher, you need to click Widgets → Nova Actions → Application shortcut and select the desired one.

What if the icons disappear after the MIUI update?

Many Xiaomi users face a problem: after updating MIUI, all shortcuts disappear from the desktop.

🔄 Resetting the launcher settings (the system returns the standard configuration).
🗑️ Clearing the launcher cache (sometimes automatically after the update).
📦 Transfer icons to the folder "Other applications" (Smart desktop function).

How to get the badges back:

Check the Other Apps folder: Swipe up to open the Apps Bar. Scroll right to the Other Apps folder. If the app is there, click on it, hold it, and select Add to the home screen.
Reset the launcher settings: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find the Launcher (or MIUI Launcher) and select Storage. Press Clear Cache and Clear Data. Reboot the phone - the icons must return.
Turn off Smart Desktop: Press and hold the empty space on the home screen. Select Home Screen Settings → Smart Desktop. Turn off Auto Sort options and Hide unused apps.

If the icons are missing after a major upgrade (for example, from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), you may need to completely reset the launcher settings.

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

This command will reset all desktop settings, but return the standard shortcuts.

💡

After updating MIUI, always check the settings of the Smart Desktop – often the system automatically includes the hiding of “unused” applications, which causes icons to disappear.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Xiaomi

Can I add a website shortcut to the home screen like in Chrome?

Yes, for this: Open a site in Google Chrome. Click on the three dots in the top right corner → Add to the home screen. Confirm shortcut creation. Mi Browser doesn't have this feature - use Chrome or Firefox.

How to change the shortcut icon on Xiaomi?

In the standard MIUI launcher, you can't replace the icon. Alternatives: Install Nova Launcher or another custom launcher with support for changing icons. Use themes from Theme → Badges (but this will change all icons, not one). Create a shortcut through the app shortcut widget (in some launchers you can change the icon).

Why can’t you add a shortcut to the game (Genshin Impact, for example)?

Some games (especially those with a lot of weight) don't support shortcuts through the standard menu. Solutions: Try adding the game through Home Screen Settings → Widgets (if you have a launch widget). Install Nova Launcher — it lets you create shortcuts for any application. Check if the game is hidden in Settings → Home Screen → Hidden apps. If the game is installed on a memory card, transfer it to internal memory — this can solve the problem.

How to return standard icons (Phone, Messages, Camera) if they are missing?

Standard system application icons may disappear after a launcher reset or update. To return them: Go to Settings → Home screen. Select Reset Standard icons (or Home screen Resets). If you don't have an option, use the ADB method to create shortcuts manually. For POCO Launcher, standard icons are returned after the phone is rebooted.

Can I add a shortcut to the lock screen of Xiaomi?

No, MIUI doesn't have the option of adding shortcuts to the lock screen. Alternatives: Use Quick Camera Start (double tap on the power button). Add a widget to the home screen and swipe down on the lock screen (if Widgets on lock are enabled). Set a third-party lock screen (like Next Lock Screen), but it's not safe. On some models (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro), you can add an app shortcution to Settings → Lock Screen → Shortcutes, but the choice is limited (usually only the Camera and the Background).