How to pull a shortcut to the desktop from a folder on your Xiaomi phone: all ways

Why shortcuts get stuck in folders and how to fix it

Have you created a folder on Xiaomi's home screen to organize apps, but now want to bring one of the shortcuts back to your desktop? Or accidentally drag an important shortcut into a folder and can't extract it? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO and other brands. Unlike "pure" Android, the MIUI shell has its own shortcut management nuances that aren't always intuitive.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to extract shortcuts from folders to desktop, including hidden MIUI features that work even on the latest firmware versions (MIUI 14 based on Android 13/14). You’ll also learn why shortcuts sometimes stick to folders and how to avoid this problem in the future. If you’re a Xiaomi user with 1 day to 5 years of experience, here’s a solution for your case.

Before you go to the instructions, make sure your smartphone is not in Easy Mode (it limits desktop editing). Check this in Settings → Special Opportunities → Easy Mode. If the option is active, turn it off.

Method 1: Standard drag and drop (works 80% of the time)

The most obvious method is to drag the shortcut from the folder back to the desktop, but there are pitfalls in MIUI. Here's how to do it right:

1. Open the folder with the shortcut you want to extract.
2. Press the desired label for 1-2 seconds until it rises above the others.
3. Without letting go of your finger, drag the shortcut outside the folder to the free desktop space.
4. Wait for the vibration or prompt to move here, then let go.

⚠️ Note: If the shortcut “returns” back to the folder, there is no free space on the desktop. MIUI It automatically blocks the movement if all the cells are occupied. Solution: delete the unnecessary shortcut or widget, then try again.

Make sure the folder is not blocked (click on its name → lock icon)

Check the free space on the desktop (remove unnecessary shortcuts)

Reboot your smartphone (sometimes helps with interface glitches)

Update MIUI Up to the latest version (old versions had drag and drop bugs)-->

This method works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and older devices. If drag and drop doesn't work, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Extract through desktop editing

If standard drag and drop doesn't work, try activating editing mode, a technique that is particularly useful for MIUI 13/14 users, where the interface has become more "closed":

1. Press any free space on your desktop (not on the label!).
2. In the menu that appears, select Desktop Settings (or Edit, depending on the version).
3. Find the Folder or Shortcut tab – all created folders will be displayed here.
4. Click on the desired folder, then press and drag the shortcut from it to the desktop.

💡 Useful advice: B MIUI 14 edit mode can be swiped down with two fingers on the desktop. This speeds up access to settings.

If that didn't work, maybe the folder is locked by the system. Try the next method.

MIUI 12

MIUI 13

MIUI 14

I don't know my version.

Another version-->

Method 3: Removing and Re-Creating a Shortcut

Sometimes MIUI forgets permissions to move shortcuts, and then the radical method of removing the shortcut from the folder and creating it again will help, so don't worry, the application or file itself won't be deleted, only the icon on the desktop will disappear.

Instructions:

• 📁 Open the folder and press the problem label.
• 🗑️ Drag it to the top of the screen where the basket will appear (Delete).
• 🔍 Find the app in the menu of all apps (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
• 📲 Hold his icon and drag it to the desktop.

⚠️ Note: If you delete the file shortcut (for example, PDF or APK), If you don't use an application, you delete the shortcut, and you leave the file in your phone's memory, but you have to search through Files or Explorer. If you want to recreate the shortcut, go to the file folder and click on it. ⋮ → Add to the main screen.

This method is universal and works even on older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 4X or Mi A1), where the MIUI interface is very different from the modern one.

Method 4: Use the second desktop (for MIUI 13/14)

Newer versions of MIUI have introduced a second desktop (or “parallel space”) feature that can help extract “stubborn” labels, a method that seems unobvious but often saves when other methods don’t work.

How to do this:

1. Create a second desktop: go to Settings → Desktop → Second desktop and activate the option.
2. Go to the second desktop (swipe left/right on the main screen).
3. Open the folder with the desired shortcut and try dragging it to the free space of the second desktop.
4. Return to the main desktop – the label should appear there.

🔧 Technical explanation: Second working table in MIUI It uses a separate interface layer, where the shortcut restrictions may vary, and it's related to the shell architecture, where each table is actually a separate Launcher process.

💡

If the second desktop is not turned on, check if it is disabled in the security settings. Go to Settings → Privacy → Special permissions → Second desktop and activate the function.

After successfully transferring the label, the second desktop can be turned off (if you do not need one).

Method 5: Reset desktop settings (extreme case)

If none of these methods work, you have to reset your desktop settings, which will return all the shortcuts to their original state (like when you buy your phone), but it won't delete the apps or files themselves. Importantly, before resetting, take screenshots of the current location of the shortcuts, and then restore them manually.

Instructions:

• 🛠️ Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the Launcher app (or MIUI Launcher).
• 📛 Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
• 🔄 Confirm the reset and restart the phone.

Once reset, all folders and shortcuts will disappear from the desktop, but they can be manually restored from the menu of all applications.This method is guaranteed to solve the problem of “stuck” shortcuts, but requires additional efforts to configure.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) Launcher reset can cause wallpaper and widgets to be reset.If you use custom wallpaper, save them in advance in the gallery.

Why shortcuts get stuck in folders and how to avoid it

The problem with retrieving shortcuts from folders in MIUI is due to the way the shell works, and here are the main reasons:

1. Limitations MIUI: In some versions of the firmware, the application shortcuts installed on SD-The card cannot be moved without prior transfer to internal memory.
2. Folder Lock: If a folder was created in Safe Folder mode (via Settings → Privacy), its contents cannot be edited without entering a password.
3. Cache glitches: Launcher’s accumulated cache can lead to shortcuts sticking. Regularly cleaning the cache (every 1-2 months) helps avoid the problem.
4. Conflict of topics: Some custom themes from the Theme can break the drag and drop logic. Try to bring back a standard theme.

📌 Key takeaway: To avoid shortcut problems in the future, don’t create folders with more than 12 shortcuts (in the case of the newer version). MIUI This can cause rendering errors and update your firmware regularly.

💡

If you often work with folders on your desktop, turn off Desktop Optimization in the MIUI settings. It automatically organizes shortcuts, which sometimes leads to them “sticking”.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Xiaomi