The app menu on Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones is not just a list of installed programs, but a powerful tool to personalize and speed up the device. MIUI It allows you to flexibly customize the display of icons, create smart folders, hide unnecessary applications and use gestures for quick access. Incorrect menu organization can lead to slowing down the interface, especially on budget models like the Redmi 9 with its 4 GB of RAM and Helio processor. G80.
In this article, we will discuss all the ways to customize the application menu, from basic actions (sorting, searching) to advanced tricks (hiding system programs, adjusting gestures, optimizing performance). We will pay special attention to the nuances of working on MIUI 12-14, since the interface and available features differ markedly depending on the version of the shell. If you want to make your Redmi 9 more convenient and faster, read on.
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1. Basic settings of the application menu
By default, Xiaomi Redmi 9 uses the MIUI Launcher, which offers two modes of display applications: classic (with a separate menu screen) and “no menu” (all icons on the desktop, like on the iPhone).
- Hold the empty space on the desktop.
- Select Screen Settings → Desktop Style.
- Activate the option with the app menu or without the app menu.
In the "from menu" mode, to open the list of applications, just swipe up from the bottom of the screen (on Redmi 9 with gesture control) or click on the icon • • • in the dock panel.
- 🔍 Search: The line at the top for a quick search by title.
- 📁 Folders: Drag icons onto each other to create a group.
- ⚙️ Sort: click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Sort (by alphabet, installation date or frequency of use).
Note that if you have an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher), these settings may differ, in which case use the options of the selected launcher.
2. How to hide unnecessary applications
Redmi 9 has a lot of Xiaomi system applications (Mi Browser, Mi Music, GetApps, etc.) that can't be removed without root permissions, but you can hide them from the menu to keep the screen from cluttering.
- Open the app menu.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Hide the applications.
- Select the programs you want to remove and confirm the action.
The hidden apps will remain on the system and will be available through search or settings, but will not appear in the main menu. To return them back, repeat the steps and uncheck the boxes.
⚠️ Caution: Hiding system applications (e.g. com.miui.securitycenter) may cause malfunctions MIUI. Do not hide programs with gear or shield icons - these are critical services.
If you need to completely remove pre-installed apps, you’ll need to unlock the bootloader and install custom firmware — but that’s a topic for a separate article.
How to return a hidden application if it disappeared from the list?
3. Create and manage folders
Folders help you structure your app menu, especially if you have more than 50 programs installed. On Redmi 9, you can create a folder in two ways:
- 📱 On the desktop: drag one icon to another and name the folder.
- 📂 In the app menu: click on three dots → Edit, then drag and drop the icons on each other.
To change the folder name, open it and tap it onto the text box at the top. To delete the folder, just drag all the icons back to the menu, and the folder itself will disappear automatically.
| Action. | Method 1 (Desktop) | Method 2 (Applications Menu) |
|---|---|---|
| Foldering | Drag the icon to the icon | Editing mode → drag |
| Rename | Open the folder. → tap on | Open the folder. → tap on |
| Deletion of the folder | Pull out all the icons. | Pull out all the icons. |
| Max. Number of icons. | 16 | Unlimitedly |
Tip: Use emojis in folder names to make visual separations, "🎵 Music", "📷 Photo Photo", "🎮 Games. It makes navigation easier.
4.Gesturals and quick access to applications
MIUI on Redmi 9 supports several gestures to speed up the application menu:
- 👆 Swipe up from the bottom edge: open the menu (if gesture mode is enabled).
- 🔍 Swipe down the desktop: open a search by app.
- 📱 Double tap on the screen: run the last used application (configured in Settings) → Additionally. → Gestures).
To tune the gestures:
- Go to Settings. → Desktop.
- Choose Gestures or Gesture Control (depending on the MIUI version).
- Activate the necessary options and assign actions.
⚠️ Attention: Redmi 9s MIUI 12.5 and the newer "swipe up" gesture by default opens the app menu, not the notification bar (as in the older versions).This can be confusing. To return the old behavior, disable the gesture option for the app menu in the desktop settings.
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If you’re missing gestures, install the Fluid Navigation Gestures app from Google Play.It adds extra swipes and supports sensitivity settings.
5. Optimizing menu performance
On the Redmi 9 with its modest specs (4GB of RAM, Helio G80 processor), the app menu can slow down, especially if you have a lot of software installed.
- 🧹 Clearing the launcher cache: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🔄 Turn off animations: activate Developer Mode (7 times tap on the Version) MIUI in the phone settings, then in the settings → Additionally. → For developers, install Windows animation = Off and Animation of Transitions = Off..
- 📉 Reducing icons: Hide rarely used apps (see Section 2).
Critical information: If the app menu started to lag heavily after the MIUI update, try resetting the launcher settings. To do this, delete the com.miui.home application data via Settings → Apps. This will return the standard menu view and eliminate most glitches.
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The menu opens with a delay | Overloaded launcher cache | Clear the cache com.miui.home |
| The icons are loading slowly | Lots of apps on the screen | Hide unnecessary folders or use folders |
| Gestures don't work | Conflict with the shell | Reset gesture settings in Settings → Desktop |
6.Alternative launchers for Redmi 9
If the standard MIUI Launcher does not suit you, you can install a third-party launcher from Google Play.
- 🌟 Nova Launcher: flexible customization of icons, gestures and animations. Supports dark theme and adaptive icons.
- ⚡ Apex Launcher: lightweight launcher with support for gestures and hiding applications.
- 🎨 Microsoft Launcher: Windows integration, PC synchronization.
To install an alternative launcher:
- Download the app from Google Play.
- After installation, click Home and select the new launcher as standard.
- Configure the application menu through the parameters of the selected launcher.
⚠️ Note: Some launchers (such as Nova Launcher) may conflict with gestures MIUI. If swipes stop working after installation, turn off native gestures in Settings → Desktop → Gestures.
Make a backup of the desktop (screenshots or export settings)
Check the compatibility of the launcher with MIUI 12-14
Disable battery optimization for new launcher
Clean the cache of the standard launcher after replacement-->
7.Restore menu after failure
If the app menu on Redmi 9 stops opening or doesn’t show up correctly, try the following steps:
- Reboot: Sometimes, a normal device reboot helps.
- Cache Clearance: As described in Section 5, clear the launcher cache.
- Reset launcher settings: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home (requires PC connection and developer mode enabled).
- Update MIUI: Check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
If the problem persists, the system firmware may be damaged, in which case only a factory reset will help (don’t forget to back up the data!).
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Before resetting, check if the problem is caused by a third-party launcher. Remove all alternative shells and return to the standard MIUI Launcher.
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