Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro remains one of the most popular smartphones on MIUI, but not all users know that the system offers several ways to hide applications – both standard means and with the help of third-party tools. You may need to hide messengers from prying eyes, hide system utilities that you do not use, or simply organize the desktop. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including little-known chips MIUI 12-14, which work without superuser rights.
It is important to understand that hiding apps does not amount to deleting them: they continue to take up space in memory and can be displayed in the All Apps menu or in settings. However, visually they can be made inaccessible to accidentally open. Also note that some methods (for example, using Parallel Space) may conflict with Xiaomi security features such as Application Protection or Permissions.
If you’re looking for a way to hide apps from kids, colleagues, or just want to keep things clean, this guide will help you choose the best option. We’ve tested all methods on the Redmi Note 9 Pro with MIUI 12.5-14 firmware (including global and Chinese versions), so we guarantee that they work.
1. Hiding applications through the “Second Space” (Dual Apps)
The Second Space (or Dual Apps) function is originally designed to clone messengers, but it can also be used to hide applications, which does not remove an application from the main profile, but creates a copy of it in an isolated space that can be locked with a password.
To hide the application in this way:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → Annexes → Second space.
- 🔑 If the function is disabled, click Create a second space and follow the instructions (you will need to set a password).
- 📎 In the list of applications, find the one you want to hide and turn on the switch next to it.
- 🔒 Now the application will be available only after entering the second space (swipe down the lock screen). → profile icon).
The advantage of this method is reliability: without knowing the password, no one can find the hidden application, but there are also disadvantages: a copy of the application takes up additional space, and notifications will be duplicated, and some system utilities (such as Settings or Phone) can not be cloned.
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If you use Second Space only to hide apps, turn off notification sync in its settings to avoid duplicates.
2. Archiving of applications (hiding without deletion)
MIUI has a built-in archiving feature that allows you to hide applications without deleting their data. Archived programs don't show up in the menu, but stay in the system and can be restored in two clicks, a way that is suitable for temporarily hiding rarely used utilities.
How to archive the application:
- Press the app icon on your desktop → select Application Information (or Delete in some versions of MIUI).
- Click Archive (if you don’t have an option, tap on the three dots in the top corner).
- Confirm the action. The app will disappear from the screen, but will remain in the archived list (Settings → Applications → Archived).
To return the app, go to Settings → Apps → Archived, find it in the list and click Restore. Note: Archived apps don’t receive updates from Google Play, so their data may become outdated.
What happens to the archived application data?
3. Hiding through launchers (Nova, POCO, Apex)
The standard MIUI launcher does not support hiding applications, but third-party shells (like Nova Launcher or POCO Launcher) offer this feature.This method visually removes icons from the desktop and menu, but applications remain accessible through search or system settings.
Instructions for Nova Launcher:
- 📲 Install Nova Launcher from Google Play and make it the default launcher.
- 🔧 Hold an empty space on the desktop → Settings Nova → Hiding applications.
- 📎 Tick the apps you want to hide and click Save.
- 🔍 To find a hidden application, use a system search (Settings) → Annexes).
Advantages of this method: it does not require administrator rights, works on any version of MIUI, and hidden applications do not take up additional space. However, they will still be visible in Settings → Applications and can be displayed in search results by device.
4.Use of the "Hidden Album" for icons (only) MIUI 13+)
Since MIUI 13, Xiaomi has introduced the Hidden Album feature, which was originally intended for photos, but it can also be adapted to hide app icons, a technique that works by creating empty folders on the desktop where “invisible” shortcuts move.
How to hide an icon in a hidden album:
- Create a new folder on your desktop (click the empty space → Folder).
- Move the icon of the application you want to hide.
- Press the folder → Edit → swipe down to open additional options.
- Select Hide folder (if you don’t have the option, upgrade to the latest version of MIUI).
Now the folder will become invisible, but its contents will remain on the device. To return the icon, you just need to repress the empty space on the screen → Desktop settings → Show hidden folders. This method is suitable for hiding 1-2 applications, but is inconvenient for mass use.
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The Hidden Album function only works on the desktop. In the All Apps menu, hidden icons will still be displayed.
5. Hiding system applications through ADB (for experienced)
If you need to hide system applications (such as Mi Video, Mi Music or GetApps) that cannot be removed or archived in standard ways, you can use the ADB command. This method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer, but does not need root rights.
Step-by-step:
- 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on PC and enable Debugging on USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version number → Return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
- 📎 Connect the Redmi Note 9 Pro to your computer and enter in the command line: adb shell pm hide com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer (replace com.mi.android.globalFileexplorer with the package of the desired application; you can find out the package through the App Inspector in Google Play).
- 🔄 Restart the device. The app will disappear from the menu, but will remain in the system.
To return the application, use the command:
adb shell pm unhide com.mi.android.globalFileexplorerInstall Xiaomi drivers on PC|Enable debugging on USB phone-on|Download ADB Tools|Find out the package name of the application|Create a backup copy of the data-->
⚠️ Note: Not all system applications can be hidden without consequences, for example, disabling com.miui.securitycenter can cause malfunctions. MIUI. Before experimenting, back up through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
Comparison of methods of hiding applications on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
| Method | Root is required. | Hiding from search | Works for system applications | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second space | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes, only in the second space) | ❌ No. | ⭐⭐ |
| Archiving | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ⭐ |
| Third-party launcher | ❌ No. | ❌ No (sees in the settings) | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐ |
| The Hidden Album (MIUI 13+) | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | ⭐ |
| ADB | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | ⭐⭐⭐ |
As you can see from the table, the most reliable way to hide the application from prying eyes is Second Space or ADB. If you just need to organize the desktop, it is enough to archive or third-party launcher. For system utilities, only ADB is suitable, but it requires caution.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When hiding apps on the Redmi Note 9 Pro, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:
- 🔄 The app has disappeared from the menu, but notifications keep coming. This is normal for archiving or hide-through-launch methods. To turn off notifications, go to Settings. → Notifications → Find the app → Turn it off.
- 🔒 I can't log into Second Space after resetting. Reset removes second space. To restore access, create it again in Settings. → Annexes → Second space.
- 📱 After use ADB Make sure you type in the correct batch name (check with App Inspector) and restart the device. If the error repeats, try the adb shell pm disable-user command. --user 0 name-pack.
- 🔍 Hidden apps through the launcher are visible in Google search. MIUI. To hide the app completely, use the Second Space or ADB.
⚠️ Note: If you use Parallel Space or other third-party app cloning utilities (like Island), note that they may conflict with Xiaomi’s Second Space feature. Simultaneous use of multiple tools to isolate applications can lead to failures in the notifications or even to a smartphone reboot.