Why Hide Xiaomi Poco Apps and When You Really Need to
Xiaomi Poco’s MIUI-based smartphones offer users flexible interface management tools, but not always obvious. App hiding can be necessary in a variety of situations, from the trivial desire to remove unnecessary system utilities from the menu to the need to hide personal correspondence or financial applications from prying eyes, for example, if you temporarily give your phone to a colleague to show photos, or leave your device on the desk in the office.
It is important to understand that the concealment ≠ Deletion: The application continues to work in the background, takes up space in memory and can send notifications (if not disabled separately). F5 Pro, Poco X5 POCO M6 s MIUI 14/15 There are several methods available, from built-in features to third-party solutions, and the choice of method depends on your goal: whether you need to hide the application from everyone (including yourself in the launcher), or only block access for other users.
Also note that some system applications (e.g. com.miui.securitycenter) cannot be hidden or removed without unlocking the bootloader and superuser rights. Attempting to do so can cause MIUI to malfunction. In this article, we will only look at secure methods that do not require root rights.
Method 1: Hiding through the “Second Space” (Dual Applications)
One of the most reliable ways to hide applications on Xiaomi Poco is to use the Dual Apps feature, which creates an isolated replica of the system where you can install and hide any application, including instant messengers or banking services, the main advantage of which is that the applications will be completely separated from the main profile and will not be displayed in the main launcher.
To activate the second space:
- Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space.
- Click “Create a Second Space” and follow the instructions (you will need to set a password).
- After creation, switch to the second space via the notification panel (user icon).
- Install the desired applications in the second space – they won’t be visible in the main.
⚠️ Note: The second space takes up extra space on the internal drive (1 to 3 GB depending on the number of applications), and some features (such as Google Pay) may not work properly due to data isolation.
Make sure there is enough free space on your phone (minimum 2GB)
Remember the password for the second space (it can not be restored!)
Turn off Google account sync in the second space if you don’t need to.
Check the notifications (they may be duplicated)-->
Method 2: Use the Hidden Applications function in MIUI
MIUI 14/15 has a built-in feature to hide apps from prying eyes, which doesn't remove apps, it just removes them from menus and search, and it's a good technique if you want to temporarily hide an application but have quick access to it through a special menu.
Instructions for concealment:
- Open the launcher (main screen) and swipe up to open a list of all applications.
- Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select "Settings».
- Go to the “Hidden Apps” section.
- Select the apps you want to hide and confirm the action.
To bring back hidden apps:
- Open the launcher settings again.
- Enter your password (if installed) or confirm with your fingerprint.
- Uncheck the boxes from the apps you want to return to the menu.
⚠️ Note: Hidden applications will still be displayed in Settings → Annexes → Application management, and you can find them through a system search if you type in the full name. For complete privacy, use a second space or third-party launchers.
Second MIUI space
Hiding through launcher settings
Third-party launchers (Nova, Apex)
App Hider (Third Party Applications)
Don't hide the app.-->
Method 3: Third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Microsoft Launcher)
If the built-in functions MIUI It's not enough, you can install an alternative launcher, like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher, and these apps allow you not only to hide icons, but also to customize gestures, change the style of the interface, and even block access to certain applications through the use of a new tool. PIN-code.
How to hide apps through Nova Launcher:
- Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
- Assign it as the default launcher in the system settings.
- Press your finger in the free seat of the main screen and select “Nova Settings”.
- Go to Settings → Application Box → Hide applications.
- Tick the apps you want to hide and save the changes.
Advantages of this method:
- 🔹 Complete customization of the interface (themes, icons, animations).
- 🔹 Ability to hide system applications that cannot be removed.
- 🔹 Additional security features (password blocking applications).
⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some functions MIUI (For example, Game Turbo or Quick Ball may not work properly, and launchers consume additional RAM, which can affect the performance of budget models (Poco). M5, Poco C55).
How to return the standard MIUI launcher?
Method 4: App Hider (Hide App)
If you don’t just hide the icon, but completely block access to the application without creating a second space, you can use specialized utilities such as App Hider, Hide App-Hide Application or Calculator Vault. These applications mask other programs as harmless icons (for example, a calculator) and require you to enter a password to access.
Example of working with App Hider:
- Download and install App Hider from Google Play.
- Launch the application and install it. PIN-code.
- Click on “Add App” and select the ones you want to hide.
- Once added, the original icons will disappear and access will only be through App Hider.
Pros and cons of the method:
| Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|
| Complete confidentiality (apps are not visible even in the system settings). | It requires the installation of additional software that can collect data. |
| The ability to disguise as other icons (for example, calculator or weather). | Some antiviruses may block such applications as “suspicious.” |
| It's rootless. | When you remove App Hider, hidden apps can disappear forever. |
⚠️ Note: Before using such applications, check their reputation on Google Play and user reviews. Some utilities may contain advertising or request unnecessary permissions (for example, access to the Internet). SMS On Poco. F4 GT POCO X4 Pro with high security requirements is better to use proven solutions such as Parallel Space.
Method 5: Disable system applications via ADB (for advanced)
If you are willing to take more drastic measures, you can disable unnecessary system applications via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which does not require root rights, but allows you to remove or freeze even those programs that MIUI does not allow you to touch through the standard interface (for example, com.miui.analytics or com.xiaomi.mipicks).
Step-by-step:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the phone. Press 7 times on "Version." MIUI», Notice: “You have become a developer».
USB-debugging
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- Activate the “Debugging by USB” switch.
- Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands via ADB: adb shell pm uninstall-k --user 0 com.miui.analytics (replace com.miui.analytics with the desired application package).
List of popular MIUI system packages that can be disabled:
- 📊 com.miui.analytics – Xiaomi Analytics Collection.
- 🛒 com.xiaomi.mipicks - GetApps app.
- 📰 com.miui.bugreport - error reports.
- 🎵 com.miui.player is a standard music player.
Important: Do not disable the system packages called com.android or com.qualcomm - this can cause the phone to fail.
adb shell pm list packages | grep "keyword"For example, to search for all applications with “miui” in the name: adb shell pm list packages | grep "miui"-->
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When hiding apps on Xiaomi Poco, users often face typical preventable problems:
- Hidden apps continue to send notifications. Solution: Turn off notifications for these apps in Settings → Notifications → Managing Notifications.
- After the MIUI update, hidden apps reappear.Solution: Use second space or third-party launchers - they're less dependent on system updates.
- Solution: System utilities (com.miui.securitycenter, com.android.settings) require ADB or root access.
- Third-party launcher resets settings after rebooting.Solution: Assign it to the default launcher and turn off battery optimization for it in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
⚠️ Note: Some Poco models (e.g. Poco) C51 POCO M5s) After hiding applications through the launcher, the weather widget on the home screen may disappear. MIUI Lite.To return the widget, temporarily disable the concealment or use alternative widgets (e.g. Google Assistant).
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Before hiding applications, always check if they are critical to the system, such as disabling com.miui.home. MIUI) This will make it impossible to use the phone without resetting the settings.