How to hide the app shortcut on Xiaomi Redmi Note 7: from standard methods to hidden MIUI features

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 desktop eventually becomes a dump of unnecessary labels: duplicate apps, system utilities you never use, or one-time games. You can’t remove them completely, especially if they’re pre-installed MIUI services. But the good news is that you can hide icons without removing the programs themselves, in several ways, from basic to little-known shell-setting tricks.

Many users mistakenly believe that it requires root rights or third-party launchers. In fact, Redmi Note 7 (even on current versions of MIUI 14) allows you to remove shortcuts with built-in tools. The main thing is to know where to look for the desired options. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including hiding through Settings, using folders with invisible icons and even bypassing restrictions for system applications.

If you’re tired of the chaos on the home screen but don’t want to lose access to rarely used programs, this guide is for you. All methods are tested on the Redmi Note 7 with firmware from MIUI 10 to MIUI 14 (inclusive). Some methods will require updating the system to the latest version – check this in advance in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

1. Standard Hiding Through the Application Menu

The most obvious (but not always working) way is to use the built-in hide feature in the app menu, which is suitable for most custom programs, but does not work on system utilities like Security or Themes.

To hide the label:

1. Tap the All Apps icon (usually in the dock panel below).
2. Find the right app, hold his finger and select Hide in the top menu.
3. Confirm the action – the icon will disappear from the desktop, but will remain in the full list of applications.

⚠️ Note: This method does not work for applications that MIUI considers them "important" (e.g. Settings, Phone, Messages) and will require alternative methods from the following sections.

2. Move to a folder with an "empty" icon

If the standard cover-up doesn't work, you can trick the system into hiding the shortcut in a folder with a transparent icon, which you then fold, and this trick works even for system applications.

Instructions:

• 📁 Create a new folder on your desktop (clutch the empty space) → folder).
• 🖼️ Rename it in one space (so that the name does not appear).
• 🎨 Set a transparent icon for the folder (download empty). PNG-file from the Internet or use ready-made templates).
• 📱 Drag all unnecessary shortcuts into the folder.

Now, the folder will look like an empty space on the screen, so to open it, tap the area where it's located, and this method doesn't remove the icons completely, but it visually clears the desktop.

3. Disabling applications through settings

For system utilities that can't be hidden in the standard way, there's a radical method: disabling it, which won't remove the program completely, but will make it invisible on the menu and on the desktop.

How to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose the app you want (such as Mi Video or Mi Music).
3. Click Disconnect → Confirm.

⚠️ Note: Disabled applications will stop receiving updates and may conflict with other services MIUI. Don't turn it off:

• 🚫 Settings (disrupt the system)
• 🚫 Google Play Services (account failures)
• 🚫 Security (vulnerability to viruses)

Use of the “Second Space” mode

A little-known MIUI function, Second Space, allows you to create a separate user profile with a clean desktop, so that all unnecessary shortcuts will remain in the main space, and in the second, you will see only what you add yourself.

How to set up:

1. Open the Settings. → Second space.
2. Create a new profile (you will need to create a password).
3. Switch to the second space through the notification panel.
4. Set up a desktop to your needs - there will be no unnecessary icons.

💡 Pros of the method:

• 🔒 Complete isolation from the main profile (you can hide even system applications).
• 🔄 Quick switching between spaces.
• 📱 Does not require root or third-party programs.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) will require re-authorization in the second space.

💡

If the second space is missing memory, clear the cache in the main profile: Settings → Memory → Clear the cache. This will free up space without deleting files.

5. Hiding through ADB (for power users)

For those who are willing to dive into technical details, there is a way to hide any shortcuts (including system ones) with ADB, the Android debugging tool, which requires a computer connection but gives you complete control over the icons.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools on PC.
2. On your phone, activate Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to turn on Developer Mode), then go to Settings → Additional → For Developers and turn on Debugging over USB.
3. Connect the Redmi Note 7 to your computer and confirm your trust in the device.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with adb and execute: adb shell pm hide com.android.package Replace com.android.package with the name of the application package (you can find it through special services).

Important: After you reboot your phone, the shortcuts hidden through ADB can come back. To fix the changes, follow the command:

adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job

What to do if the labels return after the reboot

One of the most common problems is that hidden icons reappear on the desktop after a reboot or MIUI update, which is because the system restores the standard configuration.

• 🔄 For Methods 1–3: Repeat the process of hiding – usually helps.
• 📱 For method 4 (Second Space): Reboot only from the second profile.
• 💻 For method 5 (ADB): Run the command again or use the script to automatically hide when booting (requires root).

If the problem persists, check if the launcher settings have reset. Sometimes it helps to change the theme: go to Themes → My Themes and apply any other, then return the previous one.

💡

The most reliable way to prevent shortcuts from returning is to use a Second Space or ADB with fixing changes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Redmi Note 7