How to hide games on your Xiaomi phone: the complete guide to MIUI 14 and 15

Xiaomi’s smartphone may need to hide games for many reasons, from wanting to keep privacy to focusing on work or school. Unlike pure Android devices, MIUI-branded phones offer several unique ways to mask applications, from built-in features to third-party solutions. However, not all methods are equally reliable: some games can continue to show up in recent apps or consume battery power in the background.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 working ways to hide games on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, including little-known tricks with Second Space, hidden folders, and even changing system settings. We’ll focus on the nuances for the latest versions of MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, where the interface and layout of options may have changed. If you’re looking for a way that doesn’t require root rights or install additional programs, it’s here for sure.

1. Built-in Hidden Applications function in MIUI

The easiest way to hide games is to use the built-in Hidden Apps option available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, which does not remove the game from the device, but only removes its icon from the main menu and application list, while the game will remain in Settings → Apps and will be visible in the menu of recent tasks if it is launched.

To activate the cover-up:

• 📱 Open Settings and go to the Application section.
• 🔍 Select Application Management → Hidden applications.
• ➕ Click Add and mark the games in the list.
• 🔒 Confirm the action with a password or fingerprint (if the lock is configured).

Important: The games hidden in this way will still show up in the search results by device (swipe down on the home screen).To completely exclude them from search, you will need to disable indexing for these applications manually through Settings → Device Search → Search Settings.

💡

If you have hidden the game, but it is still visible in the search, try to reboot the phone – sometimes the search engine cache is not reset immediately.

2.Use of the "Second Space" for complete isolation

The second space (or dual apps) feature in MIUI allows you to create a separate user profile with your own apps, settings and data, ideal if you want to not only hide games, but also completely isolate them from the main profile - for example, so that they do not interfere with work or distract from important tasks.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings. → Second space.
2. Select Create a second space and follow the instructions (you need to set a password).
3. After creation, switch to the second space via the notification panel (icon) 👤).
4. Install games in the second space only – they will not be displayed in the main.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔐 Complete isolation: games are not visible in the main profile even through search.
• 📱 Separate settings: You can configure notifications, background processes and data access independently.
• 🔄 Quickly switch between spaces through the notification curtain.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (such as the Google Play Store) will be duplicated in the second space, which can increase memory consumption. Also note that games in the second space will not sync with the main profile (for example, game progress will have to be stored separately).

3. Hiding games in folders without an icon ("Invisible folders")

If you don't want to use system features, you can hide games in invisible folders on the home screen, and you have to create a folder, and then remove the icon from the screen, and this works on all versions of MIUI, but it requires care, because if you do something wrong, the folder can get lost.

Instructions:

1. Create a new folder on the home screen and move the game icons to it.
2. Press and hold the folder, then drag it to the Remove (Basket) icon at the top of the screen.
3. The folder will disappear from the main screen, but will remain in the system. To access it, type the name of the folder (for example, Games) in the search by device.

The following is the case (for MIUI 14+):

• 📁 Use the File Manager application (built-in file manager).
• 🔍 Create a folder with a dot at the beginning of the title (for example,.Games) – it will become hidden.
• 📲 Move it. APK-Game files in this folder (permission to install from unknown sources is required).

4. disable game icons via Launcher (without deletion)

The MIUI shell allows you to hide the app icons directly through the launcher (main screen), which does not delete the game, but only removes its icon, but the application will remain in the All Apps menu and will be visible in the settings, suitable for those who want to quickly hide the game without going into the system settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Press and hold the game icon on the home screen.
2. In the menu that appears, select Remove the icon (or Hide, depending on the version of MIUI).
3. Confirm the action. The badge will disappear, but the game will remain in the system.

To get the badge back:

• 🔍 Open the All Apps menu (swipe up on the home screen).
• 📱 Find the hidden game, click on it and hold it.
• 🖼️ Drag the icon back to the main screen.

⚠️ Note: Some games (especially those with background processes) may continue to display notifications even after the icon is hidden. → Notifications and manually disable alerts for hidden app.

5. Hiding through “Children’s Mode” (access restriction)

If you don't just want to hide games, but you want to completely block them (for example, for a child or to avoid temptation), you can use the Children's Mode, which allows you to create limited profiles where only the apps you select will be available.

How to set up:

• 👶 Go to Settings. → Special facilities → Regime for children.
• 🔧 Set up a password to exit the mode.
• ✅ Select the apps that will be available in the child profile (no games need to be added).
• 📱 Activate mode – all other applications (including games) will be hidden.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Full lock: games are not just hidden, but inaccessible without a password.
• ⏰ Ability to set the time of use.
• 📊 Activity control (in some versions) MIUI).

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 Inconvenient for constant use – you will have to enter a password every time.
• 📵 Limited functionality: many system functions are not available in the child mode.

Set a strong password (at least 6 characters)

Check the list of permitted applications

Disable notifications from games in your main profile

Keep progress in the games (if necessary)

-->

6.Removal from the "Recent" menu and background activity

Even if you hid the game, it can still show up in the recent apps menu or use up battery power in the background. To completely erase the traces of the game, you need to turn off its background activity and exclude it from the list of recent tasks.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired game and open the Battery Consumption.
3. Set a limit to limit background activity.
4. Return to the game settings and turn off the Show in recent (if available).

For full cover from the menu Recent:

• 🛠️ Use it. ADB-command (requires a connection to the PC):

adb shell cmd appops set < game packet> SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW deny

Where the <game packet> is the application ID (e.g. com.supercell.clashofclans for Clash of Clans), you can find the package via the App Inspector on Google Play or using the Package Name Viewer app.

⚠️ Caution: Disabling background activity can cause progress in online games to reset if they require a constant connection to servers, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact may stop working properly without background processes.

7 Third-party applications for concealing games (alternatives)

If you don't like the built-in MIUI methods, you can use third-party apps that offer additional features like schedule hiding, password locking, or even system utilities, but beware: some apps may contain ads or request excessive permissions.

Popular solutions:

Important: Check reviews and permissions before installing third-party apps. Some “highers” may request access to Special Features or Overlays on top of other applications — this is a potential security risk. Also remember that MIUI may block such utilities due to security policies.

💡

The built-in MIUI (Hidden Applications, Second Space) functions are more reliable than third-party solutions, since they do not require additional permissions and do not conflict with the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding games on Xiaomi