How to hide the app shortcut on Android Xiaomi: all working methods

Xiaomi’s desktop quickly fills up with unnecessary shortcuts — especially if you’re actively installing apps from Google Play or the MI App Store. Some icons can’t be removed by standard means (such as Mi Video or Mi Music system utilities), while others simply spoil the aesthetics of the interface. In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to hide shortcuts on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones — from basic MIUI settings to advanced ADB tricks.

It's important to understand the difference between deleting the shortcut and deleting the app. The first one simply removes the icon from the screen, and the second one uninstalls the program completely. We'll focus on the first option, which is safer and does not require administrator rights. All methods have been tested on MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese firmware versions). If your smartphone runs on Android 13/14 with HyperOS shell, some features may differ, we will warn you about this separately.

Before you start, check the MIUI version in the Settings → About Phone menu, which will help avoid errors: for example, MIUI 14 has disappeared the option “Hide apps” from the standard launcher, but it has been replaced by alternative paths. Also note that some methods (for example, using Nova Launcher) require the installation of third-party programs, this can affect battery autonomy.

1. Standard Hiding via MIUI Settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in shell feature, which is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5, but has limitations: only user applications are hidden, system utilities remain visible.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open Settings and go to the Application section → Application management.
• 🔍 In the search bar, enter the name of the program you want to remove (for example, Facebook or TikTok).
• 🖱️ Tap on the application, then select Hide the application (in some versions – Remove from the desktop).
• ✅ Confirm the action. The icon will disappear from the home screen, but will remain in the menu of all applications (Swipe up).

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 on HyperOS, this item may not be available. If you don't have an option, try an alternative way: press your finger on the label. → Delete (this will only remove the icon, not the app itself).

2. Hiding through folders and Appdrawer (without root)

If your version of MIUI doesn't have a concealment feature, you can do with standard interface tools, which doesn't remove the icon completely, but makes it less visible.

Options:

• 📁 Folders: Drag an unnecessary shortcut to a folder with other applications (such as "Rarely Used"). To create a folder, drag and drop one icon to another.
• 🔄 Appdrawer: Turn on display of all applications swipe up (Settings) → Screen. → Home screen → Screen style → "With a wip. The labels will only be on the menu.
• 📌 Fixed widgets: Replace the app icon with a widget (like a weather or calendar widget) so it doesn’t catch your eye.

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If you use a hidden app often, add it to the Quick Settings Bar (swipe down from the top edge of the screen) – so it will always be at hand, but won’t clutter your desktop.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) post-update MIUI 13 you lose the ability to create folders on the desktop. In this case, use a third-party launcher (section 3).

3. Use of a third-party launcher (Nova Launcher, Apex)

Xiaomi’s standard launcher is limited in settings, but third-party shells like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher offer flexible concealment options. MIUI, including HyperOS.

The following is a step-by-step instruction for Nova Launcher:

1. 📥 Install Nova Launcher from Google Play (free version is quite functional).
2. 🔧 Launch the launcher and select it as the main one (when you request the system).
3. 🖱️ Hold your finger in the free space of the desktop → Settings Nova → Hiding applications.
4. ✅ Check the programs you want to hide, and they disappear from the menu and search.

Important: Once you install Nova Launcher, some Xiaomi system features (such as navigation gestures or always active display) may not work properly. Before setting up, check compatibility in Settings → Additional → Compatibility with MIUI.

Make a backup of the desktop (export to Settings → Backup)

Check the vacant space (requires ~50 MB)

Disable battery optimization for launcher (Settings → Battery → Optimization)

Restart the phone after installation-->

4. Hiding system applications through ADB (for advanced)

If you want to remove Xiaomi’s built-in apps (such as Mi Browser, GetApps or Mi Pay), standard methods will not work, and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) – a debugging tool that allows you to disable system components without root rights – will help.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause your phone to crash. Back up your data before you start (Settings) → The phone. → Backup) and make sure that Xiaomi drivers are installed on the PC.

Instructions:

1. 💻 Install. ADB Tools on the computer (Windows/macOS/Linux).
2. 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB on the phone: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to unlock the developer menu) → Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.
3. 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC via cable and execute the command in the terminal: adb devices (should appear a device with a serial number).
4. 🛠️ To hide the application, type: adb shell pm hide com.mi.browser (replace com.mi.browser with the desired application package).
5. 🔄 Reboot the phone. The icon will disappear, but the app will stay in the system.

List of popular packages of system applications Xiaomi:

• 🌐 Mi Browser: com.android.browser or com.mi.browser.global
• 🎵 Mi Music: com.miui.player
• 📺 Mi Video: com.miui.videoplayer
• 🛒 GetApps: com.xiaomi.mipicks

5. Disable applications through settings (ADB alternative)

If ADB seems complicated, you can disable unnecessary system programs through the settings menu, and it won’t remove them completely, but it will remove the icons from the desktop and stop the background processes.

How to do this:

1. 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
2. 🔍 Find a system application (such as Mi Pay) and tap it.
3. 🚫 Select Disable (or Remove Updates if the Disable button is inactive).
4. ✅ Confirm the action. The icon will disappear and the app will stop working.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling critical services (such as Mi Account or Security) can cause the phone to run in an unstable way. Check the name of the package on the network before acting - for example, disabling com.miui.analytics will disrupt statistics collection but will not affect the basic functions.

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Disabling system applications frees up to 100-300MB of memory and reduces battery consumption, but does not remove them completely.

6.Reset the launcher to factory settings (if nothing helped)

If after experimenting with the settings, the desktop starts to glittle (for example, widgets disappear or application menus fail to open), return the launcher to its original state. This will not delete your data, but reset the location of icons and folders.

Instructions:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find the Launcher (or) MIUI Launcher) and tap it.
• 🗑️ Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
• ✅ Confirm the reset. After the reboot, the desktop will return to factory settings.

💡 Tip: Before reset, take screenshots of the current location of the icons (click Power) + Volume Down) to quickly restore a convenient layout.

FAQ: Frequent questions about hiding shortcuts on Xiaomi