How to remove app shortcuts from Xiaomi desktop: all working methods

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based desktop is often grabbed by dozens of shortcuts, from pre-installed services (Mi Browser, Mi Video) to games and utilities you haven’t used in a long time. Even after an app is uninstalled, its icon can stay on the home screen, creating visual chaos. Unlike “pure” Android, where it’s enough to drag the shortcut to the cart, in MIUI, the removal algorithm depends on the type of application, the firmware version, and even the smartphone model.

This article covers all the current ways to remove shortcuts, from basic (for beginners) to advanced (using ADB and hidden settings).We tested methods on Xiaomi 13 Pro (MIUI 15), Redmi Note 12 (MIUI 14) and POCO F5 (MIUI 14 for POCO), but the instructions apply to older devices (starting with MIUI 12).

1. Standard shortcut removal: drag and drop and menu

To start with, the simplest way is to remove shortcuts that are not pinned systems, which works for all user applications (installed through Google Play or.apk) and some preinstalled ones (e.g. Facebook, Netflix).

Algorithm of action:

• 📱 Press and hold your finger on the shortcut of the app you want to remove.
• 🗑️ At the top of the screen, a panel with options will appear. Drag the icon to say "Delete" (or basket).
• ⚙️ If there is no “Delete” option, but there is “Application Information” – this means that the application is system (see Section 3).
• 🔄 For folder or widget shortcuts, first click "Delete from screen" then confirm the action.

Exceptions:

• ❌ Google Search, Weather and Camera in MIUI 14+ You can’t remove them by dragging them – they are pinned by the system.
• ❌ On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) There is no visual basket – a context menu appears instead.

2. Remove via the "Application Settings" menu

If the shortcut is not removed by drag and drop, the next step is to check the status of the application in the system settings, a method that is suitable for uninstalling user programs (including residual files) and disabling system programs.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the right app through search or scroll through the list.
3. Click on it and select: 🗑️ "Delete" - for user applications. ⚙️ "Disable" - for system (the icon will disappear, but the file will remain). 🔄 "Reset settings" - if the application is buggy and creates duplicate shortcuts.

Disabling system applications (such as Mi Account or Security) can cause MIUI to crash, and we recommend this only for underutilized services like Mi Drop or Mi Remote.

Check if the application is connected to the main functions (calls, SMS)

Backup your data (via Mi Cloud or locally)

Remember the name of the application in case of recovery

Reboot the phone after disconnecting-->

3. How to remove "non-removable" system shortcuts

Some icons (Weather, Camera, Phone) in MIUI are fixed to the firmware level and cannot be removed by standard means, but can be hidden or replaced.

Method 1: Using a launcher from a third-party developer

• 📲 Install an alternative launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher, Hyperion Launcher, etc).
• 🔧 In the launcher settings, find the option “Hide apps” and add unnecessary ones there.
• ⚠️ Disadvantages: System notifications from hidden apps may keep coming.

Method 2: ADB-commands to disable system packages (requires PC)

This method is advanced and suitable for users willing to work with the command line, it allows you to completely disable system applications, including their shortcuts and background processes.

Steps:

1. Enable USB debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times), then Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging over USB.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm hide com.miui.weather2 (replace com.miui.weather2 with the desired application package).
3. Reset the device.

List of popular packages for Xiaomi:

⚠️ Note: Disabling packets through ADB It can lead to errors in the work MIUI, If you delete critical components, back up your Settings before experimenting. → The phone. → Backup.

4.Resetting launcher settings: if shortcuts are duplicated or not deleted

Sometimes, after updating MIUI or system failure, duplicate shortcuts appear on the desktop, or the possibility of removing them disappears, in which case resetting the settings of the standard launcher will help.

How to do this:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the "Luncher" (or MiuiHome) and select it.
3. Click on "Storage" → "Clear Data" and confirm.
4. Reboot the phone.

What's going to happen?

• ✅ All shortcuts and widgets will be dropped to factory settings.
• ✅ User folders on the desktop will disappear.
• ❌ The apps themselves will not be removed – only their location on the screen.

⚠️ Note: After resetting the launcher, Xiaomi can automatically restore shortcuts to system applications (such as Mi Store or Themes).To avoid this, immediately after the reboot, remove unnecessary icons in the standard way (section 1).

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If after resetting the launcher, the application menu (the button "All applications") disappears, restart the phone again - it will return automatically.

5.Use Safe Mode to remove "stuck" labels

In rare cases, application shortcuts get stuck on the desktop even after the program is uninstalled, because the launcher cache crashes, and the solution is to download it to Safe Mode, where all third-party processes are disabled.

How to Sign In to Safe Mode on Xiaomi:

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Press and hold the “Switch Off” option (or “Reboot” on some models).
3. Confirm the entrance to Safe Mode (the screen will appear watermark).

In safe mode:

• 🗑️ Try removing the problem label in the standard way (Section 1).
• 🔧 If it doesn’t help, clear the launcher cache (Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.

Signs of Safe Mode Requirement:

• The label remains in place even after the application is removed.
• When you click on the icon, an error appears "Application not installed".
• On the desktop displays "empty" shortcuts (no picture).

6.Alternative methods: from root rights to hidden MIUI features

If none of these things work, then there are more advanced solutions that take more time and technical knowledge, but they can remove even the most stubborn labels.

Method 1: Ruth-Right + Titanium Backup

• 🔓 Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
• 📦 Install Titanium Backup and Freeze Unnecessary System Apps.
• ⚠️ Risk: Loss of warranty and possible problems with MIUI OTA-update.

Method 2: File editing default_launcher.xml

This method is suitable for experienced users. default_launcher.xml Stores the configuration of the desktop, and its editing allows you to remove the system-fixed shortcuts.

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and use an ADB or file manager with root access.
2. Go to /data/system/users/0/.
3. Copy the file. default_launcher.xml on PC and edit it in Notepad++, Delete the lines with unnecessary labels.
4. Save the file and restart the phone.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect editing default_launcher.xml It can cause you to lose all the shortcuts on your desktop or crash the launcher!

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing shortcuts on Xiaomi

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The safest way to remove unnecessary shortcuts is to use a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) and hide apps in its settings. MIUI.