How to completely remove the application from the desktop on Xiaomi smartphones: instructions for MIUI

The desktop on Xiaomi smartphones often turns into a chaos of unnecessary icons — especially if you are actively installing programs or using branded MIUI services. Unlike other Android devices, removing apps has its own nuances: some icons are simply hidden, others are removed completely, and system programs require a special approach. If you tried to erase the application in a standard way, but it reappeared after a reboot, this article is for you.

We’ll break down 5 working methods to remove apps from the Xiaomi screen, including hidden features MIUI, work ADB For system programs, and even resetting launcher settings, we'll talk about why some icons come back and how to prevent them. MIUI 12 to MIUI 14 and also for Redmi models, POCO and Black Shark.

Why apps aren’t removed in the standard way

The main problem with Xiaomi users is the separation of "delete" and "hide." When you tap the icon and choose "Delete", the system can:

• 🗑️ Completely uninstall the application (for custom programs from Google Play).
• 👁️ Hide the icon from the desktop, leaving the program in the menu (for some system utilities).
• 🔄 Restore the icon after rebooting (if the application is linked to services) MIUI).

The second reason is that MIUI has secure system applications that can't be removed without superuser or ADB rights, including Mi Video, Mi Music, GetApps and other proprietary services, and trying to uninstall them through the standard menu will only lead to the icon being hidden.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications through ADB or root rights may disrupt the job MIUI. For example, deleting com.miui.analytics will disable statistics collection, but may cause errors in settings.

The third feature is that the MIUI launcher caches the location of the icons, and even after the program is deleted, its ghost can remain in the launcher's memory until you clear the cache or restart the shell, which we'll talk about in one of the following sections.

Method 1: Standard removal through the application menu

This method is suitable for custom programs installed from Google Play or APK-It's not gonna work for system utilities. MIUI, But it will help to get rid of unnecessary games, messengers or social networks.

Instructions:

1. Press and hold your finger on the icon of the app you want to remove.
2. At the top of the screen, a panel with options will appear. Select Remove (basket icon).
3. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

If you see only Hide or Cancel instead of Delete, then:

• 🔒 You have deletion rights disabled (check your security settings).

Method 2: Remove via phone settings

If you don’t get a good deal of clicking on the icon, try uninstalling the program through the settings menu, which works for most user applications and some system apps (such as Mi Browser or Mi Calculator).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want in the list (use a search at the top of the screen).
3. Slip it on it and select Delete.
4. Confirm the uninstallation.

If the Remove button is inactive or absent:

• 🔧 Click Disable – this will remove all updates and return the program to the factory version (sometimes helps get rid of the icon).
• 📦 Check if the app is an upgrade to the system component (e.g. Google Play Services).

💡

If you delete a messenger (such as WhatsApp or Telegram), pre-backup chats. MIUI has a built-in feature in your account settings.

To speed up the process, you can use a filter in the application settings:

1. In the Application Management menu, click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select Show System Processes.
3. Sort the list by size or installation date to find unnecessary programs faster.

Method 3: Hiding icons without removal (for system applications)

Many MIUI system utilities can't be removed completely, but their icons can be hidden from the desktop. It won't free up memory, but it will clear the screen of unnecessary shortcuts. It works for Mi Pay, Mi Community, Game Turbo and other branded services.

How to hide the icon:

1. Press and hold your finger on the app icon.
2. In the menu that appears, select Hide (eye icon).
3. The icon will disappear from the desktop, but will remain in the menu of all applications.

To bring back the hidden icon:

1. Swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen to open the app menu.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Settings.
3. Go to Hidden Apps and uncheck the box.

⚠️ Warning: Hidden icons still take up space in memory and may work in the background. For example, Mi Video continues to download content updates even if the label is hidden.

If you want to disable the system application completely, but can not uninstall it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the right app and tap it.
3. Select Disable (if the option is active).
4. Confirm the action. The app will stop working and disappear from the menu.

Method 4: Remove system applications via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work and the app gets in the way, you can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool, which is Google's official way of connecting your phone to your computer, without having to root.

Pre-launch warnings:

• 🚨 Do not remove critical system components (e.g., com.android.systemui) otherwise. MIUI stop working.
• 🔌 After removing some applications (e.g. com.miui.home), the launcher may reset to a standard view.
• 🔄 To return the remote application, you will need to reset the phone to the factory settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Google’s Platform Tools.
2. Turn on the phone Developer Mode (go to Settings → About phone and 7 times tap on the MIUI version).
3. In the developer settings, activate debugging over USB.
4. Connect the phone to your computer and type in the command line:

adb devices

(The name of your device should appear.)

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name.packet

Where the name.packet is the application identifier (e.g. com.miui.video for Mi Video).

List of popular removal packages:

Once the command is executed, the application will be removed for the current user (not systemically) and to return it, you will need to reinstall MIUI or reset the settings.

Method 5: Reset the launcher settings (if the icons return)

Sometimes, after the application is removed, its icon reappears on the desktop, which is due to a failure in the cache of the MIUI launcher. To fix the problem, you need to reset the shell settings.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the launcher (or com.miui.home) and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Return to your desktop and restart your phone.

If this does not help, perform a full launcher reset:

1. In the same launcher settings, select Warehouse → Clear data.
2. Confirm the action. All widgets and icon locations will be reset to factory settings.
3. Reset the device.

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the launcher data will remove all your personal desktop settings, including folders, widgets and wallpaper.Preliminary screenshots of the current location of the icons to quickly restore it.

If the problem recurs regularly, it may indicate:

• 🐞 Failure in the firmware - try to update MIUI last-minute.
• 📱 Conflict with the theme of design – change the theme to the standard in the settings.
• 🔄 Automatic Recovery – Some system applications (such as Mi Security) recover after an update MIUI.

Additional Advice on Desktop Management

To avoid future desktop chaos, use these tips:

• 📁 Use folders – group similar applications (for example, “Social networks”, “Games”, “Work").
• 🔍 Set up a search -- in MIUI You can quickly find any application by swiping your finger down the desktop.
• 🎨 Apply themes without icons – Theme Manager has designs that hide shortcuts, leaving only widgets.
• 🔄 Clean the cache regularly - this will prevent failures in the launcher.

If you install and uninstall programs frequently, consider using an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) that offers more flexibility in desktop configuration and is independent of MIUI features.

To automate the process, you can use applications like App Manager or SD Maid, which allow you to:

• 📊 Sort applications by size, installation date or frequency of use.
• 🗑️ Disable or remove unnecessary programs.
• 🔍 Find duplicates or underutilized utilities.

💡

Alternative launchers (such as Nova Launcher) allow you to completely disable the MIUI system launcher and avoid problems with returning icons.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing apps on Xiaomi