How to hide applications on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways from MIUI to third-party launchers

Why users want to hide apps on Xiaomi and when they really need to

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer flexible interface settings, but not everyone knows that the system can be adapted to strict privacy requirements. Hiding apps is not only a way to get rid of visual clutter on the desktop, but also the only legal method of protecting personal data from prying eyes without using passwords for each application, such as banking programs, private messaging apps or games that you do not want to advertise.

Unlike iOS, where hiding apps is about removing them from the home screen (and staying in the library), MIUI allows you to completely eliminate programs from the installed list, but with nuances. It's important to understand that "hide" does not equal "delete": the application will continue to work in the background, receive notifications and updates, but access to it through the search or app menu will be limited, this is true for parents who want to protect children from certain programs, or for users who share a phone with colleagues.

But there is a downside: some methods (such as disabling through Settings → Applications) can cause system services to fail, so before you hide anything, it is worthwhile to figure out which methods are safe for your Redmi, POCO or Black Shark model, and which ones are better to bypass.

Method 1: Built-in Hidden Applications in MIUI (without root)

The simplest and most official method is to use the built-in Hidden Apps option available in the latest versions of MIUI 12-14. It does not require superuser rights and works on most devices, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13. However, there is a limitation: hidden programs will still appear in Settings → Applications → Application Management, as well as in global search results by phone.

To take advantage of the function:

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

After that, the app icons will disappear from the desktop and menu, but will remain in the Recent (if they were launched). To return them back, repeat the steps and uncheck the boxes. Importantly, this method does not work for system applications (for example, Camera or Phone).

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If the Hidden Apps option is not available in your MIUI version, update your firmware via Settings → About Phone → System Update. Use alternative methods from this article as a last resort.

Method 2: Disable applications through settings (partial concealment)

If your version of MIUI doesn't have a hide feature, you can go a detachment route, disable unnecessary apps, remove their icons from the screen and stop background activity, but not hide them from the list of installed programs.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose the app you want to hide.
3. Click Disable (the button will appear if the program supports this option).
4. Confirm the action in the dialog window.

The disabled applications will not update and may stop working correctly after the MIUI update. To return them, search the same menu and click Enable.

Make sure the app is not system-based (e.g. not Google Play Services)

Check if there is any important data inside (disabling may reset settings)

Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup

Remember the name of the application for future inclusion-->

Method 3: Use of a second space (double desktop)

The MIUI Second Space feature is designed to separate personal and work data, but it can be adapted to hide applications, and the point is that you create a separate profile with a unique set of programs, a password, and even wallpaper, and the apps installed in the second space won't be visible in the main — and vice versa.

How to set up:

• 🔄 Open the Settings. → Special facilities → Second space.
• 🔐 Create a new space, following system prompts (you need to come up with a password).
• 📲 Switch to the second space via the notification panel (icon) 👤).
• 📱 Install or move applications that you want to hide there.

The downside is that the apps will only be available after switching to the second space, which is not always convenient, but it is a way to reliably protect data — even if someone unlocks your phone, they will not see "secret" programs without a password from the second profile.

Built-in MIUI |Switch off via Settings |Second Space |Second-Party Launcher |I don't know, haven't tried-->

Method 4: Third-party launchers with support for hiding (Nova, Apex, POCO Launcher)

If you don't like the built-in MIUI, you can install an alternative launcher, popular options such as Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or POCO Launcher (optimized for Xiaomi devices), which allows you not only to hide applications, but also to group them into folders with a password, change icons and customize gestures.

Example of settings in Nova Launcher:

1. Install the launcher from Google Play and make it the main one (a sentence will pop up when you first start).
2. Press the free space on the desktop → Settings Nova.
3. Go to App & Widget drawers → Hide apps.
4. Check the boxes for the programs you want to hide.

The advantage of the method is that hidden applications will not even appear in the launcher search results. The disadvantage is that launchers consume additional RAM (about 100-200 MB), which can be critical for low-end models like the Redmi 9A.

Method 5: Hiding through ADB (for power users)

For those who are willing to dive into the technical details, there is a method of hiding applications through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to disable any application, including system ones, without root rights.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the device.
3. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb shell pm hide com.example.app (replace com.example.app with a real application package, for example, com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
4. To return the app, use: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.example.app

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB For example, disabling com.android.systemui will make the interface unusable. Before experimenting, back up your phone using adb backup.

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The ADB method is the most powerful, but also the riskiest, and only use it if you are confident in your actions and ready for the consequences.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even when following instructions, users often encounter problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 The app has disappeared but continues to send notifications. → This is normal behavior: Hiding does not turn off background processes. To stop notifications, go to Settings. → Notifications and manually disable them for this application.
• 🔍 Hidden app seen in search MIUI. → Built-in Hidden Apps doesn’t block search. Use third-party launchers (like Nova) or disable the app through ADB.
• 🛑 After disabling the system application, the phone stopped working. → You must reset the settings to the factory (Settings) → Additionally. → Reset your settings) or reflash your device via Fastboot. In the future, avoid turning off services called miui., android. or google..

Another common problem is resetting the cover-up after the MIUI update, and to avoid that, before the update:

1. Back up the list of hidden apps (if you use a launcher).
2. Remember or write down the application packages hidden through ADB.
3. After the update, repeat the concealment procedure.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions