How to return the remote app icon to the Xiaomi Redmi 9 desktop: all working methods

Did you remove the app icon from the Xiaomi Redmi 9 desktop — and now you can’t find a way to get it back? Or did the shortcut disappear after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many Xiaomi smartphone owners, especially after transitions between shell versions (for example, from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14). Unlike iPhone or “pure” Android, where shortcuts are restored through the application menu, in Redmi 9 the algorithm depends on the firmware version and launcher settings.

In this article, we will look at 7 proven ways to return the icon to the desktop, from basic (via the app menu) to hidden (using ADB or third-party launchers), pay special attention to the typical errors that cause shortcuts to “disappear” again, and learn how to distinguish deleting the icon from deleting the application itself (these are fundamentally different problems!).

1. Basic method: Adding a shortcut through the application menu

The simplest method works 90% of the time if the app has not been removed but has just disappeared from the desktop.Redmi 9 (as with other Xiaomi smartphones) uses the standard MIUI Launcher launcher:

• 📱 Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
• 🔍 Find the app you want in the list (use the search bar if it’s not in sight).
• 🖱️ Press the app icon and drag it to your desktop. If you see the words Delete or Information, you're dragging it in the wrong direction: release your finger and try again.
• ✅ Release your finger when the outline of the future label appears.

If the app is not on the menu, it has been removed, in which case you can move to the reinstallation section, and if the shortcut is created but disappears after the reboot, the problem is with the launcher settings (see Section 3).

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14 after the update, a bug may work, in which shortcuts "stick" to folders automatically. To turn this off, go to Settings → Desktop → Auto-sort applications and deactivate the option.

2.Recovery through the settings of the MIUI launcher

If the basic method didn’t work, the problem could be the launcher’s settings crash. Redmi 9 has a hidden menu that allows you to reset your desktop configuration to factory settings without losing data:

1. Open the Settings. → Desktop.
2. Scroll down and select Additional (or Reset in older versions of MIUI).
3. Click Reset Desktop Settings and confirm the action.

After the reboot, all standard shortcuts (e.g. Phone, Messages, Camera) will return to their place, and the apps you install will remain on the menu, but they will have to be added again (see Section 1).

3.Configure the display icons in MIUI Launcher

Sometimes the labels are lost because of the filters or launcher restrictions that are on.

After changing the settings, restart your smartphone. If the problem persists, try booting in Safe Mode, which will help identify a conflict with third applications.

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MIUI 14 has a Smart Folder feature that automatically groups shortcuts into categories. If that bothers you, turn it off in Settings → Desktop → Smart Folder.

4. reinstall the application if the label is missing with it

If the app is not only on the desktop, but also on the menu, it had to be removed (possibly by accident).

• 🛒 Install the app from Google Play or Mi App Store.
• 🔄 If it is a system application (such as Gallery or Music), it can be restored through Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Show all apps. Find the right one, click Restore (if the option is active).
• 📦 To prevent re-deletion, pin the application: pinch its icon in the menu → Secure.

In Redmi 9 with firmware for the Russian market, some system applications (such as Mi Video or Mi Browser) can be disabled by default. To return them, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Disabled and activate the desired ones.

5. Safe Mode Verification: Conflict with Other Applications

If shortcuts are lost cyclically or not added, third-party software (such as optimizers, antiviruses or alternative launchers) may be to blame to check this:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Press and hold the item "Switch off power (or turn off)" until a request to switch to safe mode appears.
3. Confirm and wait for the reboot (the bottom left corner will read Safe Mode).

In Safe Mode, try adding the shortcut again. If the problem is gone, delete the recently installed apps (especially those that have access to the system settings). You can return to normal mode with a normal restart.

⚠️ Note: In Safe Mode, Xiaomi Redmi 9 can automatically turn off background processes. If after leaving it, the shortcuts again disappear, check the battery settings for the launcher: Settings → Battery → Choice of applications → MIUI Launcher → No restrictions.

6.Reset the launcher settings via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can force reset your launcher settings via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which is suitable for advanced users and requires a computer:

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times to become a developer) → Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB.
2. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home This will reset the launcher settings, but will not affect the application data.
3. Reboot your smartphone.

After this procedure, all the shortcuts and folders on the desktop will return to the factory settings. If the command does not work, try an alternative:

adb shell cmd package bg-dexopt-job

It reassembles the cache of system applications, which sometimes solves problems with displaying icons.

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Use ADB only if other methods have not worked. Wrong commands can disrupt the system!

7. Alternative launchers: if nothing helps

If the shortcut problem is systemic (for example, after a failed MIUI update), a temporary solution is to install a third-party launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – Supports shortcut and folder backup.
• 🎨 Lawnchair is a lightweight open source launcher compatible with MIUI.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for Xiaomi and supports gestures.

After installing an alternative launcher:

1. Assign it as the default launcher in the application settings.
2. Add the desired shortcuts to the desktop through the menu of the new launcher.
3. If the problem is solved, you can return MIUI Launcher by pre-exporting the settings (in Nova Launcher this is done through Backup/Restore).

Note: Some MIUI features (such as Smart Folder or Global Search) may not work on third-party launchers.

Install an alternative launcher from Google Play| Take screenshots of the current desktop |Export settings (if supported) | Disable battery optimization for the new launcher | Check compatibility with MIUI-->

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Redmi 9