The situation when after updating the system or random swipe from the screen disappears the usual icon of the application, familiar to many owners of smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi. This can cause panic, especially if an important tool for work or communication is missing, but in most cases the program has not gone anywhere. the MIUI interface and the new HyperOS have flexible display settings that allow you to hide elements or move them to hidden folders.
Restoring access to an application usually takes no more than a couple of minutes if you know where to look for a missing item. There are several proven methods of returning icons, ranging from simple search through the system to resetting the launcher settings. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways that will help you quickly restore order on the desktop.
Before you start to make complex manipulations, it is worth checking whether the application was simply moved to a folder or to another desktop page. Often users accidentally tighten shortcuts to created groups or transfer them to side screens, forgetting about it. If a simple visual search does not yield results, go to the next sections of the instructions.
Search for applications through system function
The fastest way to make sure that the app is actually installed on your device is to use built-in search. In the MIUI and HyperOS shells, it works very efficiently and indexes all installed programs, even if their shortcuts are hidden, just swipe up the center of the screen or click on the search bar in the widget.
Type the name of the missing program into the search box. If the system finds the application, you will see its icon and name in the results. This confirms that the application file is intact, and the problem lies solely in the display of the shortcut on the desktop.
If an app is found but it is not on the screen, try pinching your finger on the icon in the search results (if the shell version allows) or simply running it. Once launched, the shortcut can automatically return to the desktop. In some cases, the system offers the option "Add to the home screen" right in the search interface.
- 🔍 Blow up from the center of the screen to call up global search.
- 📝 Enter the exact or partial name of the missing app.
- 🚀 Run the program through search to activate its shortcut.
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If the search doesn’t find the app, it may have been removed or hidden in Second Space mode.
Checking hidden applications in settings
One of the most popular security features in Xiaomi smartphones is the ability to hide apps from prying eyes. If you accidentally activate this feature or forget about its existence, shortcuts can disappear from the desktop, remaining accessible only through a special login.
To get into the hidden app menu, open the standard Security app, which is preinstalled on all the brand’s devices. In the tool list, look for Hidden Apps. You may need to enter a password or fingerprint to log in if privacy protection has been installed before.
In the list that opens, you'll see all the programs that are currently hidden from public access. To return the shortcut to the desktop, just switch the switchboard opposite the application name to the "Switched Off" position or remove it from the hidden list, then the icon will instantly appear on the desktop or in the menu of all applications.
⚠️ Note: If you forget the password from hidden applications, it may be impossible to restore access to them without resetting data.
How do you create a hidden folder?
Configure the display in the menu of all applications
In modern versions of the shell, the interface is divided into the desktop and menus of all applications (app-driver). If you can't find a shortcut, the display settings may have been lost or the application has been removed from the favorites list. The All Apps menu displays absolutely all installed programs, regardless of their presence on the desktop.
Open the menu of all apps (swipe up) and look carefully at the list. If you find the right program, press its icon with your finger. In the context menu that appears, select the option "Add to the home screen" or just drag the shortcut to the right place, which will force you to create a new link to the application.
Also, check the settings of the app menu itself. Go to Settings, then go to Desktop and select Additional. Make sure that you have the option to display all installed applications. Sometimes, after updating the system, the settings can be reset to factory settings, hiding new installations.
There's a difference between removing the shortcut and removing the app itself, and when you remove the icon from the desktop in all apps menu mode, the program stays in the phone's memory, and if you delete it from all apps menus, you completely uninstall it.
Use of desktop editing mode
Editing mode allows you to manage widgets, folders and shortcuts on all pages of the desktop at the same time, it is a convenient tool for finding lost items that may have been lost among many pages, activating this mode gives a full view of the entire available screen area.
To enter editing mode, pinch the screen with two fingers (put them together) or hold your finger for a long time on the empty space of the desktop. You will see thumbnails of all the pages. Carefully examine each of them — perhaps the shortcut just flew to the far page, which you forgot about the existence of.
In the same mode, you can add new widgets or shortcuts. Click on the Add button (usually at the bottom of the screen), select the App category, and find the software you want in the list. Drag it to a vacant space. This is guaranteed to create a working shortcut, even if the previous one was corrupted.
- 👌 Bring two fingers on the screen to enter editing mode.
- 📄 Scroll through all the thumbnails of pages in search of the missing icon.
- ➕ Use the Add button to create a new shortcut manually.
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Editing mode is the best way to see the full picture of the layout of all the elements on your desktop.
Resetting the launcher settings (System application)
If none of the above methods worked, the system launcher, the component responsible for displaying the desktop, may have malfunctioned, in which case the effective solution would be to reset the settings of this particular system application, which will not affect your personal data, photos or contacts.
Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. In the list, find System Launcher (or System Launcher). Click on it and select Clean. It is important to choose Clean, not Delete, as the system application cannot be removed. Confirm the action.
Once the launcher resets, the desktop will return to its original state, icons may regroup and widgets will disappear, but all applications will remain in place, you will need to reconfigure the location of shortcuts, but access to all functions of the phone will be restored.
| Action. | Impact on data | Need for a reset |
|---|---|---|
| Searching the system | Safe. | No. |
| Hidden applications | Safe. | No. |
| Launcher reset | Resetting the location of icons | Preferably. |
| Deletion of the annex | Complete loss of application data | No. |
☑️ Actions before launcher reset
Recovery of Remote Applications
In case the application was accidentally removed completely, it will not be possible to restore its shortcut by simply moving it – you will need to re-install. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in mechanism for recovering remote programs through a Google Play account or the GetApps store.
Open the Google Play app store, click on your profile avatar, and select "Manage Apps and Device." Go to the "Manage" tab and change the filter from "Installed" to "Uninstalled." Here you will see a list of all the programs that have ever been downloaded to this account.
Find the app you want and click the installation button. Once you have finished downloading, the shortcut will automatically appear on the desktop or in the menu of all applications. For Xiaomi system applications, you can use the built-in Apps (yellow folder) app, where there is a section “Deleted”.
⚠️ Note: When you re-install some applications (for example, messengers), your correspondence history may not be saved if you do not make a preliminary backup in the cloud.
It is important to distinguish between system applications that cannot be removed in the standard way and user applications. If a system application (camera, phone, messages) is missing, it cannot be removed without root rights, so in 99% of cases it is simply hidden or the label is corrupted.