Have you installed a new app on your Xiaomi but its icon doesn't appear on the home screen? Or did all the shortcuts disappear after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones - the standard MIUI launcher sometimes "hide" applications in the menu or even blocks shortcut creation. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to return the icon to the desktop, including hidden settings and commands for experienced users.
The MIUI feature is that it actively manages the location of applications: some shortcuts are automatically sent to the recent folder or hidden due to memory optimization. For example, after cleaning the cache through Security → Optimization of icons may disappear. But do not rush to reinstall the program - in 90% of cases, the problem is solved in 1-2 minutes without root rights.
Important: The instructions below are relevant for MIUI 12/13/14 (including HyperOS), but may differ on older versions (e.g. MIUI 11 and below). If you have custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, use the methods for standard Android (Section 5).
1. Standard method: Adding through the application menu
The simplest method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones is from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra. If the app icon is on the menu but is not on the home screen, follow the following steps:
- Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
- Find the app you want in the list (use the search at the top if there are many).
- Hold your finger on the app icon and drag it to a free seat on the home screen. Wait 1-2 seconds and it says "Add to the home screen."
- Let go of your finger. The label will be created.
⚠️ Note: If the icon “returns” to the menu when dragging it, the app is blocked by the system. → Annexes → Manage applications and make sure the program is not disabled.
The required application is installed and not removed|The app is not hidden in the settings MIUI|There is a free space on the main screen.|The launcher is not in editing mode-->
On some models (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi K60), after drag and drop, a context menu may appear with options such as “Add to the home screen”, “Add to the folder” or “Delete”.
2.If the application is hidden: how to return the icon through the MIUI settings
MIUI automatically hides underused apps or those that have been installed as system apps (e.g. Google Play Games or Mi Video) to return such icons:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps (or Hidden Apps on some versions).
- Find the desired application in the list and tap it.
- Activate the Show on the Home Screen (or Display in the Menu) switch.
If you don't have the Show on the Home screen option, it means the app is locked at the system level.
- 🔄 Reset the launcher settings: clamping the empty space on the home screen → «Home screen settings» → «Reset the settings».
- 📱 Update Launcher: Go to Google Play → MIUI Launcher and update it (if available).
- 🔧 Clear the cache: in the settings of the application Launcher MIUI press "Clear the cache».
What to do if the app is not on the list?
3. Use of alternative launcher (Nova, Apex, Lawnchair)
If the standard MIUI launcher stubbornly doesn't want to display the icon, install a third-party launcher, which is especially true for users of POCO and Redmi with aggressive optimization.
- 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports gestures, adaptive icons and hidden apps.
- 📱 Apex Launcher – lightweight launcher with transparency and scale settings of icons.
- 🚀 Lawnchair – Pixel-style launcher with support for dark themes and adaptive shortcuts.
How to add an icon through Nova Launcher:
- Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
- Click Home and select Nova as the default launcher.
- Open the application menu (swipe up).
- Press the icon and drag it to the home screen, and Nova also allows you to create a widget for quick access.
| Launcher | Support for hidden applications | Customization of icons | Compatibility with MIUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | ✅ Yes (hiding in settings) | ✅ Adaptive icons, scale, packages | ✅ Complete. |
| Apex Launcher | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Topics, gestures, backup | ✅ Complete. |
| Lawnchair | ❌ No. | ✅ Adaptive icons, search on the Play Store | ✅ Partial (possible bugs) |
| Microsoft Launcher | ❌ No. | ✅ Integration with Windows, widgets | ✅ Complete. |
⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some functions MIUI This may not work properly, such as navigation gestures or system notifications, and back up the home screen through the launcher settings before installing. → Backup.
4. Advanced method: forced display via ADB
If an app is installed but its icon doesn't appear on the menu or on the home screen, it may be locked at the system level, and ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help, which requires a PC and enabled USB debugging.
Step 1: Preparation
- 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on PC.
- 📱 On your smartphone, turn on Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times to activate the developer mode).
- 🔌 Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and include “Debugging by” USB».
Step 2: Execution of the command:
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm access for debugging.
- Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the adb folder.
- Enter the command to find out the name of the application package: adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name" For example, for Chrome use grep "chrome".
- Once you find the package (e.g. com.android.chrome), run: adb shell cmd shortcut create-home --package "packet name" --activity "activity name activity" To find the name of the activity, use: adb shell dumpsys package "packet name" | grep "LAUNCHER"
If the command is successful, the icon will appear on the home screen within 5-10 seconds, which works even for system applications that MIUI hides by default (such as Mi Pay or Game Turbo).
Standard method (dragging)|Through settings MIUI|Third-party launcher|ADB (skilled)|Another option-->
5. Creating a shortcut through a widget (for system applications)
Some Xiaomi system applications (such as Security, Themes or Mi Cloud) do not have standard icons, but they can be displayed to the home screen via a widget.
- Click the empty space on the home screen and select “Widgets”.
- Scroll down the list and find the “Tags” or “Shortcuts” section.
- Select the app you want from the list. If you don't have one, tap "All Apps" and find it manually.
- Drag the widget to the home screen and it will look like a standard icon, but with a small label label.
This method is suitable for:
- 🔒 Applications, hidden MIUI (For example, EngineerMode for iron tests).
- 📁 System utilities like Device Locator or Backup.
- 🎮 Game Turbo services that are not displayed in the menu.
⚠️ Warning: Shortcut widgets may disappear after reboot or update MIUI. To secure them, use a third-party launcher (Section 3) or back up the home screen.
6. Problem Solving: Why the icon doesn't appear
If none of the methods worked, check the following points:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The icon disappears after the reboot | MIUI Optimization Removes “Unused” Labels | Turn off optimization in Settings → Battery → Optimization or use a third-party launcher |
| The app is on the menu, but it doesn’t drag and drop. | Launcher in editing mode or blocked | Restart Launcher: Settings → Applications → MIUI Launcher → Forced Stop |
| The icon appears, but disappears immediately. | Conflict with theme or shell | Reset the topic to standard: Topics → My themes → Standard |
| The app is installed, but not displayed in the menu | The application is deactivated or is an APK without a launcher | Check in Settings → Applications → Manage or reinstall APK |
If the problem persists, try:
- 🔄 Reset the launcher settings: Settings → Annexes → Launcher MIUI → Warehouse → Clear the data (Warning: all shortcuts and folders will be deleted!).
- 📥 Update MIUI: Sometimes icon bugs get fixed in new versions. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
- 🛠️ Install a patch through Magisk: for experienced users there are modules like MIUI Extra Settings that unlock hidden features.
💡
If the app icon disappears after each MIUI update, the problem lies in the system optimization policy: the solution is to disable automatic cleaning in Settings → Battery → Optimization → Auto Clean or go to a third-party launcher.