How to bring the application to the screen of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi: all working methods

Did you install a new app on Xiaomi Redmi but it doesn't have an icon on the home screen? Or did the MIUI update disappear? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi Note, POCO and other brands. Unlike pure Android, the MIUI shell has its own nuances of displaying applications - from automatically hiding underutilized programs to bugs with a launcher cache.

In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to bring an app back to the screen, from basic menu actions to advanced ADB and launcher resets. We will focus on typical Redmi user errors that cause shortcuts to “disappear” after a system reboot or update. All instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese versions) and models from 2020 to 2026.

1. Standard method: Adding through the application menu

The most obvious method is to use built-in MIUI tools, which works 90% of the time unless the application is hidden by the system and is not a service application.

Open the app menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen or click on the dot icon in the dockboard). Find the app you want in the list. Hold it down for 1-2 seconds until the context menu appears. Most versions of MIUI will have items here:

• 📌 Add to the main screen – creates a shortcut in the selected place.
• 📂 Add to the folder – allows you to group the application with others.
• ℹ️ Information about the application - here you can check whether it is disabled.

If you don't have Add to Home, you've already added the app, but it's on a different desktop (flick left/right) or in the Hidden Apps folder. Also check if you have a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Hyperion) - in which case the rules for adding shortcuts may differ.

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If the app icon is gray and doesn't respond to click, it's disabled. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find the program and click "Enable".

2. Search through MIUI System Search

MIUI 14/15 has a universal search engine that finds not only apps, but also settings, contacts and files, and is useful if you don’t remember the exact name of the program or it’s hidden in the back of the menu.

How to use:

1. Swipe down the main screen to open the search bar (or click on the magnifying glass in the dock panel).
2. Enter the name of the application (even partial).
3. In search results, pinch the app icon and drag it to the main screen.

If the app is not found through search, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🚫 The application is deleted but left in the launcher cache (check in Settings). → Annexes).
• 🔒 Application hidden by the system (see section 4).
• 🛠️ Launcher failure (will help reboot or reset its settings).

3.Resetting the MIUI launcher settings

The launcher (the program responsible for displaying the desktop) in Redmi sometimes "forgets" the location of shortcuts after updates or crashes. Resetting its settings will return the standard display of all installed applications.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Show all apps."
3. Find the MIUI Launcher (or System Launcher in global versions) in the list.
4. Select "Storage" → "Clear Data" and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: After the launcher is reset, all folders, widgets and shortcuts on the desktop will be deleted. We recommend that you take screenshots of the current layout beforehand (press the power buttons). + Turning down the volume).

If the application does not appear after reset, check:

• 📱 Is there a schedule for children (Settings) → Special opportunities → Regime for children).
• 🔄 Is the “Hide Apps” function enabled (see next section).
• 🛡️ Does the application block antivirus or Security App (check Settings) → Security).

Take screenshots of the current desktop

Remember the location of important labels

Check for backup in Mi Cloud

Make sure your phone is over 30 times charged%-->

4. Checking Hidden Applications in MIUI

MIUI allows you to hide applications from prying eyes – a feature often used to protect personal data – but sometimes programs are hidden accidentally (for example, after an update or crash).

How to check hidden applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Hidden Applications (in some versions, the path: Settings → Privacy → Hidden Applications).
2. Enter your password (if installed).
3. In the list, find the desired application and uncheck it.

If the "Hidden Applications" section is missing, it means:

• 🔐 The function is disabled in your version MIUI (chinese-style).
• 📲 The app is hidden through Second Space. Check Settings → Special opportunities → Second Space.
• 🛠️ System failure – try updating your firmware or resetting your settings (see Section 6).

5. Advanced methods: ADB and Safe Mode

If standard methods fail, it could be a system failure or a conflict with other programs, in which case Safe Mode or ADB commands will help.

Method 1: Safe regime

Boot your phone in Safe Mode to disable all third-party apps:

1. Press the power button until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Press and hold the "Switch off" option (or "Reboot" in new versions).
3. Confirm the transition to safe mode.

In Safe Mode, check if the application appears. If so, the problem is in one of the installed applications (most often these are optimizers, antiviruses or launchers).

Method 2: ADB-team

For power users, ADB can force you to add an app shortcut to the home screen, connect your phone to a PC with ADB Tools installed, and do:

adb shell am start -n com.miui.home/.launcher.Launcher


adb shell cmd shortcut create-home -n "Application Name" -a "Intent Actions" -p "Application Package"

Example for Google Chrome:

adb shell cmd shortcut create-home -n "Chrome" -a android.intent.action.MAIN -p com.android.chrome

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause system failures. Before executing commands, back up your data through Settings. → The phone. → Backup.

Extreme measures: resetting and flashing

If none of these methods work, radical solutions remain, and should only be used if the problem affects several applications or is accompanied by other failures (hangs, overheating, rapid battery discharge).

Option 1: Resetting to factory settings

This will delete all data from the phone, including apps and files.

1. Settings → About Phone → Backup (save to Mi Cloud or PC).
2. Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset → Resetting settings.
3. Select "Erase all data" and confirm.

Option 2: Fastboot flashing

If the reset didn't help, the system firmware might have been damaged, and for Redmi, this is solved by installing the official firmware through the Mi Flash Tool:

1. Download the firmware for your model from en.miui.com.
2. Unpack the archive and launch the Mi Flash Tool.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Power + Volume Reduction when the phone is off).
4. Select the firmware file and press "Flash".

⚠️ Note: Fastboot Flash Flashing deletes all data, including unlocking the bootloader.If the phone was purchased with the bootloader locked, you will need to re-unblock through the Mi Unlock Tool after firmware is installed (can take up to 720 hours of waiting time).

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Before resetting or flashing, be sure to check whether the disappearance of shortcuts is due to the MIUI update. Sometimes after major updates (for example, with MIUI 13 on 14), the launcher resets the application display settings. In this case, it is enough to restart the phone or reset the launcher (see section 3).

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcuts on Xiaomi Redmi