How to bring the application to the desktop of the phone Xiaomi: all ways

You just installed a new app on your Xiaomi, but you can't see its icon anywhere? Or you want to transfer a frequently used program directly to the home screen so you don't go through the menu? In MIUI, adding shortcuts to the desktop doesn't work the way it does in "pure" Android -- there are some nuances. Depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13 or 14) and the phone model (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), the methods may differ, but we'll take a little bit of the current options.

In this article you will find:

• 🔹 3 standard ways to add shortcuts through the app menu and settings MIUI
• 🔹 2 alternative methods for cases when the application “does not want” to appear on the screen
• 🔹 Table of compatibility of methods with different versions of firmware
• 🔹 Solving problems when an icon disappears after a reboot or update

Whether you’re using Redmi 10C with MIUI 12.5 or Xiaomi’s flagship 14 Ultra on MIUI 14, the instructions below cover all the brand’s current devices.

1. Standard method: Drag from the application menu

This is the most obvious and versatile method that works on all versions of MIUI (12 to 14), suitable for 90% of applications, except for system utilities like Settings or Phone – their shortcuts are usually already on the screen by default.

How to do this:

1. Tap the All Apps icon (usually a round button at the bottom of the screen with a gear or grid of dots).
2. Find the desired application in the list (you can use the search from above).
3. Press the application icon for 1-2 seconds until it “sticks” from the background.
4. Without letting go of your finger, drag it to any free section of the desktop.
5. Let your finger go, the label will be created.

⚠️ Note: If after dragging the icon immediately disappears - then the application is prohibited for display in the settings MIUI. The solution to this problem is described in Section 5.

2. Addition via the context menu of the application

If drag and drop doesn’t work (for example, on some Poco models with custom launchers), try an alternative method through the context menu.This method is especially useful for applications that don’t appear in the main list (for example, duplicate messengers).

Instructions:

1. Open all the applications and find the right one.
2. Touch the icon with one finger (do not pinch!).
3. In the menu that appears, select Add to the home screen (or Create a shortcut in MIUI 14).
4. If there is no such item, click the Application Information, then Open by default → Add to the main screen.

💡 Useful advice: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 Global) a menu item may be called Create Shortcut - it's the same thing.

3. Use of the widget "Application shortcuts"

If the first two methods didn’t work (for example, due to launcher limitations), you can go a workaround through the shortcut widget, which is suitable for MIUI 12.5 and later, including MIUI 14.

Step-by-step:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop.
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets.
3. Scroll down to the Tools block and find the App Shortcuts widget.
4. Drag him to the desk.
5. Click on the widget, then select the app from the list.

⚠️ Attention: The widget takes place as 4 Standard icons (size) 2×2). If you need to save space, it is better to use the first method.

4. Alternative method: through launcher settings

If an application persists in not wanting to appear on the desktop, the problem may be in the launcher settings (the program that controls the MIUI interface).

• 📱 The application is hidden by the system (for example, a duplicate of WhatsApp or Telegram)
• 🔒 You are using a private space (Second Space)
• 🛠️ The launcher was reset to factory settings

What to do:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. Find the desired application in the list and open its page.
4. Check if the Show on the home screen (or Display on Home screen) switch is enabled.
5. If there is no switch, click Additional → Reset the launcher settings.

Important: After the launcher is reset, all your widgets and folders on your desktop will be deleted!

💡

If you switch between private and main space frequently, add the Space Switch widget to your desktop, so you don't have to go into settings to change your profile every time.

5 Problem Solving: The label is lost or not created

Sometimes Xiaomi users are faced with the fact that:

• 🚫 The shortcut disappears after the phone reboot
• 🔄 The icon is reset to standard after updating the application
• ❌ The app does not appear in the list to add at all.

Causes and solutions:

Problem 1: The label disappears after the reboot

This is a problem for memory-optimized devices (especially for Redmi with 3-4 GB of RAM).

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Memory Management.
2. Turn off the Memory Cleanup option when you lock the screen.
3. Add the problem app to the Cleanup Exceptions.

Problem 2: The icon is reset to the standard

The culprit is an update to the app via Google Play or MI App Store, to save the custom icon:

• Use a launcher from a third-party developer (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher).
• Turn off auto-update for this app on Google Play → My apps. → Settings (⚙️).

Problem 3: The app does not appear in the list

It's probably installed in a working profile (for enterprise devices) or hidden through Second Space.

1. Open Settings → Special Opportunities → Work Profile.
2. If the profile is active, temporarily disable it.
3. For Second Space: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and tap the user icon.

💡

If none of these methods worked, try installing an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) that is guaranteed to solve the problem with disappearing shortcuts, but will turn off some MIUI chips (like navigation gestures).

6. Advanced Way: Creating a Shortcut through ADB

For power users who aren’t afraid of the command line, there’s a one-stop method through ADB (Android Debug Bridge) that works even for system applications that are usually hidden from the user.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → Return to the Extra → For developers)
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)

Instructions:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Find out the name of the package of the desired application (for example, for Chrome it is com.android.chrome). You can do this through the App Inspector app or the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "name app"
4. Create a label with the command: adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT --es name"Tag name" -n Application Package/Activity Example for Google Chrome: Adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT --es name"Chrome" -n com.android.chrome/com.google.android.apps.chrome.Main

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Do not change the settings of system applications (for example, com.android.settings) unless you are sure of the consequences.

7. Frequent Questions (FAQ)