Tags on Xiaomi app icons: decryption, purpose and ways to delete

Have you noticed that color dots, numbers or other labels have appeared on your Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone desktop over app icons? This is not a system bug, but part of the functionality of the MIUI shell (or the new HyperOS), such indicators designed for user convenience, but often raise questions: what do they mean, how to read them correctly, and can you get rid of unnecessary marks?

In this article, we will discuss all types of tags on Xiaomi app icons in detail, including:

• 🔴 Red dots – notifications and unread messages
• 🟢 Green indicators – active processes and background work
• 🔵 Blue/Violet Labels – System Alerts and Updates
• 🔢 Numbers in circles - counters of unread elements

You will also learn how to disable these tags completely or adjust their display to your needs - from manual control to using hidden features of the developer settings.

Why Xiaomi is adding tags to app icons

The tagging system in MIUI/HyperOS is part of Xiaomi’s philosophy of optimizing the user experience.

• ⚡ Quick notification: The user sees important notifications (such as unread messages on WhatsApp or Telegram) directly on the desktop without opening the application.
• 🔄 Background control: Green tags indicate that the application is running in the background (e.g., Google Maps tracks location).
• 📱 Visual hierarchy: Color encoding helps distinguish system alerts (blue) from user alerts (red).
• 🔒 Security: Some tags (e.g., on the Security icon) warn of potential threats or the need for updates.

But not everyone likes this kind of "imposition" of information, and some people think of tags as visual noise, especially if there are dozens of apps on the desktop with active indicators, and fortunately, Xiaomi provides flexible settings to manage those elements.

Types of tags and their meaning: full decoding

Icon tags in MIUI/HyperOS are divided into 4 main types, each of which carries a different meaning.

It's important to understand that not all tags are equally useful, for example, a red dot on YouTube can mean a new video in subscriptions, and a green dot on Google Photos can mean that backup is underway, while system blue tags often signal the need for updates that are best not to ignore.

⚠️ Warning: If a purple tag appears on the Security icon, it may mean that malware or vulnerability is detected. → Security → Scan.

How to remove tags from application icons: step-by-step instructions

If the tags are in your way, you can turn them off completely or customize them selectively, depending on the shell version (MIUI 14, HyperOS) and the smartphone model, and the general-purpose methods below.

Method 1: Disconnecting through notification settings

This method removes all notification tags (red dots and counters):

1. Open Settings → Notifications and Status bar.
2. Select Notification Management.
3. Slip on the Notification Badges on the app icons.
4. Switch the slider to the off position.

Method 2: Selective disabling for individual applications

If you want to leave tags only for important applications (for example, Messengers), do the following:

1. Press your finger on the icon of the application, the tags of which you want to remove.
2. Select Application Information (or Information).
3. Go to Notifications.
4. Turn off the icons on icons or Show notification icons.

For HyperOS, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Select App] → Notifications → Icons on icons.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 13T, Redmi Note 12) after disabling the tags may need to reboot to make the changes effective. If the tags remain, check for system updates.

Method 3: Hidden settings via ADB (for advanced)

If the standard methods don't work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) which is suitable for advanced users:

adb shell settings put global notification_badging_enabled 0

Once you've done the command, restart the device. To return the tags, replace 0 with 1.

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Before using ADB, make sure that the smartphone is enabled debugging by USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version → return to Additional → For developers).

Why tags may not disappear after disconnection

Sometimes users find that the tags remain on the icons even after they are turned off in the settings.

• 🔄 Cache the system. Clear the cache through Settings. → Annexes → Application management → [Three points] → Clear the cache.
• 📥 App updates. Some apps (like Facebook or Instagram) ignore system settings. Update them through Google Play Store.
• 🤖 If you use a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher), check its settings for your own indicators.
• 🔧 System failure: Resetting to factory settings helps in rare cases (don't forget to back up!).

If the problem persists, check if the device has viruses or malware that can mimic system notifications.

1. Launch Security → Scan.
2. Install a third-party antivirus (such as Malwarebytes) for additional verification.

Icons in HyperOS: What has changed

With the release of HyperOS (replacing MIUI on new devices, for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the logic of the tags has changed a little:

• 🎨 Responsive design: tags are now tailored to the theme of design (dark/light).
• 🔍 Smart filtering: The system automatically hides tags for underutilized applications.
• ⚙️ Advanced settings. You can adjust the color and size of the tags through Settings. → Personalization → Application badges.

HyperOS also adds Priority Notifications, which allows you to highlight the labels of important applications (such as Calls or Messages) in a brighter color.

To enable this function:

1. Go to Settings. → Notifications.
2. Select Priority Notifications.
3. Add the required applications to the list.

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In HyperOS, tags are smarter, which analyzes your habits and automatically adjusts how you display them, for example, if you rarely open your mail, its notifications may be hidden.

How tags affect performance and battery

Many users fear that constantly displaying tags can drain the battery or slow down the smartphone.

• 🔋 Battery consumption: The labels themselves (like graphics) have minimal impact on power consumption, but if the label signals background activity (green indicator), the application itself can consume charge.
• ⚡ Performance: Labels work at the shell level and don't load the processor, but if you have hundreds of active notification applications on your desktop, you may have scroll lags.
• 🗃️ Memory: Tags don't take up much cache, but some apps (like Facebook) can store notification data in the background.

For optimization:

• Turn off background activity for unnecessary apps through Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto Run.
• Use energy saving modes (Settings → Battery → Energy saving mode).
• Clean the cache regularly (once every 1-2 weeks).

⚠️ Attention: If after disabling all tags, the smartphone began to work slower, check the use of RAM in Settings → The phone. → System state. Maybe the problem isn't the tags, it's the background.

Frequent questions about tags on Xiaomi icons