Hide app icons on Xiaomi: why it is necessary and how to configure

Introduction: what is hidden behind the function of “hide icons”

If you've ever encountered the option of "hide app icons" in Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO settings, you might wonder if the phone is deleting the programs themselves? Spoiler: No, but there's more nuance than you think. This feature is part of the MIUI proprietary shell that allows you to remove shortcuts from the home screen and app menu without uninstalling them. Why could it be useful?

First, it can eliminate visual clutter if you have a lot of rarely used applications installed (like system utilities or pre-installed Xiaomi services that can’t be removed). Second, it’s one way to restrict access to certain programs — say, if a child is using a phone or you give it to someone for a while. But there are pitfalls in the feature: hidden apps continue to work in the background, consuming resources, and finding them later is not so easy.

In this article, we will discuss:

• 🔍 How exactly does the concealment of icons work in MIUI different versions (12 to 14).
• ⚙️ Step-by-step instructions with pictures - where to look for settings and how to return icons back.
• ⚠️ Risks and Limitations: Why Some Apps Can't Be Hidden, and Others Are Not Completely Hiding.
• 🔄 Alternative ways to organize the desktop: folders, second space and third-party launchers.

How to hide badges in MIUI: technical details

Unlike removing applications, which erases the program from the device's memory, hiding icons in MIUI is a visual disguise: the application files remain in the system, and the shortcut is simply removed from the list of displayed. The mechanism operates at the launcher level (the program responsible for displaying the desktop), not the operating system.

It is important to understand that:

• 📱 The hidden app continues to be updated via Google Play or Mi App Store.
• 🔄 It can be triggered automatically (if it has background processes or push notifications).
• 🛠️ It can be found through the settings. → Applications or search for the system.
• 🔒 Some system applications (such as Mi Security or Mi Account) cannot be hidden.

Technically, MIUI uses a launcher database that stores information about which shortcuts to show and which not. When you hide the icon, the system simply adds the app to the display blacklist, which can be edited manually, but this requires ADB rights (which we'll talk about later).

⚠️ Warning: If you have hidden the icon of the system application (for example, Camera or Phone), it can only be returned through the launcher settings. Resetting to factory settings will not help - the shortcut will remain hidden!

Step-by-step: how to hide badges on Xiaomi

The process of hiding depends on the version of MIUI, but the algorithm is similar in general. Consider the universal method that works on most devices (Xiaomi 11/12/13/14, Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F3/F4/F5, etc.).

Step 1. Open the app menu (swipe up the main screen).

Step 2. Press three dots (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Edit or Manage applications.

Step 3: Find the app you want to hide and hold the icon with your finger. From the menu that appears, select Hide (or Remove from the screen in older versions).

Step 4: Confirm action. The icon will disappear from the home screen and from the app menu.

Check if the application is system-based (e.g. Settings or Messages)

Update MIUI to the latest version (old builds may not have a feature)

Try using Settings → Applications → Application Management → Hidden Applications →

If nothing helps, use ADB (instruction below)

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To get back the hidden badge:

• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Hidden applications.
• 📌 Find the right app in the list and click on the eye icon (or switch).
• 🔄 The icon will appear again in the app menu.

💡

If you have hidden too many icons and can’t find the right application, use the search system (swipe down the main screen and enter the name of the program in the search bar).

What to do if the standard method does not work: ADB-method

Some devices (especially custom firmware or older versions of MIUI) may not have the option of hiding icons, in which case Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android via a computer, will help, this method requires you to turn on Developer Mode and connect the phone to a PC.

Step 1. Enable Developer Mode:

• Go to Settings. → The phone.
• Click 7 times on the MIUI version until the notification “You became a developer” appears.
• Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.

Step 2: Connect your phone to your computer and execute the commands in ADB:

adb shell


pm hide com.example.app

Replace com.example.app with a real application package (you can find it through the App Inspector or the APKMirror website).

pm unhide com.example.app

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Don't hide system applications with packages like com.miui. or com.android. - this can disrupt stability. MIUI.

Hidden applications vs. remote: comparison of methods

Many users confuse hiding icons with deleting or disabling apps, and let's look at the key differences in the table:

And you can see from the table that icon hiding is a trade-off, where you want to take the app out of sight but keep it functional, like what you can do with Mi Browser if you use Chrome but you don't want to delete the standard browser.

Disabling (Settings → Applications → Disable) is suitable for programs that you do not use but cannot be removed (such as Mi Pay or Mi Roaming), while deleting is a radical method that frees up space in memory but requires root rights for system applications.

💡

Hiding icons doesn’t save space on the device or stop background processes. If the goal is to free up memory or battery, it’s best to disable or uninstall the app (where possible).

Alternative ways to organize the desktop

If the icon hiding feature doesn’t suit you, consider other options for putting order on the Xiaomi screen:

1. Folders on the desktop

The easiest way to group applications is to create folders.

• 📂 Drag one icon to another and hold on.
• 🏷️ Name the folder (for example, “Social networks” or “Games»).
• 🔄 Add other applications to it.

2 Second Space (Second Space)

The MIUI’s Second Space feature allows you to create a separate desktop with your own apps, wallpapers and settings, which is convenient if you want to separate personal and work programs or give a phone to a child with a limited set of apps.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Second Space.
2. Create a new profile and select apps for it.
3. Switch between swipe spaces on the Home button.

3. Third-party launchers

If the standard MIUI launcher doesn’t suit you, install an alternative (like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) that offers advanced app hideout settings, gestures and themes.

Advantages of third-party launchers:

• 🎨 More customization options.
• 🔒 Ability to block access to applications with a password.
• 📊 Convenient folders and sorting by category.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When working with the concealment of icons, Xiaomi users face typical difficulties.

Problem 1: The hidden app keeps sending notifications.

Solution: Notifications come because the app is active in the background, to turn them off:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Notifications Management.
2. Find the hidden app and turn off notifications.

Problem 2: I can’t find the hidden app in the settings.

Solution: Try:

• 🔍 Use search by system (swipe down on the main screen).
• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications → Three points (⋮) → Show system-based.
• 💻 Connect to the PC and use ADB (see the instruction above).

Problem 3: After the MIUI update, hidden apps reappeared.

Solution: This is a known bug of some versions of MIUI.

1. Hide the badges manually again.
2. Reverse to the previous firmware version (if the update brought a lot of bugs).
3. Use ADB for permanent concealment.

⚠️ Note: If after hiding the system application (for example, Mi Account) the phone starts to glittle, return it through the phone. ADB The command pm unhide com.xiaomi.account. In extreme cases, resetting will help, but it will delete all data!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions