How to Restore a Removed Shortcut on a Xiaomi Smartphone: All Ways 2026

Have you accidentally removed the app shortcut from your desktop on Xiaomi and now you can't find a way to get it back? Or have all the icons gone after the MIUI update? This problem is familiar to many users of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones - MIUI interfaces sometimes behave unpredictable. But don't rush to reinstall the app or reset: 90% of the time, the shortcut can be restored in 1-2 minutes.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to return shortcuts, from basic (via app menus) to advanced (using ADB), and why shortcuts disappear on their own and how to prevent this problem in the future. All the instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 and Android 13/14, but they will also work for older versions.

Why Xiaomi’s shortcuts are missing: 3 main reasons

Before you restore icons, it's important to understand why they disappeared, so that you can choose the right method to avoid being lost again.

• 🧹 Accidental Deletion: Long-Term Pressing on the Label → "Remove" or drag to the basket (in MIUI It appears at the top of the screen).
• 🔄 Launcher reset: after system update or failure MIUI Resets desktop settings, hiding all user shortcuts.
• 📱 System optimization: function of Memory Cleanup in MIUI Sometimes removes unused shortcuts (especially if the app hasn’t been opened for a long time).

Less commonly, the problem is caused by viruses or damage to launcher data. If shortcuts go missing regularly, check your smartphone for malware or turn off automatic cleanup in the security settings (Settings → Privacy → Cleanup).

Method 1: Restore through the application menu (the easiest one)

If the shortcut was manually removed, but the application remained in the system, you can return it to the desktop in 10 seconds:

1. Touch the empty space on your desktop and hold your finger for 1-2 seconds.
2. At the bottom of the screen, a toolbar will appear – select “Widgets and Shortcuts” (or simply “Apps”).
3. Find the desired application in the list and drag it to the desktop.

If this item is not available, try another way: open the menu of all applications (swipe up from the bottom of the screen), find the right one, pinch its icon and drag it to the desktop. In MIUI 15, this gesture works even for hidden system applications (for example, Camera or Phone).

Method 2: Reset the launcher settings (if all shortcuts are missing)

If all user shortcuts disappeared from the desktop, but the applications in the menu remained - the problem is in the settings of the MIUI launcher. Resetting will help:

1. Go to 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 Lawnchair if you use a custom launcher) in the list.
4. Open the "Storage" → "Clear the data" and confirm the action.

After that, the desktop will return to the factory settings, but all applications will remain installed. Attention: this method will remove all widgets and shortcut folders — they will have to be reconfigured.

💡

Before resetting the launcher, take a screenshot of the current location of the shortcuts (click Power + Volume Down) to help quickly restore order after cleaning.

Method 3: Restore from MIUI backup

If you have previously backed up through Settings → About Phone → Backup, you can return shortcuts from it. This method is suitable if not only icons, but other settings (wallpaper, widgets) are missing.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select the latest backup (note the date of creation).
3. Click "Restore" and tick the item "Desktop" (or "Home screen").
4. Confirm the recovery and wait for the process to be completed (it will take 1-3 minutes).

If you don't have a backup, try to find it manually: connect your smartphone to your PC and check the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder in internal memory.

Method 4: Using ADB for Hidden System Shortcuts

Some system applications (such as EngineerMode or Game Turbo) may disappear from the desktop after updates. They can not be returned in standard ways, but can be unlocked through ADB (Android Debug Bridge).

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

adb shell pm list packages -f | grep "appendix name"


adb shell pm enable com.xiaomi.name.packet




adb shell am start -n com.xiaomi.name.packet/.Activity

The example of the return of the Game Turbo:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.gameturbo


adb shell am start -n com.miui.gameturbo/.ui.GameTurboActivity

💡

ADB-If you don't have a computer, try Android terminal applications like Termux (requires you to use it) ROOT for some).

Method 5: Install an alternative launcher (if the MIUI launcher is glitchy)

If the problem with the shortcuts is repeated regularly, it may be the MIUI launcher itself that is to blame, in which case installing a third-party launcher, for example:

After installing an alternative launcher:

1. Open it and resolve all access requests.
2. Click "Home" and select the new launcher as the main one.
3. Add shortcuts manually or restore from backup (in Nova Launcher this is done via Long Press → Backups).

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some functions MIUI (For example, Super Wallpaper or Global Search may not work properly. Before installing, check compatibility with your Xiaomi model.

How to Prevent the Disappearance of Labels in the Future

To prevent labels from disappearing again, follow these tips:

• 🔒 Turn off automatic cleaning: go to Settings → Privacy → Cleanup → Autoclean and deactivate the option.
• 📁 Backups: Keep your desktop settings regularly through Settings → The phone. → Backup.
• 🛡️ Update. MIUI Carefully: check user reviews on forums before installing major updates (for example, check for user reviews, 4PDA XDA-Developers – sometimes they break the launcher.

If you often test custom firmware or modifications, install TWRP Recovery and create full system backups (Nandroid backup), which will save not only shortcuts, but all data when crashes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about shortcut restoration on Xiaomi