You've turned on a Xiaomi smartphone, and instead of your desktop with shortcuts and widgets, you see an empty screen, a black background or a third-party launcher? This problem most often occurs after a failed update, reset, install custom firmware or accidentally delete the system application MIUI Launcher. In 80% of cases, the desktop can be returned without complex manipulations - just know the correct sequence of actions.
In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways to restore the desktop on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices. POCO — from simple (reboot and reset launcher settings) to advanced (installation through ADB Or manual system file recovery, and we'll focus on the nuances for different versions. MIUI (12-14) and smartphone models, where standard methods may not work. If your case is not typical, at the end of the article you will find FAQ rare-problem.
1.Reboot and reset launcher settings
Start with the simplest: often the desktop “disappears” due to a temporary failure in the MIUI Launcher.
- 📱 The screen loads, but only wallpaper without icons is displayed;
- 🔄 After installing themes or widgets, the labels disappeared;
- 🔧 There was a notice "Luncher stopped».
Follow the following steps:
- Press the power button and select Reboot (don’t turn off the device completely!).
- After turning on, wait 1-2 minutes - sometimes the launcher loads with a delay.
- If the icons do not appear, open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Launcher (or MIUI Launcher), click Storage → Clear Data and Reset Settings.
💡
If the icons didn’t return after resetting the launcher, try installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) from Google Play and then removing it – this will sometimes “wake up” the system launcher.
⚠️ Attention: Resetting launcher settings will remove your wallpaper, icon and folder location on your desktop. MIUI They don’t create it, they’ll have to re-configure it.
2. Recovery through safe mode
If the desktop is lost after installing a new application or update, the culprit may be a conflict with third-party software. Safe mode loads the system with user programs disabled, this will help identify the problem.
How to run Safe Mode on Xiaomi:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the power button until the MI logo appears.
- Once the logo disappears, immediately press and hold the volume button until the phone boots.
- In the lower left corner of the screen should appear the inscription Safe Mode.
In safe mode:
- 🔍 Check if the desktop is back. If so, there's a problem in one of the installed applications.
- 📦 Remove recently installed programs (especially launchers, optimizers, or antiviruses).
- 🔄 Restart your phone in normal mode.
What to do if the safe mode is not turned on?
3. Install MIUI Launcher via ADB
If the system launcher has been removed or damaged, it can be restored via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method suitable for users who have USB debugging enabled and have access to a computer.
Step-by-step:
- Download and install Platform Tools (includes ADB).
- Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (use the original cable!).
- Turn on USB debugging: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging by USB.
- Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
- Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (you should see your device) adb shell pm install-existing com.miui.home (this will reinstall the launcher from system files).
If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.home🔹 Install drivers for Xiaomi (download from the [en.miui.com](https://en.miui.com));
🔹 Enable debugging on USB phone-on;
🔹 Use the original USB-cable;
🔹 Run the command line on behalf of the administrator.-->
⚠️ Note: If the launcher did not appear after execution of commands, it is possible that the file com.miui.home.apk damaged in the system partition, in which case you will need to flash the firmware (see section) 5).
4.Recovery through Recovery Mode
If the desktop is missing after a failed update or reset, recovery through Recovery mode will help.This method does not delete user data, but requires a backup (if it was created earlier).
Instructions:
- Turn off your smartphone.
- Press the power and volume buttons simultaneously until the Recovery menu appears.
- Use volume buttons for navigation and power button for selection.
- Select Connect with MIAssistant (if you need to connect to a PC) or Wipe & Reset → Wipe Cache (clearing the cache).
- If you have a backup, select Backup & Restore → Restore.
| Action in Recovery | Description | Effects of consequences |
|---|---|---|
| Wipe Cache | Clears temporary system files | Safe, data is not deleted |
| Wipe Data | Complete resetting of settings | Delete all data except files on SD-map |
| Restore | Recovery from backup | Returns settings and applications at the time of backup creation |
✅ Key takeaway: If you regularly back up through Settings → System system → Backup, recovery, it'll take 5-10 minutes, otherwise you'll have to reset your phone.
Every week | Once a month | Only before updates |Never-->
5. Flashing through Fastboot (for power users)
If none of the previous methods worked, the last resort is to flash through Fastboot mode, which will delete all the data on the device, but restore the system to work, and is suitable for devices that:
- 🔧 Not included or stuck on the logo MI;
- 📱 They have corrupted system files;
- 🔄 Not responding to reset via Recovery.
Step-by-step:
- Download the official firmware for your model from the MIUI Downloads website (choose the Fastboot version).
- Unpack the archive with the firmware in the folder with Fastboot (from Platform Tools).
- Turn off your phone and press the power + volume down to log into the Fastboot.
- Connect the device to the PC and launch the file flash_all.bat (Windows or flash_all.sh (macOS/Linux).
- Wait until the process is completed (10-15 minutes).
⚠️ Note: Fastboot Flash-through deletes all data, including photos, contacts and messages. If your phone had important files, try extracting them first. ADB pull (if the device is determined by PC).
6. Alternative solutions for rare cases
If standard methods do not work, the problem may be related to:
- 🛠️ Damage to section /system (Remodeling is required through TWRP);
- 🔒 Blocking. MI-account (if the phone was dropped without detachment of the account);
- 📡 Incompatible version MIUI (For example, the firmware for the Redmi Note 10 is installed on the Note 10 Pro).
For diagnosis:
- Check the device model with ADB: adb shell getprop ro.product.model
- Make sure the firmware matches the model (e.g., vili for Xiaomi Mi 11).
- If the phone is locked on MI-account, use the official Mi Unlock tool (proof of ownership required).
💡
If after all the manipulations the desktop is not returned, and the phone is defined by the PC as Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008, which means hard brick, and in this case, only flashing through the flashing machine will help. EDL-service-centre.