Order on a smartphone screen is not just aesthetics, but also a matter of the efficiency of using the device. Owners of smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi are often faced with the need to structure dozens of applications in order to quickly find the ones they need. The shell MIUI offers several grouping methods, which may differ from the standard one. Android.
Creating a folder allows you to free up work space and visually divide apps into categories: games, social networks or the banking sector. The process of creating a container for icons is simple, but has its own nuances depending on the firmware version. We will analyze all available methods, including the hidden capabilities of the file manager.
In this article you will find a detailed description of actions for models with different versions of the interface. You will learn not only how to create groups of applications, but also how to manage system files if you need to manually sort documents. This is a basic skill that greatly simplifies navigation.
The standard method of creating a folder on the desktop
The most common way to organize space is to drag and drop icons. To do this, find on the screen Desktop two applications that you want to combine. Touch one of the icons with your finger and hold down until vibration or a visual “floating” effect appears.
After the icon “comes unstuck” from the grid, drag it directly onto another icon that you plan to place in the same group. As soon as you release your finger, the system will automatically create container with both applications inside. This is standard interface behavior MIUI.
The folder name can be changed immediately after creation or at any other time. Tap the newly created folder to open it, then tap the name at the top of the screen. Enter a new name using keyboardand confirm the action.
It is worth noting that when you delete all applications from such a group, it will disappear automatically. If you pull all the icons out, there will be no empty shell left to take up space on the screen. This helps keep the interface clean without unnecessary actions.
If you accidentally dropped an icon in the wrong place, simply drag it to the "Delete" or "Trash" area, which will appear at the top of the screen while editing.
Formation of groups in the menu of all applications
Some users prefer to hide all applications in a special menu, called by swiping up, leaving the desktop free for widgets. In this mode, the logic for creating folders is slightly different. Open the menu of all applications and find the button Edit or hold down the icon.
The principle of dragging remains the same: you need to put one icon on top of another. However, in All Apps menu mode, an automatic sorting feature is often available. The system may offer you group similar applications, but manual creation is more reliable.
It is important to understand the difference between the desktop and the application menu. In the application menu, folders often have a limit on the number of nested items or appear visually differently. In MIUI this is implemented quite flexibly.
- 📱 Long-press the application icon in the "All applications" menu.
- 📂 Drag it to another application to create a group.
- ✏️ Click on the name of the new folder for renaming.
- ✅ Click outside the folder area to save the changes.
If you have the "Classic Menu" mode enabled, where all the icons are on the desktops, the method is identical to that described in the first section. The differences relate only to the visual style of drawing the background and the font size of the group name.
Working with folders in the system file manager
When it comes to files (photos, documents, music), the process of creating folders is different. To do this, use the built-in application Explorer or File Manager. Open the application and go to the root directory or the desired directory, for example Internal Storage.
In the lower right or left corner of the screen there is usually a menu button (three dots or stripes). Click on it and select Create folder. The system will prompt you to enter a name for the new directory. This action will create a physical directory in the device memory.
Once created, you can move files there. To do this, hold down the file, select the option Move or Copy, then go to the created folder and press Paste. This is useful for sorting downloaded documents.
☑️ Checking permissions
Please note that in modern versions Android access to some system folders may be limited. If you do not see the create button, you may be in a protected directory where writing is prohibited by access rights.
⚠️ Attention: Do not manually create folders with system directory names (for example, Android, DCIM, Download) in the storage root unless you are sure of the destinations. This can lead to duplication of paths and errors in the operation of applications that expect to see a strictly defined structure there.
Customizing the appearance and sorting the contents
After the folder is created, it can be customized. V MIUI various display styles are available. Go to Settings → Desktopto find folder display options. Here you can change the grid size or icon style.
Sorting within a folder can also be customized. Open a folder and notice the sorting icon (usually two arrows or dots). You can arrange applications by alphabet, installation time or frequency of use.
For files in Explorer, sorting is done through the "Sorting" menu. Options available: by name, size, date modified or type. This is critical when there are hundreds of photos or documents in a folder.
| Option | Desktop | File manager | Applications menu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creation | Drag and drop | Through the "Create" menu | Drag and drop |
| Rename | By clicking on the title | Long click | By clicking on the title |
| Delete | Cleaning contents | Deleting an empty folder | Cleaning contents |
| Nesting | Usually 1 level | Multi-level | Usually 1 level |
Changing the font size in the system also affects the display of folder names. If the text is cut off, try reducing the font scale in the section Advanced → Text size.
Secret code for testing the interface
In some versions of MIUI there is a code ##6484##that opens the engineering menu. There you can check the touchscreen response, which is useful if folders are difficult to create due to poor screen response.
Solving problems with creating and displaying folders
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a folder is not created or immediately disappears. Most often this is due to full RAM or a temporary launcher failure. Try rebooting your device to reset the interface cache.
If the problem persists, check your launcher settings. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find System launcher (or Topic "No restrictions"). Go to the section Memory and click Clear (do not delete data if you do not want to reset the icon layout).
Another common reason is the installed third-party theme. Some themes have bugs that block the creation of folders. Switch to the standard theme Classic or Default and check if the problem goes away.
⚠️ Attention: If you are using a third-party launcher (Nova, Lawnchair), the methods for creating folders may differ from the system ones. In such cases, refer to the documentation of the specific launcher, as gestures can be changed.
You should also make sure that there is free space on the desktop. If the grid is completely filled with widgets and icons, the system will physically not be able to place a new folder object. Delete unnecessary items or create a new desktop page.
Additional organization features in MIUI
Shell Xiaomi offers the "Second Space" or "Tablet Mode" function, where the folder logic may work differently. In tablet mode, folders can expand into full-fledged windows. It depends on the version Android and MIUI.
Use folder widgets. Some launchers allow you to display the contents of a folder on your desktop in the form of a widget, where you can see 4 or 9 icons at once without having to open the container. This speeds up access to frequently used apps.
Don't forget about the "Tools" folder. B MIUI by default there is a system folder with utilities. You can edit it by adding your applications there, or hide it if it is not needed. This is part of the standard set of the system.
Timely cleaning of unused folders and updating their contents prolongs the life of the interface and makes working with your smartphone more enjoyable.
Regularly review the contents of your storages. Removing old installation files APK and screenshots from shared folders will help maintain order not only visually, but also in the file system.
Why is the folder not created when dragging?
Most likely, you are not holding the icon long enough before moving, or there is already a widget that occupies an entire grid cell. Try to free up space or change the grid size in the settings.
Is it possible to create a folder inside another folder?
Creating a folder inside a folder (nesting) on the desktop is not supported by standard MIUI and Android tools. In the file manager, nesting can be deep, but on the applications screen there is only one level.
How to delete a created folder?
The folder will disappear on its own as soon as you remove all applications from it. Open the folder, hold the icon and drag it outside the folder to an empty space on the screen. When the folder is empty, it will be deleted automatically.
Does the number of folders affect the speed of the smartphone?
Minimum. However, if you have hundreds of widgets and dynamic folders of live wallpapers on your desktop, this can consume RAM and charge your battery faster. Static folders with icons have almost no effect on performance.