How to return an application to the screen of a Xiaomi Redmi smartphone: from hidden icons to deleted APK

Have you lost an important application on Xiaomi Redmi and can’t find it either in the menu or on the desktop? This problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones with shell MIUI —especially after system updates or accidental manipulations with settings. Unlike “pure” Android, where applications simply disappear from the screen but remain in the menu, they can be Redmi they may be hidden, disabled or even deleted through built-in optimization utilities.

In this article we will look at all possible scenarios for applications disappearing on Xiaomi Redmi - from the banal (the icon was accidentally moved to a folder) to the complex (the application is disabled via ADB or deleted by the system utility Security). You will learn how to return the application to the screen without resetting the settings, what tools are provided for this, and what to do if standard methods do not work. We will pay special attention to the nuances for models MIUI 12–15, and what to do if standard methods do not work. We will pay special attention to the nuances for models Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 and flagship series K, where the logic of the launcher may differ.

1. Checking the obvious: searching through menus and folders

Before proceeding with complex manipulations, make sure that the application has really disappeared and not just hidden under the interface layer. On Xiaomi Redmi icons are often “lost” due to:

• 📁 Automatic creation folders —MIUI groups similar applications (for example, all messengers in the “Social Networks” folder).
• 🔍 Display failure —after updating, the launcher may not show icons on additional screens.
• 📱 Light desktop mode —a simplified interface hides some applications (enabled in Settings → Accessibility).

How to check:

1. Swipe your finger down to the main page. screen -the search bar will open. If you find it, hold its icon and drag it to the screen.
2. Scroll all desktop pages left and right - sometimes the icons “disappear” to a blank screen.
3. Press an empty space on the screen → Settings screen → check whether the display of additional pages is disabled.

If the application is not found even through the search, go to the next section - most likely it is hidden or disabled at the system level.

2. Restoring hidden applications through. "Settings"

Shell MIUI allows you to hide applications from displaying in the menu and on the desktop without deleting them. This is done through the built-in utility. Security (Security) or section Applications. To return a hidden application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Manage applications.
2. Tap on the three-dot menu (⋮) in the upper right corner → select Hidden applications.
3. In the list, find the application you need and uncheck the box next to it.

If there is no item Hidden applications :

• 🔒 Try an alternative path: Settings → Special. features → Simplified mode → disable it if it is active.
• 🛡️ Go to Security → Optimization → Storage → scroll down to the section Hidden applications.

On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Redmi K50) hidden applications may be displayed in the Other applications section in the control menu. If you did not find your application there, check whether it was removed via the built-in "Cleaner".

3. Bringing back disabled applications MIUI aggressively optimizes background processes and sometimes rarely used applications. This is not a deletion, but a suspension of work, due to which the icon may disappear from the screen. To return such an application:

MIUI aggressively optimizes background processes, and sometimes automatically disables rarely used applications. This is not a deletion, but a suspension of work, due to which the icon may disappear from the screen. To return such an application:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Manage applications.
2. In the top tab, select Disabled (or Inactive on some firmware).
3. Find the desired application → tap on it → click Enable.

If the application was disabled via ADB (for example, by command pm disable-user), the standard method may not work. In this case:

adb shell pm enable com.example.app

where com.example.app is the package name of the application (you can find it out via adb shell pm list packages | grep "keyword").

Install Xiaomi drivers on your PC | Enable USB debugging in the settings developer|Download the ADB platform from the Google website|Connect your phone to the PC and enable debugging

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⚠️ Attention: On Redmi with an unlocked bootloader, applications disabled via ADB may not be restored after resetting the settings. Before using ADB commands, create a backup copy of your data.

4. Restoring deleted applications

If the application was deleted (for example, via Cleaner in Security or manually), it will have to be installed again. nuances:

To restore system applications (for example, com.miui.calculator) without firmware:

1. Download the APK file of the application for your version of MIUI (search on the forums XDA Developers or 4PDA).
2. Install via ADB:

   adb install -r -d file_name.apk

3. Reboot the device.

⚠️ Attention: Installing system APKs from other versions of MIUI may cause conflicts. Before the procedure, check the firmware compatibility (for example, for Redmi Note 10 Pro APK is suitable. only from MIUI 13/14 for this model).

5. Resetting the launcher settings

If applications disappeared after updating MIUI or changing the theme, the problem may be a failure of the launcher (com.miui.homeIn this case, it will help). resetting its settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Manage applications.
2. Find Launcher (or MIUI Launcher) → Storage → Clear data.
3. Confirm the action. After the reboot, all icons will return to their default locations.

This method also helps if:

• 📱 Disappeared all icons from the desktop (only the dock panel remains).
• 🔄 Applications are duplicated or displayed with errors.
• 🎨 After changing the theme, folders and widgets disappeared.

On Redmi with custom firmware (for example, Pixel Experience) instead of MIUI Launcher can be installed Trebuchet or Nova Launcher. For them, the reset is performed in the same way, but through the settings of a specific launcher.

6. Checking access rights and accounts

Sometimes applications disappear due to problems with access rights or account linking. For example:

• 🔑 The application was installed under a different user profile (multiple profiles are supported on MIUI 14+). Redmi with MIUI 14+ multiple profiles are supported).
• 📧 The application is linked to the account Mi Account or Googlethat was deleted from the smartphone.
• 🛡️ Antivirus or MIUI Security blocked the application as suspicious.

How to check:

1. For Google applications: Open Settings → Accounts → Google → make sure that the desired account is active and synchronized.
2. For Mi Account: Check in Settings → Xiaomi Accountif the account is disabled.
3. For access rights: Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions and find your application. Make sure that he has rights to Storage, Phone and other necessary functions.

If the application was blocked MIUI Security:

1. Open Security → Virus scan → Log.
2. Check whether your application is on the blocked list.
3. If so, unblock it and add it to exceptions.

MIUI updates|Installing a new theme|Cleaning through "Security"|Another reason|I don't know-->

7. Extreme measures: resetting settings and flashing

If none of the methods helped, there are radical methods:

• 🔧 Reset settings (without deleting data): Settings → About phone → Reset settings. This will return standard applications and launcher settings, but will not affect user files.
• 📦 Hard reset (complete clear): Settings → Advanced → Reset and recovery → Reset all settings. Deletes all data!
• 🔄 Flashing via Fastboot: Relevant if system applications are missing (for example, Settings or Phone). Requires an unlocked bootloader.

Before resetting:

1. Create a backup copy via Settings → Advanced → Backup and reset.
2. Write down or take a photo of the list of installed applications (can be exported via Google Play → Library → Installed).
3. Make sure that you have access to your account Mi Account - confirmation may be required after the reset.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi with a locked bootloader, flashing via Fastboot will lead to brik (inoperability) devices. Use only official firmware via Mi Flash Tool.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

adb shell am start -n com.example.app/com.example.app.MainActivity

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 0