MIUI is a great update for Android phones and comes with many useful and interesting options. Most users like that you have numerous ways to customize the interface and create the best possible smartphone for you.
Do you want to start with the look of your phone? In addition to changing wallpapers and customizing other related options, you can remove or add icons and icon labels as you see fit.
Read our article to find out how to do this.
Clear home screen space
It can be difficult to remember what is where if your home screen gets too crowded. With too many app icons, you may forget which ones you installed and which ones you intended to use. Not to mention it doesn’t look good at all.
If you want to declutter and keep your home screen more minimalist, you’ll probably think about removing app icons.
Unfortunately, if you try to remove an app icon, you will simultaneously uninstall the app from your phone. Xiaomi smartphones don’t allow you to simply remove icons, but there are several ways to make your home screen less cluttered.
1. Move icons to another screen
Simply place your finger on an app icon and drag it to another screen. You will know that you can move the app icon when your phone vibrates. It will still be easy to access your apps, as you only need to swipe left or right to view them. At the same time, you won’t need to place them all on the home screen.
You can also use overview mode to move apps. First, unlock your phone and when you are on the home screen, pinch it to view other home screen pages. Next, touch and hold an icon and move it to the desired screen. That will open the screen so you can release the icon. Repeat this for all the app icons you want to move.
2. Create a folder
If you want to keep your apps on the home screen, but want to see less of them, you can create folders and put them there. If you create multiple folders, you can group apps according to what they are used for. For example, games, communication, etc.
You cannot create an empty folder and then add the applications. A folder when you drag one application on top of the other. They will merge and automatically create a new folder with those two apps inside. Then, you can go ahead and add more apps to this folder.
3. Install a third-party launcher
You can also try this method, but only if you opt for a verified launcher. Unfortunately, Xiaomi has blocked all unverified third-party launchers, so you can’t use them with MIUI.
Check the Google Play Store to find reliable launchers and choose the one you think suits your needs. Once you download and install it, tap on the Start button. A message should appear on your screen asking you to select a launcher. Choose the one you just installed and don’t forget to check the Remember my choice box for future use.
Now the newly installed launcher is the default. If not, do it manually.
- Go to Settings and choose Home Screen.
- In this menu, find the default launcher and tap to open.
- Choose the third-party launcher you want to set as default.
Depending on the launcher settings, you will be able to remove app icons without uninstalling the apps on your phone.
Remove tool icons
Some MIUI users have been wondering how to remove unnecessary app icons from pre-existing folders on their phones. However, now you know that you can’t remove icons without deleting apps. You also cannot remove any pre-installed apps from your phone, such as Downloads, My Account, etc.
However, you can disable them if you think this will help your smartphone work better:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to “Applications.”
- Select All and then search for the desired app.
- Tap on it and when the app info opens, tap on the Disable button at the bottom.
Please note that not all apps will allow you to disable it. If the Deactivate button appears gray, you cannot deactivate the app.
Keep your phone tidy
A cluttered home screen can cause you to miss an important notification. If you want to avoid that, removing unnecessary icons will be enough.
Although you can simply remove the icons by tapping the “X” button, there are three ways to make your home screen look neat – it’s up to you what works best for you.
