Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which are based on the shells MIUI or the new HyperOS, provide users with a huge opportunity to personalize the interface. The standard look of the desktop often seems boring, but the system allows you to transform it beyond recognition without obtaining superuser rights. You can change not only the wallpaper, but also the location of icons, fonts, transition animation and even completely replace the control application.
The deep customization of the visual part of Android on the Chinese brand devices is divided into several levels of complexity. From simple wallpaper change to installing third-party launchers, each step opens new horizons for creativity. In this article, we will discuss all the methods available in detail to make your gadget a truly unique tool in everyday life.
Using the Themes app for global style change
The easiest and safest way to change the look of the interface is to use the built-in Themes app, a system tool that allows you to download ready-made design packages that include wallpaper, icons, sounds and even notification menu styles. To access the directory, you just need to find the appropriate application on your desktop or in the Tools folder.
Inside the store, there are millions of design choices created by both the official designers and the user community, and you can search for themes by category, popularity, or date of addition. Once you choose your style, just click Download and then Apply, so that the system automatically replaces all graphic elements with new ones.
⚠️ Note: Some themes may not display correctly on screens with high refresh rates or non-standard resolution, so always check the preview before installing.
It's important to note that the theme's application affects not only the home screen, but also other system elements, such as the style of the notification curtain, the volume menu, and even the appearance of the calculator or voice recorder. If you like only part of the design, many themes allow you to apply elements selectively through the profile menu.
Set up the grid and location of the desktop elements
If you don't want to change the whole theme, but you want to optimize the space, you can use grid settings, you can change the number of rows and columns, which directly affects the capacity of the screen and the size of the widgets, to enter the settings menu, you need to pinch two fingers in the free space of the desktop or pinch the empty area.
In the edit menu that opens, select Settings (usually a gear icon or three dots) and you will find Grid where you can select a configuration like 4x5, 5x6 or even denser options like 6x8 on larger screens, changing this option will instantly rearrange all the app icons.
☑️ Optimization of the working space
Also available in this section is the option to hide signatures under app icons. Disabling captions allows you to make the icons visually larger and cleaner, which is especially true when using minimalist graphics sets. In addition, you can turn on or off the effect of increasing icons when you click, which adds a nice tactile return to the interface.
The bottom panel, or "doc," deserves special attention, and you can add not only app shortcuts, but also folders, which frees up space in the main area. Some launchers allow you to hide the dock bar completely, giving all the space to the content, although in the standard shell of Xiaomi this feature may be limited.
Installation and configuration of third-party launchers
For those who don't have the standard shell, there's a market for third-party launchers, home screen replacement apps that take full control of the interface, and popular options like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair, or Smart Launcher offer functionality that's not available in stock MIUI.
Once installed from Google Play, the system will ask permission to use it as the default launcher. Once confirmed, the old interface will be replaced by a new one. However, on Xiaomi devices, there is often a restriction: when swiping from the bottom up (the Home gesture), the built-in Security app or Google search can open, ignoring the new laun.
| Launcher | Difficulty | Flexibility | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Medium | Very high. | Low. |
| Smart Launcher 6 | Low. | Tall. | Average. |
| Microsoft Launcher | Low. | Medium | Low. |
| Niagara Launcher | Low. | Unique. | Very low. |
To get around the Home gesture restriction, users often use special helper utilities like Better Open With or QuickSwitch (requires ADB).These tools redirect the home screen system call to the app of your choice. Without using such crutches, you will either have to abandon gesture control or put up with dual start.
Why would a launcher slow down?
Customization of widgets andAlways on Display
Widgets turn the main screen from a simple icon dump into an information bar. HyperOS and new versions of MIUI have support for iOS widgets that can be resized and combined. To add a widget, pinch the empty space and select "Widgets" in the bottom menu.
System widgets allow you to display weather, stepmer, battery status, notes and schedules directly on the lock screen or desktop. Especially useful are interactive widgets that allow you to, for example, set a timer or switch a track without opening the application itself.
It is also worth mentioning the function Always on Display (AOD). Nana AMOLED-It allows you to display the time, date and notifications when the screen is off. You can choose the style from Wallpaper and Personalization settings. AOD, set up its operating time or activate the display only when the phone is raised.
⚠️ Warning: A constantly active lock screen with bright animation can increase battery consumption 5-10% daily, so it is recommended to use the "scheduled" mode or «10 seconds after touching».
Changes in fonts and text size
Visual perception of the interface is highly typographical. Xiaomi allows you to change the system font, which affects the display of text in all applications, menus and on the home screen. To do this, go to Settings → Wallpaper and personalization → Font.
The font store offers both free and paid options. Once downloaded, the font is applied to the entire system. It's a great way to refresh the look of your smartphone if the standard font seems boring to you. However, it's worth remembering that some exotic fonts can impair the readability of small text.
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Before installing a new font, check how it looks in long texts (like news stories) to make sure it’s easy to read.
In addition to letter style, you can adjust the size of the letters. In Settings → Screen → Text size and display, the available slider moves the boundaries from "Small" to "Giant." Increasing the size of the text automatically rearranges the home screen grid, making the captions under the icons larger, but reducing the amount of visible information.
Advanced Settings through ADB (for experts)
For users who are not afraid of the command line, it is possible to change hidden parameters of the main screen through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to activate functions hidden by developers, for example, changing the density of the interface (DPI) beyond standard limits.
To do this, you need to include USB Debugging in the Developer menu and connect your smartphone to your computer. With the adb shell wm density command, you can rescal all the elements. Reducing the DPI value will make the elements smaller, increasing the usable space, and zooming in will make them larger.
adb shell wm density 360Using commands requires caution. Setting an incorrect DPI value can make the interface unreadable or lead to a black screen, in which case resetting settings via Recovery or reconnecting to ADB with an adb shell wm density reset command will help.
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Changing DPI through ADB is the most powerful but also the riskiest customization method, requiring accurate calculation of the values for your screen diagonal.