How to change icons on the Xiaomi desktop: all ways from themes to ADB

Xiaomi’s desktop, with its MIUI or new HyperOS, offers flexible customization options, but not everyone knows how to make the most of that potential. Standard app icons, while stylistically uniform, often seem boring or don’t reflect the identity of the smartphone owner. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to change their appearance, from simple theme settings to deep manual replacement via ADB.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including formal and informal solutions, taking into account the features of the latest firmware versions, you will learn how to install icon packages from Google Play, apply hidden settings through the engineering menu, or even create your own icons from scratch. Particular attention is paid to the nuances for devices on HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro).+), Where the logic of working with topics has changed a little.

Before you start, make sure that your device unlocks the bootloader (if you plan to use ADB) and backs up important data.Some methods require superuser rights (root), which can affect warranty and security.

1.Official method: use of MIUI/HyperOS themes

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in theme store. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid packages that change not only icons, but also fonts, wallpaper, animations. This method does not require root rights and works on all devices, including the POCO F5 and Redmi K70.

To apply a new theme:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush on desktop).
• 🔍 In the search bar, type in a query, such as “minimalism icons” or «3D pin».
• 🎨 Select your favorite theme and click Apply. The system will automatically update the icons on the home screen and in the application menu.
• 🔄 If the icons have not changed, restart the device or clear the launcher cache in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Launcher.

Note that some themes only change some icons (e.g., standard Xiaomi apps), leaving the icons of third-party programs unchanged. To fix this, you will need to use third-party launchers (more about this in the next section).

⚠️ Note: HyperOS (starting with Xiaomi) 13T and newer) Theme Store integrated into Settings → Personalization: Some of the old icon packages may not be supported – check compatibility before installation.

2. Third-party launchers: Nova, Apex, POCO Launcher

If built-in themes aren’t enough, install an alternative launcher: popular options are Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or proprietary POCO Launcher (available for all Xiaomi devices), which support.apk or.iconpack icon packages that can be downloaded from Google Play.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from the store.
2. Download your favorite icon package (such as Whicons or CandyCons).
3. Press the finger free space on the desktop → Settings → Style of icons.
4. Select the package installed in the section "Icon Package".

For POCO Launcher, the algorithm is similar, but the path to setting icons is in Launcher Settings → Appearance → Icon Package. The main advantage of this method is the ability to selectively replace icons (long click on the icon → Edit → Change the icon).

Download APK launcher from the official website|Disable battery optimization for launcher|Make a backup of the current desktop|Check compatibility with the Android version-->

⚠️ Note: On devices with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14 Ultra) when changing the launcher, access to certain functions may disappear MIUI, It's like Super Wallpaper or Weather Widgets, and to get them back, you'll have to go back to the standard launcher.

3. Manual replacement of icons via ADB (no root)

If you don’t want to install third-party launchers but need deep customization, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to change system application icons without getting root permissions, but requires you to connect to a PC and enable debugging over USB.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and execute the command: Adb devices Make sure the device is identified.
4. Download the icon package in.zip format (for example, from the XDA Developers website) and unpack it in a folder on your PC.
5. Use the command to replace the icon (example for Camera): adb shell cmd overlay enable --user 0 com.android.theme.icon.pack.camera Where com.android.theme.icon.pack.camera is a unique icon packet identifier (check the instructions for the downloaded package).

Once you have the commands, restart the device. The icons will be updated automatically.This method works on MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, but may require additional rights on some models (for example, Redmi K60 Pro).

4.Creating your own icons: from design to installation

For those who want a unique style, hand-crafted icons are fine.

• 🎨 Image Editor (Photoshop, GIMP Online services like Canva).
• 📏 Icon template for Xiaomi (resolution) 192×192 px, format PNG transparently).
• 📱 App for custom icons (for example, Icon Changer from Google Play).

Algorithm of action:

1. Create or download ready-made icons (you can use the services of Flaticon or Icons8).
2. Install the Icon Changer app and give it access to storage.
3. Select the application you want to replace and upload your.png file.
4. Apply the changes and restart the launcher (long press on the desktop → Restart).

The downside of this method is that icons are reset after an app update. To avoid this, use custom pack launchers (like Nova Launcher) or install icons through ADB (as described in the previous section).

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For MIUI/HyperOS icons, use the official color palette, for example, HyperOS is the most relevant shade: #00BCD4 (blue), #4CAF50 (green) and #FF9800 (orange).

5. Hidden settings: engineering menu and hidden codes

Xiaomi firmware has hidden customization options available through engineering menus or service codes, such as enabling alternative icon styles that don’t appear in standard settings.

To open the hidden options:

1. Enter the dialer code: ##4636## This will open the Testing menu.
2. Go to Phone Information and find UI Demo Mode (may be called Demo Mode).
3. Activate mode and restart the device, and alternative icons (usually in a minimalist style) will appear on the desktop.

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 12T), this method will also unlock hidden themes that aren’t displayed in the store.To return standard icons, re-enter the code and deactivate Demo Mode.

⚠️ Note: Not all service codes run on HyperOS. New devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14) may require you to access hidden settings to access the service. ADB Special applications such as Activity Launcher.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

Each method has its pros and cons. Below is a comparison table that will help you decide on the choice:

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For most users, the best option is a combination of official themes. + Third-party launcher (for example, Nova Launcher with a package of icons) This gives maximum flexibility without risk to the system.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing icons on Xiaomi