How to change icons on Xiaomi phone: from standard themes to custom packs

Xiaomi desktop icons are the first thing that catches your eye when unlocking a smartphone. Not everyone likes the standard design of MIUI or HyperOS: someone wants originality, someone wants minimalism, and someone just gets tired of uniformity. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer many ways of customization, from simple themes to deep editing system files.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of changing icons on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO – from official tools to advanced tricks for power users.

• 🎨 Install ready-made themes from Themes and third-party stores
• 🔧 Use alternative launchers with support for iconpacks
• 🖥️ Change the icons of system applications through ADB
• 🛠️ Edit icons manually (for advanced users)
• ⚙️ Adaptive icons in new versions MIUI/HyperOS

Important: not all methods are equally secure, for example, manual editing of system files can lead to loss of warranty or "brig" of the device if you act carelessly, we will warn about the risks in each section and give recommendations for creating a backup.

1.Official method: Themes from MIUI/HyperOS

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in Themes app. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid themes, many of which include unique icon sets, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, as well as on HyperOS.

To change icons through themes:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on your desktop).
2. Go to the Icons or Icons section (depending on the firmware version).
3. Select the set you like and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes – the icons will be updated automatically.

🔹 Pros of the method: does not require root rights, safe, fast, a huge selection of topics.

🔸 Cons: limited customization (you can not change the icons of individual applications), some themes paid.

💡

If you don’t have the right set of icons in the official store, try third-party resources like ZThemes or MIUI Themes. Downloaded files (.mtz) can be imported through Topics → Profile → Import.

2. Third-party launchers: Nova, Apex, Lawnchair

If built-in themes aren't enough, use alternative launchers that let you install icon packs from Google Play and customize every desktop element.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – the most flexible, supports adaptive icons and gestures.
• 📱 Apex Launcher - lightweight, with wide customization options.
• 🚀 Lawnchair – open source, minimalist design, support for Android 12+.
• ⚡ Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration, but limited icon settings.

How to install icon packs via Nova Launcher:

⚠️ Note: Some icons may not support all applications, in which case the launcher will leave standard icons for incompatible programs. To fix this, use the option of Adaptive icons in the settings.

3. Change the icons of system applications through ADB

For power users who want to change the icons of system applications (for example, Settings, Phone, Messages), the method will be suitable through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), this requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge.

🔹 What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock Developer Settings, then enable Debugging by USB).
• 📁 Icons in.png format (resolution) 192×192 pixels, transparent background).

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and authorize debugging (on the phone screen will appear a request for permission).
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and check the connection: Adb devices must display your device’s serial number.
3. Download the icons you want to use and rename them according to the system application names. For example: com.android.settings.png for Settings com.android.contacts.png for Contacts com.android.mms.png for Messages

adb push your icon.png /sdcard/

root

Magisk

adb shell


su




mount -o rw,remount /system




cp /sdcard/your icon.png /system/app/Application/res/drawable/




chmod 644 /system/app/Application/res/drawable/your icon.png

Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to loss of application health or cyclical restart of the device.Be sure to create a backup through the system before starting work. TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.

4. Manual editing APK-files (for advanced files)

This method is suitable for those who are ready to dive into reverse development and have experience with the work of the APK-The idea is to unpack the app, replace the icons inside and reassemble them.

🔧 Essential tools:

• 🛠️ Apktool – for decompilation and assembly APK.
• 🎨 GIMP Photoshop – for editing icons.
• 📦 Android Studio (optional, for signature) APK).

📝 Step-by-step process:

1. Download. APK-The file you want to change the icon of the application (for example, via APKPure).
2. Unpack APK with Apktool: apktool d your app.apk
3. Go to the folder. res/drawable Replace the icon files (usually ic_launcher.png or ic_launcher_foreground.png).
4. Collect APK back: apktool b your app -o new apk
5. Sign up for APK (for example, via uber-apk-signer).
6. Install the modified application on your phone: adb install new app.apk

⚠️ Important: This method does not work for system applications without root rights, and some applications (for example, banking) can block work on modified ones. APK.

💡

The manual editing of APK is only suitable for third-party applications. Xiaomi system applications are protected by the manufacturer's signature, and they cannot be changed without root rights.

5. Adaptive icons in MIUI 14/HyperOS

Starting with MIUI 14 and HyperOS, Xiaomi has added support for adaptive icons, a feature that automatically adjusts the shape of icons to the chosen style (round, square, rounded, etc.) This simplifies customization, since you do not need to search for individual icons for each application.

How to Include Adaptive Icons:

1. Click the empty space on your desktop and select Desktop Settings.
2. Go to the Icon Style.
3. Choose one of the suggested styles: 🟡 Round (like in Pixel Launcher) 🟦 Square (classical view) 🟢 Rounded squares (iOS style) ⚪ Transparent (contour only)

Apply

🔹 Features:

• Responsive icons only work for apps that support this standard (most of today’s apps from Google Play).
• Xiaomi system applications (e.g. Security, Themes) may not change shape.
• HyperOS adds additional styles, including dynamic icons (change color depending on the wallpaper).

Problems and Solutions: Why Do Icons Not Change?

Sometimes users find that icons do not update or go back to the standard look.

⚠️ Note: If you change the icons through ADB or manual editing APK The phone is braking or overheating, which may indicate damage to system files. Immediately reset to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Reset settings) or restore backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing icons on Xiaomi