Personalizing the look of a smartphone is not just a way to stand out, but also an opportunity to make device management more comfortable and logical. Users of the Xiaomi ecosystem often face the desire to replace standard icons with more aesthetic or thematic ones, but the built-in features of the MIUI or HyperOS shell may not be obvious to the beginner. The standard set of graphic elements supplied from the factory sometimes seems boring or poorly readable against the background of bright wallpaper.
There are several proven methods to transform the interface beyond recognition without having to obtain super-user rights. You can use a built-in theme store, third-party launchers or custom shortcut editing tools. The flexibility of MIUI-based Android allows you to implement changes at different depth levels, from simple picture replacement to complete menu style redesign.
In this article, we will take a closer look at each of the available methods, evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, and provide step-by-step algorithms for how to safely experiment with design without risking the stability of the operating system. The MIUI shell retains the original icons of system applications even after installing third-party themes, unless the full design package is activated.
Use of the built-in “Themes” application
The easiest and safest way to change your visual style is to use the standard Theme app, which is preinstalled on every smartphone of the Chinese brand.This method does not require installing additional software and ensures that graphic elements are compatible with your firmware version. The catalogue has thousands of free and paid design options created by designers and the community.
You start the app and go to the Themes or Wallpaper section, and you can search for designs by keywords like Minimal, iOS style or Neon. It's important to understand that when you install a theme, you often change not only icons, but also the settings menu, control panel and system sounds, and if you only need icons, you'll have to be careful when choosing.
Once you have selected your favorite option, click Download and then Apply. The system will prompt you to select which components you want to activate. Make sure that the icons are marked on the list, otherwise the visual changes will not affect the desktop. The application process can take several seconds, during which the screen can blink.
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If you liked the theme but don’t like the system sounds or fonts, use only the icons component in the preview menu before the final confirmation.
It’s worth noting that some themes may not fully cover all of the apps you install, and in such cases, standard icons will remain for programs that aren’t included in the design package, which is normal system behavior that can be corrected by picking up a theme with a wider application base or creating your own set.
Manual replacement of icons through the theme editor
For advanced users who want complete control of every pixel on the screen, there is the option of manually replacing icons through an integrated editor, which allows you to select a specific image from the gallery and assign it to any app’s shortcut. This approach is ideal if you want to create a unique set in a single style that no store has.
To start editing, open the Topic app and go to profile (the human icon in the lower right corner). Select "Set up" or "Theme Editor" and then find the "Icons" section. Here you will see a list of all installed programs. You can select any application and click on it to replace the current icon with a picture from your gallery.
The process requires pre-preparation of images. It is desirable that the images be square and have a transparent background (PNG format), although the system will automatically crop any photo. However, automatic cropping often looks sloppy, so it is better to prepare the graphic elements in advance in the graphics editor.
- 🎨 Prepare a set of images in format PNG size 512x512 pixels for better quality.
- 📂 Create a separate folder in the gallery for all icons so you don’t have to search for them for long.
- 🔄 After replacing the icon manually, it may stop updating along with the application.
- ⚙️ To reset to factory look, simply select the source theme in the editor.
Using a manual editor gives you maximum freedom, but it takes a lot of time. You have to process dozens of images if you want to bring the entire desktop to a common denominator. In addition, when you update the application, its icon can return to the standard one, and you have to repeat the procedure.
Application of third-party launchers
If MIUI's built-in capabilities seem limited, third-party launchers will come to the rescue, and these are shell programs that completely replace the standard desktop, app menus, and search bar. The most popular solutions are Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, and Lawnchair, which provide deep animation settings, desktop grids, and, of course, icon management.
Once you install the launcher from Google Play, the system will ask permission to use it as the default main screen. Once confirmed, you will access the new interface. The launcher settings usually have a "Look" or "Icons" section where you can use entire packages (Icon Packs) downloaded separately.
The main advantage of this method is that it is independent of Xiaomi system updates. Even if the manufacturer changes the logic of MIUI, your launcher will continue to work steadily, and third-party shells often run faster and consume less resources than heavy system solutions.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some functions MIUI, such as swipes to call menus or gestures may not work properly or require additional customization in the menu of special features.
To use the icon packages in the launcher, you often need to download a separate application package. Search Play Market, type "Icon Pack" and select your favorite style. Once you install the package, go to the launcher settings, find the "Icon Library" section, and activate the downloaded set. All icons on the desktop will change instantly.
Comparison of personalization methods
The best way to choose depends on your goals and technical background, and to make your decision easier, we have prepared a comparison table to help you determine the best option for your use case, each method has its own unique features that affect performance and convenience.
| Method | Difficulty | Impact on the battery | Flexibility of setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in themes | Low. | Minimum | Medium |
| Hand-written editor | Tall. | Absent. | Maximum |
| Third-party launcher | Medium | Moderate. | Tall. |
| Shortcuts Maker | Medium | Minimum | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, embedded themes are the most energy-efficient solution, optimized by the system developers and do not create background processes, and third-party launchers, in turn, can consume additional charge, as they constantly monitor user actions to ensure smooth animations.
If you're critical to stability and battery life, you'd better limit yourself to standard personalization tools. However, if you're an enthusiast and want to unify every detail of the interface, the combination of launcher and manual editing will give you the best result. Don't be afraid to experiment, because you can go back to factory settings at any time.
☑️ Check before installing the launcher
Use of Shortcuts Maker utility
There is another elegant way to change icons without changing the launcher and applying global themes. The Shortcuts Maker app lets you create new shortcuts for any random image program. In fact, you create a "wrapper" for an app that runs it but looks the way you want it to.
Once you install the utility, select Apps and find the program you want in the list. Click on it, and in the menu that opens, select the icon change box. You can select an image from the gallery, take a photo from the clipboard, or even use an emoji. Once you select the image, click Create, and a new label will appear on the desktop.
This method is good because it does not change system files and works on top of any shell, but it has a significant disadvantage: when you remove the developer application, shortcuts can stop working or disappear, and notifications on such shortcuts can be displayed incorrectly.
⚠️ Note: Shortcuts created through third-party utilities do not support notification badges (digits on the icon), as the system perceives them as regular links, not as active applications.
To create a truly high-quality set of icons, Shortcuts Maker recommends that you prepare a single-style image package in advance, which can be minimalistic shapes, single-color logos, or thematic drawings, a time-consuming process, but the result is worth it if you value individuality.
Possible problems and solutions
Users may face various technical challenges in personalization, most often because icons don’t change, are not displayed correctly or are reset after a reboot, and understanding the causes of these failures will help quickly restore the interface to work.
One of the common problems is caching graphics. Android tends to speed up the interface by storing copies of icons in memory. If you see old icons after changing the theme, try clearing the theme or launcher app cache through the smartphone settings menu.
Another common situation is the discrepancy between screen resolution and pixel density, some themes were created for older models with different aspect ratios, which can make icons look stretched or too small, in which case it is better to look for themes marked “Universal” or adapted to your specific Xiaomi model range.
What if the Internet disappeared after the launcher change?
Remember, over-exposure to heavy-duty live animations can lead to a slowdown in the interface, especially on budget and mid-range models. If you notice a decline in performance, go back to static images or standard design. Balance between beauty and functionality is key to a comfortable smartphone experience.
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The most stable work of icons is provided by official themes from the Xiaomi store, as they are tested for compatibility with specific versions of MIUI.