How to change the app icon on Xiaomi smartphones: 5 working ways

Introduction: Why Standard Icons Are Boring and What to Do About It

The standard app icons on Xiaomi often look monotonous: rounded shapes, corporate colors, and minimalist design. This gets boring over time - especially if you like to personalize your smartphone. Fortunately, MIUI and the new HyperOS offer several ways to change the look of the icons, from built-in themes to third-party launchers and even manual editing.

But there are nuances here. Not all apps support icon swapping through standard settings, for example, and some methods require root rights or additional knowledge. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to change icons on Xiaomi in 2026, including hidden MIUI chips that few people know, how to get around system limitations, which launchers are best to use for flexible customization, and what to do if the icon does not change.

Before you start, check the version of your shell: Setting path → About phone → MIUI (or HyperOS) version. This depends on the options available. Also note that some methods may reset after the system update, which we will also talk about.

Method 1: Using embedded MIUI/HyperOS themes

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the themes gallery built into the firmware. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid themes, many of which change not only the wallpaper, but also the app icons. Here's how it works:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Themes tab and select the Icons category or Full Themes.
3. Look at the options available. Look for the "Icons are included."
4. Click on your favorite topic. → Apply.

If you want to change icons for individual apps, not all at once, look for themes marked "Mix Icons"; for example, the "Mix Icons" theme allows you to combine different styles.

⚠️ Note: some of the themes from the official store may contain ads or collect data. Before installing, check the reviews and rating of the theme. If after applying the theme, the phone started to slow down, return the standard style to Settings. → Topics → By default.

The disadvantage of this method is limited choice, and if you want unique icons (like iOS or Pixel), you will have to use third-party solutions.

Method 2: Third-party launchers with support for changing icons

If there are few built-in themes, install an alternative launcher.The best options for Xiaomi:

• 📱 Nova Launcher – supports icon packs from Google Play, flexible size and shape settings.
• 🎨 Apex Launcher – lightweight, with support for gestures and adaptive icons.
• 🔄 Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration, but limited options for icons.
• 🌈 Action Launcher – a unique feature “Quicktheme” for automatic selection of icon colors.

How to set up icons through Nova Launcher:

Download Nova Launcher from Google Play|Install an icon package (such as "Whicons" or "Delta")|Open the Nova settings → "Appearance" → "Icon style"|Select the installed package|Apply changes and restart the launcher-->

If after changing the icons, some apps are displayed with a standard icon, this means that there is no alternative for them in the selected package.The solution is to install a different package or manually replace the icon (more about this in the next section).

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To return standard MIUI icons, disable Nova Launcher in the application settings (Settings → Applications → Default → Launcher) and select the system launcher.

Method 3: Manually modify icons without root (using Shortcut Maker)

If you need to change the icon of one particular app, rather than all at once, use the Shortcut Maker utility (available on Google Play), which requires no root rights and works on all versions of MIUI/HyperOS.

Instructions:

1. Download and install Shortcut Maker.
2. Open the app and find the one you want to change the icon for.
3. Click on it → select “Create a shortcut”.
4. In the Icon section, click Gallery and select any image from your phone’s memory (recommended size is 192×192 px).
5. Save the shortcut to the home screen. The original icon can be removed in a folder or turned off in the app menu.

The downside of this method is that a duplicate of the application (shortcut) will appear on the home screen, rather than replacing the original icon, and some system applications (such as Settings or Phone) may not open through this shortcut.

Method 4: Change icons through ADB (for advanced users)

If you're ready to dive into the technical details, you can change your system application icons through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that doesn't require root, but you need basic command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with ADB-tools installed.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on Xiaomi (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → Additional settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 📁 Folder with new icons in.png format (size) 192×192, clear-back).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm access via ADB.
2. Open the command line in the ADB folder and execute: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
3. Download the icons to your phone in /sdcard/icons/ (create it in advance).
4. Use the command to replace the icon (example for the Settings app): adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/icons/settings.png /system/app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png chmod 644 /system/app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png reboot

⚠️ Attention: misuse ADB It can cause system applications to crash. Before experimenting, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup: If the icon has not changed after you reboot or the application has stopped opening, return the original.png file in the same way.

This method is suitable for enthusiasts who want to fully customize system icons without root. MIUI/HyperOS change may be reset.

Method 5: Using the Xposed Framework (root only)

If your Xiaomi has root rights, you can use the Xposed Framework modules to deep customize the icons.

• 🎭 Xposed Icon Changer – allows you to change the icons of any application, including system.
• 🔧 GravityBox - Advanced settings MIUI, including replacing icons in the status bar.
• 🖼️ Unicon – supports adaptive icons and packages from Google Play.

How to determine:

1. Install Xposed Installer for your version of Android.
2. Download the module you want (like Unicon) and activate it in Xposed.
3. Reboot the phone.
4. Open the module settings and select the icon package or upload your images.

The advantage of this method is maximum flexibility, and you can change icons not only on the home screen, but also in the app menu, notification bar, and even in system dialogs.

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Xposed Framework offers the most customization options, but requires root and can disrupt system stability. Use only if you are confident in your actions!

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change your icons to Xiaomi, users encounter common mistakes.

Problem 1: Icons dropped after the MIUI/HyperOS update.

Solution: System updates often overwrite system files, to avoid this:

• 📥 Create a backup copy of the folder /system/app/ before updating.
• 🔄 Use launchers (like Nova) that store settings separately from the system.
• 🚫 Turn off auto updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Downloading.

Problem 2: Some icons don’t change in the package.

Solution: This means that there is no alternative to the specific application in the icon package selected.

• 🔍 Install another icon package with wider support.
• 🖌️ Manually replace the missing icon with Shortcut Maker.
• 📂 Contact the package developer and request the addition of missing icons.

Problem 3: After changing the icons through ADB, the app stopped opening.

Solution: You may have replaced the wrong file or violated access rights to fix:

1. Connect to ADB Return the original file: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /system/app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png.bak /system/app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png chmod 644 /system/app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png reboot
2. If there is no backup, download the original APK app and extract the icon using APK Editor.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions