How to change the menu on Xiaomi: full instructions for customization

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones with MIUI shells or the new HyperOS offer users a huge personalization experience that goes far beyond simply replacing wallpaper. Device owners often want to change the menu on Xiaomi to make management easier, hide unnecessary apps or simply express their individuality through a unique visual style. The system’s flexibility allows for changes at different levels, from simple theme installation to deep system modification through an engineering menu.

The process of interface transformation can range from the basic actions that any beginner can take to complex manipulations of developer rights. Menu customization is not only about aesthetics, but also about ergonomics. A properly configured desktop and application panel can significantly speed up access to frequently used functions and increase the overall comfort of interaction with a gadget.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to change the menu on Xiaomi, we will look at the standard tools, hidden features of “Tem”, work with launchers and specific settings for advanced users, you will learn how to change fonts, icons, hide applications and even manage system elements that are usually not available for editing.

Staffing tools for personalization through system settings

The safest and most stable way to change the look of the menu is to use the built-in operating system tools. The basic setup does not require installing third-party software and ensures that the phone will work correctly without crashes.

Go to Settings → Wallpaper and Personalization (or just open the Themes app) and you can choose a theme that completely changes the look of icons, notification curtains, settings menus, and even system sounds. The theme is a complex change that affects all visual elements of the interface.

If you don't want to change everything at once, the system allows you to modify individual components, for example, you can leave system icons, but change the style of the control menu or widgets. To do this, in the Themes app, go to the profile (human icon) and select "Set up the theme." Here are separate packages for:

• 🎨 App icons – replacing standard icons with stylized sets.
• 🔔 Control Center - changing the appearance of the curtain with switches.
• ⚙️ Settings - visual design of the system parameters menu itself.
• 🔒 Lock screen – stylization of clocks, dates and widgets on a locked screen.

⚠️ Warning: When installing themes from third-party sources or unofficial stores, always check the app's permissions.Some themes may request access to contacts or location that is not required to change the look and feel.

If you notice that the battery began to discharge faster after changing the design, try to choose a lighter theme or turn off live wallpaper.

Configure fonts and size of interface elements

One of the most visible ways to change the way you see a menu is to adjust the fonts and zoom in, and this is especially true for visually impaired users or those who simply prefer large typography, with a separate module in the MIUI and HyperOS shells.

To change the font, follow the Settings → Screen → Text Size and Font path, and you'll find not only a size slider, but also an Online Fonts button. You click on it, you'll be taken to a store where thousands of different types of fonts are available. Once you install the new font, it applies to the entire interface, including menus, messages and the browser.

You can use Large Text or Expand Mode to fine-tune it, and it changes not only the letters, but also the indentations between the elements, making the menus more sparse and easy to navigate with one finger, and interface scaling is a powerful tool in ergonomics.

There is also a hidden possibility of changing the density of DPI (dots per inch), which affects how much content is placed on the screen. Although this is done through the developer menu, the effect affects the display of the menu:

• 📉 Reduce the value DPI Makes elements smaller, holding more information.
• 📈 Increased importance DPI Makes the interface bigger, like on a tablet.
• ⚖️ Standard value provides a balance between readability and capacity.

⚠️ Be careful when changing the minimum width (DPI) Set extremely low values can make the interface unreadable, and too high can cause some applications to crash and stop running.

After changing the font, it is recommended to restart the device so that all cached graphic elements are updated correctly.Some applications may ignore the system font if they use their own built-in resources to display text.

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Before installing a new font, take a screenshot of the current settings menu, which will help you quickly find your way back if the new font is not readable in the system menu.

Using third-party launchers to completely replace the menu

If the standard capabilities are not enough, the most radical solution is to install a third-party launcher, which is an application that completely replaces the standard desktop and application menu, providing new principles for organizing space, and this is the best answer to the question of how to change the menu on Xiaomi beyond recognition.

Popular solutions like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher allow you to change the desktop grid, swipe animation, gestures and even application search logic. Once you install such an application, the system will prompt you to choose it by default, you can also adjust the behavior of the home button or swipe up to always open a new menu.

The benefits of third-party launchers include:

• 🚀 High Performance and Optimization of Animations.
• 🧩 Flexible grid setting (can be placed) 10x10 icon).
• 🎭 Support for unique gestures (double tap, swipes to the sides).
• 📂 Smart folders and categorization of applications automatically.

However, it is worth considering that some features of the MIUI shell, such as Second Space or specific widgets, may not work correctly or be available when using a third-party launcher.

To return to the standard menu, just go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Settings (cogs) → Default Apps and select the Desktop (or System Launcher).

Hiding applications and creating hidden folders

Often, by changing the menu, users mean the desire to remove the extra or hide the confidential. Xiaomi has a hidden application feature that removes their icons from the general menu, making them visible only through a special code entry or in a hidden folder.

To activate this feature, open the Security app (a green lightning icon), scroll down to Hide Apps and turn on the switch. Once activated, the Hidden tab will appear in the app menu. By clicking on it and adding apps, you will hide them from the main list.

Access to hidden applications is carried out in one of the ways:

• 🔢 Entering secret code in the search field in the application menu.
• 📁 Going to a special hidden folder in the gallery or conductor.
• 👆 Special gesture in the application "Themes" (depending on the version of the software).

This method doesn't remove applications, it just hides their shortcuts, and the programs that run it are normal, but they're not visible in the recent task list if you have the appropriate privacy setting enabled, and it's an effective way to organize the menu, leaving only the essentials in view.

⚠️ Warning: Don't forget the hidden app access code installed. Resetting your phone's settings to factory settings is the only way to get back data access if the code is lost, but it will result in all data being lost on the device.

To further isolate, you can use the "Second Space" feature, which creates a completely separate profile on the phone with its own menus, passwords and apps, and switch between spaces as if between different users.

Comparison of methods of changing the interface

To make it easier for you to choose the right way to transform your menu, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you weigh the risks and benefits of each method, from simply changing the theme to installing launchers.

As you can see from the table, for most users, a combination of standard themes and font settings remains the best option, which gives visual diversity without risking disrupting the stability of the operating system.

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Using regular themes is the safest way to change the menu, which does not require root rights and does not affect the device warranty.

Advanced customization through the engineering menu and ADB

For power users who want to change the menu on Xiaomi at a deep level, there are tools like ADB (Android Debug Bridge) and the engineering menu, which allow you to disable system applications, change display settings and edit configuration files.

To access the advanced settings, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on the MIUI Version (or OS Version). After that, a new section “Advanced Settings” → “Developers” will appear in the settings menu.

Here you can enable USB debugging and use your computer to type commands, for example, a command to hide a Google search bar in the launcher might look like this:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

Using ADB allows you to remove undeleteable system software (bloatware) that takes up space on the menu and consumes resources. However, improper removal of system components through ADB can lead to a cyclic restart of the phone (bootloop), so always check the name of the package before removing.

Also available on the developer menu is Smallest Width, which changes the scale of the entire interface by changing that number. Standard values are usually in the range of 360-411 dpi. Reducing the number will zoom in, zoom in will decrease.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)