How to change one app icon on Android Xiaomi: all ways

Personalization is the first thing that makes smartphone ownership really comfortable. The MIUI shell or Xiaomi’s new HyperOS offers a lot of customization tools, but often the basic settings seem hidden. Users may find themselves in a situation where standard folder design or application grid doesn’t match personal preferences.

Replacing a specific program icon is a challenge that can be solved in several ways depending on the firmware version and the regional version of the device. Global versions of the software may have limitations that are absent from Chinese builds. In this article, we will discuss in detail the native system tools and proven third-party methods that are guaranteed to work on modern models.

Changing visual style doesn't require superuser rights or complex flashing, but using the built-in theme features or creating a label is enough to keep the operanic system stable and avoid problems with security updates.

Use of the built-in MIUI theme store

The easiest and safest way to change the look of icons is to use the official Themes app. Themes catalog contains thousands of free and paid designs that replace system icons either entirely or selectively. However, replacing one particular icon often requires you to install the theme completely and then customize exceptions.

To get started, you need to run the standard Themes app on your desktop. In the bottom navigation bar, select the Profile tab (human icon), then go to the Settings section. Here, it is important to find the Desktop item and make sure that the Theme Compatibility option is activated.

Once this feature is activated, the system allows you to apply icons from downloaded themes to individual applications. You can download any theme you like, apply it, and then select "Setting up elements" -> "Icons" in the theme settings. In the list that opens, you can only tick the programs whose appearance you want to change.

• 🎨 Open the Topics app and go to the Profile section».
• ⚙️ Enable compatibility mode in the design settings for flexible management.
• 📥 Download the theme with the desired style and apply only a package of icons.
• 🔄 Return to the standard set if the result does not suit.

⚠️ Note: When installing third-party themes from unofficial sources (via.mtz files), the system can issue security alerts. Use only verified themes from the official directory or from well-known authors.

The good thing about the theme method is that it's fully integrated and doesn't consume battery in the background, but if you want a unique picture that's not in any topic, you'll have to use other tools.

Creating shortcuts through the “Themes” app

Some versions of the MIUI shell (especially in Chinese builds and early global versions) have a hidden or explicit feature of creating custom shortcuts, which allows you to replace the standard icon with any image from the gallery, which is ideal if you want to make a unique design for frequently used applications.

Go to the Themes app, click on the profile icon, and select "Create a Theme" or "Theme Builder." The designer menu often has an option to "Icon" or "Create a shortcut." Once you select the desired application from the list, the system will prompt you to download the image from the device's memory.

Once you select the image and confirm the actions, a new shortcut will appear on the desktop. Please note that new versions of HyperOS may restrict or move this functionality. If the standard designer does not suggest creating a shortcut, move to the next section with widgets.

It is important to understand that the label created in this way is technically a new link to the application. Notifications (red circles with numbers) on such custom labels may not appear, since they are not native objects of the system.

Widget Method: A Universal Solution for HyperOS

If you can't directly change the icon through the settings, the most efficient way is to create a widget. In the HyperOS shell and the latest versions of MIUI, widgets are very stable and allow you to set any image to run the application, a workaround that gives you 100% results.

To implement this method, press your finger on an empty desktop and select "Widgets." In the list, find a widget called "Tag" (or "Shortcut"). Drag it onto the screen and in the menu that appears, select the app you want to replace.

The system will suggest you select an image for this widget, and you can upload any picture, photo, or specially drawn design, and after you save it, you will see an icon of your choice on your desktop, which will run the desired program.

The main advantage of widgets is that they are completely independent of system constraints, so you can create 50 different shortcuts for the same app with different images, and that opens up a huge opportunity for creative desktop design.

Use of third-party launchers

When regular funds are scarce, third-party shells come to the rescue, launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher provide advanced icon management tools that allow you to change not only the image, but also the size, signature font and behavior when you click.

Once you install the launcher from Google Play, you need to make it the default one. In the launcher settings (usually in the Appearance or Icons section), you can select a specific application and assign it a new graphic from the gallery or from built-in packages.

It’s worth noting that using third-party launchers on Xiaomi may have features, such as app opening animations may not work as smoothly as in the native shell, or conflicts with control gestures may arise.

For users who care about stability and original Xiaomi animations, this method may seem redundant, but for those who want to completely change the logic of the smartphone, this is the best choice.

Configure through the “Security” application

Deep in Xiaomi's system utilities, there's the Security app that manages permissions and optimizations, and in some cases, it's where you find hidden display settings, even though there's no direct icon replacement, but it's where you can control auto-launch the shortcuts you create.

If you created a widget or shortcut but it stopped working or disappeared after cleaning the memory, check the settings in Security -> Permissions -> Auto Run. Make sure the underlying application or theme system has the necessary rights.

And there's a "Accelerate" feature in the security application, and sometimes aggressive optimization can shut down the processes that render custom interface elements, and adding important applications to exceptions can help avoid problems.

⚠️ Warning: Do not disable system services in the Security app for the sake of experimentation. This can lead to unstable interface operation or the disappearance of icons.

Frequent problems and their solution

Users often face typical challenges in customization, the most common being the appearance of duplicate applications, where when you create a new shortcut, the old one doesn't go away, and there are two on the screen.

To avoid chaos, you can hide the old icon. Go to the desktop settings (press your finger on the table -> Settings) and find Hide Apps. Add the original icons, leaving only custom widgets.

Another problem is poor image quality, so if you upload a low-resolution image, the system will stretch it and the icon will look blurry. Always use PNG images with a resolution of at least 512x512 pixels.

💡

Use icon generator apps that automatically crop and align the image in the center to avoid cropping important logo details.

Also worth mentioning is the system update issue: After a major Android or MIUI update, theme settings may reset, and it is recommended to take screenshots of the icons before updating to quickly restore order.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

💡

The best balance between quality and functionality is achieved by using official MIUI themes, but widgets and third-party launchers provide the maximum flexibility.