Owning a Xiaomi smartphone offers users enormous personalization opportunities that are not available on many other platforms. MIUI shells and the new HyperOS make a standard gadget a unique tool that reflects your style and preferences. Changing the look is not just aesthetics, but also a way to improve the usability of the device in everyday life.
Many users limit themselves to installing simple wallpapers without even knowing that they can completely redesign the interface. You can change the system fonts, transition animations, application icons and even the structure of the menu. Deep customization allows you to adapt your smartphone for any task, whether it is minimalism for work or a bright style for entertainment.
In this article, we will go into detail about all the available methods of interface transformation. We will go from built-in system tools to advanced customization methods that require care. Changing system files through third-party launchers can lead to unstable device operation, if not careful. Let's start with the simplest and safest way.
Use of the built-in Themes application
The main tool for changing visual style is the standard Theme app, which is preinstalled on every device of the brand. This catalog contains thousands of design options created by both official designers and the user community. Here you can find ready-made packages that change everything from the lock screen to system sounds.
To get started, launch the app and go to the Profile tab or My Pages, and that's where the settings button is hidden under the gear icon, and you can activate hidden features in this menu, like the ability to set Beta themes or themes that are for other regions, which is the first step to extend the standard interface.
When choosing a new theme, look for a preview of the items. Some designs only change wallpaper and icons, while others completely redraw the control panel and settings menu. It is important to check the compatibility of the theme with your version of Android, as older packages may not display correctly on new versions of HyperOS.
- 🎨 Global themes: Completely change the appearance of the system, including settings and task manager.
- 🔒 Lock screen: Separate set of styles with different hours and unlock effects.
- 🔔 System sounds: Replacement of notifications, alarms and bells in a single style.
- 📱 Widgets: Adding new elements to the desktop with a unique design.
Once the theme is installed, the system can suggest a reboot to apply all the changes. Don't ignore this recommendation if you notice visual artifacts. Sometimes the cache of old graphics is stored in memory, and only a full reboot of the smartphone allows the new design to be revealed completely.
Setting up the desktop and widgets
The desktop is the space you interact with most often, and Xiaomi's shells have a flexible widget grid that allows you to create complex compositions, you can resize the cells, add transparency, and combine different controls, which turns the home screen into an information panel.
To access editing, press the blank space on the screen or pinch the two fingers. A menu will open where the grid settings are available. Increasing the number of columns allows you to place more icons, but can make them too small. The optimal balance is considered a 5x6 or 6x6 grid for devices with a diagonal of more than 6 inches.
☑️ Optimizing the desktop
Special attention should be paid to widgets. In newer versions of firmware, they are interactive. You can control music, check the weather or switch tracks directly from the desktop without opening the applications. Some themes provide their own sets of widgets that fit harmoniously into the overall style of design.
⚠️ Attention: Using a large number of live widgets (weather, news, Mi tape) significantly increases battery consumption and RAM. If you notice a slowdown in the interface, reduce the number of active widgets on the home screen.
There's also an "Infinite Scrolling" feature and a hidden signature under icons, which makes the desktop cleaner, especially if you're using recognizable icons from third-party packs, which creates a minimalist effect and allows you to focus on the visual images of the apps.
Change of system fonts and text style
The typeface is a typeface, and changing it can change the way you experience the interface beyond recognition, and MIUI and HyperOS have a powerful font editor built in to allow you to adjust not only style, but also size, boldness, and this is critical for visually impaired users or those who simply prefer large typography.
To change the font, go to Settings → Screen → Font. Here you will see a catalog of available options. Most of them are free. Once you choose a new style, the system will apply it instantly in all menus, messages and supported applications. Some fonts have unique features, such as round shapes or strict geometric lines.
You can also set the text size in the same menu, so you can make the typeface as large as possible, or you can make it very small to put more information on the screen, and you need to balance that text is easy to read, but it doesn't take up half the screen.
| Parameter | Impact on the interface | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Type size | Changes the height of letters throughout the system | Leave the average for readability |
| Fatiness | Makes the text more contrasting | Useful for fonts with thin lines |
| Style (Course) | Slops the symbols | It is better not to use the main text. |
| Type of font | Changes the shape of the symbols | Choose sans serif fonts for screens |
Where to download rare fonts?
Remember that some third-party apps may ignore the system font and use their own. This is normal for programs like Telegram or WhatsApp, where typography is part of branding. However, system menus, settings and calls will always use the style you choose.
Customization of application icons
Icons are the most visible interface element. The standard set can seem boring or out of the theme. The theme store offers thousands of icon packs, but often users want to create their own mix. Xiaomi has a built-in tool to replace icons without installing third-party launchers.
To replace, click and hold the app icon on your desktop, then select Replace (pencil or brush icon) and a gallery will open where you can select an icon from the themes you have installed or upload your image, allowing you to manually assemble the perfect set, where each icon is executed in the same style.
You can reset all the icons to factory settings if the experiments go too far, and it's convenient when, after you install a new theme, some icons are left behind from the previous set, creating visual chaos. The style reset feature returns uniformity in one click.
- 🖼️ Images: You can use any photo from the gallery as an icon.
- 📦 Icon Packages: Installation of whole sets through the Topics app.
- 🔄 Automatic Update: Some themes update icons when new versions of apps are released.
- 🎨 Mixing: Ability to combine icons from different sources.
When using high-resolution icons, make sure they have a transparent background. Otherwise, a white or black square may appear around the icon, which will spoil the impression of the design. PNG Alpha channel is the standard for quality customization.
Lock screen: watches and widgets
The lock screen is the first thing you see when you pick up the phone. In today's Xiaomi shells, it's turned into a designer. You can choose the position of the watch, its font, color, and additional widgets like a peacock, weather, or headphone charge.
Press the lock screen (swipe up from the bottom or press long, depending on the software version) to enter editing mode. There are many presets available. Some of them are animated and react to touch or time of day. For example, at night the clock can get dimmer to avoid blinding your eyes.
💡
Use the “Always On Display” function with caution on the screen. AMOLED-While the technology is safe, a static image for many months can cause pixels to burn out. 10-30 seconds.
Of particular interest are "Super Wallpaper" and live lock themes, which can display artwork, spacescapes, or abstractions that move when unlocked, which creates a depth effect and makes interaction with a smartphone more enjoyable.
⚠️ Warning: Installing complex animated themes on the lock screen can lead to increased power consumption.If you notice that the phone is running out of standby faster than usual, try returning to a static image.
You can also set up notifications on the lock screen, you can hide the content of messages for privacy, or you can preview them right away, and you can balance the convenience and security of your personal data with flexibility.
Advanced setup through third-party launchers
If you don't have the built-in capabilities, third-party launchers come to the rescue, and these are apps that completely replace desktop and menus, the most popular being Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, and Smart Launcher, which give you access to settings that Xiaomi engineers could only dream of.
To install a third-party launcher, download it from Google Play. Once installed, the system will request default permission to use. Select a new launcher. Now you can adjust animation speeds, gestures (like a double tap to turn off the screen), hide apps, and create complex folders.
Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Your Louncher] → PermissionsIt's important to set up the permissions for the third-party launcher correctly, and it needs access to contacts, storage, and in some cases, location to run the weather widgets, and without those permissions, the functionality will be limited.
💡
A third-party launcher gives you maximum freedom, but can consume more battery resources than a standard shell.Use them if you really need unique features not available in stock MIUI.
It is worth noting that on newer versions of Android and HyperOS, third-party launcher integration may be limited for security reasons.Some system features, such as swipes from the edges of the screen or widgets, may behave unstable. Always check the launcher's compatibility with your version of Android before actively configuring.