Visual perception of the smartphone interface plays a key role in the usability of the device. Users often face a situation where standard controls seem too small or, conversely, take up too much space on the screen. In the Android operating system, as well as in the proprietary shells MIUI and HyperOS, developers provide flexible tools for customizing the appearance. Changing the size of application shortcuts is one of the most popular ways to personalize the desktop.
However, standard Xiaomi shell tools do not always achieve the desired result. Often users confuse scaling fonts and resizing the graphic elements themselves. It is important to understand that system settings offer only basic options, such as changing the grid density. For deeper modifications, such as real stretching of icons without distorting the proportions, advanced methods or third-party launchers will be required. In this article, we will look at all the available methods, from simple settings to the use of special applications.
Before we make any changes, it’s worth noting that modern Xiaomi smartphones’ interfaces are built on the logic of modularity: Every element, whether it’s a weather widget or an instant messenger icon, is subject to general display rules. Violation of these rules can cause text under the label to become unreadable or overlap adjacent elements, so any manipulations should be done carefully, remembering the original parameters beforehand, so that you can roll back the changes.
Standard settings of the desktop grid
The easiest and safest way to affect the visual perception of icons is to change the density of their placement. In the MIUI shell, this parameter is often called "grid." By increasing the number of cells in a row and column, you automatically reduce the available space for each element, which causes the system to scale them down. Conversely, reducing the number of cells makes shortcuts larger.
To access these settings, you need to make a long tap on an empty desktop area. In the bottom menu that appears, you should select Settings. Here you will see the Grid option, which allows you to select a configuration, for example, 4x6 or 5x7. Choosing a variant with fewer rows and columns (for example, 4x5) will visually increase the size of all elements on the screen.
Keep in mind that this method affects not only app shortcuts, but also widgets. If you actively use weather or calendar widgets, they will also change their dimensions, which can disrupt the overall composition of the desktop.
⚠️ Warning: Changing the grid may cause the widgets already installed to shift. After changing the configuration, check if the data you are interested in is correctly displayed on the desktop.
With new versions of HyperOS, the scaling algorithms have been improved, and the system is now trying to adapt signature fonts to the size of the grid, but this process is not always perfect, and if standard grid options don't work, then alternative solutions will have to be found.
Scaling through screen settings
Another built-in tool that affects the size of interface elements is the overall display scale, which is in the Android system settings and affects all elements: menus, navigation buttons, text in apps and, of course, icons, changing this setting allows you to globally increase or decrease all objects on the display.
To find this option, go to Settings, then select Screen and find Text Size and Display (or "Scale"). As you move the slider, you'll see in real time how the interface changes. Scaling up makes elements larger, but reduces the usable screen area available for content.
It's important to understand the difference between DPI (pixel density) and simple zoom. In the standard menu, the user changes the interface zoom ratio. It's a safe method that doesn't require superuser rights. However, it doesn't allow you to resize only the icons, leaving the rest of the interface the same — everything changes proportionally.
☑️ Verification before scale change
This is especially true for people with low vision or very high-resolution smartphone models, where standard elements may appear microscopic, but for those who want to change only shortcuts to keep the menu text standard, this is not the way to go.
Using Developer Mode to Accurately Set Up
For users who want more control over display options, there is a developer mode, which hides the Smallest Width setting, which directly controls pixel density (DPI), and changing this value is one of the most effective ways to resize icons on Xiaomi without installing third-party software.
To activate the developer mode, go to Settings -> About Phone and quickly click on "MIUI Version" or "OS Version" seven times. After the message "You became a developer" you can go back to the main settings menu, select "Other -> For developers." In the list of parameters you need to find "Lessest width".
The default value varies depending on the model of the smartphone, it is usually around 360-390 dp. Reducing this number (for example, to 320) will lead to an increase in all interface elements, including icons. Increasing the number (to 450 and above), on the contrary, will reduce them. Be careful: setting extreme values can make the interface unreadable.
| Parameter DPI | Impact on the interface | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 320 | Very large elements, little space. | Only for the visually impaired. |
| 360 - 390 | Standard size | Optimal for most people. |
| 420 - 450 | Small elements, lots of space. | For the big screens |
| More than 500. | Critically small elements | Not recommended |
⚠️ Warning: When you change the "Least Width" value, don't set the values too low or too high. If the interface becomes unreadable, it's hard to get it back without resetting the phone.
This method is a method that can't be achieved by standard means, but it requires careful attention, and it's recommended that you change the value Step-by-step, 10-20 units, and check the result after each change.
How to reset DPI settings if everything is gone?
Application of third-party launchers
If the built-in features don't suit you, the best solution is to install an alternative launcher. Launcher is an application that completely replaces the standard desktop and application menu. Popular options like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair provide unlimited options for customizing the size of icons.
Once you install the launcher and assign it to the main one, you get access to detailed look settings, and in most cases, just go to the launcher settings, select the desktop or icons section, where the icon size slider will be, and you can change the size of the icons as a percentage of the standard, making them giant, if not miniature.
In addition, third-party launchers allow you to change shape, add shadows, change signatures and even impose effects when pressed, which gives you the maximum degree of freedom to customize. However, it is worth remembering that third-party launchers can consume more battery and RAM resources than a standard MIUI shell.
- 📱 Nova Launcher – a classic of the genre, offers maximum flexibility of settings and stable operation.
- 🌿 Lawnchair – launcher style pure Android (Pixel), light and fast.
- 🎨 Smart Launcher – automatically sorts applications and has unique themes.
- 🔵 Microsoft Launcher – great integration with Microsoft services and a pleasant visual style.
When using a third-party launcher on Xiaomi phones, there may be specific problems, such as aggressively unloading the launcher from memory, which leads to the return of the standard interface after rebooting. To avoid this, you need to fix the launcher in memory and give it all the necessary permissions.
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Once you install the new launcher, be sure to go to the battery settings and select No Limits mode for this application, which will prevent it from being forced to close by the MIUI power saving system.
Hiding signatures and changing style
Often, the desire to resize icons is motivated by the desire to make room on the screen or make it cleaner, in which case the function of hiding signatures (app names) helps, when the text under the icon disappears, the label becomes visually smaller and more neat, and more space appears on the desktop.
In the standard shell of Xiaomi, you can find this feature through the desktop settings, you need to pinch your two fingers on the desktop, click Settings, and find the "Hide App Names" switch. Once you activate this option, all signatures will disappear, which is especially useful for those who have learned the location of the icons and want a minimalist design.
Also worth noting are icon styles: New versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 include support for Material You-style icons that can dynamically change color depending on the wallpaper, and switching to monochrome or contour icons also visually changes how they are perceived on screen size and weight.
If you use a third-party launcher, signature hiding is even more flexible, so you can hide names only for certain folders or leave them only for select applications, and this allows you to create a hybrid interface where important applications are signed and minor ones are not.
Problems and Solutions in Scaling
When you resize icons, you may encounter a number of artifacts, the most common being floaty icons that stretch disproportionately, often when you use designs that aren't optimized for the current screen resolution or system version.
Another problem is overlapping, and if you zoom in or zoom in, icons can start overlapping widgets or going outside the visible area, and in these cases, it helps to rearrange widgets or temporarily increase the indentation in the launcher settings.
On some phones with AMOLED-When you zoom in, you can have a very strong touch, so you click on the center of the icon, and you react a little bit lower, and it's a software bug that can be treated by recalibrating the touch area or going back to the standard values. DPI.
- 🔄 Resetting launcher settings: if the interface is not working properly, try clearing the Desktop application data in the settings.
- 🎨 Theme Check: Make sure the theme you have installed supports the resolution and scale you have chosen.
- 📱 System Update: Sometimes display bugs are patched in new security patches MIUI.
⚠️ Note: Using modified themes from unverified sources can lead to unstable system operation. If after installing the theme icons began to appear incorrectly, delete the theme and return the standard one.
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The optimal balance between the size of the icons and the amount of information on the screen is achieved experimentally. Start by changing the grid, and only if that's not enough, go to DPI settings or third-party launchers.