Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to personalize the look of their device, especially after upgrading to the shell of MIUI 11. One of the most popular features is to rescale the interface elements, as standard settings may not correspond to individual user preferences or vision. Fortunately, developers have provided flexible tools to manage the size of application icons, allowing you to adapt the desktop to your needs without installing third-party software.
The customization process can vary depending on the specific device model and firmware version, but the basic principles remain the same throughout the Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco ecosystem. In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the available ways to resize icons, including the hidden capabilities and subtleties of working with the desktop grid so that you can create the perfect screen configuration.
Before we get into action, it’s worth noting that changing visual parameters affects the overall perception of the interface and the ergonomics of using a smartphone. The graphics shell of MIUI 11 is minimalist, so any changes in the size of elements become immediately noticeable and can radically change the usability of navigation.
Standard theme settings and scaling
The easiest and safest way to change the visual perception of icons is to use built-in theme tools. The MIUI 11 shell allows you to adjust not only the images of the applications themselves, but also their relationship with text signatures. To access these settings, you need to go to the Settings menu, then select the Wallpaper or Themes section, where the current design personalization button is located.
So here, you can find a slider that scales the interface, and as you move it around, you'll notice that not only icons, but also fonts are changing in size, which creates a unified visual style. Scaling is applied globally, so it's important to find a balance where text is readable and icons are not half the screen.
⚠️ Warning: A global scale change may cause some interface elements in third-party applications to appear incorrectly or to go beyond the screen.
If a standard slider is not enough, you can experiment with various pre-installed themes from the GetThemes store. Some authors create designs that initially contain icons of increased or reduced size, which allows you to achieve the desired effect without deep technical configuration of the system.
Setting up the desktop grid
A fundamental parameter that affects icon size is the density of the desktop grid. The more cells you place on a single screen, the smaller each individual element will be, and this is the most effective method that works consistently on all devices with a MIUI 11 shell, regardless of the screen diagonal.
To change the grid settings, do the following: pinch with two fingers on your desktop or press and hold an empty area to go into edit mode. In the lower corner of the screen, a Settings button (usually in the form of a gear) will appear, when you press it, which will open the configuration menu.
☑️ Setting up the desktop grid
In the menu that opens, you will see layout options like 4x6, 5x6 or 6x9. Choosing a 6x9 configuration will make icons as minimal as possible, freeing up maximum space for widgets and backgrounds. Conversely, choosing a 4x5 or 4x6 scheme will greatly increase the size of icons, making them more easy to click.
It is worth considering that changing the grid also affects the location of widgets and folders. After applying new settings, you may need to manually regroup the application shortcuts to make the interface look harmonious and logical.
Use of one-handed mode
Xiaomi has a feature that is formally designed to control one hand, but actually allows you to temporarily reduce the size of all interface elements, including icons. This option is useful if you need to quickly access small details or just want to see more content on the screen.
You can activate this mode via the Settings menu → Additional → One-handed mode. There are three options available: turn off, reduce on the left and reduce on the right. When you turn on screen mode, the contents of the display compresses into a corner, reducing the effective size of the icons.
| Parameter | Description of the impact on icons | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|
| Off. | Standard grid size | Daily use |
| Decrease on the left | Compression of the interface to the lower left corner | For users holding the phone in their right hand |
| Decrease on the right | Compression of the interface to the lower right corner | For users holding their phone in their left hand |
| Full-screen gesture | Temporary decrease in swipe | For quick access without changing settings |
It's important to understand that this is a temporary solution, and once you turn off the app or the feature, it will go back to its original values, but for some use cases, it can be a handy crutch.
The secret of activation through gestures
Setting up special vision capabilities
If standard sizing techniques are not enough, you should pay attention to the Special Features section. In MIUI 11, these settings are often duplicated or extended by the basic scaling functionality, allowing you to reach extreme increases or decreases.
Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Special. Features. Here we are interested in the tab Visual or Text Size. Although the main focus is on fonts, changing the size of text often proportionally affects the labels under the icons, and in some topics, the graphic elements themselves.
It can also include the zoom option, which works like a magnifier, which doesn't change the physical size of the icon on the desktop, but allows you to take a closer look at any item if necessary, which is relevant for visually impaired users.
⚠️ Warning: Excessive zoom in special features can make some control buttons in the interface unclickable, as they will go beyond the visible area of the screen.
Using high-contrast themes in this section can also visually change the perception of icons, making their boundaries clearer and more noticeable, which subjectively increases their size.
Application of third-party launchers
When the MIUI shell is scarce, third-party launchers come to the rescue, a standalone application that completely replaces the desktop, providing limitless options for customizing the size, shape and behavior of icons.
Popular options like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher allow you to set the grid size to pixel-precision. You can set a 10x10 circuit by turning icons into thumbnails, or, conversely, make them giant.
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When installing a third-party launcher, be sure to give it all the permissions you request, including access to contacts and storage, otherwise widgets and search may not work properly.
The installation process is simple: download APK-file or find an app on Google Play, install it and press the Home button.The system will ask which application to use as default for the home screen.
Inside the new launcher settings, find the Desktop or Grid section, where you can manually set the number of rows and columns, and separately adjust the size of application icons regardless of font size.
Change DPI through the Engineering Menu
For advanced users who want to gain full control of pixel density per inch (DPI), there is a method of changing the system variable, which allows you to resize all interface elements, including icons, at the system level, even affecting applications that ignore standard zoom settings.
To access these settings, activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly tap 7-10 times on the MIUI version line until a message about successful activation appears.
adb shell wm density 320Once you activate the developer mode, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Developer. Find Minimum Width (or Smallest Width). Changing that number directly affects the size of icons: increasing the number reduces the elements, decreasing increases.
Be extremely careful: setting a value too high or too low can make the interface unreadable or completely unworkable, requiring a phone reset.
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Changing the DPI is the most powerful, but also the most risky method. Write down the initial value before making the changes so you can go back.