How to Change Icons to Xiaomi: From Standard Themes to Manual Replacement via ADB

Why Users Want to Change Icons to Xiaomi and What to Do

Not everyone likes standard icon design in MIUI or HyperOS: Some are tired of the monotony after years of use, some lack originality, and some just want to customize the interface to corporate style or personal preferences. Unlike iOS, where customization is limited, Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models) offer several ways to change icons, from simple themes to deep manual customization.

It’s important to understand that features are based on the firmware version, for example, in MIUI 14 and later, some features are moved to the Themes section, and in HyperOS (which replaces MIUI from 2026), the logic of working with icons has changed, and it’s worth considering that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights – this is risky for beginners, but opens up the maximum possibilities.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods - from safe (via built-in settings) to advanced (using ADB and third-party launchers).

• 🎨 Apply ready-made themes from the official Xiaomi store;
• 🔄 Use third-party launchers for flexible setup;
• 📦 Install custom icon packs manually;
• 🔧 Modify system files through ADB;
• ⚙️ Return the standard icons if something goes wrong.

Method 1: Changing icons through official Xiaomi themes

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in theme store, which is available on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with official firmware, and the advantage of this method is that it does not require additional programs or administrator rights, and all changes are reversible.

To change icons through themes:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Icons or Icons section (depending on the version of MIUI/HyperOS).

Disadvantages of the method:

• 🔄 Limited selection of free themes (many quality packs are paid);
• 🔒 Not all icons are replaced – some system applications (Settings, Phone) may remain unchanged;
• 🔄 After updating the firmware theme may reset.

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If there is no appropriate icon pack in the theme store, try searching for it using hashtags like #MIUI14 or #HyperOS. Often designers post new works under these tags.

Method 2: Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Lawnchair)

If you don't have enough built-in themes, you can install an alternative launcher, which completely replaces the standard MIUI/HyperOS interface, allowing you to flexibly customize icons, animations and even gestures.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – the most functional, supports icon packs from Google Play;
• ⚡ Apex Launcher – lightweight and fast, suitable for weak smartphones;
• 🎯 Lawnchair – open source launcher that mimics Pixel Launcher.

How to install and configure the launcher:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play (like Nova Launcher).
2. After installation, click Home and select a new launcher as your primary.
3. In the launcher settings, find the Icons section or the Icon Pack.
4. Choose a pack of icons (if not, download separately – for example, Flat Icon Pack).

Advantages of launchers:

• 🎨 Complete freedom of customization (size, shape, shadows of icons);
• 🔄 Ability to hide application names;
• 📱 Support for gestures and animations.

Method 3: Manually modifying icons via ADB (no root)

If you need to replace the icons of individual apps (like YouTube or WhatsApp only), you can use ADB, the Android debugging tool, which does not require root rights, but requires connecting the smartphone to your computer.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on Smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command to check the connection: Adb devices
4. Download the icon pack in.png format (the resolution must match the original, usually 192×192 pixels).
5. Use the command to replace the icon (example for Chrome): adb shell cmd shortcut set-icon --package com.android.chrome --icon /sdcard/Download/new_chrome_icon.png

Important! This method doesn't work on all versions of MIUI/HyperOS. Some firmwares reset icons after rebooting, and not all system applications support ADB replacement.

Method 4: Install custom packs of icons with root rights

If you have a bootloader unlocked and you have root rights, you can replace the icons at the system file level, which gives you maximum freedom, but it takes care - wrong actions can lead to the collapse of the system.

What you need:

• 📱 Smartphone with unlocked bootloader and root rights;
• 💻 Root Explorer or Mixplorer (for system files);
• 🖼️ Pack icons in.png format with the correct resolution (usually 192×192 or 108×108).

Instructions:

1. Download the icon pack (for example, from the XDA Developers website).
2. Open Root Explorer and go to /system/app/[Application Name]/ or /system/priv-app/[Application Name]/
3. Find the icon file (usually a name like this) ic_launcher.png or app_icon.png).
4. Copy your icon there, saving the original file name.
5. Change the access rights to 644 (so that the system can read the file).
6. Reboot your smartphone.

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Before replacing system icons, make sure to back up the original files! in case of an error, you can restore them and avoid problems with launching applications.

On HyperOS models, the path to system icons may be different, for example, on Xiaomi 14, some app packs are stored in /product/app/ or /vendor/overlay/.

Method 5: Using the Xposed Framework (for advanced users)

Xposed Framework is a powerful tool for modifying system files without changing firmware, which can change icons, fonts, animations, and even application logic, but it is only suitable for advanced users, as it requires:

• 🔓 Unlocked loader;
• 📱 Installed by Xposed Installer;
• 🛠️ Module for customization of icons (for example, GravityBox or Iconify).

How it works:

1. Install Xposed Installer and activate it via Recovery (TWRP).
2. Download the Iconify module from the Xposed repository.
3. In the module settings, select the icon pack or download your own.
4. Apply the changes and restart the smartphone.

Risks:

• ⚠️ Incompatibility with some versions MIUI/HyperOS;
• ⚠️ Possible lags and departures of system applications;
• ⚠️ After the firmware update, Xposed may stop working.

How to return standard icons if something goes wrong

If after experimenting with icons, the interface began to work incorrectly (apps do not open, icons are displayed crooked or disappeared altogether), there are several ways to return everything back:

If none of these methods worked, the last resort is to reset your settings to factory settings. Before that, make sure to back up your data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.

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On HyperOS smartphones, you can reset to factory settings via Fastboot if the phone doesn't turn on.

fastboot erase userdata

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing icons on Xiaomi