How to change icons on Xiaomi Redmi: 5 working ways with instructions

Standard icons on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones become more and more common, and the desire to personalize the device grows. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer several ways to change the appearance of icons, from simple themes to deep customization via ADB. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including hidden MIUI features that work even on the latest versions of the firmware in 2026.

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally secure: some require root rights, others can reset after updating the system, and we'll describe the pros and cons of each option in detail, and give you recommendations for backing up before experimenting, and if you want to not just change the icons, but completely transform the interface, here's some useful tips.

Note that the instructions are suitable for most Redmi models (including Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11, POCO X5 and others), but may differ on custom firmware devices. Before you start, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

1. Modifying icons through built-in MIUI themes

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use official themes from Xiaomi, which requires no root rights, no performance impact, and is saved after updates. MIUI has thousands of free and paid themes with unique icons that change in a few clicks.

To apply a new theme:

• 📱 Open the Topics app (brush icon on desktop).
• 🔍 Type in the search for “icon pack” or “icon pack” (in English, there are often more options).
• 🎨 Choose your favorite theme and click Apply → Apply to everything.
• 🔄 If the icons have not changed, restart the device or clear the launcher cache in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Launcher.

Note that some themes only change the icons of system applications, and third-party programs (such as Telegram or WhatsApp) may require additional settings. MIUI also has a feature called Mixed Icons, which allows you to combine elements from different themes.

⚠️ Note: Free themes from Xiaomi’s official store are moderated, but some custom packages may contain ads or collect data.

2. Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Hyperion)

If you don't have enough built-in themes, you can install an alternative launcher from Google Play, popular options like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, and Hyperion Launcher, which support icon packs that download separately, and the advantage of this method is flexibility: you can adjust not only icons, but also animations, gestures, the size of the desktop grid.

Instructions for setting:

1. Install a launcher (like Nova Launcher) and make it the default launcher.
2. Download your favorite icon pack (such as Whicons, CandyCons, or Minimal O).
3. In the launcher settings, find the Icons → Icon Package and select the downloaded set.
4. If necessary, adjust the size of the icons, indentations and effects in the Desktop section.

Among the disadvantages of this method are the possible increase in battery consumption (due to the operation of the background processes of the launcher) and incomplete support for icons for some applications.

Download APK launcher from the official website|Check compatibility with the Android version|Make a backup of current settings|Disable battery optimization for launcher-->

3. Manually modifying icons via ADB (no root)

For advanced users who don’t want to install launchers, there’s a way to swap system application icons through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that doesn’t require root rights, but requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge. It works on most Xiaomi Redmi devices with MIUI 12-14.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times on the line with the version, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a folder on your computer.
4. Open the command line in this folder and type: Adb devices Make sure your device appears in the list.
5. Use the commands to replace the icons (example to replace the icon Settings): adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.theme.icon.pack.settings Where com.android.theme.icon.pack.settings is the icon pack ID (you need to know for each application separately).

The list of identifiers for popular applications can be found on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums, which allows you to change icons even for system utilities, but requires caution: the wrong command can lead to a failure of the interface.

⚠️ Attention: Changes through ADB will not be saved after resetting the settings or the major update MIUI. Also, some banking applications can block work on devices with enabled debugging. USB (For example, Sberbank Online or Tinkoff).

4. Installation of custom firmware with alternative icons

For the most daring users, there is a radical way to install custom firmware like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or HavocOS. These firmware often include unique icon sets and allow you to install themes through Substratum or OMS. However, the process requires unlocking the bootloader, which cancels the warranty and can lead to a device blink if errors occur.

Main steps:

• 🔓 Unlock the bootloader through the official Mi Unlock Tool (requires a Xiaomi account binding and wait 7-15 days).
• 📥 Download the custom firmware and TWRP (Custom Recovery for your Redmi model.
• 🔧 Install the firmware through TWRP, Preliminary backup of the data section.
• 🎨 After installation, use built-in theme tools (e.g., Theme Engine in HavocOS).

The advantages of this method are complete freedom of customization, including animations, fonts and sounds. The disadvantages are the risk of data loss, possible bugs (for example, a broken NFC or camera) and the difficulty of rolling back to a standard MIUI. On the 4PDA forums there are detailed guides for specific Redmi models, but we recommend this method only to experienced users.

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Before installing custom firmware, check compatibility with your Redmi model by device code (e.g. m2101k7ag for Redmi Note 10 Pro). The code can be found in Settings → About Phone → Model or via adb shell command getprop ro.product.model

5. Applications for changing icons without a launcher

If you don't want to change your launcher or dig into ADB, you can use specialized applications like Icon Changer, Shortcut Maker or X Icon Changer. They work on the principle of creating shortcuts with custom icons without affecting system files, this method is universal and works even on devices with limited rights.

How it works:

1. Install an application (e.g. Icon Changer for MIUI).
2. Select the application you want to change the icon for.
3. Upload your own image (in.png format with a transparent background) or select from the built-in gallery.
4. Create a shortcut on your desktop – the original app will remain on the menu, but its icon will be hidden.

The downside is that it duplicates shortcuts (you have to manually remove old icons into a folder) and there are possible problems with the widgets, but it is completely safe and reversible: just remove the shortcut to return the standard icon.

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Icon modification apps do not require root rights or affect system files, but only create shortcuts, not replace the original icons.

6.Creating your icons by hand

Creative users can diseñar their own icons and apply them to Xiaomi Redmi, which requires a graphics editor (such as Adobe Illustrator, Figma or free Inkscape) and knowledge of the basics of working with the vector.

• 📏 Size: 192×192 px 512×512 px (for high resolution).
• 🖼️ Format:.png with transparent background.
• 🎨 Style: It is desirable to stick to one concept (e.g. minimalism, skeuomorphism or flat design).

Ready icons can be:

• Use in applications from the previous section (e.g. Icon Changer).
• Pack in icon pack for launchers (using Android Asset Studio).
• Replace system icons with ADB (requires knowledge of file paths in /system/app).

For inspiration, you can watch Dribbble or Behance works for "Android icons" or "MIUI icons." If you're not an artist, use the templates from Flaticon or Icons8 to adapt them to the desired style.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing icons on Xiaomi Redmi