How to change icons on the Xiaomi desktop: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi desktop with its proprietary shell MIUI It allows you to flexibly customize your look, including replacing standard app icons. However, not all users know that there are more options for changing icons than just installing a new theme from an official store. MIUI Up to third-party launchers and manual editing APK-file.

It is important to understand that the possibilities of change depend on the firmware version: in MIUI 14/15 the process is simplified, while in older versions (for example, MIUI 12) you may need to bypass restrictions. Also consider that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights - these are risky operations that we will consider with warnings about the consequences.

If you want to just refresh the design or completely redesign the interface to your preferences, here you will find detailed instructions with nuances for different models of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO.

1. Standard Icon Change through MIUI Themes

The official method, which does not require installing third-party applications and works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 9 and later. The main tool is the built-in Themes app, where you can download ready-made packages of icons, wallpaper and interface styles.

To change the icons:

• 📱 Open the Themes app** (an icon with a brush on your desktop or in the app menu).
• 🔍 Go to the icon tab (in some versions) MIUI It's called Badges).

Advantages of the method: security (no risk of damaging the system), simplicity and a large number of free themes. Disadvantages: limited choice of styles, inability to change the icons of individual applications (only a full set).

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI For global markets, some topics can be blocked due to regional restrictions, so that you can change the region to India or China in settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Region).

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

If built-in themes aren't enough, third-party launchers offer flexibility in customizing every desktop element, including icons.Popular options for Xiaomi:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports.apk icon packages and manual replacement via Icon Pack.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for MIUI, retains signature gestures and animations.
• 🍃 Lawnchair – a lightweight open source launcher with support for adaptive icons.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Download your favorite icon package (such as Whicons, Delta or CandyCons).
3. Press your finger on your desktop → Settings → Icon Style → Select the package installed.
4. For manual replacement: Press the app icon → Change → Icon → Select from the gallery or package.

Warning: When using third-party launchers, branded MIUI features such as Double Touch Sleep or Super Wallpaper may disappear. Before installing, back up your settings in Settings → Additional → Backup.

Download APK official website|Disable battery optimization for launcher|Make a backup copy of the desktop|Check compatibility with the version MIUI-->

3. Manually changing icons through APK-files (for advanced applications)

This method is suitable for those who want to replace the icons of individual system applications (for example, Settings, Phone or Messages) without using themes.

• 📱 Device with unlocked loader.
• 🔧 Root rights (or temporary root via Magisk).
• 💻 Editing programme APK (for example, APK editor MT Manager).

Step-by-step:

1. Download the original APK of the system application (e.g. com.android.settings.apk) from the /system/priv-app/ folder.
2. Open the file in APK Editor → go to res/drawable or res/mipmap.
3. Replace the icon files (usually have names like this). ic_launcher.png or sym_def_app_icon.png) on their own, retaining permission and format.
4. Re-assemble the APK and sign it (use the original signature from META-INF).
5. Install edited APK via ADB: adb install -r com.android.settings.apk

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect signature APK Or a build error will cause the system application to crash. TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery. Also note that after the update, MIUI all changes will reset.

Critical nuance: on devices with enabled function MIUI Optimization (optimization) MIUI) manual icon replacement may not work. Disable it through Developer Settings (Developer Settings) → Turn off optimization MIUI).

4. apps for replacing icons without root (Icon Changer, Shortcut Maker)

If you don't want to risk the system, but you need customization, use apps that create shortcuts with new icons, and they don't change the original files, they just put new icons on top of them.

Popular tools:

• 🎯 Icon Changer – allows you to replace the icon of any application with an image from the gallery.
• 🔗 Shortcut Maker – creates shortcuts with custom icons and names.
• 🖼️ Icon Pack Studio – a designer for creating your icon packages.

Example for Icon Changer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select the icon you want to change.
3. Click Change the icon → select an image from the gallery or download from the built-in library.
4. Save the changes – a new label will appear on the desktop.

Method limitations: The original icon in the app menu will remain unchanged, and new shortcuts can be reset once you reboot. To avoid this, pin them manually to your desktop.

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If the icon has been replaced with Icon Changer, check the Remote folder in the app menu, often because of a conflict with MIUI optimization.

5. Reset icons to standard settings

If after experimenting with themes or launchers, the icons are displayed incorrectly (for example, instead of icons - gray squares), return the standard view:

For MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Themes.
2. Select the default theme or the standard theme.
3. Reset the device.

For third-party launchers:

1. Press your finger on the desktop → Launcher settings.
2. Find the Icon Style section and select Systems by default.
3. Clear the launcher cache in Settings → Applications → [launcher name] → Memory → Clear the cache.

If the icons still don’t show, reset the launcher settings to factory:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

This command will reset all of the MIUI desktop settings, including the location of widgets and folders.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change your icons to Xiaomi, users face common mistakes, and consider the most common and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check the integrity of the system files.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Check for updates.
3. If you have an update, install it. It will restore the corrupted files.

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Before any manipulation of system files (especially when manually editing APK), be sure to back up via TWRP or the built-in MIUI (Settings → Additional → Backup) tool, which will allow you to quickly roll back changes when you crash.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions