Why Change Your Standard Battery Icon and What You Need to Know Before Starting
The battery icon in the upper right corner of the screen is one of the most noticeable details of the Xiaomi Redmi 9C interface. The standard icon offered by MIUI does not always suit users: it seems too large, someone does not informative enough, and some just want to personalize their smartphone. You can change it in several ways, but it is important to understand that not all methods are equally safe.
On the Redmi. 9C firmware MIUI 12/13/14 available as standard tools (through theme settings), and advanced - using ADB-commands or third-party applications, but before you start making changes, consider:
- 🔄 Resetting settings can return a standard icon – save a backup of themes.
- 🛠️ Some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, which voids the warranty.
- ⚡ Changing system files without backup is fraught with cyclical device reboot.
In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to change the battery icon on the Redmi 9C, including those that work without root rights.
Method 1: Using the built-in MIUI themes
The easiest and safest method is to change the theme through the standard Themes app. MIUI offers dozens of free and paid themes, many of which include alternative battery icons.
- Open the Themes app (brush icon on your desktop).
- Go to the Popular or Topics section and select your favorite topic.
- Scroll down the theme preview and check if the battery icon changes (usually seen in screenshots).
- Click Apply – the icon will be updated automatically.
If you haven’t found a suitable topic, try searching by keywords:
- 🔍 Type in “battery icon,” “charge percentage,” or “minimalist theme".
- 🎨 Note the themes marked “Full” – they change more interface elements, including the battery.
Take a screenshot of the current topic|Check out reviews about the topic|Make sure the topic is compatible with MIUI 12+|Check if the battery icon changes to preview-->
⚠️ Note: Some themes may conflict with system fonts or application icons. If artifacts (such as cropped characters or black squares) appear after the theme is applied, return the standard theme to Settings. → Display. → Topics → Standard.
Method 2: Configure the display of percentage charge
If you don't like the icon itself, and you don't have the exact charge information, you can turn on the percentage next to the icon, which doesn't change the design of the icon, but makes it more functional.
- Go to Settings → Battery and Performance.
- Put the badge on. ⚙️ (Battery settings) in upper right corner.
- Activate the battery percentage switch.
There are two display options available on Redmi 9C:
- 📊 Inside the icon – interest appears inside the icon (compact but shallow).
- 📱 Next to the icon – the numbers are displayed to the right of the icon (more convenient to read).
| Display variant | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Interests inside the icon | Save space in the status bar | Small print, hard to see. |
| Interest near the icon | It's well read, informative. | Takes up more space in the notification panel |
| No interest (standard) | Minimalist look | No precise charge information |
If the icon looks overloaded after turning on the percentages, try combining this method with a change of theme (Method 1) – many themes are optimized for displaying percentages.
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To quickly check the current battery charge without changing the settings, swipe down the screen with two fingers – the Quick Settings panel will display the exact percentage.
Method 3: Use ADB-commands without root)
For users who are ready for a deeper setup, there is a method of changing the icon through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which does not require root rights, but involves working with the command line, the advantage of this method is the ability to install a custom icon from third-party sources.
You'll need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-tool.
- 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the Redmi 9C (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock Developer Settings, then turn on debugging).
- 📁 Custom icon file in.png format (resolution) 24×24 pixel, transparent background).
Step-by-step:
- Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
- Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and execute: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
- Download the icon to your phone (for example, in the Download folder).
- Execute the command to replace (example for battery.png icon): adb shell settings put secure sysui_battery_style 1 adb push /sdcard/Download/battery.png /data/local/tmp/battery_icon.png adb shell mv /data/local/tmp/battery_icon.png /system/media/theme/default/icons/battery.png adb shell chmod 644 /system/media/theme/default/icons/battery.png adb reboot
⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause data loss or soft-brick before executing commands:
- Create a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
- Make sure the icon file has the correct name and format.
- Do not interrupt the process – wait for the device to fully restart.
What to do after ADB-commands the phone does not turn on?
Method 4: Install custom firmware (for advanced)
If you don't like the limitations of standard MIUI, you can install custom firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or Havoc-OS) that offers flexible interface customization, including replacing battery icons, but is only suitable for power users, as it requires:
- 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (official way from Xiaomi takes up to 720 hours of waiting!).
- 🛠️ Established TWRP Recovery (castom recavery).
- 📥 Compatible firmware for the Redmi model 9C (codename).
Main steps:
- Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool.
- Install TWRP via fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
- In TWRP, make a full backup (Backup → Select All).
- Sweep through custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) and GApps (if you need Google services).
- After the reboot, look for icon settings in Settings → Display → Battery icon style.
⚠️ Note: Installing custom firmware voids the warranty and may result in:
- 🚫 Loss of camera functions (some firmwares do not work all Redmi modules) 9C).
- 📵 Problems with mobile communication (incorrect work) 4G/VoLTE).
- 🔋 Accelerated battery discharge (due to unoptimized core).
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Custom firmware gives you maximum customization freedom, but requires deep technical knowledge. For most Redmi 9C users, 1-3 methods are enough.
Method 5: Apps from Google Play (with reservations)
Google Play has apps that promise to change battery icons without root, such as the Battery Icon Changer or Energy Bar. However, on Redmi 9C with MIUI, they work with serious limitations:
- 📱 Most apps just overlay an overlay over the standard icon, which looks sloppy.
- 🔄 After rebooting or updating MIUI settings are reset.
- 🚫 Xiaomi blocks deep changes to system files through third-party apps.
If you still want to try it,
- Install an Energy Bar from the Play Market.
- Grant permission to Overlay over other applications (Settings → Applications → Energy Bar → Permits).
- In the application settings, select the indicator style and color.
⚠️ Note: Applications like Battery Icon Changer often contain hidden ads or collect data. Before installing, check the reviews and permissions the program requests (for example, access to Notifications or SMS should alert you to the security of the application!).
Comparison of methods: which one to choose?
To facilitate the choice, we will bring all the methods in a table taking into account the complexity, risks and result:
| Method | Difficulty | Required. root/unlock | Risks. | The result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shifting MIUI theme | ⭐ (simple) | ❌ No. | No. | Limited selection of icons |
| Inclusion of interest | ⭐ (simple) | ❌ No. | No. | Adds numbers, but doesn’t change the design |
| ADB-team | ⭐⭐⭐ (middle-of-the-road) | ❌ No (but I need debugging) | Soft-brick for error | Any custom icon |
| Custom firmware | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (difficult) | ✅ Yes (loader) + TWRP) | Loss of warranty, risk of brick | Complete freedom of customization |
| Third-party annexes | ⭐⭐ (easily) | ❌ No. | Folds, commercials. | Cosmetic changes |
For most Redmi 9C users, the best solution is a combination of Methods 1 and 2: Remove theme + turn on percentages. This gives you visible changes without risk. If you want a unique icon, try ADB, but only after you have created a backup.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
When changing the battery icon, users often face typical problems, and here’s how to prevent them:
- 🔄 The icon hasn’t changed since the theme change. → Check if the theme supports replacing battery icons (not all themes do.
- 📉 After ADB-commands the phone does not turn on → Most likely the wrong file path or access rights.Restore via fastboot (see spoiler above).
- 🔋 Charge percentages are not displayed → Make sure you have the option enabled in Battery Settings. MIUI It is hidden – use the search by settings.
- 🛠️ TWRP Does not see the internal memory → Before the firmware format the Data in TWRP (But it'll erase all the data!).
If you encounter an error not described here, try:
- Search for solutions on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums (see Redmi 9C or Angelica).
- Reset the theme settings to standard (Settings → Display → Themes → Standard).
- Verify the integrity of downloaded files (such as firmware or icons) through hash amounts.
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90% of the problems when changing the battery icon are solved by rolling back to a standard theme or restarting.