How to design a desktop on a Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Smartphone personalization is not just a way to stand out, but also an opportunity to make interaction with the device more intuitive and enjoyable. Xiaomi owners are in a great position, as the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer some of the most flexible customization tools on the Android market. However, standard settings often hide their true potential, requiring the user to dive deeper into system capabilities.

Many users limit themselves to simply changing the wallpaper, unaware that they can completely change the application grid, add interactive elements and even hide system icons. Proper organization of the screen space affects productivity and visual perception of content. In this article, we will discuss all the stages of transformation of your device, from basic settings to advanced editing methods.

Before you start making changes, you need to think about a concept: you want a minimalist design that doesn't distract you, or you want a data-rich screen that has widgets on the weather, currency rates and tasks? Understanding the ultimate goal will help you choose the right tools and avoid visual noise in the future.

Basic setting of grid and wallpaper in MIUI

You start with a foundation, the desktop structure. The standard application grid is often too sparse or overloaded. To change the number of rows and columns, you need to pinch the empty area on the screen or pinch the two fingers. In the menu that appears, select Settings, where you can set parameters, for example, 5x6 or 4x5. Increasing the density of icons allows you to place more shortcuts, but requires more careful visual style selection so that there is no porridge.

Wallpaper is a key element setting the tone for the entire interface. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in Theme app that offers thousands of high-quality images. It is important to consider that static images look different than live wallpapers, which can respond to touch or tilts of the device. To save battery power, you should choose static images with dark colors, especially if you have a static image with dark colors. AMOLED-screen.

⚠️ Attention: The use of complex live wallpaper and widgets with frequent data updates can significantly reduce the battery life of a smartphone, especially on models of past years.

And remember the wallpaper carousel feature, which allows you to change the background image every time you turn on the screen. It adds speakers, but it can be distracting if you're looking for a particular picture. You can customize the image sources for the carousel in Settings → Wallpaper and Personalization → Wallpaper carousel. Categories from nature to abstract art are available here.

Working with widgets and interface components

Modern versions of Xiaomi firmware rely on widgets. They come in two types: standard Android and proprietary MIUI/HyperOS widgets. The latter are characterized by deep design and better integration with the system. To add a widget, pinch the empty space on the screen and select Widgets. Here you will find a watch, weather, step counter and fast switches made in a single style.

Special attention should be paid to the components of Memory and Battery, which can be brought to the desktop in the form of stylish plaques, which allows you to monitor the state of the system without entering the settings menu. The size of the widgets can be changed by pulling the corner of the element, which allows you to combine them to create unique compositions, for example, you can combine a calendar and a task list in one block.

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Use the Notes widget on your desktop for quick access to your shopping list or tasks so you don’t open the app every time.

To create a truly unique look, try combining widgets of different sizes, filling the voids between application icons. However, do not overuse them: an overloaded screen makes it difficult to find the right programs. The optimal is to place no more than 4-5 active widgets on one screen.

• 🕰 Large-sized watches with date and temperature are classics that are always trendy.
• 🔋 Real-time battery and memory monitoring to monitor the system.
• 📅 Calendar with the next week's events.
• 🎵 Mini-player music app for quick playback control.

Hiding the icon of the cart and system elements

One of the most annoying details of the standard MIUI interface is the application removal cart icon, which appears when you press the shortcut long enough. Fortunately, it can be hidden by returning the desktop to clean. To do this, go to Settings → Desktop and find the Recycle Bin switch. Disabling this feature removes visual debris, making the process of removing applications less noticeable but more accurate.

You should also pay attention to the signatures under the app icons. If you know the layout of the programs well or use minimalist icons without text, you can disable the signatures. This action frees up space and makes the grid more airy. The path to settings: Settings → Desktop → Signatures. Select No to remove the text completely.

⚠️ Note: After you disable icon signatures, navigation can become more difficult if you use similar app logos.

Another element that often gets in the way is Google Discover (or Glance) tape, which swipes to the left, and can be turned off from the Settings → Desktop → Google Discover menu (or a similar item for your version of the OS), which will speed up switching between screens and remove unnecessary news from view.

Use of themes and third-party launchers

Xiaomi Themes Store is a powerful tool that is often underrated, and you can download not just a set of icons, but a completely redesigned interface, including system sounds, fonts and the style of the settings menu. When searching for them, pay attention to the rating and number of downloads, as well as compatibility with your version of Android. Some themes may not show correctly on new versions of HyperOS.

When built-in capabilities are not enough, third-party launchers come to the rescue, apps like Nova Launcher, Smart Launcher or Microsoft Launcher give you absolute freedom of action, they allow you to customize gestures, animations to fold applications and create complex folders, but using a third-party launcher can lead to increased power consumption and conflicts with system navigation.

When installing a third-party launcher, the system may periodically suggest returning the standard interface. To avoid constant notifications, select Always for a new launcher when requesting, and in the battery settings, give the launcher permission to operate in the background without restrictions so that the animations do not twitch.

Creating folders and grouping applications

You can't have a desktop without a grouping that's right. Standard folders in MIUI can change the size and color of the background. Click on an open folder to change the name or background. You can choose a solid color or gradient that will blend in with the wallpaper. It's a trifle, but it creates a sense of integrity in the design.

There's a color grouping method that looks very aesthetically pleasing, but it's not easy to use. A more practical approach is functional grouping. Create folders like Social Network, Work, Multimedia, Finance. You can also create nested structures inside folders, although it depends on the launcher version. In the standard interface, nesting is limited, but you can use a trick to rename folders to visually separate.

For commonly used applications, it's better to leave space in the dock bar (bottom line). In HyperOS and new MIUIs, the dock can be floating or fixed. Its transparency and background are also customized through themes or special modules, if you have superuser rights.

Advanced Customization: Fonts and Icons

Details are everything. Replacing the system font can dramatically change how you see text on the screen. The theme store has a "Fonts" section that features both classics and handwritten or Gothic styles. But remember readability: too pretentious fonts can make it difficult to read news or messages in messengers.

If you don't like the standard set of icons in a theme, you can change them selectively. Press the app icon, select "Replace" and select an image from a gallery or other set. It's a time-consuming process, but it allows you to create a unique set that no one else has.

HyperOS has a feature called SuperBrowses that dynamically scales when unlocked, creating a depth effect. It's a software chip that only works on compatible devices, but brings the interface to life.

⚠️ Note: Installing fonts from unverified sources may cause some characters or emoji to appear as squares. Always check font preview before installing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The main secret of a beautiful table is not the number of widgets, but the combination of icon colors with the background of wallpaper and the absence of visual noise.