How to Make Icons Square on Xiaomi: Official and Hidden Methods

Are you tired of the standard rounded icons on your Xiaomi and want to make the interface look more rigorous and modern? Square icons not only look neat, but also visually organize the desktop, making it less chaotic. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to convert icons into squares, from official MIUI themes to hidden settings and third-party launchers.

It's important to understand that the methods differ depending on the shell version (MIUI 12/13/14/15) and the smartphone model. For example, on the POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 with the latest firmware, one method can work, and on the Mi 11 Lite with MIUI 12.5 - another. We tested the instructions on current devices from 2023 to 2026, so you will only get proven solutions.

If you don't want to go into the technical details, go straight to the first one, which is the easiest and doesn't require any additional apps to install. For advanced users, we've prepared hidden tricks using ADB and modified themes.

Method 1: Using the built-in MIUI themes

The safest and most recommended method is to use official Xiaomi themes that already contain square icons, which require no root rights, no resets, and works on all devices with MIUI 11 and later.

Here's how to do it:

• 📱 Open the Themes app** (icon with brush) on the home screen.
• 🔍 In the search bar, enter the query: square icons or square icons (in English, there are often more options).
• 🎨 Scroll through the results and select the theme you like. Pay attention to the ranking and the number of downloads, this will help to avoid low-quality topics.
• 📥 Click "Apply"** - the system will automatically replace the icons with square ones.

If some icons are round after applying the theme, it means that the theme does not support all the installed applications, in which case try a different theme or use the second method.

Method 2: Installation of a third-party launcher

If you don't like the built-in themes, you can install an alternative launcher that supports customizing the shape of icons, a method that is suitable for users who want not only square icons, but also additional features like gestures, hidden folders or adaptive wallpaper.

The best launchers for square icons on Xiaomi:

• 🔲 Nova Launcher – allows you to customize the shape of the icons through the Nova Settings plugin → Look & feel → Icon shape. Supports Square, Squircle and other shapes.
• 🎨 Lawnchair is a free, open source launcher with an Icon shape option built in. → Square.
• ⚡ Apex Launcher – offers flexible customization of icons, including manually changing the radius of curvature.

Instructions for setting up (for example, Nova Launcher):

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Launch the launcher and install it as the main one (the system will suggest doing this at the first start).
3. Go to Settings Nova → Appearance → Shape of icons.
4. Choose Square (square) or Squircle (rounded square).
5. If necessary, adjust the size of the icons in the section Size of the icons.

Make sure that the device has enough memory (minimum 200 MB)

Disable battery optimization for launcher (in the application settings)

Backup your current desktop (via MIUI settings)

Check the compatibility of the launcher with your version of Android

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Important! Some launchers may conflict with proprietary MIUI features, such as navigation gestures or an always active display (AOD). If you have lags after installation, try turning off animations in the launcher settings or go back to the standard interface.

Method 3: Change through ADB (for advanced)

If you’re not afraid to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can manually change the icon display settings in the system settings, a method that works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-14, but requires a connection to a computer.

What you'll need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the smartphone to the computer and confirm the debugging permission.


2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.




3. Enter a command to check the connection:




adb devices




(The name of your device should appear)




4. execute the command to change the shape of the icons:




adb shell settings put secure icon_shape 0




(where 0 is a square, 1 is a rounded square, 2 is a circle, 3 is a flower, 4 is a drop)




5. Reset the device:




adb reboot

On some devices (such as the POCO X5 Pro), this option may reset after the MIUI update. To record changes, use the command:

adb shell cmd overlay enable com.android.theme.icon.square

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If after completing the commands, the icons disappeared or artifacts appeared, return the standard settings with the command: adb shell settings delete secure icon_shape

Method 4: Manual editing of APK themes (for enthusiasts)

This is a method that is suitable for those who want to create a unique theme with square icons or modify an existing one. APK-Files and graphics editors, but gives full control over the appearance.

The tools you will need:

• 🖌️ APK Editor (for unpacking themes).
• 🎨 Photoshop GIMP (icon-editing).
• 📦 MIUI Theme Editor (for theme assembly).

Instructions:

1. Download any theme from MIUI Themes in.mtz format.
2. Rename the file to.apk and open it in APK Editor.
3. Go to the res/drawable folder – here are the application icons stored.
4. Edit each icon by giving it a square shape (size should remain 192×192 px).
5. Collect the APK back and set it as a regular theme.

It takes a long time, but it allows you to create a really unique design, and if you don't want to edit every icon manually, you can use Photoshop batch action or auto-cut scripts.

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To speed up the process, download ready-made sets of square icons from sites like IconPacks and replace them with standard themes in the file.

Challenges and solutions

When you change the shape of icons, you might have some problems, and we've collected some of the most common ones and ways to solve them.

If none of these methods worked, check to see if your actions are blocked by the power saving mode or battery optimization for theme/launcher applications. Also make sure that the device has the latest firmware version installed – older versions of MIUI (up to 12.5) may not support square icons.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to decide, we have prepared a comparative table of all ways:

Recommendation: If you're a beginner, start with the first method. Choose a launcher for flexible customization. Advertising users will do ADB, and designers will do manual editing.

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On HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), some methods may not work due to the modified theme architecture, and use launchers like Nova or Lawnchair.

FAQ: Frequent questions