How to find and change icons in Xiaomi themes: hidden folders, APK-editors and safe life hacks

Have you ever wanted to swap boring standard icons on your Xiaomi for something more stylish, but didn’t know where they were stored? MIUI Theme Store, but some icons have remained unchanged?In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to find icons in Xiaomi themes – from standard methods to advanced editing tricks APK-file.

It is important to understand that in MIUI Icons can be stored in different places depending on whether you are using a stock theme, custom theme from a store or manually installed.We will look at all options, including hidden system folders that are not normally visible to the user. And you will learn how to safely remove icons from themes without the risk of damaging the system – this is especially important for owners of devices on the Internet. MIUI 14/15 with enhanced file system protection.

If you’re ready to turn your smartphone into a unique device with exclusive icons, read on. But remember: some methods require an unlocked bootloader or root rights, so we’ll immediately warn you of the possible risks.

Where icons are stored in standard Xiaomi themes

In stock themes MIUI (For example, MiuiGlobal or MiuiChina, icons are stored in system files that are hidden by default from the user:

• 📁 /system/media/theme/default — Here are the standard launcher icons. MIUI (files with the extension.png or.webp).
• 📁 /data/system/theme/ — folder with custom themes, including cached versions of icons.
• 📁 /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/ — into APK-launcher (MiuiHome.apk) Some system icons are also stored.

To access these folders, you’ll need a root-access file manager (like Root Explorer or Solid Explorer), and without root rights, you’ll only be able to see a portion of the files, and then after you turn on the hidden folders in the manager’s settings.

⚠️ Note: Modifying files in the folder /system/ without a backup can cause a launcher crash or even a bootloop (a looped boot).Always back up before editing!

If you do not have root rights, you can try to extract icons through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb pull /system/media/theme/default/ C:\miui_icons\

This will copy all icons from the standard theme to the folder. miui_icons on your computer.

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If you don’t want to dig into system files, try using themes from the system. MIUI Theme Store — many of them allow you to change icons without manual editing "OS15" The Pixel Icon Pack completely replaces the standard icons.

How to Remove Badges from Downloaded Themes MIUI

If you downloaded a theme from the official store MIUI Theme Store, its files are stored in encrypted form in a folder /data/system/theme/. There is a way to get icons even without root rights:

1. Download the topic, but don’t apply it.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and use it. ADB, To copy the theme file: adb pull /data/system/theme/[theme_name].mtz C:\miui_themes\
3. The.mtz file is an archive. Rename it.zip and unpack it.
4. Icons are usually in folders. icon/ or drawable/ inside.

Some themes use the.webp format for icons. If your computer doesn't open such files, install a Photoshop plugin or use an online converter to.png.

If you want to not only remove but also replace the icons in the theme, you will need to repack the.mtz file back.

1. Edit the desired icons in the folder.
2. Archive the folder back to.zip.
3. Rename the extension to.mtz.
4. Transfer the file back to your phone and apply the theme through Topics → Local.

Searching for badges through APK-Editors (for advanced editors)

If you want to gain full control of the icons, including system applications, you can edit the icons. APK-Theme files or launcher files:

• 🛠️ APKTool (for decompilation) APK).
• 🖼️ Graphic editor (such as Photoshop or GIMP).
• 🔧 SignAPK to sign a modified file.

Instructions for editing icons in MiuiHome.apk:

1. Download. MiuiHome.apk folder /system/priv-app/ (or take it out of the firmware).
2. Decompile. APK using APKTool: apktool d MiuiHome.apk -o miuihome_folder
3. The icons are in the folder. miuihome_folder/res/drawable- (where is the screen resolution, such as drawable-xxhdpi).
4. Replace the files you want (saving the original names!) and recompile: apktool b miuihome_folder -o MiuiHome_mod.apk
5. Sign a new one. APK via SignAPK.
6. Install the modified one. APK through ADB: adb install -r MiuiHome_mod.apk

⚠️ Attention: Wrong census MiuiHome.apk This can lead to loss of functionality of the launcher (widgets disappear, gestures stop working). APK backup!

An alternative way is to use pre-made icon packs from Google Play (like Nova Launcher). + Icon Pack Studio.It's safer, but not all icons will be replaced (e.g., Xiaomi system apps often remain unchanged).

I use the finished themes from MIUI Theme Store|Editing. APK-manually|I have been installing icon packs through Nova Launcher.|I'll use it. ADB icon-extract|I don't change icons.-->

Hidden badges in MIUI: where to look for rare icons

V MIUI There are many hidden icons that don't appear in the standard interface:

• 📂 /system/media/theme/default/icon_pack/ — It stores alternative versions of icons for different modes (for example, dark_mode/ or monochrome/).
• 📂 /vendor/overlay/ — Some icons for system applications (e.g. Security or Cleaner) may be found here.
• 📂 /data/app/~~random_string==/base.apk — Icons for pre-installed apps (e.g. Mi Browser or Mi Video).

Icons from the folder are especially interesting. icon_pack/ — They often contain dark mode options or monochrome versions that can be used separately, for example, if you don't like color icons, you can replace them with black and white from the folder. monochrome/.

To find icons for a particular application, use a search by packet name. For example, the icon for the Caller will be called:

• com.android.contacts.png (main icon)
• com.android.contacts_round.png (round-up for some topics),
• com.android.contacts_dark.png (dark-mode version).

If you do not know the name of the application package, you can find out through ADB:

adb shell dumpsys package | grep "packageName"

Or using the App Inspector app from Google Play.

Install a file manager with root access|Enable the display of hidden folders|Check the folders. /system/media/theme/ and /vendor/overlay/|Use a search by application package name (e.g. com.android.settings)|Make a backup before replacing the icons-->

How to replace icons without root rights (safe methods)

Not all users are comfortable unlocking a bootloader or getting root rights. Fortunately, there are several ways to change icons without deep system tampering:

1. Use of alternative launchers: 📱 Nova Launcher + Icon Pack (such as Whicons or Delta). 📱 Hyperion Launcher (supports themes) MIUI). 📱 POCO Launcher (for devices) POCO/Xiaomi). These launchers allow you to use icon packs without root rights, but system applications (such as Settings or Phone) may remain unchanged.
2. Application of thematic MIUI Theme Editor: Appendix MIUI Theme Editor (available on Google Play) lets you create your own themes, including icon replacements. You can: Import your images, assign icons to specific applications, export the theme in.mtz format and apply it through the standard theme menu.

Use of Xposed/EdXposed

MiuiHome Mod for EdXposed allows you to change icons without editing APK. However, this method requires an unlocked bootloader (but not necessarily root rights).

The easiest way to do this is to use Nova Launcher with an icon pack.

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Download your favorite icon pack (for example, Fluxo Icon Pack).
3. Hold your finger on the desktop → Settings Nova → Icon style → Choose your icon pack.
4. For system applications, you may need to manually assign icons through Edit the icon (long click on the icon). → Change).

⚠️ Note: Some icon packs from Google Play may not support Chinese versions MIUI (for example, MIUI In this case, the icons for system applications (Security, Cleaner) will not change.

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If you want maximum changes without root rights, combine Nova Launcher with a new one. MIUI This will replace icons for both third-party and most system applications.

Restore Standard Icons After Failed Changes

If, after experimenting with topics or editing, APK Icons have started to appear incorrectly (or completely disappeared), there are several ways to return everything back:

• 🔄 Reset themes: go to Settings → Topics → My themes and choose a standard theme (Default or MiuiGlobal).
• 🗑️ Clearing the launcher cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Find Launcher (or MiuiHome). Click Storage → Clear the cache.

Reinstallation of the launcher

If the icons are missing after editing MiuiHome.apk, download the original APK Then put it out of the way and put it through. ADB:

adb install -r --downgrade MiuiHome_original.apk

Recovery through backup

If you were doing a backup through TWRP or MIUI Backup, restore the section /system or /data (depending on what you have changed).

If after resetting themes, some icons still appear incorrectly, try:

1. Reset the device.
2. Delete the folder /sdcard/MIUI/theme/cache/ (It will be re-created).
3. Apply any other topic and then go back to the standard one.

In extreme cases, if the launcher has stopped working at all, you can install an alternative launcher (for example, Nova or Apex) through the ADB:

adb install nova-launcher.apk

The Best Sources for Downloading Custom Icons

If you want to find unique icons for your Xiaomi theme, here are the best sources:

When downloading themes or icons from unverified sources, always check files for viruses (for example, via VirusTotal), especially.apk and.mtz files from Telegram or forums.

If you are looking for icons for a specific Xiaomi model (like the Redmi Note 12 or the other one). POCO F5), refine MIUI (for example, MIUI 14.0.5 Some themes may not work on newer versions due to changes in file structure.

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To find icons for rare apps (such as Mi Pay or Mi Home), try searching in Chinese themed forums such as Miui.cn or Bbs.xiaomi.cn. Use a translator, as most discussions are conducted in Chinese.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with badges in MIUI And users often have typical problems, and these are the most common mistakes and the ways to solve them:

• 🚫 Icons don't change after applying the theme: Reason: Launcher's cache is not updated.Solution: Clear MiuiHome cache or restart the device.
• 🚫 Some icons remained standard: Reason: Theme doesn't support all apps (especially system ones).Solution: Use Nova Launcher with manual icon assignment.
• 🚫 After editing APK Launcher stopped working: Reason: Wrong signature APK Solution: Restore the original MiuiHome.apk through ADB.
• 🚫 Icons displayed blurred: Reason: Permission mismatch (e.g., you replaced the icon) 192x192 px 128x128 Solution: Use icons with the resolution corresponding to your screen (for xxhdpi — 144x144 px, for xxxhdpi — 192x192 px).
• 🚫 Theme is not applicable due to the error "Unsupported version" MIUI": Reason: Theme is for a different version MIUI (for example MIUI China, and you. MIUI Global Solutions: Edit the description.ini file inside.mtz by changing the compatibility bar to your version.

If you encounter a problem that isn’t on the list, try searching for a solution on forums. XDA Developers or 4PDA. These issues have been discussed before and there are instructions.