How to change the shape of the icons on Xiaomi: 5 ways for MIUI and HyperOS

Icons on Xiaomi smartphones are the first thing that catches your eye when you unlock the screen. Standard square or rounded icons become boring over time, and many users want to personalize the look of the system. Fortunately, MIUI and the new HyperOS offer several ways to change the shape of the icons, from simple themes to deep customization through third-party launchers.

In this article, we will explore all the current methods, from official tools (available without root rights) to advanced tricks for enthusiasts, you will learn how to apply round, rectangular or even arbitrary shapes of icons, as well as what pitfalls can meet along the way. We will pay special attention to compatibility with the latest versions of firmware — MIUI 14 and HyperOS 1.0.

1.Official method: use of MIUI themes

The easiest and safest method is to install themes from a branded store. Xiaomi offers hundreds of free and paid themes, many of which change not only the color scheme, but also the shape of the icons. Here's how it works:

  • 📱 Open the Topics app (brush icon on desktop).
  • 🔍 Enter the search box query "round icons" or "rectangular icons".
  • 🎨 Choose your favorite theme and click Apply. Some themes require download (up to 50 MB).
  • ⚙️ After application, go to Settings → Desktop → Style of icons to more accurately customize the display.

⚠️ Note: Not all themes support reshaping icons for third-party apps (e.g. Telegram or WhatsApp), in which case system icons (settings, phone, messages) will change, while the rest will remain standard.

Among the popular themes for changing the shape of icons:

  • 🟢 iOS Style - imitation of iPhone icons with rounded corners.
  • 🔵 Material You – adaptive icons in the style of Android 12+.
  • ⚫ Dark Rounded is a dark theme with all round icons.
📊 Which style of icons do you like more?
Round.
Square with rounded corners
Rectangular
Arbitrary form (castomic)

2. Customization through "Icon Style" in MIUI/HyperOS

In recent firmware versions, Xiaomi has added a hidden menu to fine-tune the look of the icons, a method that works without installing additional themes and is suitable for most models, starting with the Redmi Note 10 and Xiaomi 11.

Instructions:

  1. Press the empty space on the desktop with your finger and select Desktop Settings.
  2. Go to the Icon Style section (on some devices it is hidden – see spoiler below).
  3. Choose one of the suggested styles: 🟥 Standard (square with rounded corners). 🟣 Round (fully round icons). 🟤 Rectangular (with right angles). 🟠 Adaptive (changes depending on the wallpaper).

Apply

What to do if there is no “Icon Style” section?
If your desktop settings don’t have the icon style option, it means: 1. You have an outdated version of MIUI (update the firmware via Settings → About Phone → System Update). 2. The manufacturer has disabled this feature for your model (relevant to budget smartphones like Redmi 9A). 3. You are using a third-party launcher (return to the standard MIUI Launcher).

Important: HyperOS 1.0 has moved the icon style section to Settings → Personalization → App icons, and has 20 percent more form options available, including dynamic icons that change color depending on the wallpaper.

3. Third-party launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex, Lawnchair

If standard methods don't work, the alternative launcher offers almost limitless customization options.

LauncherSupport for icon shapesAdditional chipsCompatible with MIUI/HyperOS
Nova Launcher✅ Complete (round, square, custom through icon packs)Gestures, adaptive icons, backup settings✅ It works without lag on all models
Apex Launcher✅ Partial (requires manual adjustment)Hiding icons, changing the size of the grid✅ Small bugs on HyperOS are possible
Lawnchair✅ Full (including dynamic icons)Google Feed integration, light/dark themes⚠️ On some Xiaomi can slow down animations
Microsoft Launcher❌ Standard forms onlySynchronization with Windows, weather widgets✅ Stable working.

To change the shape of the icons in Nova Launcher:

  1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
  2. Press your finger on the desktop → Settings → Appearance.
  3. Select the icon style and set the desired shape (e.g. Circle for round).
  4. For custom icons, download the icon pack (such as Whicons or CandyCons) and apply it to the launcher settings.
  5. Connect your phone to your PC and execute a command in the terminal (ADB): adb shell settings put secure icon_shape_system 1 Where 1 — It's the form code: 0 — standard (square). 1 — round. 2 — rounded (by default). 3 — rectangular (only on HyperOS).
adb shell am force-stop com.miui.home

🔹 Note: On certain firmware (e.g, MIUI 13 for Redmi Note 11) this method only works after resetting the launcher settings:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

This will remove all your widgets and folders on your desktop!

💡

If ADB does not recognize the device, install Mi PC Suite drivers from Xiaomi’s official website or use Google USB Driver universal drivers.

5. Custom firmware: Pixel Experience, LineageOS

For the most daring users willing to sacrifice stability for a unique design, installing custom firmware gives access to Pixel-style icons, Material You and other chips.

  • 📱 Pixel Experience – pure Android with icons in the style of Google Pixel.
  • 🔄 LineageOS – Minimalist design with themes support.
  • ⚡ crdroid – flexible customization of icon shapes through the built-in Style Manager.

⚠️ Attention: Installing custom firmware resets all data and may result in a loss of warranty:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (requires a Mi Account and wait 7 days). 2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model (see instructions on XDA Developers). 3. Make a full backup through TWRP (Backup → Select Partitions → Swipe to Backup).

After installing firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience), the icons will change shape automatically.

  1. Go to Settings → Style and Wallpaper.
  2. Choose the form of icons and apply one of the options: 🟢 Squircle (a rounded square, like on the Pixel). 🔵 Circle (round). 🟣 Tear (drop-shaped, unique for custom firmware).

6.Icon-change apps: Icon Packs and Shortcut Makers

If you want unique icon forms that aren’t in standard themes, customized apps can help. They work on top of any launcher (including the standard MIUI Launcher).

Top.-3 applications:

  1. Icon Pack Studio – creates custom icons of any shape (including SVG) and supports export to.apk for further use.
  2. X Icon Changer - changes the shape of icons through overlays (no root required) Works with Nova Launcher and Apex.
  3. Shortcut Maker – allows you to assign any image as an icon for an application (even GIF!).

Examples of Icon Pack Studio:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Select Create a new pack → The shape of the icon.
  3. Set up: 🔹 Form: circle, square, hexagon, etc. 🎨 Background color: transparent or solid. 🖼️ Mask: overlay of effects (shadow, gradient).

Export the pack and apply it in the launcher settings.

💡

Icon change apps can conflict with MIUI system optimizations. If they are reset after applying icons, add the application to the AutoRun list (Settings → Applications → Permissions → AutoRun).

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing icons on Xiaomi

❓ Why some icons didn’t change shape after the theme change?
This is because MIUI applies the style only to system icons. For third-party apps (such as Instagram or VK), the form remains standard. Solutions: Use an icon-pack launcher (such as Nova Launcher). Set a theme that clearly indicates support for all icons (the description should be "Full icon support"). Manually replace the icons via Shortcut Maker.
❓ Can I return the standard icons after experiments?
Yes. Ways: For those: Go to Topics → Mine. → Current theme and click Reset. For launchers: return to standard MIUI Launcher in the default application settings. ADB: Explain the command adb shell settings put secure icon_shape_system 0 If the icons are lost after the update MIUI, Try clearing the launcher cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Clear the cache.
❓ Are these methods working on POCO and Black Shark?
Yes, but with reservations: POCO Launcher (on POCO devices) has limited icon settings. It is recommended to install Nova Launcher. On Black Shark (gaming smartphones), changing the shape of the icons is only possible through ADB or custom firmware due to a heavily modified shell. For POCO F3/F4/F5, all the methods in this article work without restrictions.
❓ How to make icons transparent?
Transparent icons can be obtained in two ways: via Icon Pack Studio: Create a new pack. In the form settings, select Transparent Background. Apply Pak in the launcher. ADB (only MIUI 14/HyperOS): adb shell settings put secure icon_background_transparency 1 Meaning 1 — transparency included, 0 — switched off. ⚠️ On some wallpapers, transparent icons can blend into the background.
❓ Why After Updating MIUI all the icons dropped?
This is standard system behavior in major updates (e.g., MIUI 13 to MIUI 14). To avoid losing settings: Before upgrading, back up the themes in Settings → Themes → Backup. For launchers (e.g., Nova), export the settings to the file. If the icons are reset, apply the theme or launcher again, all icon packs will be stored in the device memory.