How to change standard icons on Xiaomi for your own: 5 proven ways

Standard icons on Xiaomi smartphones often look monotonous, especially after years of using the same launcher. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer many ways to customize, from simple change of theme to deep modification of system files. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of replacing icons on Redmi, Poco, Black Shark devices and other lines running MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS.

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally secure: some require unlocking the bootloader or superuser rights, which can affect the warranty and stability of the device. We'll highlight the risks in each section so you can choose the best option without unnecessary compromises. If you're a beginner, start with the first three methods, they do not require technical skills.

Before you start, make sure your device has the latest firmware installed. To check, go to Settings → About Phone → Update MIUI. This minimizes the risk of conflict when installing themes or launchers.

1. Changing icons through standard MIUI themes

The easiest and safest way is to use a built-in theme gallery. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid themes with unique icon sets that change in two clicks, which works on all devices without root rights and does not require the installation of additional applications.

To apply a new theme:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush on desktop).
• 🔍 Enter the search for “icon pack” or “icon icon».
• 🎨 Choose your favorite theme and click Apply. The system will automatically replace the application icons, wallpaper and interface style.
• 🔄 If the icons have not changed, restart the device or clear the launcher cache in Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Launcher.

Note that some themes only change some icons (e.g. system apps remain standard). To avoid this, look for themes marked “Full Icon Pack” or “Icon Pack” in the description. Also check the ratings and reviews – this will help avoid themes with bugs or ads.

2. Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Lawnchair)

If built-in themes aren't enough, third-party launchers offer the flexibility to customize icons.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports.icon packages, gestures, adaptive icons.
• 🔧 Apex Launcher – a lightweight launcher with wide customization options.
• 📱 Lawnchair – an open source launcher that mimics the Pixel Launcher.
• 🎨 Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration and cloud icons.

To install custom icons through the launcher:

1. Download and install the launcher from Google Play.
2. Install your favorite icon pack (such as Whicons, CandyCons, or Delta).
3. Open the launcher settings, find the “Icon Style” section and select the downloaded package.
4. Apply the changes and restart the launcher (usually a swipe down on the desktop is enough).

The advantage of this method is the ability to mix icons from different packages or use adaptive icons (when the launcher automatically adjusts the form to the style of the system). However, some system applications (for example, Settings or Phone) may remain unchanged - this is a limitation of MIUI, which is circumvented only through ADB or root.

Download APK launcher from the official website|Make a backup copy of the current desktop|Disable battery optimization for launcher|Check compatibility with the Android version-->

3. Manually modifying icons via ADB (no root)

For advanced users who don’t want to unlock the bootloader but are willing to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), there’s a way to replace system application icons without losing warranty.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🖼️ A set of icons in.png format with resolution 192×192 px (you can download from Icon Pack Studio or create your own).

Instructions:

adb shell


pm list packages | grep 'miui' # Find the system application package (e.g. com.android.contacts)




adb pull /data/app/com.android.contacts-1/base.apk # Download APK to PC



Change the icons to APK with APK Editor, save as base_new.apk



adb push base_new.apk /sdcard/




adb shell




su




mount -o rw,remount /system




cp /sdcard/base_new.apk /data/app/com.android.contacts-1/




chmod 644 /data/app/com.android.contacts-1/base.apk




reboot

Warning: This method can cause system applications to crash. Before starting, back up your application via adb backup or Mi Cloud. If the application doesn't open after you restart, delete its data to Settings → Applications or restore the original APK.

4. Install custom icons through Magisk (root required)

If your device is unlocked and installed by Magisk, you can use modules to deep customize icons.

• 🔄 MiXplorer Silver – allows you to replace system files directly.
• 🎭 Iconify – Magisk module that supports more than 400 icon packs.
• 🛠️ Xposed Framework (for older versions of Android) – Unicon module or Xposed Icon Themer.

Example of installation via Iconify:

1. Download the Iconify module in.zip format.
2. Install it through Magisk Manager (Modules → Install from storage).
3. Reset the device.
4. Download any icon pack from Google Play and apply it to the Iconify settings.

The advantage of this method is that it supports adaptive icons and allows you to change the icons separately for each application. However, not all icon packs are compatible with MIUI, so check your model’s performance reviews before buying.

⚠️ Note: Some Magisk modules may conflict with Miui Optimization. MIUI). If lags or reboots occur after installing the module, disable optimization in the developer settings or remove the conflicting module.

5.Creating your icons from scratch

If you don't find the right set of icons, you can create your own.

• 🎨 Graphic Editor: Adobe Photoshop, GIMP (free) or Figma (online).
• 📏 Icon templates for MIUI (down-to-earth XDA Developers).
• 🖌️ Knowledge of the basics of design: permission 192×192 px, format PNG Transparent, Material Design Style.

Creation process:

1. Download the icon template for MIUI (usually a circle with a peel mask).
2. Place your design inside the template, observing the indentations.
3. Export to PNG with a transparent background.
4. Use Icon Pack Studio or Android Asset Studio to generate a full package of icons.
5. Install the created package through the launcher (as described in Section 2).

To simplify the process, you can use online services:

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To test your icons, use the Icon Changer app from Google Play, which allows you to temporarily replace the icon of any application without installing a launcher.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When replacing icons, users often encounter common mistakes, and here's how to fix them:

Problem 1: Icons don’t change after the theme is applied.

• 🔄 Reset the device.
• 🧹 Clear the launcher cache in Settings → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📥 Make sure the theme is downloaded completely (sometimes files are not downloaded until the end).

Problem 2: The launcher resets the icons after the upgrade.

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI through OTA Third-party launchers can reset to standard settings. To avoid this, back up the launcher settings before upgrading (in Nova Launcher: Settings) → Backup).

Problem 3: Icons are displayed blurry or incorrectly sized.

• 📏 Check the resolution of the icons – it should be 192×192 px MIUI.
• 🎨 Use templates with a peel mask (for example, round for MIUI 14+).
• 🔍 In the launcher settings, enable the option “Scaling icons” or “Adaptive icons».

Problem 4: Not all icons have changed (there are still system icons).

This is a limitation of MIUI, where some system applications (com.miui.home, com.android.settings) are blocked from changes without root.

• 🔧 Use it. ADB (section 3) or Magisk (section 4).
• 🎭 Install alternative applications (e.g. Simple Dialer instead of a standard Phone).

Comparison of methods of replacing icons

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For most users, the best solution is a combination of a third-party launcher (Nova Launcher) and a free icon pack from Google Play, which gives maximum flexibility without risk to the system.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions