How to change icons on Xiaomi Redmi: from standard themes to deep customization

The standard MIUI icons on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are not popular with everyone — they often look too bright, out of date or simply do not fit into your style. Fortunately, the manufacturer provides several ways to replace them: from simple themes from the official store to manually install custom packs through ADB or third-party launchers. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods for the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 and other models on MIUI 12-14, including bypassing the system limitations.

It is important to understand that the depth of customization depends on the firmware version and the availability of an unlocked bootloader. For example, on Redmi with Global ROM, some functions may be blocked, while on Chinese (China ROM) or custom (xiaomi.eu) more features are available. We will look at options for both beginners and experienced users who want to go beyond the standard settings.

1. Replacement of icons through official MIUI themes

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in theme store, which is available on all Xiaomi Redmi smartphones without any further manipulation, and there are both free and paid icon packs in the store, many of which support dynamic shifting depending on the time of day or wallpaper.

To apply a new theme:

• 📱 Open the “Themes” app (brush icon on your desktop).
• 🔍 Type in the search for “icons” or icons (in English, there are often more options).
• 🎨 Choose your favorite pack and click "Apply". Some themes require downloading additional resources (up to 50-100 MB).
• ⚙️ If the icons are not applied to all applications, check the theme settings: sometimes you need to manually update the cache (Settings) → Additionally. → Clear the cache).

On models with MIUI 14+, some themes may not support changing icons for system applications (e.g., Settings or Phone) This is a shell limitation, and can only be circumvented through ADB or third-party launchers (more on this below).

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

If built-in themes aren’t enough, third-party launchers offer much more flexibility, popular options include Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, and Hyperion Launcher (optimized for Xiaomi), which allow custom packs of icons from the Play Market or.apk files, as well as customization of size, indentations, and animations.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install the launcher from Google Play and make it the main one (the system will prompt you to do this when you first start).
2. Download a pack of icons (such as Whicons, Delta or CandyCons).
3. Press your finger on your desktop → “Settings” → “Icon Style”.
4. Select the downloaded pack. If some icons have not changed, manually assign them to each application (long-click on the icon → “Change” → “Icon”).

Download APK Launcher (if not in Play Market)

Make a backup copy of the current desktop

Check the compatibility of the icon pack with your version of Android

Disable battery optimization for launcher (in settings) MIUI)-->

⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 13+ When using third-party launchers, there may be delays when opening Recent Apps (gesture up), due to shell-launch conflict, and the solution is to disable zoom animation in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 5 times to tap → «Window animation» → «No animation»).

3. Manually modifying icons via ADB (no root)

For advanced users willing to work with ADB, there is a way to replace system application icons without getting root permissions.This method works on most Redmi models (including the Note 11 Pro+, Redmi K50), but requires a PC connection and basic command-line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on “Debugging by USB” (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap → return to “Additional” → “For Developers”).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Download ADB Tools and unpack it into a folder.
4. Open the command line in this folder and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
5. Download the icon pack in.zip format (for example, from the XDA Developers website) and unpack it in the folder with ADB.
6. Run the command to replace icons (example for the icon “Settings”): adb shell su -c "mount -o rw,remount /system" su -c "cp /sdcard/Download/new_settings_icon.png /system/priv-app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png" su -c "chmod 644 /system/priv-app/Settings/res/drawable-xxhdpi/ic_launcher_settings.png" su -c "mount -o ro,remount /system" Reboot Note: Pathways to icons may vary depending on model and version MIUI.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause system applications to crash, or even bootloop (cyclical reboot). TWRP Or Mi Cloud. Also note that after the update MIUI all changes will reset.

4. Install custom icons through Magisk (root required)

If you have a bootloader unlocked and Magisk installed, customization is expanded many times over, and one of the most reliable icon replacement modules is Iconify or Icon Pack Studio, which allows you to change icons not only on your desktop, but also in the application menu, notification bar, and even in system dialogues.

Instructions:

1. Install Magisk Manager and check root status → Superuser).
2. Download the Iconify module from the Magisk repository or from GitHub.
3. Install the module through Magisk (Modules → Install from storage).
4. Reset the device.
5. After downloading, open the Iconify app, select the icon pack and apply it.

💡

If the icons haven’t changed after installing the module, try clearing the cache of the Lawnchair app (if you use it) or rebooting in Safe Mode (hold the power button → Reboot Safe Mode), then return to normal mode.

5. Creating your own icons: tools and formats

If you don't have the right packs, you can create your own icons.

• 🎨 Graphics Editor: Adobe Photoshop, GIMP (free) or Figma (online).
• 📏 Templates: Standard size of icons for MIUI — 192×192 px (for xxhdpi), but it is better to export in multiple resolutions (mdpi, hdpi, xhdpi).
• 📁 Format:.png with transparent background).
• 🔧 Packaging tools: Android Asset Studio (from Google) or Icon Pack Studio (to create full packs).

Creation process:

1. Download the icon template for MIUI (can be found on XDA or Telegram-channels of Xiaomi themes).
2. Draw or edit the icon while maintaining the style (e.g. minimalism or skeumorphism).
3. Export to.png with the name corresponding to the appendix (e.g, ic_launcher_phone.png for "Phone»).
4. Pack icons in.zip and install them via ADB or Magisk (as described above).

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To test your icons, use the “Icon Changer” app from the Play Market – it allows you to temporarily replace the icons without system changes.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When changing icons to Xiaomi Redmi, users face typical errors. Let’s consider the most common and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or Redmi 8) after replacing the icons through ADB You may miss the Safe Mode sign in the reboot menu. This is not critical, but if you need access to this mode, save the original icons in a separate folder.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions