How to change the app icon on Xiaomi Redmi 9A

Owners of budget smartphones often face the desire to personalize the interface, making it unique and convenient. Xiaomi Redmi 9A, despite its affordable price, allows you to conduct sufficiently deep customization of visual design without obtaining superuser rights. The standard shell MIUI provides built-in tools to replace graphic elements, which eliminates the need to install third-party heavy applications.

The process of changing icons can vary depending on the firmware version and the region for which the device is released. In some cases, it is enough for the user to simply select a new theme from the directory, and in others, you will need to manually adjust it through the theme editor or create shortcuts. Understanding these nuances will help to avoid confusion and quickly achieve the desired result.

In this guide, we will discuss all the available ways to change the graphics on your device, we will look at the standard system tools, working with widgets and the features of various versions of the interface, which will allow you to completely transform the Redmi 9A desktop to your taste.

Use of the built-in Themes application

The easiest and most reliable way to change the look of icons is to use the Theme System App, which is pre-installed on all Redmi devices and integrated directly into the MIUI shell. It allows you to download ready-made graphics sets that change not only the application icons, but also system elements such as notification curtain and lock screen.

To get started, you need to open the app and go to the profiles or categories section, and you can find thousands of free designs created by Xiaomi and independent designers, and it’s important to consider that some themes may be paid or advertised, so it’s worth reading the description carefully before downloading.

After choosing the appropriate style, click the download button and then activate. The system will automatically apply the new graphics package to all compatible applications. If a program is left with a standard icon, this means that the theme author did not draw a graphic element for that particular software.

• 🎨 Open the Themes app on the main screen.
• 🔍 Type the word “Icons” or “Icons” to search for graphics sets only.
• ⬇️ Click Download on the preferred option.
• ✅ Select Apply to activate changes.

It should be noted that the application of the new theme can take several seconds, especially on devices with limited RAM, at which point the screen can blink or temporarily go out - this is normal behavior of the system when redrawing the interface.

Manual replacement through the theme editor

If you don't like the finished solutions, you can use an advanced editing mode, which allows you to replace the icon of a particular application with any picture from your gallery, and in the Topic application you need to go to the user profile and select My Themes, and then click on the active theme.

In the menu that opens, select the option to Configure or Edit. Here you can access the icon, which opens a list of all installed programs. Find the desired application in the list and click on it to select a substitute image from the memory of the phone.

⚠️ Note: When you manually replace the icon through the theme editor, after updating the application itself or rebooting the device, the standard icon may return. MIUI.

This is a method that gives you complete creative freedom, allowing you to create unique combinations of colors and shapes. You can make all the icons of the same color to create a monochrome style or group them according to their functional purpose.

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To create a unified style, download a pack of black and white images in high resolution in advance, so as not to search for the right pictures for each application separately.

When you have finished setting up, remember to save the changes by pressing the appropriate button in the corner of the screen. The system will suggest you apply the updated package, and the changes will take effect immediately. This is a great way to highlight frequently used programs.

Creating shortcuts through the Topics app

Some versions of the Redmi 9A MIUI shell offer shortcut creation, which is different from a simple replacement in that it creates a new object on the desktop that leads to the application but has its own graphics, which is especially useful if you want to change the icon for just one or two apps without touching the rest.

To use this feature, open the Themes app, go to the profile section and find the Create a Shortcut (or similar, depending on the version) button. In the list that opens, select the app, then select the image and sign the shortcut with the desired name.

• 📱 Select the application from the list of installed.
• 🖼️ Download the picture from the gallery or select from the suggested ones.
• ✏️ Enter the name for the label.
• ➕ Click Add to Place on the Screen.

The advantage of this method is that it doesn't affect system files and it works consistently. However, the original application will have a standard icon on the menu of all programs. The shortcut will only appear on the desktop, which can create some confusion when searching for the program through global search.

The use of shortcuts is a compromise solution, ideal for those who want to highlight a messenger or game quickly, but are not willing to change the design of the entire system.

Application of third-party launchers

If standard MIUI capabilities seem limited, you can install a third-party launcher, which completely replaces the desktop, app menus and control panel. Popular options like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher allow you to change the icons for each application individually and save these settings as profiles.

Once the launcher is installed, the system will request permission to use it as the default main screen. Once confirmed, the interface will change. To change the icon, you need to pin your finger on the application icon, select Edit, and specify a new image in the icon field.

It’s worth remembering that third-party launchers consume more battery and RAM resources, which can be critical for the Redmi 9A with its modest specs.In addition, animations can run less smoothly than on the native launcher POCO or MIUI Home.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some control gestures, such as swipe to search or double tapping to turn off the screen, may stop working.

However, for customization enthusiasts, this is the best option: You get access to thousands of pre-made packs of icons from Google Play that can be applied instantly, which gives you much more freedom than the built-in tools of Xiaomi.

Size and screen mesh setting

When you change icons, you often have to change their size or grid location. In Redmi 9A, this is done through desktop settings. Clutch the empty space on the screen or pinch with two fingers to go into edit mode, then tap the gear settings.

You can change the number of rows and columns here, and if you reduce the number of cells, you can visually increase the size of the icons, which can be convenient for people with poor vision or those who prefer minimalism, and you can also adjust the size of the signature font under the icons.

Changing the grid directly affects the perception of new design: Large, high-quality icons look better on a 4x5 or 4x6 grid, whereas small, detailed icons require a denser grid, such as 5x6 or 6x6.

Remember that when the grid density changes, the widgets can shift or change their size. After each grid edit, it is recommended to check how the widgets of weather, hours and news are displayed, and reconfigure them if necessary.

Possible problems and solutions

During customization, Redmi 9A users may encounter a number of common problems, most often when icons don’t change or return to their original appearance after a reboot, which may be due to the MIUI memory optimization mechanism, which resets theme cache to save resources.

Another common problem is poor image quality. If you use your picture, make sure it has sufficient resolution (at least 1080x1080 pixels), stretching a small image over the entire icon will lead to "ladders" and blur.

• 🔄 Reboot: Often helps a simple device reboot after applying the theme.
• 🗑️ Cache Clearing: Clear the app's cache Themes in the app settings.
• 📉 Version. MIUI: Make sure your firmware version is up to date, older versions may have rendering bugs.

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If icons are constantly flying, try not to apply entire themes, but to use the method of creating shortcuts or a third-party launcher with settings fixing.

In rare cases, the problem may be the theme file corruption. Try to delete the problematic theme and download it again. It is also worth checking for updates for the Theme app itself through the GetApps store or Google Play.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)