Personalizing the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 interface is one of the most popular ways to make smartphone use unique. Device owners often face the desire to change the standard visual style offered by the factory firmware MIUI. Fortunately, the Android system in conjunction with the shell from the Chinese manufacturer provides flexible tools for deep customization of the appearance.
The process of replacing graphic elements can range from simple installation of a finished theme to complex manual adjustment of each shortcut through third-party software. Redmi Note 7, with a powerful processor for its class and sufficient amount of RAM, easily cope with any visual changes without losing performance. In this article, we will discuss all available methods, from standard to advanced.
It's worth noting that standard tools allow you to change icons only in packets, that is, completely for all applications at once. If your goal is to replace the graphical display of a particular application, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, with a unique picture, additional actions will be required. We will consider both scenarios so that you can choose the most suitable one.
Using the built-in Themes app for mass replacement
The easiest and safest way to change the look of the interface is to use the regular Theme tool, which is pre-installed on all Redmi Note devices and allows you to download pre-made design packages. The library stores thousands of options created by both official designers and the community of users.
To get started, you need to start the app and go to the Themes tab, where you can use a search by keywords like Minimal, Neon or iOS style to find the appropriate style. After choosing the option you like, click Download and then Apply. The system will automatically replace all the standard shortcuts with new ones that correspond to the chosen design.
It is important to understand that the application of the theme affects not only shortcuts, but also the control panel, system sounds and sometimes the lock screen. If you are only interested in replacing the application graphics, when using the theme, select the option “Set up the theme” (if available for this package) and leave the ticks only on the item “Icons” to save the usual wallpaper and widgets.
Some themes may be paid or require a Mi Account with a region other than yours, and users often change the region in their account settings to India or Singapore, where the directory is much wider, but beware: downloading modified themes from unverified sources can lead to unstable launcher operation.
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The built-in Themes app is the only official way to replace icons without installing third-party software.
Manually Replace an Icon of a Specific Application Through the Settings Menu
The latest versions of the MIUI have the ability to change the icons of individual applications without installing third-party launchers or themes, a feature that is especially convenient when you need to highlight frequently used software or simply replace the standard logo with a more aesthetic one.
To use this method, go to Settings → Desktop → Application icons. Here you will see a list of all installed programs. Select the desired application from the list, and the system will suggest replacing its current icon with one of the alternatives available in the current topic, or allow you to select an image from the gallery.
- 📱 Open the smartphone settings and find the “Desktop” section».
- 🎨 Go to the “App icons” section to view the list.
- 🖼️ Select the desired app and click on the current icon to replace.
- ✅ Confirm the changes so that a new shortcut appears on the screen.
The gallery image selection feature allows you to use any images saved on the device. You can download PNG logos online with a transparent background for better visual effect. Please note that the quality of the final icon will depend on the resolution of the original image; it is recommended to use graphics at least 512x512 pixels.
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Use PNG images with transparent backgrounds to create icons so they look harmoniously on any wallpaper.
The downside of this method is that when you change the global theme, manually installed icons can be reset to default values if the new theme does not support user overriding, and this method does not allow you to add notification badges in the same style as the main icon if the design is very different from the system.
Application of third-party launchers for full customization
For users who want to have full control over the look and feel of their Redmi Note 7, installing a third-party launcher is the best solution. Apps like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher completely replace the standard desktop shell, providing advanced customization options.
Once you install the launcher from Google Play Market, you need to make it the default app. Android will request confirmation of the action, after which the smartphone interface will change. In the settings of the new launcher, you can not only change the icons, but also adjust the desktop grid, animations, gestures and behavior of the dock panel.
| Launcher | RAM consumption | Flexibility of setting | Support for plugins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Average. | Very high. | Yes. |
| Lawnchair | Low. | Tall. | No. |
| Smart Launcher | Low. | Medium | Partially. |
| Microsoft Launcher | High. | Medium | No. |
To replace an icon in a third-party launcher, you usually need to press the shortcut long enough and select "Edit" or "Edit"; from the menu that opens, you can select new graphics from the gallery or from built-in icon packages. Most popular launchers support automatic application of icon packages downloaded separately.
The impact of launchers on the battery
Using an alternative launcher can lead to some visual inconsistencies in the system menus, as they remain under MIUI control. For example, the notification curtain and settings menu will look old, while the desktop will take on a new look. This creates a patchwork effect that not all users like.
Creating shortcuts with unique icons through the “Tags” app
If you don’t want to change the entire interface or install heavy launchers, but want to replace the icon of a particular application, the ideal solution is to use shortcut utilities. The most popular and functional tool in this category is the Shortcut Maker application or the X Icon Changer analog.
The way these programs work is to create a new shell shortcut, so you pick the target application, you upload any image as an icon, you give the label any name, and you have a new button on your desktop that, when you click, triggers the program you want, and you can remove or hide the standard shortcut.
⚠️ Note: When creating a shortcut through a third-party app, Android may request permission to “Map on top of other windows” or “Special features.” This is necessary for the startup function to work properly, so access must be allowed.
The advantage of the method is that it's completely independent of system themes. You can create a cyberpunk desktop using screenshots from movies as icons for regular applications, and you can create multiple shortcuts with different functions in one application, as long as the program supports deep links.
But there's a major drawback to this: icons created through these tools may not automatically update when the target application updates are released, although this is rare. More critically, when you reset the launcher or reinstall it, all manually created shortcuts will disappear and you will have to repeat the procedure.
☑️ Checking before installing custom icons
Install icon packs for advanced users
For those who already use a third-party launcher or custom theme that supports third-party packages, there is a huge market for Icon Packs. These are specialized graphics sets designed specifically to replace standard system images. There are thousands of such sets available on Google Play, from free to premium.
The process of installing the icon package is simple: download the application package, launch it and click the “Apply” button. If you have a compatible launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher), it automatically recognizes the package and prompts you to apply it to all available applications.
Many icon packages contain thousands of images, but it often happens that for some specific or regional application, there are no icons in the set. In this case, launchers usually substitute a standard system shortcut or neutral template. Some advanced packages allow you to manually match the missing icon from the set with the desired application through the editing menu.
When selecting a package, pay attention to the date of the last update. Developers regularly add icons for new versions of popular apps. If the package has not been updated for several years, chances are that many icons will look irrelevant or not at all. Also check compatibility with your version of Android, although most packages are universal.
Possible problems and their solution when changing icons
While customizing, Redmi Note 7 users may face a number of technical challenges, most often due to the limitations of the MIUI shell, which aggressively manages memory and application resolutions, understanding these nuances will help avoid frustration and quickly return the system to work.
One common problem is that icons disappear after a device is restarted, which often happens if the launcher doesn't have permission to start or run in the background, and to fix this, you need to go to the battery settings, find the launcher you're using, and set the "No Limits" mode.
⚠️ Note: If after installing a theme or launcher, the smartphone started to work slowly or freeze, try clearing the launcher cache through the Apps menu or temporarily remove the recently installed large themes.
Another common situation is the “configuration” of icons to standard ones after the system update. Android or MIUI updates can overwrite desktop configuration files, in which case reuse of the theme or icon package helps, and if the problem persists, you may need to reset the launcher settings to factory ones.
Users also sometimes complain about the poor quality of the display icons (pixelation), which occurs when the image is stretched. The standard size of the icons in Android varies, but the optimal is considered to be a square of 192x192 or 512x512 pixels. Using images of lower resolution will lead to a loss of quality on the screen with a high density of pixels, like the Redmi Note 7.
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The stability of the custom interface depends on the correct energy saving settings for the selected launcher.