How to change the interface to Xiaomi: 5 ways to customize MIUI and not only

Not everyone likes MIUI on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, some find it overloaded, some too childish, and some just want freshness. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer a variety of ways to transform the look of the system, from changing themes to completely replacing the shell with pure Android or alternative launchers. In this article, we will analyze all working methods, including hidden MIUI settings, installing custom firmware, and optimizing performance after changes.

It's important to understand that the depth of customization depends on the device model and the firmware version. For example, on the POCO F5 with MIUI 14, some options are available, and on the Redmi Note 12 with HyperOS, others. We will take these nuances into account and give recommendations for different scenarios. Also note that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, which may be unwarranted. Let's start with the simplest and safest ways!

1. Change theme in standard MIUI settings

The fastest and safest way to refresh the interface is to use the built-in MIUI theme store, which offers thousands of free and paid options, including animations, sounds and icon styles.

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. In the lower menu, select the Topic or Wallpaper section.
3. Scroll through the list or use the search (loop at the top).
4. Click on your favorite topic and select Apply.

Note that some themes only change wallpaper and icons, while others completely transform the notification panel, lock screen and even system fonts. For example, the Dark Mode Pro theme adds additional shades of dark mode, and iOS Style mimics the Apple interface.

If after applying the theme some elements are displayed incorrectly (for example, the icons of the application became blurred), try:

• 🔄 Reset the theme to standard in settings and apply again.
• 📥 Update theme app through Play Market.
• 🗑️ Clear the application cache in Settings → Annexes → Topics → Warehouse.

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi) K70) Theme store may not be available. Use the Wallpaper and Style section in the settings instead.

2.Installation of third-party launchers from the Play Market

If the built-in themes aren't enough, the next step is to install an alternative launcher, an app that completely replaces the desktop, app menus, and even control gestures.

To set up the launcher:

1. Download it from the Play Market (like Nova Launcher).
2. After installation, click the Home button and select the new launcher as the main one.
3. Set it up via the menu (usually opens with a long tap on the desktop).

For deep customization in Nova Launcher:

• 🎨 Install an Icon Pack (such as Whicons or Delta) to replace icons.
• 👆 Set up gestures (like swiping up for search or down for notifications).
• 📊 Enable Adaptive Icons for uniformity of forms.

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If widgets (such as weather or calendar) are missing after installing the launcher, restart the device. Widgets should appear in the add-on menu in 1-2 minutes.

3. Replacement of icons without launcher (Icon Packs)

You don't want to change the launcher, but the icons in MIUI are annoying, and you can replace them separately with the icon packs.

1. Install any Icon Pack from the Play Market (such as CandyCons or Lines).
2. Install the X Icon Changer or Awesome Icons app.
3. In the icon change app, select the package and apply it to the desired applications.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Not all icons will be replaced (system applications) MIUI often remain intact).
• ❌ After updating the applications, the icons can be reset.
• ✅ No need to change the root or root rights!

For HyperOS devices (such as the Xiaomi 13T), this method works worse because of system limitations, in which case it is better to combine the Icon Pack with Nova Launcher.

4. Switch to pure Android (custom firmware)

If you're annoyed by built-in advertising, unnecessary services, or unoptimized animations in MIUI, you can install custom firmware based on AOSP (Pure Android).

• 📱 LineageOS - stable firmware with minimal changes.
• ⚡ Pixel Experience – Google Pixel interface with chips like Now Playing.
• 🔧 ArrowOS – Balance between customization and performance.
• 🎯 crDroid – extensive settings for experienced users.

The installation process requires unlocking the bootloader and may differ from one model to another.

Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool|

Download firmware and GApps (Google services)|

Install TWRP Recovery|

Make a backup of data (required!)|

Check firmware compatibility with the device model-->

Take the Pixel Experience installation on the Redmi Note 10 Pro for example:

1. Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool (you need a Mi Account and wait 7 days).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model (see instructions on 4PDA or XDA Developers).
3. Download the firmware from the official Pixel Experience and Open GApps website (select arm64 → 11.0 → nano).
4. Download to TWRP (Power + Vol Up buttons), make Wipe → Advanced Wipe (check Dalvik, Cache, System, Data).
5. Install the firmware, then GApps, and restart.

⚠️ Note: On devices with MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) Unlocking the bootloader often results in a loss IMEI or problems with the modem. NVRAM through MTK Engineering Mode.

After installing custom firmware, some Xiaomi features will stop working: for example, fast charging on non-original firmware can be limited to 10W, and the camera will use universal drivers instead of optimized from Xiaomi.

5. Configure hidden MIUI parameters (for experienced)

MIUI has hidden settings that allow you to fine-tune the interface without installing third-party apps.

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Activate options: Windows animation → set 0.5x for acceleration. USB debugging (needed for ADB). Do not turn off the screen while charging (useful for wallpaper slideshows).

With ADB, you can turn off unnecessary interface elements, for example, to remove ads in MIUI, do the command line:

adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.systemAdSolution


adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.xiaomi.midrop

To change the size and style of fonts without root:

1. Download the font in.ttf format (for example, with Google Fonts).
2. Place it in /sdcard/MIUI/theme/fonts folder.
3. Reboot the device and select the font in Settings → Screen → Font.

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If the device starts to warm or discharge quickly after changing the interface, check the power saving settings first. Often the problem is solved by turning off background activity for the launcher or returning to a standard theme.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When customizing the interface, Xiaomi users encounter common mistakes, and here’s how to fix them:

If after installing custom firmware, mobile Internet or Wi-Fi disappeared:

1. Check the IMEI via *#06# – if it’s Null, restore the NVRAM backup.
2. Fly the modem (modem.img and vendor.img) via Fastboot.
3. Make sure the firmware supports your modem model (e.g., the Snapdragon X60 in the Xiaomi 11T Pro).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions