How to change the size of the icons on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, which run on the shell of MIUI or the new HyperOS, offer users a huge opportunity for customization. The visual component of the interface plays a key role in the ease of use of the gadget, especially for people with impaired vision or those who prefer minimalism on the desktop. Standard settings often seem limited, but the system allows you to flexibly manage the scale of the elements.

Changing the size of app icons is not just a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to improve the ergonomics of using the device. Large icons make it easier to navigate with one hand, while smaller ones allow you to place more widgets and shortcuts on a single screen. In this guide, we will break down all the available methods, from standard features to advanced settings.

Consider that the interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and model of your smartphone, but the basic principles remain the same throughout the brand ecosystem, and we will look at both simple solutions for beginners and deeper methods for power users.

Standard display settings in MIUI and HyperOS

The easiest and safest way to change the visual experience of the desktop is to use the built-in system parameters. Xiaomi has a separate section that adjusts the scale of the interface elements, you need to open the Settings application and find the Screen item.

Inside the screen menu, you'll be interested in text size and elements, and as you move the slider, you'll notice that not only does the font in the messages change, but the proportions of the app icons change, and that's a system change that affects the entire operating system interface.

⚠️ Note: With a strong zoom in, some interface elements can “climb” beyond the screen or overlap in applications that are not optimized for large fonts.

Some versions of the shell also offer One-Hand Mode or special themes that automatically adjust the desktop grid. If standard sliders aren't enough, you should pay attention to the settings of a particular launcher.

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Before changing system parameters, take a screenshot of the current desktop to be able to visually compare the result and, if necessary, return to the original state.

Using the Themes app to change style

The official Themes store is a powerful tool that is often underrated. Many users are looking for ways to resize icons through customization, forgetting that the theme completely dictates the rules of visualization. The catalog has thousands of free and paid packs available.

To use this method, open the Themes app and go to the Icons section, where you can select a separate icon pack that will replace the standard images, often indicating whether the theme supports large shapes or compact style.

• 🎨 Ready-made solutions: Download the whole theme if you want to change not only the icons, but also the settings menu, notification curtain and system sounds.
• 🖼️ Mixing: You can apply icons from one theme to the current design without changing the wallpaper and the look of the widgets.
• 📐 Screen grid: Some themes automatically change the number of columns on the desktop (e.g., with a desktop setting). 4x6 on 5x7), Visually reduces the size of each element.

Once a new pack is installed, the system may require you to restart or apply changes through the desktop editing menu, which is the most secure method, since it does not make changes to system files.

Set up the desktop grid and launchers

The density of the elements directly affects their perceived size, so in the standard MIUI and HyperOS launcher, you can change the number of rows and columns, and you can do this by pinching two fingers on the home screen or holding an empty area for a long time.

In the menu that appears, select Settings (cogs) and find Grid. Increasing the number of cells (for example, switching from 5x5 to 6x6) will automatically reduce the size of each icon to fit into the allocated space. This is an effective way to achieve compactness without third-party software.

If the functionality of a regular launcher is not enough, users often turn to alternatives such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which allow you to set exact sizes in percentages or pixels.

When installing a third-party launcher, the system may periodically suggest returning the standard one. To avoid this, Xiaomi's security settings need to pin the preferred application by default.

Advanced Methods: Engineering Menu and ADB

For users who need complete control, there are techniques that require caution: Dots per inch (DPI) density changes allow all interface elements to be scaled globally, making them smaller or larger without loss of quality.

One way to do this is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands, which would require you to connect your smartphone to your computer, enable USB debugging, and type in a special command, which allows you to set an exact numerical value for the pixel density.

adb shell wm density 400

In this example, 400 is the DPI value. Standard values for modern Xiaomi smartphones range from 360 to 440. Reducing the number will make all the elements larger, increasing them smaller.

⚠️ Attention: Set extremely high or low values DPI through ADB It can cause the interface to become unreadable and you will have to reset your device settings to factory.

There is also a hidden developer menu available through a code set in the “caller.” By entering the code ##6484## (or similar to your model), you can get into the engineering menu where display tests are available, but direct resizing of icons is rare there and depends on the specific version of Android.

Scaling problems and their solution

Users often experience icons that become disproportionate after upgrading or installing a new theme, with some apps looking giant and others barely visible, because different developers use different standards in their graphical shells.

A common problem is floating icon signatures or cropping the edges of images, which is solved by clearing the System UI cache or restarting the launcher, sometimes requiring the removal of a conflicting design theme.

• 🔄 Launcher reset: Go to Settings → Annexes → All applications, find your launcher and click “Clear Data».
• 📱 Checking for updates: Make sure the version is MIUI/HyperOS relevant, as patches often correct layout bugs.
• 🚫 Disabling Optimization: In some cases, disabling battery optimization for an application whose icons are displayed incorrectly helps.

If the problem is only in one particular app, it’s likely that it’s not compatible with the current screen resolution of your Redmi or Poco.

Features of the interface on different models

Xiaomi’s lineup of devices is extensive, and the approach to the interface may differ.On the flagship models of the Xiaomi 13/14 series with HyperOS, the animations and element sizes are tuned more aggressively for smoothness.

Budget models of the Redmi Note series can have a simplified menu of display settings, in which case third-party launchers become the only way to fine-tune, and it is also worth considering the type of matrix: on AMOLED screens, small elements look sharper than on IPS.

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The most stable result of changing the size of the icons is achieved by a combination of setting up the screen grid and selecting a quality theme from the official store.

Remember that excessively reducing icons on low-resolution (HD+) screens can lead to a soapy image, and in such cases it is better to leave the standard size and experiment with background color or wallpaper to improve readability.