How to change the size of icons on Xiaomi: 5 working ways for MIUI

The size of icons on Xiaomi smartphones is one of those little things that can dramatically change the perception of the interface. Too large icons take up half the screen and look ridiculous on large displays, and small ones make you squint and miss when pressed. Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to adjust the size of icons, but not all of them are obvious to users.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including hidden launcher settings, zooming through ADB, and even manually editing configuration files for advanced users. Separately, we will focus on the nuances for different versions of MIUI (12 to 15) and Xiaomi models, where standard methods may not work. If you are tired of uncomfortable icons, read on.

1. Standard method: settings of the MIUI launcher

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI Launcher options, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with the MIUI 12-15 shell version, the main advantage of which is that it does not require root access or PC connection.

To change the size of the icons:

• 📱 Long press on the free space on the desktop (not the icon!).
• 🔧 In the menu that appears, select Desktop Settings (or Home Settings in English firmware).
• 📏 Find the icon size section (usually the icon tab or Layout).
• 🔄 Move the slider to increase or decrease the icons. 3-5 fixed values are available.

Note: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), this section may be called Desktop Layout or hidden behind additional settings. If there is no slider, then your version of MIUI is using a different launcher (see next section).

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with MIUI for POCO (for example, POCO F5 or X5 Pro) the standard method may not work, in which case use the methods in sections 3 or 4.

2.Size resizing via POCO Launcher

If your Xiaomi is running MIUI for POCO, then instead of a standard launcher, it uses POCO Launcher, and here the algorithm is slightly different, but also does not require additional programs:

Instructions:

1. Hold your finger on the free area of the desktop.
2. Slip the Settings icon (cog in the lower right corner).
3. Go to the Size of Badges section.
4. Choose one of the options offered: Small, Medium, Large or Very Large.

POCO Launcher also has an option called Adaptive Icons, which automatically adjusts the size to the screen resolution, but it doesn’t work well on non-standard aspect ratio devices (such as the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3).

If the desired size is not in the list, you can try to cheat the system:

• 🔄 Set a minimum size of icons.
• 📱 Increase the screen size in Settings → Special facilities → Font size and display.
• 🔙 Go back to the launcher settings and select a larger size.

3. Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Lawnchair)

If the built-in settings are not good, you can always install an alternative launcher, especially for older Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi 5 or Mi A2), where MIUI functionality is limited.

For example, in Nova Launcher, the algorithm is as follows:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Hold your finger on the desktop → Settings.
3. Go to the size of the desktop → the size of the icons.
4. Move the slider or enter the value manually (30 to 200%).

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If the icons look blurry after resizing, turn on the option “Adaptive Icons” in the launcher settings. This will force the system to render them in the correct resolution.

Third-party launchers have the advantage of fine-tuning (you can size it in 1% increments), supporting themes and hiding unnecessary icons, and some MIUI features (like Second Space or App Vault) may not work properly.

4. Size resizing via ADB (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods worked, you can use them. ADB-This method is suitable for MIUI 13-15 and allows you to change the size of the icons even on those firmwares where the manufacturer has blocked the standard settings.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Win + R → cmd) and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
3. Enter a command to change the size of the icons (value) 1.0 — standard-size, 0.8 — decrease 20%, 1.3 — rise 30%): adb shell settings put global icon_scale_factor 0.8
4. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

⚠️ Attention: Inept use ADB If after resizing the icon, the icons are lost or artifacts appear, return the standard value with the command: adb shell settings put global. icon_scale_factor 1.0

This method does not work on all versions of MIUI. For example, MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12T may require additional command to apply changes:

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CONFIGURATION_CHANGED

5. Manual editing of launcher files (Root required)

The most radical way is to edit the launcher configuration files, which is only suitable for users with root access and experience with system files, and the advantage is that you can set any size of icons, including non-standard values.

Algorithm:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Cross the path: /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/ Find the file. com.miui.home_preferences.xml.
3. Open the file in the text editor and find the lines: <string name="pref_icon_size">1.0</string> Change the value (for example, by 0.7 reduce or 1.4 ramp up).
4. Save the file and restart the smartphone.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 15 for Xiaomi 14), the path may be different:

/data/user_de/0/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/

Also, additional parameters may occur in the file that affect the size of the icons in folders or on the notification panel:

<string name="pref_folder_icon_size">0.9</string>

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Before editing system files, make sure to back them up! an error in XML syntax can lead to a launcher crash and the need for flashing.

If after the changes the launcher stopped working, delete the file. com.miui.home_preferences.xml — It will be re-created with standard settings.

Problem Solving: Icons don’t change size

Sometimes, even after all the manipulations, the size of the icons remains the same, and let's look at the typical causes and ways of eliminating them:

• 🔄 Launcher's cache: Clear the app's cache MIUI Launcher in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher.
• 📱 Update MIUI: On some versions (for example, MIUI 12.5 Enhanced) icon size settings may be reset after the update.
• 🔧 Conflict of topics: If you use a custom theme from a Theme, try to return the standard one. Some themes block the resizing of icons.
• 🛠️ Reset Launcher Settings: In the Launcher Settings, find the Reset option (usually at the bottom of the menu).

If the problem persists, check if your smartphone has apps installed to optimize or change the interface (like Good Lock or Hex Installer) that can override standard MIUI settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the size of the icons on Xiaomi