The smartphone interface is the first thing that catches your eye every time you unlock the device, and for many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco, the standard look of the icons becomes familiar and even boring over time. Fortunately, the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS provide ample customization opportunities, allowing you to turn the desktop into a unique space that reflects your personal style. Unlike many other manufacturers, the Chinese giant has built powerful personalization tools directly into the system without requiring the user to complex manipulation of root rights.
The process of changing the visual design can range from simply selecting a ready-made set in the official store to deeply customizing the parameters of fonts and forms through the engineering menu. It is important to understand that the visual component affects not only aesthetics, but also navigation: properly selected contrast icons help you find the right applications faster. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to transform the interface, including hidden functions that not all users know about.
Before we get into action, it’s worth noting that some methods require an Internet connection, as the style library is constantly updated.In addition, the location of menu items may vary slightly on different versions of firmware (Chinese or global), but the overall logic remains the same for the entire brand ecosystem.
Official MIUI and HyperOS Theme Store
The easiest and safest way to radically change the look of your smartphone is to use the built-in Themes app, a central customization hub where developers from around the world post their works. To access the full functionality, you’ll need a Mi Account that is tied to the device when you first set up.
Once you open the app, go to the Profile tab (usually the little man icon in the lower right corner) where you find the Icon item, and that's where the library of thousands of sets hides, you can sort them by popularity, novelty, or rating. Many sets are free, but there are premium options that require payment or internal currency.
- 🎨 Open the Topics app on the desktop.
- 👤 Go to the Profile section in the lower menu.
- 🖼️ Select the Icons item to view the catalog.
- ⬇️ Click Download on your favorite set and apply it.
⚠️ Note: When installing themes from third-party sources or unofficial stores, there is a risk of getting malware, so use only the proven Topics app from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that a new set of icons often involves changing the system colors and sometimes even the style of the settings menu if the theme is complex. If you want to change only the shape of the icons, leaving the wallpaper and system colors the same, look carefully at the preview before downloading. Some themes allow you to use only individual components, for example, only icons or only wallpaper, which gives flexibility in settings.
Use of third-party launchers
If standard MIUI shell capabilities seem limited, third-party launchers come to the rescue, special desktop replacement apps that completely change the logic of smartphone interaction and the appearance of the interface, and installing such software is a great way to get an experience close to Android One or unique chips that are not available in stock firmware.
Popular options are Nova Launcher, Lawnchair and Microsoft Launcher. Once installed, it will ask permission to become the default primary screen. In the launcher settings, you can change the desktop grid, transition animations, gestures and, of course, pick up any icon packages from Google Play, of which there are millions.
The main advantage of this method is independence from system updates. Even if Xiaomi changes its policy on themes, the third-party launcher will continue to work steadily. However, it is worth remembering that some heavy launchers may consume more RAM, which on budget models with 4 GB of RAM can lead to more frequent closure of background applications.
☑️ Choice of launcher
When using a third-party launcher, system features such as a widget card or specific MIUI gestures may not work properly or be available. For example, a swipe down for search may stop working if the launcher does not have the appropriate permissions.
Manual replacement of icons of individual applications
Often, the overall style of the icon set is likeable, but one or two icons are out of the picture or just not like visually, in which case you don't have to change the whole set - the system allows you to replace the icon of a particular application manually, this is especially true for rarely used system utilities or specific banking applications.
To do this, you'll need the Themes app again. Go to Profile and select Icons. In the list that opens, click on the Setup button (usually located at the top or bottom of the list) and you'll see a grid of all the apps installed on your device.
| Action. | Description of the outcome | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Choice of application | Opening a replacement menu for a specific software | Section Set up |
| Finding an alternative | Selection of new graphics from the catalog | A pop-up window |
| Reset | Return to the standard badge | Reset button |
| Click on the icon. | The system will offer to choose a new style | Menu settings |
| Choose an option | The icon will change instantly. | Thematic catalogue |
| Confirm. | Changes are saved automatically | Selection screen |
In the menu that opens, you can select any other icon from the already downloaded sets or find a new one in the store. Once you select, click Apply. This method allows you to create a truly unique combination, where, for example, messengers are neon-style and working tools are strictly monochrome.
It is important to know that when you update the app itself, its icon may return to the standard one, and the procedure will have to be repeated, and manual replacement only works for applications installed in the main user profile, and may not work for applications in Second Space mode.
Setting the shape and size of icons
New versions of HyperOS and recent updates to MIUI 14 have introduced the long-awaited feature of changing the shape of icons without installing whole themes, which allows you to adapt the interface to your preferences: make all icons round, square or leave the standard shape, changing only their size.
To access these settings, go to Settings → Desktop. Here you will find Change the size of icons. By moving the slider, you can make the icons larger for ease of use with one hand or, conversely, reduce them to fit more elements on the screen.
- 📐 Go to the smartphone settings.
- 🏠 Select the Desktop section.
- 🔘 Find the item Change the size of icons.
- 🖱️ Move the slider to adjust the scale.
Hidden form setting
Size change directly affects the number of rows and columns of the grid, and when icons are reduced, the system automatically suggests rewiring the grid by adding additional cells, a useful feature for users who prefer minimalism and want to see more widgets and applications without scrolling the screen.
Changes in System Fonts and Their Impact
Although the issue was about icons, you can't ignore fonts, because they're an integral part of visual style. In MIUI, fonts are closely integrated with the theme, and changing one often entails changing the other, but you can customize them independently.
There's a separate Font section in the Theme app, where you can choose the type that you want to use throughout the system, and some fonts have a different geometry of letters, which visually changes how you feel about the interface, and for example, round fonts are good with round icons, creating a soft and friendly look.
⚠️ Note: Installing fonts with non-standard encoding or damaged structure can cause the text on the menu to become unreadable ("krakozyabry"). Always check the preview before installing.
To return to the standard view, you just need to choose the Default or System option in the font menu. If the interface becomes unstable after installing the font, try restarting the device in Safe Mode and removing the problem file through the file manager or theme settings.
Hidden capabilities and interface debugging
For advanced users who want to gain full control of the look and feel, there are methods that go beyond the standard menu.Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) allows you to make changes to system configuration files, although this requires caution.
One popular method is to change the screen density (DPI), which makes all interface elements, including icons, smaller or larger, either through a computer with an ADB installed or through special applications that require access rights.
adb shell wm density 400Where 400 is density. The standard value is usually around 420-440 dpi for modern smartphones. Reducing that number will make icons and text smaller, increasing the usable screen area. However, don't put extreme values, because it can make the interface unusable.
Remember your screen’s standard DPI before experimenting. For most Xiaomi devices, it’s in the range of 390-440 units.
It also allows you to manually edit files by unpacking the.mtz archive on your computer, replacing the icons graphics files in your icons folder and packing them back, a technique that requires knowledge of graphic design and Android file structure, but gives you absolute creative freedom.