How to change icons in the curtain Xiaomi MIUI 12: all working methods

The notification panel (or “curtain”) in MIUI 12 is not just a tool for quick access to settings, but also a business card of the interface of your Xiaomi smartphone. Standard icons for turning on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or flashlight become boring over time, and their design does not always harmonize with the chosen theme. Fortunately, the manufacturer and third-party developers offer several ways of customization, from simple themes to deep system changes.

Many users mistakenly believe that replacing icons in the curtain requires root rights or complex firmware manipulations. In fact, even without them, you can achieve impressive results. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from official MIUI topics to manually editing system files through ADB. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that are often missed in brief instructions: compatibility with specific models, the risks of resetting, and ways to roll back changes.

If you're just starting to learn customization Xiaomi, start with the first section on themes — this is the safest and most reversible way. ADB-commands or modifications of system APK. Remember that some methods can lead to locking the device if used improperly on firmware with a locked bootloader (relevant for European and global versions). MIUI).

1.Official method: use of MIUI themes

The easiest and safest method to change icons in the curtain is to install themes from the official MIUI Theme Store.This method does not require technical skills and works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and later, including the Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco X3 Pro or Mi 11.

The themes in MIUI change not only app wallpaper and icons, but also graphical interface elements, including icons in the notification panel. For example, the theme “Dark Mode Pro” replaces standard switches with minimalistic black and white, and “iOS Style” mimics the design of the control panel Apple.

• 📱 Advantages: No root, reversible, large number of free options.
• ⚠️ Restrictions: Not all themes change icons in the curtain (you should search with the "Control Center" or "Notification Panel" tags»).
• 🔄 Compatibility: Works on all versions MIUI 12/13/14, including HyperOS.

To apply the topic:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on desktop).
2. Go to the Popular section or search for the "control center".
3. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes in the window that appears (some topics require a reboot).

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI Before the new version, some elements of the themes may be reset. To avoid this, save your favorite theme in My themes before the update. → Save.

2. Manual modification via ADB (no root)

If the official topics are not satisfied, you can go further and change the icons in the curtain through ADB-This method does not require superuser rights, but requires a smartphone connection to a computer and basic command line knowledge, suitable for users who want to install custom icons from third-party packs (for example, from designers with a computer). XDA Developers).

The principle of the method is based on the replacement of system files SystemUI.apk, which are responsible for displaying the notification panel. Importantly, this method works only on firmware with an unlocked bootloader (relevant to Chinese versions of MIUI or devices with custom firmware like LineageOS).

• 🖥️ What you need: a PC with installed ADB Tools, USB-cable, archive with custom icons.
• 📁 Replacement files: usually ic_wifi_signal_*.png, ic_bluetooth_*.png, etc. in the folder /system/priv-app/SystemUI/SystemUI.apk/res/drawable.
• ⚠️ Risks: Bootloop is possible if you make an error).

Step-by-step:

adb shell


su




mount -o rw,remount /system




cp /sdcard/ic_wifi_signal_4.png /system/priv-app/SystemUI/SystemUI.apk/res/drawable/




chmod 644 /system/priv-app/SystemUI/SystemUI.apk/res/drawable/ic_wifi_signal_4.png




reboot

⚠️ Note: Before starting, be sure to backup the original file SystemUI.apk Adb pull team /system/priv-app/SystemUI/SystemUI.apk. Without it, it will be extremely difficult to restore work.

Install ADB Tools on PC|Enable debugging on USB developer-setting|Download the archive with icons for your version MIUI|Make a backup. SystemUI.apk|Check the battery charge (minimum) 50%)-->

3. applications for customization (with root)

If your Xiaomi has root rights installed, the process of replacing icons in the curtain is simplified by many times. There are several specialized applications that allow you to change icons without manually editing system files, the most popular of which are Substratum, Hex Installer and MIUI Customizer.

Substratum is a versatile Android theme tool that supports overlays for MIUI. It can be used to apply ready-made icon packs without touching system APKs. For example, the “PitchBlack” theme completely reworks the design of the curtain, including icons and backgrounds.

• 🔧 How it works: The application creates surface layers that overlap standard interface elements.
• ✅ Pros: does not require editing system files, it is easy to roll back changes.
• ❌ Cons: on some firmware may conflict with MIUI Optimization (you need to turn off in the developer settings).

Instructions for Substratum:

1. Install the app from Google Play or XDA Labs.
2. Download compatible icon packs (e.g. MIUI Mix or DarkSubstratum).
3. Open Substratum, select the downloaded pack and click Select for installation.
4. Restart the device (sometimes SystemUI cache cleaning is required).

💡

If the icons in the curtain have not changed after applying the theme in Substratum, try manually clearing the cache of the System UI application in the settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Show Everything → System UI → Storage → Clear the cache).

4. Modifications SystemUI.apk (advanced)

This method is suitable for users who are ready to dive into the decompilation and recompilation of system APKs. It allows you to change not only the icons, but also their location, size, or even add new elements to the curtain, for example, you can transfer the NFC switch to the top panel or replace the standard brightness slider with a custom one.

The work will require:

• 💻 PCs with Java, Apktool and 7-Zip.
• 📱 Smartphone with root or custom recovery (TWRP).
• 🎨 Graphic editor (such as Photoshop or GIMP) icon-editing.

Algorithm of action:

1. Download the original SystemUI.apk file from your device (adb pull /system/priv-app/SystemUI/SystemUI.apk).
2. Decompile it with Apktool: apktool d SystemUI.apk -o SystemUI_folder
3. Open the folder. SystemUI_folder/res/drawable and replace the icon files (for example, ic_signal_wifi_*.png on their own.
4. Recompile APK: apktool b SystemUI_folder -o SystemUI_mod.apk
5. Sign a new APK with a uber-apk signer and install it via TWRP or ADB.

⚠️ Note: If after installation of the modified SystemUI.apk The smartphone has stopped loading, load in TWRP and restore the original file from the backup. APK, which causes the system to collapse.

5. Alternative launchers with support for curtain customization

If you don’t want to mess with system files, but standard MIUI themes don’t work, look for alternative launchers, some of which, like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, allow you to install custom notification bars through plugins.

The Poco Launcher, especially on non-Poco devices, offers built-in support for curtain themes, including changing icons and background color, and the main advantage is that you don’t need to modify anything in the system, you just need to install a launcher and apply the theme.

• 🎨 Lawnchair 2: Supports Shady Plugin to Customize Notification Panel.
• ⚡ Nova Launcher: Requires an additional TeslaUnread module to modify icons.
• 📱 Poco Launcher: built-in themes for curtains (works on all Xiaomi with the help of the new model) MIUI 12+).

How to set up Poco Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Go to the launcher settings → Themes.
3. Select a theme marked “Notification Panel” (e.g., “Dark Mode” or “Colorful”).
4. Apply the changes and restart the launcher (long press on the desktop → Restart).

💡

Alternative launchers are the only way to change the curtain without root and ADB, but they work on top of the system and can conflict with MIUI gestures (e.g. swipe down to call the notification bar).

Frequent problems and their solutions

When customizing the curtains in MIUI 12, users often encounter common errors, and consider the most common and ways to eliminate them:

• 🔄 The curtain dropped after the update: MIUI In addition, updates often overwrite system APK. The solution is to repeat the replacement procedure or roll back to the previous version of the firmware.
• ⚠️ Icons are shown curved: the cause may be incorrect resolution of icons. Check that the new files are the same sizes as the original ones (see table in section 4).
• 🚫 Switches do not work: if after modification of the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth buttons do not respond to pressing, most likely, the file is damaged. SystemUI.apk. Restore it from the backup.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge: custom themes or modified SystemUI can increase energy consumption. → Battery.

If you have used ADB or Substratum but the changes have not been applied, follow these steps:

adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui


adb shell pm clear com.miui.home




adb reboot

For HyperOS devices (the new Xiaomi firmware of 2026), some methods may not work due to the changed system file structure, in which case we recommend using alternative launchers or waiting for tools like Substratum to be updated.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions