How to make a beautiful desktop on Xiaomi: a complete guide to photos and videos

The desktop of a Xiaomi smartphone is a business card of your device that you see dozens of times a day. MIUI It's often boring, with monochromatic wallpaper, chaotic icons and no widgets, and yet even without root rights, you can turn the screen into a unique space that not only delights the eye, but also increases productivity.

In this article, we will discuss 10 Proven ways to customize the desktop on Redmi, POCO And Xiaomi, from simple settings on the phone's menu to hidden features and third-party apps, learn how to match the color of the case, hide unnecessary icons, add animated widgets, and even create a dynamic desktop that changes depending on the time of day. All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14/15 They work on models from Redmi Note. 12 Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Important: Before starting experiments, check the shell version in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. Some features (such as Super Wallpapers) are only available on flagships with a AMOLED-screen.

1. The choice of wallpaper: from standard to living 3D-background

Wallpaper is the basis of desktop design. MIUI There's a built-in gallery with hundreds of options, but most users don't even know about the hidden collections:

1. Long press on the free space of the desktop.
2. Choose "Wallpaper» → «My wallpaper».
3. Scroll down to the Specials section - Super Wallpapers are hidden here (for the first time) AMOLED), animated wallpapers and thematic collections (for example, "Space" or "Nature»).

For owners of devices with AMOLED-display (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5 Pro) There's live paralax-effect wallpaper available, and it responds to the tilt of the phone and creates the illusion of depth, so you can activate it:

Settings → Display → Wallpapers → Super Wallpapers → Select a theme (such as Mars or Earth)

If there are few built-in options, use third-party apps:

• 🌄 Backdrops – minimalist wallpaper with an emphasis on textures and gradients.
• 🎨 Zedge – the largest database of wallpapers and ringtones (there is a section specifically for Xiaomi).
• 🖼️ Muzei – automatically changes wallpaper from museum collections (for example, the Hermitage Museum).
• 🌌 KWGT Kustom Wallpaper – to create dynamic wallpaper with a time/weather widget.

⚠️ Warning: Live wallpapers and Super Wallpapers can increase battery consumption by 5-15%.If you notice a quick discharge, return to static images or reduce the frequency of updating animations in wallpaper settings.

2. Customization of icons: how to change shape, size and style

Standard icons in MIUI They look simple, but they can be completely transformed without root rights:

Method 1: Built-in icon styles

In the new versions MIUI There was a function of changing the shape of icons:

1. Long press on the desktop → «Settings».
2. Select "Icon Style» → Here are available options: Round, Square, Round and Adaptive (change color under wallpaper).
3. Unique icon sets are available for some themes (such as Frosted Glass).

Method 2: Packages of icons through the launcher

If there are few built-in options, install an alternative launcher (such as Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher) and download icon packs from the Play Market:

• 🎨 Whicons are minimalist white icons.
• 🌈 CandyCons – bright color icons with shadow.
• ⚫ Delta – Dark Icons for the AMOLED-screen.
• 🔴 Minima – flat design with an emphasis on geometry.

Method 3: Manual Replacement with Shortcut Maker

For advanced users: Shortcut Maker allows you to replace icons with any images from the gallery.

1. Install Shortcut Maker from Play Market.
2. Select the application you want to change the icon for.
3. Click on "Change the icon» → Choose an image from the gallery.
4. Save the shortcut to the desktop (the original icon can be hidden).

Make a backup of the current desktop (photo)

Install Nova Launcher (if you need icon packs)

Download 2-3 pack icons for testing

Check the compatibility of the pack with your version MIUI-->

3. Widgets: from weather to customized panels

Widgets in MIUI They're often ignored, but they can make the desktop not only more beautiful, but also more functional:

Standard MIUI widgets

Long press on the desktop → «Widgets. There are:

• 🌡️ Weather - with animation (rain, snow) and forecast for 7 days.
• 📅 Calendar – displays events from Google Calendar.
• 🎵 Music – Player control without opening the application.
• 📊 Steps/Health – data from Mi Band or built-in sensor.

Customized widgets through KWGT

Annex KWGT Kustom Widget Maker lets you create widgets from scratch or install pre-made templates.Popular sets:

• 🕒 Minimal Clock – a watch with date and weather.
• 📱 System Monitor – displays battery power, RAM and CPU.
• 🎶 Music Player - a stylized player with the album cover.

Installation instructions:

1. Download. KWGT Any widget pack you like (for example, KWGT Minimal & Elegant).
2. Long press on the desktop → «Widgets» → find KWGT (size 4×2 or 4×1).
3. Choose a downloaded template and adjust the colors to your wallpaper.

Dynamic widgets with time change

With Tasker. + KWGT You can create a widget that changes the design depending on the time of day:

• 🌅 Morning (6:00-12:00) – bright theme with the sun.
• 🌃 Evening (18:00–24:00) – dark theme with the moon.

⚠️ Attention: Widgets KWGT can slow down the animation of the interface, if more than 3 pieces are used at the same time. Optimally - 1-2 widgets per screen.

4. Hidden functions MIUI perfect desktop

MIUI It hides a lot of useful options that will help make the desktop cleaner and more convenient:

1. Hiding App Icons

You don't want to fill your desk with shortcuts?

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Select the Application → Hide

To return a hidden application, type its name in the search by settings.

2. Gesture folders

V MIUI 14+ You can swipe up the icon to the folder (like in iOS:

Settings → Desktop → Gestures of folders → Enable “Swipe up”

3. Double desk

Second Space allows you to create a second desktop with other wallpapers, icons and apps, useful for separating work from personal.

Settings → Special features → Second Space → Create a space

4. Light desktop mode

If you need minimalism, activate the mode with large icons and no widgets:

Settings → Display → Desktop Size → Easy Mode

5. Color filters for AMOLED

On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) You can include a dark theme with accent colors that highlight only active elements:

Settings → Screen → Color scheme → AMOLED-optimization

5. Topics MIUI: How to Download and Set Unique Styles

Xiaomi’s official Themes app offers thousands of free and paid themes that change not only wallpaper, but also icons, fonts, animations and even sounds.

Where to find themes?

1. Open the Themes app (if not, download from the Play Market).
2. Go to the section "Online" - here the topics are grouped into categories: Minimalism, Dark, Anime, Game.
3. To preview, click on the topic → «Apply».

Top.-5 thematically MIUI into 2026 year

• 🖤 [Pure Black] AMOLED — A black theme to save battery life.
• 🌿 Nature Green – green accents and wallpaper with forests.
• 🤖 Cyberpunk 2077 – Neon Colors and Futuristic Icons.
• ❄️ Frosted Glass – matte glass effect (like in macOS).
• 🎨 Material You – dynamic colors under the wallpaper (like in Android 12)+).

How to save your favorite topic?

If you found the perfect theme, but are afraid it will disappear after the update:

1. Download the theme (click Download in the Themes app).
2. Go to "My Subjects» → Find a downloaded theme → «Export" (saves the.mtz file).
3. Copy the file to your PC or cloud for backup.

⚠️ Note: Some topics from third-party sources (e.g. forums) 4PDA) You can only install.mtz files from trusted sources.

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If the theme does not apply due to the “Incompatible Version” error, try changing the phone region to India or China in Settings. → Additionally. → Region. After that, update the "Themes" app".

6. Animations and transitions: how to make the interface smoother

V MIUI There are hidden animation settings that can make the interface more dynamic or, conversely, speed it up:

1. Speed of animations

By default animation in MIUI It's pretty slow. It's just to speed them up:

Settings → Special features → Developer settings → Window animation speed (0.5x)


Transition animation speed (0.5x)




Duration animator (0.5x)

If there is no “Developer Settings” item, activate it:

Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times)

2. Opening/closing effects of applications

V MIUI 14+ New animations added:

• 🌀 Zoom – App grows from center.
• 🔄 Shift - the application "gets out" from the side.
• 💥 Flash is a bright transition (may be annoying).

To change:

Settings → Display → System animation → Select the effect

3. Gesture animation

If you use navigation gestures, you can adjust their appearance:

Settings → Display → Full-screen mode → Gesture style → Smooth or Fast

4. Disable animations to save battery

On weak devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A) animations can slow down:

Settings → Battery and Performance → Performance Mode → Saving Charge

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Changing the speed of animations does not affect performance, but can make the interface visually faster — 0.5x.

7. Desktop Organization: Folders, gestures and hidden applications

Even the most beautiful desktop will be useless if it's chaotic.

1. Automatic sorting of icons

MIUI can independently group applications into categories:

Long press on the desktop → Settings → Self-sorting icons → Enable

2. Smart folders

Folders in MIUI They can automatically sort apps, like the Social Networks folder, which will add WhatsApp, Telegram and Telegram to it. VK. To create:

1. Drag one icon to another.
2. Name the folder (for example, “Work”).
3. Click on the folder name. → «Auto-filling» → Choose categories.

3.Gesturals for quick access

Set up gestures to open apps with swipes:

Settings → Desktop → Gestures → Add a gesture

Popular combinations:

• 👆 Swipe up with two fingers - open the camera.
• 👇 Swipe down with two fingers - turn on the flashlight.
• ➡️ Double swipe to the right – start Google Assistant.

4. Hiding System Icons

Some icons (such as “Mail” or “Calendar”) cannot be removed, but you can hide:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Select the Application → Hide

5. Division of the desktop into zones

Use the first screen for commonly used applications, the second screen for widgets, the third screen for folders, and add a new screen:

1. Swipe left on the last screen.
2. Click "Add screen."

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To quickly find an app on a loaded desktop, use a swipe search down, which works even if the widgets are disabled.

8 Additional tools: from launchers to icons

If built-in capabilities MIUI Not enough, use third-party tools for deep customization:

1. Alternative launchers

• 🚀 Nova Launcher – flexible customization of icons, gestures and animations.
• 🎨 Hyperion Launcher – Dynamic Colors and Adaptive Icons.
• ⚡ Lawnchair – Lightweight launcher with Material You support.

2. Icon applications

• 🖌️ Icon Pack Studio – Creating your own icons.
• 🎭 iThemes - packs of icons in the style of iOS.

3. Widget tools

• 📱 UCCW — Advanced customized widgets (requires root).
• 🌡️ Another Widget – Minimalist Weather Widgets and Batteries.

4. Animation utilities

• 🎞️ Lottie for KWGT — animation.
• 🔄 Fluid Navigation Gestures – customization of gestures (works without root).

5. Backup of the desktop

Before experimenting, keep the current configuration:

• In Nova Launcher: "Backup» → «Save».
• In the standard launcher: take screenshots of each screen.

⚠️ Note: Some launchers (such as Nova Launcher) may conflict with gestures MIUI. If swipes stopped working after installation, turn off conflicting gestures in the launcher settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions