How to turn Xiaomi into an iPhone: from launcher to system tweaks

Do you dream of a clean iOS interface but not ready to part with Xiaomi? Or do you want to surprise friends by giving your Redmi Note 12 to an iPhone 15? Turning an Android smartphone into a visual copy of an Apple device is a task that is doable but requires attention to detail. In this article, we will examine all possible ways, from superficial changes (launchers, wallpaper) to deep system tweaks (animations, fonts, sounds).

It's important to understand that you can't install full-fledged iOS on Xiaomi -- they're different closed-source operating systems. But with a combination of apps, themes and manual configuration, you can achieve 90% similarity in everyday use, including gestures, notification menus and even a Siri-like voice assistant. We've tested all the methods on the Mi 11 Ultra, Poco F5 and Redmi K60 -- the results will surprise you.

1. Basic changes: launchers and icons

So, to start with, the simplest thing is to change the launcher and the icons, which doesn't require root rights, and it's good for beginners, and the rule is, pick gesture-enabled launchers to simulate navigation like you're on an iPhone.

The best options for Xiaomi:

• 📱 Lawnchair 2 is a lightweight launcher with customization of icons for iOS, support for themes and adaptive wallpaper. The free version is limited, but enough for a basic transformation.
• 🎨 iLauncher is a specialized launcher for iOS with ready-made icon packages and animations. Plugins allow you to add a dock panel like on the iPhone.
• ⚡ Nova Launcher + iOS Icon Pack is a flexible solution for advanced users, allows you to fine-tune transitions between screens and hide the top notification bar.

For full effect, download the iOS 17 Icon Pack or iCons for iOS icons from Google Play. Don’t forget about the wallpaper: the official wallpaper for the iPhone 15 can be found on sites like wallpaperscraft.com in a resolution of 2778×1284 (for Xiaomi, trim to 2400×1080).

2. System Tweaks Without Root: From Gestures to Animations

To bring Xiaomi’s behavior closer to the iPhone, you’ll need to change navigation gestures, transition animations, and audio cues, most of which are hidden in the developer menu or require third-party apps.

Activate the Developer Mode:

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

Then go to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable:

• 🔄 Window animation → 0.5x (iOS-like)
• 📱 Navigation gestures → Full-screen gestures (analogue of swipes on iPhone)
• 🔊 Turn off the sounds. → Locking sound, charging sound (iOS silent when cable is connected)

To simulate AssistiveTouch, use the EasyTouch app, which allows you to add a quick-to-menu-access floating button, like on an iPhone with Touch ID. Set it up to 70% transparency and place it in the lower right corner, which is where it is on iOS.

💡

To remove the “Developers for Developers” label in the notification panel, turn off the “USB Debugging” option in the same menu.

3. Deep customization: MIUI Themes and ADB-team

If you are ready to go further, the topics MIUI and ADB-Xiaomi's official Themes app contains hundreds of iOS themes, but most of them are paid or require subscriptions:

• 🌙 iOS Dark Theme – a dark theme with icons and fonts like in iOS 17.
• 📱 iPhone X Style – imitates the interface with rounded corners and gestures.
• 🎵 iOS Sounds – replaces system sounds with original ones from the iPhone (lock, unlock, photos).

For advanced users available ADB-commands that allow you to change system settings without root, for example, to hide the charging indicator in the status bar (like on the iPhone), run:

adb shell settings put global hide_battery_percent 1

Or to turn off the vibration when you press the screen (specific to iOS):

adb shell settings put system haptic_feedback_enabled 0

4. Imitate iOS features: Siri, Face ID and AirDrop

Some iPhone chips can be played on Xiaomi using third-party apps.

To simulate Control Center, install the iOS 17 Control Center app, which adds a swipe down to the right for quick access to shortcuts, like on your iPhone.

• 🔦 Lantern (include by long pressing the icon)
• 🔊 Volume Controller with Visual Feedback
• 📶 Mobile Data Switch and Wi-Fi

💡

No app can completely replace Face. ID — Xiaomi’s facial scanner (even on flagships like the Mi 13 Ultra) uses a 2D-camera, not 3D-iPhone-like scanner.

5 Risks and pitfalls: What could go wrong

Before you start the transformation, consider the possible problems:

⚠️ Attention: Installation of informal topics or modified themes APK-Xiaomi is actively fighting pirated content, and some “iOS themes” contain hacked elements.

Other risks:

• 🐢 Slowing down the system – heavy launchers and animations can lag on budget models (Redmi) 10A, Poco M4).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption – the constant operation of background processes to simulate iOS-feature reduces autonomy on the basis of the 15-20%.
• 🔄 Update conflicts after major updates MIUI Some tweaks can fly or cause errors.

If you decide to return everything back, make a backup through Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Backups, or manually save important data, and factory resets don't always remove changes made through the process. ADB.

Make a data backup|Check the vacant space (needs to be checked) ≥3GB)|Disable automatic updates MIUI|Record the current screen settings|Install File Manager for backup-->

6.Comparison of results: Xiaomi vs iPhone

Even after all the manipulations, the key differences between Xiaomi and the real iPhone remain, and we tested the transformed Poco F5 Pro next to the iPhone 14 Pro Max — here’s what happened:

The most notable failure is the camera. Even with the Google Camera installed, the processing of photos on Xiaomi will remain “android”, but in everyday use (messaging, social networks, web surfing), only an experienced user will notice the difference.

7. Alternative ways: emulators and cloud iPhones

If you want a full iOS, not just a visual simulation, consider these options:

• 🖥️ iOS emulator on PC – programs like iPadian or Smartface allow you to run iOS applications on Windows.
• ☁️ Cloud iPhone — services like Appetize.io or BrowserStack provide remote access to iOS through the browser.
• 📱 Double firmware on some Xiaomi (e.g. Poco) X3 Pro) you can install Project Sandcastle, an iOS port for Android. 90 brick risk%!

The latter method is highly discouraged — it requires unlocking the bootloader, which cancels the warranty and often leads to “bricking” the device. If you really need an iPhone, it is easier to buy a used model (for example, iPhone 12 for 30-40 thousand rubles) than to risk the performance of Xiaomi.

💡

No iOS emulator or port will offer 100% compatibility with the App Store.Most iOS apps (especially games) require a real Apple device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi’s transformation into iPhone