Owners of smartphones brand Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often face the desire to make the interface of the device unique, different from the standard appearance of the shell MIUI. Changing the appearance of application shortcuts is the easiest and most effective way to personalize the gadget without resorting to complex technical manipulations. Android system in conjunction with the proprietary launcher provides several levels of access to graphic elements, allowing the user to choose the degree of interference with the system.
There are many methods, from regular tools to third-party launcher apps that completely replace the desktop. Some require an Internet connection, others work offline. It's important to understand that data security when installing third-party themes or launchers is always the first priority, so it's worth choosing proven sources.
In this article, we will take a look at all the algorithms available, the pros and cons of each method, and answer frequent questions that arise during the process of modifying the interface.
Use of the built-in “Themes” application
The most obvious and safe way for a beginner is to use the regular Theme app, which is preinstalled on every Xiaomi device, which allows you to download ready-made design packages developed by both the company and independent designers. The installation process is simple: you need to launch the application, go to the Icons section and choose your favorite set.
However, it is worth considering that free quality sets in the official store are becoming less and less, many developers offer their work for a small fee or by subscription. When using the package, the system will automatically replace the standard images of shortcuts with new ones, if they are in the database for specific applications.
⚠️ Note: When downloading themes from third-party sources (not through the Themes app), there is a risk of damaging the system files of the interface, which can lead to a cyclical restart of the launcher.
Changes often require a reboot of the desktop or the entire device. If the icons haven't changed after applying the theme, check the settings of the particular theme, as some packages only change wallpaper and fonts, leaving shortcuts standard. Each theme's description usually indicates which elements it modifies.
Installation of third-party launchers
If a standard MIUI launcher seems too limited, the best solution is to install an alternative shell. Software like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair take full control of the desktop, providing advanced customization capabilities. Once you install it and assign it to the main one, you get access to thousands of free icon sets on Google Play.
The third-party launcher takes longer to set up, but it's worth it. You can change the grid size, the animation of opening apps, and of course the shortcut graphics, and for that, the launcher's settings usually have a separate "Icon Library" or "Style" item where you can download the downloaded package file.
- 🎨 Nova Launcher – the standard of stability and flexibility of settings, supports any packages of icons.
- 🚀 Smart Launcher – automatically sorts applications by category and has built-in support for themes.
- 📱 Microsoft Launcher – integrates perfectly with the Windows ecosystem and offers beautiful daily wallpaper.
- ⚡ Lawnchair – lightweight launcher that simulates the interface of pure Android with smooth animation.
It is important to note that when using a third-party launcher, some gestures of the system, such as swipes to call the control menu or a “card” of running applications, may stop working if they are tied to the system shell, in which case you have to look for workarounds or put up with the changed logic of work.
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Before installing a third-party launcher, take a screenshot of the location of your widgets on your desktop to quickly restore them to the new shell.
Manual Replacement through theme editor (MTZ)
For advanced users who want to change only specific icons without affecting the rest of the design, there is a method using.mtz files. This is a format of MIUI theme archives that can be edited on a computer. The essence of the method is to extract graphic resources, replace the desired images with your own and package back.
To work, you’ll need a computer, an archiver (like 7-Zip), and a basic understanding of file structure. You’ll need to find or download the basic theme, unpack it, replace the icons files in the icons folder (usually with the.png extension), and pack back the archive back, saving the structure. The file is then installed through the Themes app.
The folder structure inside the.mtz archive:
/theme/
├── icons/ (there are png files of icons)
├── preview/
└── description.xmlThis method requires patience, as icon file names may not be obvious (e.g. com.android.settings.png).However, it gives maximum control: you can leave system icons to unuched by changing only messengers or games.
What to do if the topic is not set?
Using apps to change icons
There is a category of applications that are not full-fledged launchers, but work as an add-on or theme manager. Examples are XIcon changer or Shortcut Maker. These snails create shell shortcuts on top of the original applications, assigning them new graphics.
The main advantage of these programs is that you can change the icon selectively for one application, so you can make the Telegram shortcut red and WhatsApp black, creating your own unique pattern, and you can't do this with standard MIUI without using the whole themes.
| Annex | Type of work | I need a Root. | Widget support |
|---|---|---|---|
| XIcon Changer | Labelling | No. | Limited. |
| Shortcut Maker | Label constructor | No. | Complete. |
| Icon Pack Studio | Icon editor | No. | No. |
| MIUI Theme Editor | Topics editor | No. | Complete. |
It’s worth remembering that these shortcuts may behave differently than native ones, such as not displaying a notification counter (badge), or opening animations may be a little slower due to the extra layer of processing by the system.
Set up an individual icon for the application
The latest versions of MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS have a built-in partial customization feature, which allows users to change the icon of a particular application directly from the settings menu without installing third-party software, especially for those who want to keep the stock launcher but need visual diversity.
To use this feature, you need to pin your finger on the app icon on your desktop and select the "Edit" option (pencil icon). If the feature is available for this version of the software and region, you will see the option to select an image from the gallery or standard system set.
- 🖌️ Press and hold the icon on your desktop.
- ✏️ Select the menu item Edit.
- 🖼️ Click on the current icon image.
- ✅ Choose a new style or photo from the gallery.
Unfortunately, this feature doesn’t work for all apps and depends on the specific smartphone model.On budget models of the Redmi Note series, the capabilities can be reduced compared to the flagship Xiaomi 13/14 lineup.
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The built-in icon editing feature in MIUI is the most stable method, without affecting battery performance and notifications.
Possible problems and solutions
The personalization process is rarely perfectly smooth. Users often find that once the theme is installed, icons become square, rounding disappears or disappear completely, turning into gray squares. This is due to the fact that not all applications have vector or adaptive icons in the new Android standards.
Another common problem is desynchronization after a system update. Major MIUI updates can reset applied themes or disrupt paths to third-party launchers, in which case re-using the theme or reinstalling the launcher while saving a backup of the settings helps.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to run out quickly after changing icons, check if you are using live icons or themes with a high frame rate, which increases the load on the processor.
To solve the display problems, it is recommended to clear the cache of the Themes and System UI application. You can do this through the Settings menu → Apps → All Apps → Find Themes → Clear. This often returns the correct display of graphic elements.