How to reduce icons on Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Modern smartphones in the Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO line have high-pixel density screens that allow you to display a huge amount of information. However, the standard interface scale offered by the manufacturer does not always suit users who want to see more content at the same time. Often there is a need to reduce the size of interface elements to make the desktop look more compact and informative, resembling a tablet mode.

In Android, which runs the MIUI and HyperOS shells, a special parameter known as DPI (dots per inch) is responsible for scaling graphic elements, changing this value allows you to globally resize all objects, including application icons, menu text and widgets, which does not require superuser rights, but requires careful configuration.

There are several ways to achieve the desired result, from using standard theme settings to interfering with the developer’s engineering menu. The choice of the specific method depends on your device model, firmware version and desired degree of detail. In this article, we will discuss all the current zoom options so that you can customize the screen to your individual preferences.

Standard settings of theme and grid size

Before you get to the complex system changes, it’s worth checking out the basic personalization capabilities available in the standard Themes app. Xiaomi shells are famous for their flexibility, and often you can reduce the visual weight of icons simply by changing the style of design to a more minimalist one. Some themes use reduced graphic elements by default, which immediately changes the perception of the desktop.

Also important is the size of the desktop grid, which increases the number of cells horizontally and vertically automatically reduces the size of each individual icon, because the system needs to fit more objects in the same area of the screen, which is the most secure method that does not affect system files.

To change the grid, the following actions must be performed:

• 📱 Press and hold your finger on an empty part of your desktop.
• ⚙️ In the bottom menu that appears, select “Settings” or “Settings».
• 📐 Find the “More” section or immediately see the grid selection (e.g, 5x6, 6x6).
• ✅ Select the maximum number of cells available to reduce the size.

It's worth noting that changing the grid only affects the location of objects on the desktop, but doesn't change their size in the menu of all applications or in the system settings. If your goal is to scale globally across the entire interface, this method is only a partial solution.

Using third-party themes is a quick way to refresh the look of your smartphone. However, remember that poorly designed themes may contain layout errors, which can cause text underneath icons to overlap or crop. Always check the topic's rating and other users' comments before installing.

Using Developer Mode to Change DPI

The most effective way to reduce icons and all interface elements is to change the minimum screen width (DPI), which is hidden in the Developer Menu, which is disabled by default on all Xiaomi devices. Activating this mode opens access to deep system settings.

To get to the menu, you need to quickly click on the MIUI version number seven times in the About Phone section, and when you see the "You're a developer," you'll see a new item in the settings menu, and that's where you're looking for the setting that allows you to change the pixel density.

The algorithm for changing the DPI is as follows:

• 🔓 Unblock access to the developer menu through multiple clicks on the OS version.
• 🔍 Go to Settings. → Advanced settings → For developers.
• 📏 Find the "Minimum Width" option (or "Smallest Width»).
• 📝 Write down the original value so you can go back to it.
• 📉 Reduce the value by 10-20% (for example, 360 before 320).

It's important to understand that changing the DPI affects the entire interface, and text in messages, buttons in apps, and system fonts will also become smaller, which can make some screens difficult to read without using a magnifying glass or glasses.

⚠️ Note: Do not set extremely low values DPI (This can cause the interface to become unreadable and some controls to disappear from the screen, making it impossible to control the smartphone without resetting the settings.

Once the value is changed, the system can automatically restart the interface or require a complete reboot of the device, and the effect is applied instantly to all running and future applications that support adaptive layout.

Comparison of interface scaling methods

Users often wonder which method is best used to achieve a goal. Each of the methods examined has its advantages and disadvantages, which depend on the model of your device and the ultimate goals of the modification. Below is a comparison table to help you choose the best option.

As you can see from the table, changing the DPI is the only way to scale globally, but using third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher) gives you more flexibility in customizing icons, allowing you to change their size regardless of system settings, but this only changes the shell, not the system menu.

If you use your smartphone primarily for document processing or web surfing, reducing the DPI through the developer settings will give the best result, increasing the usable screen area. For ordinary users who just want to clean up the desktop, changing the grid is enough.

Use of third-party launchers

An alternative to system constraints is installing a third-party launcher. The MIUI or HyperOS shell has its own limitations on the minimum size of icons that cannot be circumvented by standard means.

Popular launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher provide detailed settings for the grid size and size of the icons themselves. You can set a 10x10 grid and shrink the icons to the smallest possible size, leaving only a small indentation between them.

Advantages of using third-party launchers:

• 🎨 Complete customization of appearance without risk of damage to the system.
• 📉 The ability to specify the exact size of the icons in percentages or pixels.
• 🔄 Easy return to standard view by removing the application.
• 🚀 Additional functions of animation and gestures.

However, third-party launchers consume more RAM and battery power than the standard Xiaomi shell, and they can conflict with system scroll gestures, requiring additional customization in the special features menu.

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To better optimize the third-party launcher on Xiaomi, stick it in memory. Open the menu of running applications, find your launcher and press the lock. This will prevent it from being uploaded from memory by the system.

Possible problems and solutions

Interference with system scaling settings is not always unnoticed. Some applications may not display correctly when the DPI is changed because their interface is not adapted to the non-standard pixel density, which is often found in banking applications or older versions of programs.

Typical problems include overlaying text on images, trimming buttons or completely disappearing controls, in which case the application may become unusable, the solution lies in individually configuring the DPI for a particular application or returning global settings.

List of common symptoms and solutions:

• 📱 The text became unreadable: Increase the meaning DPI on 10-20 unit.
• 🔳 Missing buttons in apps: Return the original value DPI.
• 🔄 Cyclical Reboot: Boot into Safe Mode and Reset Settings.
• ⌨️ Keyboard not working: Change DPI a value multiple of the standard step.

In rare cases, changing the DPI can cause touchscreen to become out of sync when the clicks are not recorded where the cursor is, a critical error that requires immediate return to factory settings.

⚠️ Warning: Before making any changes to the developer menu, make sure you know how to get into safe mode of your Xiaomi model.This is usually done with a long press of the off button or a combination of volume buttons at start.

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The golden rule of modification is to always change only one parameter at a time and test the result before making the next changes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)