How to reduce the size of shortcuts on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the desire to personalize the look and feel of their device. One of the most sought-after changes is to reduce the size of app icons on the desktop. The standard settings for the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS don’t always provide flexible sliders for precise adjustment, forcing users to look for workarounds.

The need for compact shortcuts is often dictated by the desire to place more widgets or make it easier to navigate on high-resolution screens. Large icons can overlap important interface elements or simply not match the aesthetic preferences of the owner. In this article, we will examine all available methods, from built-in grid functions to the use of third-party software.

It's important to understand that the Android interface on Xiaomi devices has its own architecture. System restrictions can block some changes without obtaining superuser rights, but there are effective ways to get around these barriers. You will learn to customize the desktop as convenient for you, without losing functionality.

Use of built-in desktop grid settings

The easiest and safest way to visually reduce the size of shortcuts is to change the density of shortcuts. The MIUI and HyperOS shells allow you to change the number of cells in the grid, which automatically scales the icons, and the more cells you choose, the smaller each individual interface element will appear.

To access these settings, you need to pinch the empty space on the desktop with your finger. In the bottom menu that appears, you should select Settings (the gear icon). Then go to the More section and select Grid. Here you will be offered layout options, for example, 4x6, 5x6 or 6x9.

⚠️ Note: When choosing a grid with a large number of cells (for example, 6x9) icon signatures may become too small or disappear, and some widgets may stop showing properly due to space shortage.

Grid modification is a standard method that doesn't require any additional software to be installed, and it affects the system in a uniform way, so if standard grid options aren't enough and you need more fine-tuning, you'll have to use other tools.

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Increasing the number of cells in the grid is the only regular way to reduce icons without third-party software.

Adjusting font size and screen scaling

The size of the shortcuts on the screen is directly related to the global content display settings. There is a parameter in Android that changes the scale of all interface elements, including application icons, text and navigation buttons, which can be a solution for those who want to make the interface more compact.

To find these settings, go to the main Settings menu of the phone. Next, select the Screen section and find text size and display (or just text size). As you move the slider downwards, you will notice how not only the letters but also the graphic elements of the launcher compress.

• 📉 Scaling down makes the interface denser and more informational.
• 👁️ Too small elements can impair readability for people with impaired vision.
• ⚙️ Changes apply instantly to all applications and system menus.

It's worth noting that this method affects the entire phone, not just the desktop, and if your goal is to reduce only the icons by leaving the text readable, it may not be the right option, but when combined with the grid settings, it does work.

Using a theme with small icons

MIUI Themes is a powerful customization tool that is often underrated. Many users are looking for complex engineering menus, forgetting that designers create themes with pre-prepared little icons. Installing such a theme is the fastest way to change visual style.

Open the Themes app on your device. Type in queries like "Small icons," "Mini icons" or "Compact" in the search results. When you select a theme, look for a preview: if the icons in the screenshots look small, then they will take up less space on the screen after installation.

Some can only change a portion of standard applications, leaving third-party programs in their original form, in which case it is better to search for a topic from a popular author or a high-ranking one.

Installation of a third-party launcher

If the built-in shell capabilities of Xiaomi are not good for you, the best solution is to install an alternative launcher. Third-party desktops such as Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher provide almost limitless options for customizing the size, shape and indentations of icons.

Once you install the launcher from Google Play, you need to give it permissions. MIUI may require you to change the desktop default app. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. In the new launcher settings, find the Desktop or Icon style section.

Nova Launcher Settings → Desktop → Grid → 6x6 or higher

Here you can set the exact number of rows and columns, and adjust the size of the icons themselves as a percentage, which gives you much more freedom than standard settings, and third-party launchers often run smoother and consume less resources than heavy system shells.

⚠️ Note: When using a third-party launcher, some system gestures (for example, swipe down for search) may stop working, as they are tied to the standard Xiaomi launcher.

Configure through the Engineering Menu and ADB

For advanced users who want to gain full control of the system, there is a method of changing the pixel density (DPI) through USB debugging, which allows you to reduce the size of all interface elements, making them very compact, but it requires caution.

First, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version (or OS Version). Then in advanced settings, enable USB Debugging. Connect your phone to your computer and use the ADB command to change density.

adb shell wm density 320

The 320 value is an example. The standard value for many smartphones is about 400-420. By reducing this number, you reduce the size of the elements. Be careful: setting a low value can make the interface unreadable, and you will have to reconnect the phone to the PC to return the settings.

Possible problems and solutions

In experimenting with label sizes, users may encounter display artifacts, icons may bump into each other, text may crop, and widgets may stop functioning, most often by returning to the standard grid or rebooting the device.

If after installing a third-party launcher, the phone started to work slower, try turning off animations in the developer settings or clearing the cache of a new application. Sometimes the conflict of Android versions and launcher causes instability.

• 🔄 Rebooting the phone often solves problems with the “go” layout.
• 🗑️ Removing newly installed themes can return to the original look.
• ⚙️ Resetting the launcher settings helps if the grid parameters are lost.

In rare cases, especially after a system update, settings can go off on their own, which is normal for major HyperOS updates, where developers change the structure of the interface configuration files.

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Before making radical changes through ADB, take a screenshot of your current settings or write down a standard DPI value to know where to return in case of problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)