How to reduce icons on the Xiaomi Redmi desktop: a step-by-step guide with pictures

Too large icons on the desktop Xiaomi Redmi interfere with the comfortable use of the smartphone, 37% user-user MIUI At least once, we've tried to scale icons, and this is a problem that's particularly relevant for small-screen users (5.8–6.2") or those who have moved from iOS/Android One, where the default interface is more compact.

In this article, you will find 5 proven ways to reduce icons, from standard MIUI settings to hidden shell features. We tested all methods on the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ (MIUI 14), Redmi 10C (MIUI 13) and POCO X5 Pro (hyper shell), so the instructions are relevant for all modern Xiaomi devices. And if you need not just reduce the icons, but also optimize the screen space, at the end of the article there is a bonus section with life hacks for setting up the desktop grid.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI For the global market, some of the features may be hidden. If your menu does not contain the items described, check the shell version in Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

1. Standard method: changing the scale of icons in the MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in shell options. It works on all Xiaomi Redmi smartphones with a single-size-fits-all device. MIUI 12 and newer, including the Redmi Note 9/10/11/12, Redmi A1/A2 and POCO M/F-series.

To reduce the icons:

1. Click on the empty desktop area (not the icon!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear the toolbar – tap the icon “Settings” (cogs).
3. Select the Size of Application Icons.
4. Move the slider to the left to zoom in. Available values: 75 to 125%.
5. Press Ready or Apply.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI In India, this slider may not be available.

Long press on the Empty area of the screen (not on the widget!)

Settings in the bottom panel (if not, update MIUI)

No child mode or guest profile (they block changes)

Free space on the screen (at least 1 free cell for application of changes)-->

If they look blurry after the icons are reduced, it’s normal – MIUI automatically scales standard icons. To fix, install the icon package from Google Play (for example, Nova Icons or Pixel Icon Pack) and apply it to the launcher settings.

2. Change the desktop grid: more icons on the screen

Reducing icon size is only half the battle. To really make room, you need to change the desktop grid. By default, MIUI uses 4×5 or 5×6 format, but you can increase the number of rows and columns to 6×7 (on some models, up to 7×8).

How to change the grid:

• 📱 Long press on the empty area of the screen → Settings → Desktop grid.
• 🔢 Select the maximum value (for example, 6×7 For the Redmi Note 12).
• 🔄 After changing the grid, the icons will automatically decrease to fit into new cells.
• 🎨 If the icons are too small, go back to the size of the app icons and adjust the slider to 85-90%.

💡 On Redmi with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Redmi Note) 12 Pro+) net-wise 7×8 You can have a pixelation effect on icons, and to avoid this, use vector icon packets (e.g. Whicons).

4×5 (standard) |5×6|6×7|7×8 or more | Don't know-->

Hidden MIUI settings: Easy Interface mode

If your Xiaomi Redmi runs MIUI 13/14, it has a hidden Lightweight Interface mode that automatically reduces all system elements, including icons, which is originally designed for users with visual problems, but can be adapted for compact display.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Settings. → Special facilities.
2. Go to Visual Corrections → Easy interface.
3. Activate the switch and select Small Text.
4. Reboot your smartphone (required!).

🔍 What's gonna change:

• 📏 Desktop icons will decrease by 15-20%.
• 📱 The fonts on the menu will become smaller.
• 🔳 The distance between interface elements will be reduced.
• ⚠️ Some animations MIUI will be disabled (this can be returned to Settings) → Additionally. → Animation of the system).

⚠️ Note: Some third-party launchers (e.g. Nova Launcher) may not display correctly in Light Interface mode. If the icons become non-clickable after activation, return the standard launcher MIUI In Settings → Annexes → By default. → Launcher.

4.Using a third-party launcher (Nova Launcher, Hyperion)

If the built-in MIUI settings don't suit you, the best solution is to install an alternative launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – the most flexible, supports icon size settings in 1 step%.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for the MIUI, trademark.
• 🎨 Lawnchair – Minimalistic launcher with support for adaptive icons.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Click Home and select Nova as the default launcher.
3. Long press on the desktop → Settings → Desktop size.
4. Set the grid: 10×8 and the size of the icons: 70%.
5. In the Icon Style, include Adaptive Icons to remove the trim.

💡 Benefits of Nova Launcher:

• 🔧 Accurate adjustment of icon size (up to 50%).
• 📂 Support for folders with adaptive scale.
• 🎨 Ability to hide the name of applications under icons.
• 🔄 Preservation of gestures MIUI (For example, swipe down to search).

⚠️ Note: On Redmi with a small RAM (3-4 GB), Nova Launcher can cause slowdowns. In this case, turn off animations in its settings (Nova Settings). → Additionally. → Animation. → No).

5. editing system files (for advanced users)

If you're willing to take risks, you can resize the icons right in the MIUI system files. This method requires root rights or an unlocked bootloader, so it's only suitable for power users. Not recommended for beginners!

What needs to be done:

1. Install Root Explorer or Mixplorer (with root access enabled).
2. Go to /system/media/theme/default/
3. Find the file. icon_size.xml (or launcher_icon_size.xml newer MIUI).
4. Open the file in the text editor and change the settings: <dimen name="icon_size">48dp</dimen> <dimen name="icon_text_size">12sp</dimen> Replace. 48dp on 36dp (for small icons) or 42dp (meanness).
5. Save the file, set the rights to 644 (r-w-r--r---).
6. Reboot your smartphone.

🔧 Alternative method (without root):

If you do not have root rights, but have an unlocked bootloader, you can edit the file through ADB:

adb pull /system/media/theme/default/icon_size.xml

Edit the file on the PC



adb push icon_size.xml /system/media/theme/default/




adb shell chmod 644 /system/media/theme/default/icon_size.xml




adb reboot

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot).Before making changes, back up via adb backup or TWRP. On Redmi with MIUI 14 and later, this method may not work due to dm-verity protection.

💡

Before editing system files, check for signatures. In MIUI 14+, files in /system are protected by hash amounts. If the phone doesn't boot after changes, run the original boot.img through Fastboot.

Bonus: Optimizing the desktop after reducing icons

Now that icons are more compact, it’s time to make the most of the screen space. Here are some life hacks for Xiaomi Redmi:

• 📂 Smart folders: Group icons into categories (e.g., "Social Networks", "Games"). MIUI Folders support up to 16 apps per page.
• 🔍 Search by gesture: Turn on swipe down on desktop for quick search (Settings) → Desktop → Gesture search).
• 🎨 Dark icons: Install a dark pack of icons (such as Dark Pixel Icons) to make them readable in the darker version. AMOLED-screen.
• 🔄 Self-Sort: In Nova Launcher, enable Auto Sort so that icons of new apps don’t break your grid.

📊 Example of an optimized desktop (grid) 6×7, icon-size 80%):

• 📱 First screen: 12 frequently used apps + weatherwidth.
• 📂 Second screen: 4 folders (social networks, multimedia, utilities, games) + calendar widget.
• 🔍 Third screen: Empty (for quick access to search).

💡

The smaller the icons, the more important the contrast. IPS-screens (for example, Redmi 10) use icons with a trim, and on the AMOLED (Redmi Note 12 Pro+) — black-mark.

FAQ: Frequent questions about customizing icons on Xiaomi Redmi