Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones feature high-pixel density displays that allow you to display a huge amount of information on a single screen. However, standard settings for the MIUI or HyperOS shell are often focused on maximum readability, making the interface elements too large. This can interfere with comfortable use of the device, especially if you are used to seeing more content at the same time or you have a large screen over 6.5 inches.
Many users mistakenly believe that changing the size of the icons can only be installed by installing a third-party launcher, which is not always safe and convenient. In fact, the Android system and its add-ons from Xiaomi have powerful tools for customizing the interface. Screen scaling and changing the density of the DPI allows you to achieve the desired result without losing functionality and smoothness of the system.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to reduce icons, from basic settings that are available to everyone to advanced methods through the developer menu, and learn how to customize the interface to your preferences, making it more compact and informative, while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
Basic font and screen size settings
The easiest and safest way to change the visual experience of the desktop is to adjust the system display parameters, in the MIUI and HyperOS shells, these settings are combined into one convenient section, changing these parameters not only affects the application icons, but also the text in the menu, buttons and widgets.
To start, you need to go to the main settings menu of your device, find the Screen (or Display) section where the basic brightness and color reproduction are located, and this is where the tool we need is hidden, and if you click on the Size of text and elements, you will see a slider that changes the scale of the entire interface grid.
As you move the slider downwards (usually to the left or to a smaller A icon), you'll notice that the icons on the desktop are getting smaller, freeing up space. System scale is a global parameter that recalculates the sizes of all the icons on the desktop. UI-Elements of the operating system in real time.
- 📱 Open the settings of your Xiaomi smartphone.
- 👁️ Go to the Screen or Display and Brightness section.
- 🔤 Select the Size of Text and Elements.
- 📉 Move the slider down until the size of the icons is comfortable.
It’s worth noting that over-scaling can make text in some applications unreadable or cause controls to become too small to be precisely pressed.The optimal solution is to find a balance where icons take up less space but remain easy to use with one hand.
If you don't have a standard range, and even a minimum value seems large, there are deeper customization methods, but for most users, working with the system slider is enough to achieve an acceptable result.
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Changing the slider of the size of elements is the safest method that does not require developer rights and does not affect the stability of the device.--WIDGET
Setting up the desktop grid in the theme of design
Another effective way to visually reduce icons is to change the density of their location on the desktop. The MIUI shell allows you to flexibly adjust the screen grid, which directly affects the size of the icons. The more cells you place on the screen, the smaller the size of each individual icon will be.
To access these settings, you don't have to go deep into the system menu. You just need to do a long tap (tap and hold) on the free portion of the desktop. In the bottom menu that appears, select Settings (the gear icon). Here you are interested in the Grid section.
In the menu that opens, you'll see markup options like 4x5, 5x6 or 6x8. Choosing a variant with more columns and rows (like 6x8) will automatically reduce the size of the icons, as the system will have to fit them into the same physical edges of the screen, but in greater numbers, creating a reduction effect without changing the system DPI.
⚠️ Note: When choosing a grid that is too tight (for example, 7x9 and higher on screens up to 6.5 inches) icons can become so small that it will be difficult to get a finger at them.
When you change the grid, the system will suggest you to make changes, and you'll see a preview where you can see how the desktop will change, and if you're happy with the result, confirm the action, and this change only affects the desktop and the application menu, without affecting the interface within the running programs.
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Try the combination: minimum font size in screen settings + 6x8 grid. This will give the maximum reduction in standard means without using code.
If you are using a third-party theme from the Themes store, the number of grid options available may differ from the stock theme Classic or Default.
Use of Developer Mode and DPI
For users who don't have enough standard tools, there's a more powerful method, which is to change the minimum width (DPI) through the developer menu. DPI (Dots Per Inch) is a dot-per-inch density parameter that tells the system what size the interface elements should be. Increasing the DPI value makes the system think the screen has a higher density, and it reduces all the elements, including icons.
To access these settings, you need to activate the hidden menu. Go to Settings → About Phone. Find the MIUI Version or OS Version bar and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row until the "You're a developer" notification appears.
Once activated, go back to the main settings menu, go to Advanced Settings, and select Developer For. In this long list of options, find Minimum Width (or Smallest Width). The default value is usually around 360-392 dp depending on the model.
Recommended change: +40-50 units to current value.
Example: It was 392 → Bet 432 or 440.Be careful: abruptly changing this setting (for example, setting a value of 800 or 1000) can cause the interface to become unreadable and you have to reset the phone settings. Changing the DPI affects all applications, so in some programs the layout can go.
- 🔧 Activate Developer Mode via About Phone.
- 📂 Go to Advanced Settings → For developers.
- 📏 Find the minimum width option.
- 📝 Write down the initial value and increase it to 40-50 unit.
What if the screen is black or unreadable?
This method is the most effective for reducing all interface elements globally, and is especially useful on smartphones with high-resolution (2K, 4K) screens, where standard zoom may not be enough to display enough information.
Comparison of methods of changing the size of icons
The choice of method depends on your goals and device model, each method has its advantages and disadvantages, which should be considered before making changes. Below is a table that helps determine the best option for setting up.
| Method | Impact on the system | Difficulty | Security |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size slider | Text and elements of UI | Low. | Tall. |
| Desktop grid | Only the desktop. | Low. | Tall. |
| Change to DPI | The whole system and applications | Medium | Medium |
| Third-party launchers | Only the launch interface | Tall. | Depends on the software. |
As you can see from the table, changing the DPI is the most powerful effect, but it requires caution. Using a grid is the most gentle option if you're only worried about the desktop. Text size slider is the middle ground for most users who just want to make room a little bit.
Keep in mind that different models, like the Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 or POCO F5, have different pixel density, so the same DPI value will look different on different devices. Always build on the visual experience on your particular screen.
☑️ Check after changing settings
Application of third-party launchers
If the built-in HyperOS or MIUI doesn’t satisfy you, there’s always the option of installing a third-party launcher, which is a replacement for the standard desktop that provides advanced customization capabilities. Popular options include Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher.
Installing this app allows you to customize the size of each icon individually, change the grid to any value, add additional search lines or dock bars. In Nova Launcher, for example, you can set the size of the icon as a percentage of the grid cell, which gives you almost limitless possibilities for creativity.
However, the use of third-party launchers on Xiaomi has its own peculiarities: the system can aggressively unload them from memory, which leads to delays when unlocking the screen or returning to the desktop, and there may be problems with displaying “bangs” (cutout under the camera) or navigation gestures.
⚠️ Warning: After installing a third-party launcher, be sure to give it all the necessary permissions and fix it in memory (locking in the menu of recent applications) to avoid interface failures.
To install a third-party launcher, download the app from the Google Play Store, launch it and follow the configuration instructions. Then the system will prompt you to select the default home screen app — select a new launcher. You can return to the standard interface at any time through the App settings → By default.
Frequent problems and their solution
When adjusting the size of the icons, users may encounter various artifacts, such as when the DPI changes, the text in some applications may become too small or, conversely, cropped, in which case it is recommended to return to the original value of the minimum width.
Another common problem is to desynchronize the size of icons in the app menu and on the desktop, which often happens when using third-party themes, the solution is simple: reset the theme to the standard (Classic) and reconfigure the grid.
If icons have become square or have lost their shape after the system update, check the theme settings. MIUI 14 and HyperOS have the ability to change the shape of icons globally. Go to Settings → Wallpaper (or Themes) → Settings of icons and choose a round or original shape, which can visually change the perception of their size.
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Any DPI experiment is best done with the ability to quickly reset settings via Recovery or Safe Mode, although in practice, a careful change rarely leads to critical errors.
Remember that regular system updates can reset some user settings, including developer settings, so after a major Android or shell update, it’s worth checking if your interface size preferences have persisted.