How to reduce shortcuts on Xiaomi: full screen settings

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face situations where standard sizes of interface elements seem too cumbersome. This is especially true for models with large screen sizes, where a standard 4x5 or 5x6 grid leaves a lot of free but useless space. The desire to put more applications on one desktop is a natural desire to improve the efficiency of the gadget. However, the standard settings of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS do not always provide obvious sliders to change the scale.

There are several proven ways to do this, from simple menu settings to deeper system interventions. Changing icon sizes directly affects your perception of information and speed of navigation. In this article, we will look at all the methods available to help you make the interface more compact and easy to use for applications.

Use of built-in screen grid settings

The easiest and safest way to change the visual experience of a desktop is to adjust the grid density. The MIUI shell allows the user to select the number of rows and columns, which automatically reduces the size of shortcuts to fit within a given boundary, a standard feature that does not require superuser rights or third-party software installation.

To access these options, you need to make a long tap on an empty section of the desktop. In the bottom menu that appears, you should select Settings (the gear icon). Next, the editing menu will open, where you need to find the More section or immediately go to the grid settings. Here you will see configuration options, for example, 4x6, 5x6 or 6x9.

• 📱 Choosing density 5x6 or 6x9 Automatically reduces the size of the icons.
• 📉 The more cells in the grid, the more compact the interface elements become.
• 🔄 Changes apply immediately after confirmation of the choice.

It is worth noting that when choosing the maximum grid density, the text under the labels may become less readable, in this case, it is also recommended to pay attention to the font settings, which will be discussed below.

⚠️ Note: When switching to a very tight grid (e.g, 6x9) Some weather or calendar widgets may not display correctly or change their size because they are tied to grid cells.

Adjustment of system font size

Often the problem of visual cumbersomeness lies not so much in the icons themselves, but in the size of the signatures under them and the system fonts in general. The enlarged font causes the system to reserve more space around each element, which visually inflates the shortcuts.

To reduce the font, go to Settings → Display → Text Size. Move the slider to the left to the minimum comfortable value. In some versions of the firmware, this item may be in the Advanced Settings → Special Features → Visualization. Reducing the font directly affects the height of the string occupied by the signature of the application, which makes the icon itself visually smaller relative to the total space.

There's also a separate setting for the size of the interface elements, which can be called Screen Size or DPI depending on the Android version. Changing this setting scales all the elements at once: status bar bar, settings menu and shortcuts. Be careful, too much reduction can make text unreadable.

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For maximum compactness, combine a minimum font size with maximum grid density, which will give an effect similar to tablet mode.

Configure the font size through the Engineering Menu (ADB)

For advanced users who don’t have enough standard sliders, it is possible to change the density of dots per inch (DPI) through USB debugging.This method allows you to set an exact numerical value that physically reduces all graphic elements, including shortcuts, making them significantly less than the standard minimum values.

To start, activate Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version or OS Version. Once activation message appears, go to Advanced Settings → Developer. Find and enable Debugging via USB.

Connect your smartphone to your computer and use the ADB command to change the density value. The standard value for FullHD screens is usually 411 or 440 dpi. Reducing this number will make the elements larger and zooming in will make the items smaller. However, it is safer to change this value directly in the phone settings if such an option is available, or through special root terminal applications, since the ADB command requires a terminal emulator on the device or PC.

adb shell wm density 480

Replacing the value of 480 with a larger number (e.g., 550 or 600) will reduce the size of all interface elements. It is critically important not to exceed the value of 700-800 dpi on standard screens, as this can lead to the disappearance of controls and the inability to return to normal settings without resetting.

⚠️ Attention: Change DPI through ADB Or engineering codes are an experimental method. Before you make changes, write down the original density value so you can get it back to where it was.

Application of third-party launchers

If your standard HyperOS or MIUI shell doesn’t meet your customization requirements, installing a third-party launcher is the best solution. Programs like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher provide detailed control over each pixel of your desktop.

Unlike the system shell, third-party launchers allow you to size an icon as a percentage or a specific pixel regardless of the grid. You can make the icons tiny, leaving the grid sparse, or vice versa. This gives you maximum flexibility in interface design.

Once the launcher is installed, you need to give it permissions in the settings of the system. Usually, when you first start, the application will request permissions to display over other windows and access to storage. In the launcher settings menu, find the Desktop or Icon Layout section, where you fine-tune the dimensions.

• 🎨 Nova Launcher allows you to change the size of each icon individually.
• ⚙️ Microsoft Launcher offers convenient grid templates and integration with Windows.
• 🚀 Smart Launcher automatically sorts applications and adapts the size to the style.

Features of configuration in different versions of MIUI and HyperOS

The interface and available features can vary significantly depending on the operating system version. In older versions of MIUI 12 and MIUI 13, the grid settings were hidden deeper or required the use of the "Classic" theme. In newer versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, Xiaomi aims to unify the experience, but some features can be moved or renamed.

Global ROM devices often have more visualization options available than Chinese ROMs, which focus on functionality rather than customization. If you don’t find the settings described above, try changing the theme to a standard Classic, as third-party themes can block shortcuts from resizing.

Also consider the resolution of your device. On smartphones with a resolution of 2400×1080 and above, the density of pixels allows you to make elements very small without loss of readability. On screens with a resolution of 1600×720 (HD+), excessive reduction of shortcuts can lead to the appearance of a “ladder” on the edges of icons and text inaccuracy.

Resolving Display Problems After Setup

After changing the system density parameters or installing a new launcher, users may encounter artifacts: shifting widgets, overlaying text or improper display of the keyboard, which is a normal reaction of the system to a sharp change in scalable parameters.

In most cases, a simple device restart helps. If the problem persists, check the settings of a particular application that is not displayed correctly. Some applications have their own interface scale settings that may conflict with the system ones.

If you used the DPI change method and the interface became unusable, try booting into Safe Mode. To do this, press the volume button when you turn on the phone. In Safe Mode, third-party launchers turn off, and you can reset the DPI settings via ADB or return a standard theme.

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The safest way to reduce shortcuts without the risk of system breakdown is to use a built-in grid density setting combined with a smaller font size.