How to reduce the icons on the phone Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus: all working ways

Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus with MIUI shell offers users flexible customization options, but not all features are available out of the box. One of the frequent questions owners ask is how to reduce the size of icons on the desktop to make room for widgets or simply improve the ergonomics of the screen. Unlike today’s flagships, where icons are scalable at the system level, on Redmi 5 Plus (released in 2017), this process requires knowledge of hidden settings or third-party tools.

Complicating the problem, the MIUI version on this device (usually MIUI 9/10 based on Android 7.1 Nougat) does not support dynamic desktop grid change in a standard launcher. However, there are workarounds ranging from manually editing configuration files to installing alternative launchers. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven methods, including little-known tricks with ADB and developer settings, and assess their impact on device performance.

It's important to consider that Redmi 5 Plus (codename vince) has limited resources: Snapdragon 625 processor and 3/4 GB of RAM. Some methods can slow down the animations of the interface slightly, but in most cases the difference will be invisible. If you're willing to sacrifice a few megabytes of memory for convenience, read on.

1. MIUI Standard Settings: What You Can Change Without Root

Let’s start with the safest way, which doesn’t require additional apps or superuser rights. MIUI 9/10 on Redmi 5 Plus has hidden options that allow you to slightly adjust the display of icons.

The first thing you should try is to resize your desktop grid.

1. Click the empty space on the home screen and select Screen Settings.
2. Go to the Desktop Grid.
3. Select the maximum value (usually 5×6 or 6×6).

This will not reduce the icons themselves, but will reduce the distance between them, visually compacting the location.The effect will be noticeable if you use a standard MIUI launcher.

The second option is to turn off the increase in icons when pressed:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Special features.
2. Find the option to zoom in when touching and deactivate it.

This won’t change the physical size of icons, but it will remove the zoom effect when pressed, making the interface more static.

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If after changing the grid icons look too small, try to enable the option of enlarged text in the settings of special features – this compensates for the visual imbalance.

2.Use of alternative launchers: Nova vs. Apex

If the standard settings are not satisfied, it’s time to consider third-party launchers. For the Redmi 5 Plus, the optimal will be Nova Launcher and Apex Launcher – they are lightweight (weigh ~ 5-10 MB) and support deep customization of icons.

The following is a step-by-step instruction for Nova Launcher:

• 📥 Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
• 🔧 Clutch the empty space on the screen → Settings → Size of icons.
• 📏 Move the slider 70-80% (a value of 90% or lower will make the icons too small).
• 🎨 In the section Grid of the desktop select 7×5 or 8×6 maximum-density.

Comparison of Nova and Apex for Redmi 5 Plus:

Important: After installing the launcher, do not remove the standard MIUI Launcher – this can cause system applications such as Theme or Security to crash.

3. edit system files via ADB (without root)

For advanced users who are ready to work with the command line, there is a way to change the size of the icons by editing the configuration file. launcher_db. This method does not require root rights, but will require a PC connection and installation. ADB-driver.

Instructions:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb pull /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/launcher_db.xml
3. Open the downloaded file in a text editor (for example, Notepad)++) and find the lines: <string name="grid_size">4x5</string> <string name="icon_scale">1.0</string>
4. Change the values to: <string name="grid_size">6x6</string> <string name="icon_scale">0.8</string> (where 0.8 — scale ratio, can vary from 0.7 before 0.9).
5. Save the file and download it back: adb push launcher_db.xml /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/ adb shell chmod 666 /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/launcher_db.xml
6. Reboot the launcher with the command: adb shell am force-stop com.miui.home

Critical detail: after the update MIUI file launcher_db.xml To avoid re-editing, back up the edited file.

4. Reduce icons through developer settings

Little-known fact: MIUI has hidden interface scaling options that can be activated through the developer menu, which doesn't directly affect icon size, but reduces the overall scale of the system, which indirectly solves the problem.

Algorithm of action:

• 🔧 Activate Developer Mode (as in the previous section).
• 📱 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → For developers.
• 🔍 Find the option Minimum width (dp) (usually hidden - scroll down).
• 📏 Set the value 360 or 380 (standard for Redmi 5 Plus is 400).
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

Effect:

• ✅ Icons and text will become a little smaller.
• ✅ Increase the working area of the screen.
• ⚠️ Some interface elements (such as notification bars) may look less clear.

Backup of important data

Write down the current minimum width (dp)

Check the battery (minimum 50%)

Disable automatic updates MIUI experimentation-->

5. Installation of custom themes with small icons

Xiaomi’s official Theme app offers thousands of themes, many of which include smaller icons.This method does not require technical skills, but has limitations: the icon size will change only for system applications, and third-party programs will remain unchanged.

How to find the right topic:

• 🎨 Open the application Theme and go to the section Popular.
• 🔍 Type in the search terms: "small icons", "mini icons", "compact".
• ⭐ Pay attention to themes marked “Adaptive” – they are better adapted to the resolution of Redmi. 5 Plus (1080×2160).
• 📲 Before using the theme, check for small icons (such as "Pure Black" or "Minimal" themes). UI").

Warnings:

⚠️ Attention: Some topics may conflict with system fonts, cause Settings or Calls to malfunction. Close all background applications before using the theme.

⚠️ Note: After changing the theme, third-party icons (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) may remain the same size. To fix this, use the icon packages from Google Play (for example, "Minima Icon Pack").

6. Radical-method: firmware custom launcher (requires unlocking the bootloader)

If none of the above methods is satisfied, the last option remains - installing a modified launcher through TWRP. This method is only suitable for users who are ready to unlock the bootloader and lose the warranty (on the Redmi 5 Plus 2017, the warranty no longer applies, but the risk of "bricking" remains).

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool (it may take 7-15 days to wait).
2. Install custom recovery TWRP for vince (you can download on the official website).
3. Download a modified launcher, such as: MIUI Launcher Mod (with support for resizing icons) and Lawnchair Launcher (optimized for weak devices).

TWRP

Clear the cache and dalvik-cache.

Advantages of the method:

• 🎛 Complete control over the size of the icons (from the 0.5x before 1.5x).
• 🚀 Ability to fine-tune animations and transitions.
• 🔄 Easy rollback to standard launcher.

Risks:

• ⚠️ Loss of data in case of incorrect firmware.
• ⚠️ Possible bugs with system notifications.
• ⚠️ Incompatibility with certain functions MIUI (For example, dual annexes).

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Custom launcher firmware is the only way to gain full control of the interface, but requires technical skills. For most Redmi 5 Plus users, the methods in sections 1–3 are enough.

FAQ: Frequent questions about reducing icons on Redmi 5 Plus