How to install your icons on Xiaomi: 5 ways to MIUI without root

The standard icons on Xiaomi smartphones often look boring and monotonous, especially in the context of customized themes in MIUI 14/15, where users want to stand out. The good news is that you can replace app icons even without superuser rights. In this article, you can use proven ways to install custom icons, including bypassing system constraints and solving typical problems.

Many people think that changing icons requires Lawnchair or Nova Launcher, but it's not. MIUI allows you to change icons through built-in tools, and for advanced users there are methods using ADB and third-party themes, and we'll take all the options from simple to complex, taking into account the features of the latest versions of firmware.

It is important to understand that not all methods are equally safe. Some can cause launcher malfunctions or even soft-brick devices. So make a backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup before experimenting.

If you're a beginner, start with the first three, which don't require technical skills. Power users can jump right into the ADB or manual APK sections. And for those who like visual instructions, we've added a step-by-step video guide at the end of this article.

1. Replace icons through MIUI themes (official way)

The safest and easiest method is to use a built-in theme gallery. Xiaomi allows custom themes to be installed that change not only the wallpaper, but also the icons of the apps. Here's how it works:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).

2. Go to the Icons section in the lower menu.

3. Select the favorite set of icons and click Apply.

✅ Pros: No root, works on all devices Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO s MIUI 12+, Updates to the topics come automatically.

❌ Cons: Limited choice of free themes, some icons may not change (e.g. system apps).

To expand your selection, download additional themes from the MIUI Theme Store:

• 🔍 Search for “icon pack” or “minimal icons"
• 🎨 Pay attention to the ranking and downloads – popular themes are usually better optimized
• 🔄 If after applying the theme, some icons remained standard, try restarting the device.

2. Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Lawnchair, Hyperion)

If built-in themes aren't enough, install an alternative launcher. Nova Launcher and Lawnchair support icon packs from Google Play. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play (recommended Nova Launcher for stability).

2 Download your favorite icon pack (e.g. Whicons, Delta or CandyCons).

3. Go to the launcher settings:

Long press on the desktop → Settings → Style of icons → Package of icons

4. Select the downloaded package and apply the changes.

💡 Tip: Nova Launcher allows you to configure adaptive icons (round, square) through Settings → Icon style → Icon shape. This is useful if the package lacks icons for some applications.

Download APK launcher from the official website|Check compatibility with the Android version|Disable battery optimization for launcher|Make a backup copy of the current desktop-->

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi devices, after installing a third-party launcher, the swipe down gesture may disappear to search. To return it, go to Settings → Home screen → Google search → Turn it on.

3. Manually modifying icons through "Editing" (no root)

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden feature of manually changing icons for individual applications, which works without root or third-party programs:

1.Tap and hold your finger on the icon of the application you want to change.

2.In the menu that appears, select Edit (pencil icon).

3.Click on the current app icon and the gallery will open.

4. Select any image from the phone’s memory (recommended size: 192×192 px).

5. Confirm the changes by pressing Ready.

📌 Limitations of method:

• 🔄 Only the icon on the desktop changes, the standard will remain in the application menu
• 📱 Does not work for system applications (Settings, Phone, Messages)
• 🔍 After updating the application, the icon may be reset

💡

To make the icons look neat, use the IconKit service to crop images to the desired size and shape.

4. Installation of icons via ADB (for advanced)

If you need to change system icons or apply custom icons to all applications, including menus, you will need ADB. This method requires a computer and basic command line knowledge.

🔹 What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → Developer → Debugging by USB)
• 📁 A package of icons in.png format with the correct names (e.g. com.android.chrome.png)

📝 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and confirm debugging over USB
2. Open the command line in the ADB folder and execute: Adb devices (your device should be displayed)
3. Copy the icons into the system folder: adb push icon_pack/ /sdcard/
4. Install the rights to the folder: adb shell"su -c'chmod 777 /sdcard/icon_pack'"
5. Apply icons via the command: adb shell"cmd overlay enable-exclusive com.android.theme.icon.pack" (where com.android.theme.icon.pack is the name of your icon pack)

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If the phone stopped working normally after applying the icons, reset via fastboot:

fastboot erase system


fastboot reboot

5.Creating your theme with custom icons

For those who want a unique style, you can create your own MIUI theme from scratch, which is harder than just replacing icons, but gives you complete control over the look and feel.

🛠️ Essential tools:

📌 A short algorithm:

1. Download any free theme from MIUI Theme Store (e.g. Default)
2. Extract it from the APK via MT Manager and find the folder with the icons (assets/icons)
3. Replace your icon files with your own (retaining original names and sizes)
4. Repack APK, sign through SignAPK and install on the phone

Important: The icon file names must match the application packages exactly (e.g. com.whatsapp.png for WhatsApp). To find out the application package, use App Inspector from Google Play.

6. Solving icon problems on Xiaomi

After replacing icons, you may have them. Here's how to fix them:

🔧 Problem 1: Icons dropped after app update

🔹 Solution: Use a launcher with backup support (for example, Nova Launcher has an option). Backup/Restore You can also fix the icons through the settings. ADB:

adb shell pm grant com.teslacoilsw.launcher android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

🔧 Problem 2: Not all icons have changed (especially the system icons)

🔹 Solution: System applications (Settings, Calls) required:

• 🔧 Use it. ADB (section)
• 📱 Install custom firmware type xiaomi.eu (allows more settings)
• 🔄 Rename the icons manually according to official documentation MIUI

🔧 Problem 3: The launcher stopped working after changing icons

🔹 Solution: Reset the launcher settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management
2. Find your launcher (like Nova Launcher)
3. Select Warehouse → Clear the Data
4. Reset the device

💡

If after experimenting with icons, the phone started to slow down, clear the cache through Settings → About Phone → Memory → Clear the cache. This will delete temporary files without losing data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about replacing icons with Xiaomi