How to increase icons on Xiaomi: from standard settings to hidden MIUI chips

Small icons on Xiaomi’s screen interfere with the comfortable use of a smartphone? This problem is especially relevant for users with visual impairments or owners of devices with large displays (for example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO F5 Pro). Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to increase icons – from basic settings to advanced tweaks through ADB or third-party launchers.

In this article, we’ll break down all the working methods, including little-known features like Display Zoom (not available on all models) and manual developer-to-developer scaling. Importantly, some methods require unlocking the bootloader or superuser rights — we’ll mark them separately so you can choose the best option without risking the device.

If you’re looking for a solution for a particular model (like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi 10C), check the compatibility of methods in the table below. And for those who want to not only increase the icons, but also improve the readability of the interface, we’ve added a bonus section with font settings and contrast.

Standard MIUI settings: screen scale

The easiest way to increase icons is to use the built-in display zoom feature, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, but has limitations: not only does the icon size change, but the entire interface changes.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Select Text Size and Display (on some firmware – Screen Size).
3. Move the slider Size of the display to the right (values: Standard, Large, Very Large).
4. Confirm the changes with the Apply button.

⚠️ Attention: At maximum scale, some interface elements (such as notification panels or keyboards) may be trimmed. FHD+ (for example, POCO X5 Pro) the problem is less common than on HD+-screens (Redmi) A2).

💡

If after the zoom change some interface elements are lost, return the settings to the original state and try the methods from the following sections.

2. Display Zoom Mode (Hidden Function)

Some Xiaomi devices (mostly the Mi and Black Shark flagships) have a hidden Display Zoom mode that allows you to fine-tune the scale of the icons without distorting the interface.This feature is not documented, but runs on MIUI 13/14 firmware.

How to activate:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version line to enable Developer Mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find Minimum Width (dp) (if not, the method is not supported by your model).
5. Set the value of 360 or 400 (the smaller the number, the larger the icons).
6. Reset the device.

The effect will be noticeable immediately: icons will become larger, and the desktop grid will decrease (for example, from 5×6 to 4×5). On the Xiaomi 12T Pro, this method allows you to increase icons by 20-30% without losing display quality.

3. Use of third-party launchers

If the built-in settings don’t work, install an alternative launcher.The best options for Xiaomi are:

• 📱 Nova Launcher – allows you to adjust the size of icons from 70% before 150%, Change the tabletop grid (up to the 10×10). Supports adaptive icons and gestures.
• 🎨 Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for the MIUI, It has built-in themes with large icons and support for Icon Packs.
• 🔍 Lawnchair is a lightweight open source launcher where icon sizes are customized in the Desktop menu. → Icon size.

How to adjust the size of icons in Nova Launcher:

1. Keep your finger on the free space of the desktop → Settings.
2. Go to the desk. → Size of icons.
3. Select the value (we recommend 120-130 percent for the balance between the size and number of icons on the screen).
4. In the Desktop Grid section, reduce the number of rows/columns (e.g., 4×5 instead of 5×6).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI Third-party launchers may conflict with system gestures (e.g. swipe up to return to the home screen).To avoid bugs, turn off gestures in Settings → System system → Gestures.

4. Change the size of icons through ADB (for advanced)

If you want to fine-tune the size of the icons without rescaling the entire interface, use ADB commands. This method works on all Xiaomi devices, but requires a PC connection and USB debugging enabled.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer.
2. Turn on USB debugging on your smartphone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps → For developers → USB debugging).
3. Connect the device to the PC and execute the command in the terminal: adb shell settings put secure icon_scale_factor 1.3 (significance 1.3 can be changed 0.8 before 1.5).
4. Reboot your smartphone.

To return the standard size, use the command:

adb shell settings delete secure icon_scale_factor

🔹 Note: On some firmware MIUI (For example, Global ROM For Redmi Note 11, this command may not work due to manufacturer limitations, in which case try the method with Display Zoom or launchers.

Install ADB Tools on PC

Enable debugging over USB on Xiaomi

Connect your phone to the original cable

Check the connection of the adb device team

Make a backup copy of the data-->

5. Set up the desktop grid in MIUI

Even without changing the size of the icons, you can zoom in visually by reducing the number of cells on the desktop, and this is done through standard MIUI settings:

Instructions:

1. Keep your finger on the free space of the desktop → Settings.
2. Select the Desktop Grid.
3. Set a minimum number of rows and columns (e.g., 4×5 instead of 5×6).
4. Activate the option to Increase icons (if available).

The effect will be as follows:

🔹 Tip: If after changing the grid icons look blurry, check the screen resolution in Settings → Screen. → Resolution: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) automatically reduce clarity when the grid is non-standard.

6. Increase icons in folders and app menus

Few people know, but MIUI allows you to customize the size of the icons inside folders and in the application menu separately, which is useful if the icons on the desktop are suitable, but in the list of programs they are too small.

How to change it:

• 📂 In folders: Open the folder → tap three points up there. → Folder settings → Size of icons (options available: Small, Medium, Large).
• 📋 In the app menu: Swipe up to open the menu → three-point → Settings → Size of badges.

⚠️ Attention: On firmware MIUI 14 for POCO M6 Pro and Redmi 12 may not have the option of size adjustment in the app menu, in which case use the Nova or Hyperion launcher, where this feature is guaranteed to work.

7 Additional settings to improve visibility

If you are increasing your icons due to vision problems, pay attention to these parameters:

• 🔍 Enlargement of font: Settings → Screen. → Text size (maximum - 150%).
• 🎨 High contrast: Settings → Special opportunities → Contrast colors (useful for color blindness).
• 🌓 Dark subject. + Large icons: The combination of dark background and enlarged icons reduces the strain on the eyes.
• 🔄 Animation when touching: Include in Settings → Special opportunities → Animation when touching to better see the pressing.

For models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro, we recommend including DC Dimming in screen settings – this will reduce flickering at low brightness, which is especially important for users with photophobia.

💡

The combination of enlarged icons, large fonts, and dark themes improves the readability of the interface by 40-50% (according to Android accessibility studies).

FAQ: Frequent questions