How to increase icons on the Xiaomi desktop: all the ways for MIUI 14 and 15

The size of the icons on Xiaomi’s desktop can make a big difference to the usability of your smartphone. Too small icons make navigation difficult, especially for users with vision problems or on high-resolution screens (like FHD+ or QHD+). Fortunately, MIUI offers several built-in ways to scale up the display, from simple grid settings to hidden settings for power users.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 working methods, including standard launcher settings, availability modes, and even manual editing of configuration files (for advanced ones). All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14/15 and tested on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and others. If you’re looking for a way to make icons bigger without losing quality, you’re on the right track.

1. Standard setting of the desktop grid

The easiest way to change the size of the icons is to change the grid density in the launcher settings, a method that does not require superuser rights and works on all Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI shell.

To reduce the number of icons on the screen (and thereby increase their size), follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Desktop (or Home in some versions).
• 🔧 Select the Desktop Grid option (may be called Grid Size).
• 📏 Move the slider to the left to reduce the number of columns/line(for example, with the 5×6 on 4×5).
• ✅ Click Ready and confirm the changes.

Note that if you reduce the grid to 4×5 or 3×4, the icons will be much larger, but fewer apps will fit on the screen, and this method does not change the physical resolution of the icons, but only scales their relative size.

Make sure there are no important widgets on the desktop (they will reset)

Close all applications (for correct application of the changes)

Check the MIUI version (in some firmwares the option is hidden)

Take a screenshot of the current location of the icons (in case of rollbacks)-->

2.Use of the "Increase" mode in the special features settings

If standard grid settings don't zoom in enough, use the zoom mode in the special features section, which is suitable for users who need really large interface elements, rather than just a rare grid.

Algorithm of action:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Increase.
2. Activate the Short Enlargement (or Screen Size) switch.
3. Select the magnification level: 1.25×, 1.5×, or 2×.
4. For fine-tuning, tap on the zoom settings and adjust the slider.

Important: This mode increases all interface elements, including fonts, buttons, and system notifications. If you only need to change icons, combine this method with setting up the grid from the first section.

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After activating the zoom mode, double tap the screen with three fingers to temporarily return the standard scale (useful for reading small text).

3. Installation of an alternative launcher with flexible settings

The standard MIUI launcher limits customization options. If the built-in options don't suit, consider the side of the launcher with advanced zoom options.

• 🎨 Nova Launcher – allows you to adjust the size of the icons from 50% to 150% in increments of 5%, as well as change the indentations between them.
• 🔄 Lawnchair – supports adaptive icons and dynamic sizing change depending on the density of the screen.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – optimized for Xiaomi and offers presets for different resolutions (including: FHD+ and 4K).

To install an alternative launcher:

1. Download. APK-file from the official website (for example, Nova Launcher).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access.
3. After installation, click Home and select the new launcher as standard.

Standard MIUI

Nova Launcher

Lawnchair

Hyperion

Other-->

4. editing system files (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods worked, you can manually change the zoom parameters in the system files, which requires root rights and backups, as incorrect changes can lead to interface failures.

Instructions for experienced users:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /data/system/users/0/ or /system/build.prop
3. Find the file. settings_global.xml or settings_system.xml Open it in the text editor.
4. Add or change the following lines: <setting id="display_size_forced" value="1.3" /> <setting id="icon_scale_factor" value="1.4" /> where 1.3 and 1.4 — Scaling factors (select experimentally).
5. Save the file, restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Changing system files without a backup can lead to a bootloop ( looped reboot). TWRP or Xiaomi Backup.

5. Adaptive icons in MIUI 15

The latest versions of MIUI 15 (starting with Xiaomi 14 and Redmi Note 13) have added support for adaptive icons, which automatically adjusts the size of icons to the screen resolution and the selected theme.

To activate the adaptive mode:

• 🎨 Go to Settings. → Registration → Icon style.
• 🔄 Select Adaptive Icons (or Dynamic Size).
• 📏 Set your preferred style: Large, Medium or Small.
• 🔒 Save the changes and restart the launcher (swipe up and close it in the multitasking menu).

The advantage of adaptive icons is that they automatically scale when you change the screen resolution or turn on the power saving mode, for example, when you activate the Pro Battery, the icons can decrease slightly to save resources.

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Responsive icons in MIUI 15 only work with system applications and supported third-party programs (e.g. Google, WhatsApp).

Additional tips for optimizing the desktop

Increasing icons is only part of setting up a user-friendly desktop, and here are some more tips for Xiaomi:

• 📁 Grouping icons: Create folders for similar apps (e.g., Social Networks, Games) to reduce visual noise.
• 🖼️ Desktop background: Use monochromatic wallpaper or minimalist pattern to make the icons read better. Avoid colorful pictures.
• 🔍 Application search: B MIUI There's a swipe down gesture on the desktop for quick search, which is handy if the icons are hard to find even after they're zoomed in.
• 🔋 Energy saving: Large icons can slightly increase the load on the GPU. If you notice an accelerated battery discharge, check the settings in Settings → Battery → Performance mode.

For users with visual problems, it is also useful to enable color inversion (Settings → Special features → Color filter) to make the icons contrast more against a dark background.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When changing the size of the icons on Xiaomi, you may experience errors. Here’s how to fix them:

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X5 Pro) The option to change the desktop grid can be hidden. To unlock it, activate Developer Mode (7 taps on Version) MIUI in settings) and enable debugging by USB.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions