How to find out the size of the desktop on the Xiaomi phone: all methods

Desktop size on Xiaomi is not just a technical feature, but a key parameter that affects the display of icons, widgets and overall user-friendliness. Many users are faced with the need to learn this value when setting themes, installing custom launchers or optimizing performance. However, in MIUI (the branded shell of Xiaomi), this information is not always on the surface – it has to be searched in hidden menus or use third-party tools.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to size your desktop, from standard settings to engineering modes. You’ll learn how the settings differ across models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), what nuances arise when using third-party themes, and why sometimes the actual screen resolution doesn’t match the size of the workspace. All methods are tested on MIUI 14/15 and remain valid for devices released after 2020.

What is the “desktop size” and why you should know it

By “desktop size” on Xiaomi, we mean two related but different parameters:

• 📏 Physical screen resolution – the number of pixels in width and height (for example, 2400×1080 For the Redmi Note 11 Pro+). It’s a hardware feature that doesn’t change without replacing the display.
• 🖥️ Workspace size (grid) – the number of cells for icons in width and height (for example, 5×6 or 4×5). This parameter can be changed in the launcher settings.

Why is that necessary in practice?

• 🎨 Setting up topics: some topics from the topic → Online is optimized for specific grid sizes. 5×5, a theme is designed to 4×6, Icons may be overlaid or appear stretched.
• 🔧 Install custom launchers (Nova Launcher, Apex, etc.): they require manual indication of the size of the grid for correct display.
• ⚡ Performance optimization: Reducing the number of icons on the screen reduces the load on the processor when rendering the interface.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F4 GT or Black Shark 5) the default desktop size differs from the standard values due to the game optimization interface.

Method 1: through the settings of the MIUI launcher

The easiest method is to use the built-in options of the MIUI Launcher, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi 11/12/13/14 series.

Instructions:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the desktop with your finger.
2. In the menu that appears, select Desktop Settings (or Screen Settings on some firmware).
3. Go to the Desktop Grid (or Icon Size) section.
4. Here, the current size in the format Number of columns × Number of rows (for example, 5×6) will be indicated.

On some devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), this path may look different:

Long press on the desktop → Widgets → Settings → Grid size

If you don't have a desktop grid item on your menu, you're using a simplified version of the launcher (often found on budget models like the Redmi A2), in which case you'll move on to Method 2.

Check the current version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Take a screenshot of the current location of the icons

Make sure there are no unsaved widgets on the desktop

Close all background applications for stable operation-->

💡

If after changing the grid size, the icons became too small, return the standard settings and try to scale down the display in Settings → Screen → Text and Display Size.

Method 2: through the Engineering Menu (for advanced users)

If standard settings don’t show desktop size or you want to know the actual screen resolution (including the status bar and navigation bar), you can use the engineering menu.This method is suitable for all Xiaomi models, but requires caution – wrong actions can lead to interface failures.

Steps:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636## This will open the Testing menu.
2. Go to Device Information (or Usage Statistics on some firmware).
3. Scroll down to the Display block: 📱 Resolution – Physical resolution of the screen (e.g, 1080×2400). 🖥️ Density – The density of pixels (DPI), interface-size.

To determine the size of the workspace (excluding the notification panel and navigation), use the formula:

Working height = Full screen height − Status bar height − Navigation bar height

For example, for the POCO X5 Pro with a resolution of 1080×2400:

• Status bar height: ~100 px
• The height of the navigation panel: ~120 px
• Working height: 2400 − 100 − 120 = 2180 px

⚠️ Note: On dynamic island devices (e.g. Xiaomi 13 or 14), the height of the status bar may vary depending on active notifications. Use applications like Screen Info for accurate calculations (see Method 4).

Method 3: Use ADB-teams (for technical specialists)

This method is suitable for users who have experience with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), it allows you to get accurate data about the size of the desktop, including hidden system parameters.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and platform-tools package (download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools.
3. Enter the command for information about the display: adb shell dumpsys window displays In the output, find the DisplayDeviceInfo block with the parameters: mBaseDisplaySize - physical resolution. mAppWindowSize - the size of the workspace for applications.

adb shell am start -n com.miui.home/.launcher.LauncherSettings -e extra_pref_key grid_size

This will open a hidden menu of launcher settings, where the current size will be specified in columns×rows format.

Example of output for Xiaomi 12T Pro:

DisplayDeviceInfo{




mBaseDisplaySize=Point(1220, 2712)




mAppWindowSize=Point(1220, 2556)




...




}

Here, mAppWindowSize shows the workspace without considering the system panels.

⚠️ Note: Change of parameters through ADB Do not edit the values with the adb shell settings put unless you are sure of the consequences. To reset to standard settings, use: adb shell cmd launcher reset

Through launcher settings

Engineering menu

ADB-team

Party of annex

I don't know, I haven't tried it yet.-->

Method 4: Third-party applications for screen analysis

If you don't want to dig into settings or connect your phone to your PC, you can use specialized applications that not only show the size of the desktop, but also provide additional information about the display.

Top.-3 apps:

How to use Screen Info:

1. Install the application and open it.
2. Go to the Display tab.
3. Pay attention to the blocks: 📺 Physical Size – Physical permission. 🖥️ App Window Size – Application Workspace. 🔍 Density - Current Value DPI.

Launcher Info

On devices with POCO Launcher (set by default on POCO X3/4/5), the grid size may differ from the standard MIUI Launcher. In this case, use the MIUI Hidden Settings app to reset to factory settings.

Method 5: Hand-calculating the size of the desktop

If none of these methods worked, you can calculate the size of the desktop empirically, and it takes attention, but it gives you an accurate result.

Algorithm:

1. Find out the physical resolution of the screen (for example, through Screen Info or the engineering menu). Let’s say you have a Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with a resolution of 1080×2400.
2. Determine the height of the status bar and navigation bar: Status bar: usually 80-120 px (depending on model) Navigation bar: 100-150 px (devices with gesture buttons may not be available).

2400 (full height) − 100 (status bar) − 120 (navigation) = 2180 px (working height)

• Count how many icons fit in width and height (e.g. 5×6).
• Divide the working width by the number of columns to find out the size of one cell.

Examples for Xiaomi 11T Pro:

• Physical resolution: 1220×2712.
• Workspace: 1220×2556 (after subtracting panels).
• Grid: 5×6.
• The size of one cell is 1220/5 = 244 px (width), 2556/6 ≈ 426 px (height).

This method is useful if you plan to create custom MIUI themes or widgets and need precise pixel sizes.

💡

On curved screen devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or MIX Fold 3), the workspace can narrow around the edges. Keep this in mind when calculating, especially if you are designing interface elements for the side parts of the display.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change the size of your desktop or try to identify it, Xiaomi users often encounter common errors, and let's take a look at the most common ones.

Problem 1: There is no “Desktop Grid” item in the launcher settings.

• 🔹 Reason: Simplified version MIUI Launcher (often on budget models or after resetting settings).
• 🔧 Solution: Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) or upgrade your firmware to the latest version.

Problem 2: After the grid size change, the icons became blurred.

• 🔹 Reason: Icon size mismatch with new grid scale.
• 🔧 Solution: Return standard settings or install an icon package with responsive zoom support (e.g. Whicons or Delta from Google Play).

Problem 3: The engineering menu won’t open or it’s an error.

• 🔹 Reason: Operator lock (on some firmware for regional versions) or conflict with security applications.
• 🔧 Solution: Try entering code through the Google Calls app (if installed) or use Screen Info.

Problem 4: ADB does not recognize the device.

• 🔹 Reason: There are no drivers or debugging is not included USB.
• 🔧 Solution: Install Mi PC Suite for automatic driver installation or manually download them from the official Xiaomi website.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions