How to Get Old Badges Back on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

With each update to MIUI or the new HyperOS shell, smartphone owners are facing changes in the interface. Xiaomi developers are constantly improving the design by introducing new fonts, color schemes and, of course, redrawn application icons. For many users, this is a pleasant surprise, but often annoying for those who are used to a certain arrangement of elements and recognizable style.

There are a number of ways to get old icons back on Xiaomi, but the effectiveness of the method depends on the version of your firmware and the region for which the device is released. If you upgrade to the latest version of Android and notice that the usual characters are gone, you should not panic. In most cases, standard system tools allow you to quickly fix the situation without obtaining superuser rights.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available solutions, from simple theme settings to more complex manipulation of system files, how to use the built-in launcher functions, where to look for hidden switches, and what to do if standard methods stop working after another security patch.

Using Inbuilt Themes to Return Classics

The easiest and safest way to change the look of the interface is to use the official Themes store. The built-in mechanism allows you to replace not only wallpaper, but also icons, system fonts and even notification sounds. Many users forget that even after updating the system, you can manually choose a theme that contains “old” or classic icons.

To start, you need to run the Themes app on your device. Type in queries like "Classic," "Old Icons" or "Stock Android." Often users create themes that are copies of the standard design of the previous versions of MIUI that can be downloaded and activated for free. Pay attention to the theme rating and the number of downloads is a guarantee of its stability.

After downloading the desired design, go to the user profile (the human icon in the lower right corner) and select the Topic section. Click on the downloaded file and activate the Apply button. The system will automatically replace all graphic elements with those you have chosen.

• 🎨 Open the Topics app and go to the Profile tab.
• 🔍 In the search, enter the name of the desired version of the shell, for example, MIUI 10 or MIUI 11.
• ✅ Click Apply and select the option to replace all components, including icons.
• 🔄 Restart the device to correctly display all changes in the system.

It is important to understand that using a third-party theme can change not only icons, but also the appearance of the settings menu or notification curtains. If you are only interested in replacing graphical symbols of applications, when using the theme, carefully monitor the ticks in the menu of selection of components.

⚠️ Note: Some third-party themes may contain ads or require excessive permissions. Use only proven high-ranking themes in the official store.

If the standard store doesn’t offer a suitable option, you can try downloading a.mtz theme from trusted third-party resources and install it through the import menu in the Themes app.

Customization of launcher parameters and icon style

New versions of the HyperOS shell and new MIUI builds offer flexible customization of the desktop without installing third-party themes. The system allows you to choose between different display styles, which can help return the usual look of the interface.

Go to your smartphone settings and find the Desktop section, which often hides key switches, look for icon style or grid size, and changing the grid size sometimes automatically pulls up another set of graphic elements that are more suitable for large or small icons.

Also worth paying attention to is the Monochrome icons or Dark Theme function, which users sometimes confuse with a change in color scheme with a complete design replacement, and disabling these features can bring back brightness and familiar shapes.

To fine-tune it, you can use the built-in desktop editing menu. Hold your finger on the blank spot of the screen or pinch your two fingers to go into edit mode. The lower menu often features a Settings (cog) button where you can find reset options to the standard view.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Desktop for access to basic parameters.
• 🖼️ Try changing the size of the grid, which can trigger a change in the style of the icons.
• 🌙 Check if Monochrome Mode or Electronic Ink is activated.
• 🛠️ Use the desktop editing menu to reset widget settings.

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If you upgrade from MIUI 13 to 14 or HyperOS, the old settings may conflict. Try temporarily changing the region in the settings (Settings → Additional settings → Region) to another country, such as India or the United States, and see if new design options come up.

Remember that some system applications, such as Camera, Phone or Messages, can be updated regardless of the main firmware through the Google Play store or GetApps. Their icons can change automatically when you update the application itself.

Resetting the settings of the application "Themes" and the system cache

Often the problem with incorrect display of icons or the inability to return the old style lies in the accumulated cache or erroneous data in the service applications of the system. Clearing the data of the Themes component allows you to return the design settings to factory values.

To perform this procedure, go to the Settings menu → Annexes → All applications. Find the Topic (or Themes) app in the list. Click on it and select Memory. Here you click Clear and select All data.

After that, it is recommended to do the same for the System Launcher application.Be careful: resetting the launcher data will remove the location of the icons on the desktop, and you will have to arrange the widgets again, but this often solves the problems with the "glitch" of the graphics.

Path to clean: Settings → Applications → All Applications → Topics → Memory → Clean all data

Once the data is cleaned, be sure to restart the device. When you first turn on, the system will re-index all installed applications and apply a default set of icons that corresponds to the current version of the firmware, but without caching errors.

⚠️ Warning: System Launcher Data Reset will remove all widgets and change the order of icons on the desktop.

This method is particularly effective if the icons are partially missing or appear as white squares, and it forces the system to reassemble the graphical interface.

Application of third-party launchers for full customization

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools fail to achieve the desired result, the most radical and effective solution is to install a third-party launcher, which completely replaces the standard desktop, allowing you to use any set of icons available on Google Play.

Popular options are Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher. Once you install it, you have full control over the look and feel of the app, and you can download the icon pack separately — thousands of them, including exact copies of older versions of MIUI.

To install a third-party launcher, download it from the store, launch it and follow the instructions on the screen. The system will prompt you to select it as the default launcher, and then you can download any pack of icons and apply it to the settings of the new launcher.

• 📥 Download the launcher (like Nova Launcher) and the Play Market icon package.
• ⚙️ Set the new launcher as the main default in the settings.
• 🎨 Open the launcher settings and go to the Style of icons section.
• 💾 Select the downloaded icon pack and apply the changes to the entire system.

Using a third-party launcher gives, but can slightly increase the consumption of RAM. However, on modern Xiaomi smartphones with 6 GB of RAM or more, this is completely invisible in everyday use.

Using ADB for System Change

For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a method of changing system files through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to make changes that are not available through the standard menu, for example, forcefully disable new design functions.

First, you need to enable USB Debugging in the Developer Menu. If this is hidden, click 7 times in a row on the build number in the About Phone section. Then connect the smartphone to your computer.

You can access the system using the adb shell command, but it is worth remembering that direct editing of system files in modern versions of Android is difficult without root permissions.

adb shell pm clear com.miui.themes


adb shell pm clear com.android.launcher3

These commands are similar to manual data cleanup, but they are performed remotely and can be useful if the system interface is blocked or unresponsive, and you can use ADB to install launchers without the involvement of the Google Play interface.

⚠️ Attention: Working with ADB Introducing incorrect commands can lead to unstable system operation or cyclical reboot.

If you plan to experiment with design often, learning the basics of ADB will be a useful skill to manage your device at a deep level.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Returning old icons to Xiaomi is 90% of the time a matter of properly configuring the theme or using a third-party launcher, rather than a complicated flashing device.