How to change app icons on Xiaomi: from standard themes to custom packs

Over the standard icons MIUI And HyperOS has been a great designer for a long time -- but what if you want something unique? The ability to change app icons on Xiaomi opens up a space for personalization, from minimalist icons to animated ones. 3D-In this article, we'll look at all the current ways, from built-in functions to third-party launchers to manual editing. APK.

Many users mistakenly believe that to change the icons necessarily need to be used. ROOT-In fact, most of today's Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note 12) are accessing or manipulating system files, POCO F5 Xiaomi 14 and support flexible customization without the risk of losing the warranty, the main thing is to choose a method that suits your version of firmware and level of technical training.

We have tested each method on devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS 1.0, so the instructions are valid for 2026.If you are using an older version (such as MIUI 12.5), some features may not be available, we will warn you about this in advance.

1. Standard MIUI/HyperOS themes: fast icon change without third-party apps

Xiaomi offers hundreds of free and paid themes, many of which include unique icon packs, which requires no additional software installation and works on all Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi devices (except models for the European market with “lightweight” firmware).

To apply a new theme:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the icon tab in the lower menu.
3. Select the package you like and click Apply.
4. Confirm the change in the pop-up window.

⚠️ Warning: Some themes change not only icons, but also fonts, transition animations and system sounds. If you only want icons, look for themes marked "Icon Pack Only" in the description.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ No, he doesn't. ROOT technical skills
• ✅ It works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 10+ HyperOS
• ✅ Possibility of preview before use

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Limited selection of free themes (many quality packs are paid)
• ❌ Icons apply to all applications, you can not select selectively
• ❌ After updating MIUI/HyperOS topic may be thrown off

2 Third-party launchers: Nova Launcher, Apex and others

If built-in themes aren’t enough, the next step is to install an alternative launcher, apps like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Microsoft Launcher that allow custom packs of icons from Google Play or third-party sources, a method that is suitable for users who want complete control over the appearance of the desktop.

Instructions for setting up Nova Launcher (recommended for maximum flexibility):

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Download your favorite icon pack (such as Whicons, CandyCons or Delta).
3. Click the empty space on the desktop → Settings → Appearance → Style of icons.
4. Select the installed pack of icons.
5. If necessary, adjust the size of the icons in the section Icon Size (we recommend 110-120% for Xiaomi).

💡 Useful tip: Nova Launcher Prime (paid version) has Adaptive Icons, which automatically trims icons into a circle, square or rounded rectangle, which is useful if the icon pack has elements with different shapes.

Download Nova Launcher from the official store|Make a backup copy of the current desktop|Choose. 2-3 test-pack|Disable battery optimization for launcher-->

Comparison of popular launchers for Xiaomi:

⚠️ Note: Some launchers on HyperOS devices (e.g, POCO Launcher may not work properly due to changes in API If after installation, the launcher willfully closes or does not save the settings, try to disable the battery optimization for it in the settings of the Application → Permits → Auto-start.

3. Manually modifying icons through "Bag Editor"

If you need to change the icon of one or two applications, and not the entire desktop, you can use the function "Icon Editor", built into the "Icon Editor" MIUI/HyperOS. This method does not require the installation of additional programs, but has limitations: modified icons will be displayed only on the home screen, and in the application menu will remain standard.

Step-by-step:

1. Press your finger on the icon of the app you want to change.
2. In the menu that appears, select Edit (pencil icon).
3. Click on the current icon → select Gallery or Download (to search the web).
4. Cut the selected image to the icon shape (recommended size: 192×192 pixels).
5. Save the changes.

🔍 Where to download icons for replacement?

• 🎨 Flaticon - free vectors (to be trimmed to square)
• 📱 Google Play – icon packs (you can extract individual icons)
• 🖼️ Icons8 — icon-style iOS/Android

⚠️ Note: If you use animated icons (.gif or.apng format), they will not be displayed correctly through the built-in editor. Nova Launcher will be required for animation + Dynamic Icons plugin.

4.Use of icon packs with ADW/Apex/Nova support

For those who want maximum customization, the best option is to install customized icon packs compatible with popular launchers, which contain icons for thousands of applications, including little-known ones, and are often updated by developers.

Top.-5 Icon packs for Xiaomi in 2026 year:

• 🏆 Whicons – minimalist design with white icons on a color background
• 🎨 CandyCons - bright 3D-Icons with shadows (ideal for the AMOLED-screen)
• 🔄 Delta – more than 15,000 icons with support for adaptive forms
• 🌌 Lines – ultra-thin linear icons (suitable for HyperOS)
• 💎 Virus – futuristic style with the effect of “blurring"

How to install the icon pack:

1. Install the selected pack from Google Play (e.g. Whicons).
2. Install a compatible launcher (Nova, Apex or Action Launcher).
3. In the launcher settings, select the Icon Style → [Pack name].
4. Apply the changes and restart the launcher (long press on the desktop → Reboot).

Important: Some icon packs (such as Virus or CandyCons) require an additional Nova Launcher Prime module to correctly display masks and adaptive shapes. Without a paid version, icons can be displayed in a "cut" form.

5. Change icons via ADB (for power users)

If you're ready for advanced manipulation, you can change system application icons through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that allows you to replace icons in the app menu, not just on the desktop, but requires a computer connection and basic command line knowledge.

🛠️ What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap → return to → For developers)
• 📁 Folder with new icons in.png format (size) 192×192, The name must be the same as the original, for example com.android.contacts.png)

Step-by-step:

adb shell


pm list packages | grep "app name" # Find the full package name (e.g. com.android.contacts)




adb pull /data/app/com.android.contacts-1/base.apk # Download APK apps



Change the icon in the APK with the APK Editor (e.g. via https://apktool.org/)



adb install -r base.apk # Install modified APK

⚠️ Note: Incorrect editing of system APK It can cause app crashes or a cyclical smartphone reboot.Before experimenting, back up your phone with adb backup or Mi Cloud.

💡

If the icon hasn’t changed after you replace it, clear the launcher cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Clear the cache.

6. Creating your own icon pack (for designers)

If you didn't find the right icon pack, why not build your own? It's going to require basic Photoshop or Figma skills, and an understanding of the structure of.apk files. It's a laborious process, but it's worth the effort to get you a unique design that no one else has.

🎨 Tools for creating icons:

• 🖌️ Adobe Photoshop (paid) – for professional processing
• 🎨 Figma (free) – convenient for vector icons
• 📱 Icon Pack Studio (Android) – creating packs directly on your phone
• 🔧 Android Asset Studio (online) – icon generator for responsive design

📌 Requirements for icons for MIUI/HyperOS:

• Style: It is recommended to adhere to Material Design 3 (rounded corners, minimalism)

After creating icons, they can:

1. Pack in.apk via Android Studio and install as a custom pack.
2. Use Nova Launcher through Add Custom Icons.
3. Replace manually with ADB (see previous section).

💡

To test a new icon pack, use an Android emulator (e.g. BlueStacks) to avoid errors on a real device.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change your icons to Xiaomi, users often encounter common mistakes, and we've collected the most common problems and ways to fix them.

🔧 Problem. 1: Icons dropped after update MIUI/HyperOS. Solution: System updates often reset the launcher settings:

• Before updating, back up your launcher settings (in Nova Launcher: Backup/Restore).
• After updating, re-apply the icon pack.

🔧 Problem 2: Not all icons have changed (some remain standard). Solution: This happens if the icon pack doesn't have an icon for a particular application:

• Find an alternative pack with a more complete icon base.
• In Nova Launcher, enable the option of Masking icons (Settings → Appearance → Mask icons).
• Manually replace the missing icons through the Badge Editor (see Section 3).

🔧 Problem 3: Icons are blurred or pixelated. Solution: This is due to the wrong resolution of the original images:

• The icons should be 192×192 or 256×256 pixels.
• The format is PNG with transparency (not JPEG!).
• In the launcher settings, set 100% icon scale.

🔧 Problem. 4: The launcher does not save settings after the reboot.Solution: On Xiaomi devices with MIUI/HyperOS Launchers are often killed by the system to save battery:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find your launcher (like Nova Launcher).
3. Enable AutoRun and Without Restrictions in the Battery section.
4. Add the launcher to the Secure Applications.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions