How to change the app icon on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Are you tired of the standard icons on your Xiaomi screen and want to add personality? Changing app icons is one of the easiest ways to customize the MIUI interface, but not all users know how to do it correctly. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, from built-in launcher functions to using third-party applications and design themes.

It’s important to understand that the ability to change icons depends on the version of MIUI and the model of the smartphone. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 with MIUI 14, there are some options available, and on the Poco X5 Pro with HyperOS – others, we took these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will be suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices in recent years.

If you've never customized the interface, don't worry: all of the ways are illustrated and adapted for beginners, and for power users, we've added hidden MIUI features that few people know about, like how to change system application icons without root rights.

1.Using the built-in MIUI launcher

The easiest way to change icons is to take advantage of the standard MIUI launcher features.This method does not require installing additional applications and works on most devices, including the Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 11 and Poco F4.

To change the app icon:

1. Press and hold your finger on the icon of the app you want to change.
2. In the menu that appears, select Edit (or Modify on some versions).
3. Tap the app icon - the icon gallery will open.
4. Choose your favorite icon from the suggested ones or click Other icons to download yours.

Note that the built-in icon gallery in MIUI is limited, and if you want unique designs, you’ll have to use third-party icon packages (discussed below), and it doesn’t work for system applications (like Settings or Phone) — their icons only change through themes.

2. Installation of themes from MIUI Themes

The official MIUI Themes store offers thousands of free and paid themes that change not only icons, but also wallpaper, fonts, animations, and is suitable for those who want to completely transform the interface, not just individual icons.

How to install a theme with new icons:

1. Open the Topic app (usually preinstalled).
2. Go to the Icons section or search for a theme through search (e.g., type in “icon pack”).
3. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes – the icons will be updated automatically.

The advantage of this method is that the themes are optimized for MIUI and do not cause conflict, but there are also disadvantages:

• 🔄 Not all themes change the icons of all apps – some leave the standard ones.
• 💰 The best themes are often paid (price from 50 to 300 rubles).
• 🔄 After updating MIUI topics can be dropped.

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Before installing a theme, check out other users’ reviews – some themes may slow down the interface or contain ads.

3. Third-party icon packs (Icon Packs)

If you don't like the built-in MIUI options, you can install a suite of third-party icons, popular options: CandyCons, Whicons, Delta and Fluxo, which are compatible with most launchers, including the standard MIUI Launcher.

Installation instructions:

1. Download your favorite icon package from Google Play (such as CandyCons).
2. Open the icon package application and click Apply.
3. Select the MIUI Launcher from the list.
4. Confirm the changes – the icons will be updated.

Important: Not all icon packages are fully compatible with MIUI. Sometimes some icons remain unchanged.

• 🔧 Try another package (like Lines or Minima).
• 🔧 Use the Nova Launcher – it better supports third-party icons.
• 🔧 Manually replace the remaining icons through shortcut editing (see method 1).

4.Using Nova Launcher for flexible customization

If you want full control of the icons, install Nova Launcher.This is a popular alternative launcher that allows you to:

• 🎨 Apply any packages of icons without restrictions.
• 🔧 Change the size, shape and indentation of icons.
• 📂 Hide unnecessary icons from the app menu.

How to set up icons in Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Download any icon package (e.g. Pixel Icon Pack).
3. Click on the empty space on the home screen and select Settings Nova.
4. Go to Appearance → Icon Style and select the package installed.
5. If necessary, adjust the size of the icons to the size of the icons.

Nova Launcher also supports responsive icons, a feature that automatically adjusts the shape of icons to your chosen style, which is especially useful if you have apps with custom icons (such as games or banking apps).

Download Nova Launcher from Google Play| Backup current screen settings |Select icon pack in advance |Disable battery optimization for Nova Launcher-->

5. Manually modifying icons through files (for experienced)

This is a method that is suitable for advanced users who are ready to work with the file system, it allows you to change the icons of any application, including system ones, but you need to be careful.

What you'll need:

• 📱 Root rights (or access to) ADB for some).
• 🖥️ File Manager with access to system folders (e.g. Root Explorer).
• 📁 Backup of original icons (in case of error).

Instructions:

1. Find the icon you want to replace in.png format (the resolution must match the original, usually 192×192 or 256×256).
2. With the file manager, go to /system/app/[Application Name]/res/drawable.
3. Find the icon file (usually called the icon file) ic_launcher.png or similarly).
4. Make a backup copy of the original file.
5. Replace the file with your own and restart the device.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly changing system files can lead to app dyeing or even bootloop (a looped reboot).If you are not sure about your actions, use other methods.

For root-free devices, you can try changing icons through ADB, but this requires technical knowledge, such as the team to replace the icons of the com.android.settings app:

adb shell pm install-existing --user 0 com.android.settings

However, this method does not work on all versions of MIUI and may require additional manipulation.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to determine, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

For most users, the best solution is to combine a built-in launcher for individual icons and MIUI Themes for general design. If you want maximum customization, install Nova Launcher and icon package.

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Before any changes, back up your data – this will protect you from losing important information when crashes occur.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When changing icons, users often encounter common mistakes, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

Problem 1: Icons don’t change after the theme is applied.

• 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes changes only apply after a reboot.
• 🔄 Check if the theme supports your version. MIUI (Some topics only work on MIUI 12-13).
• 🔄 Remove the app cache Topics in Settings → Annexes.

Problem 2: Third-party icons look blurry or don’t fit in size.

• 🔧 Make sure the icon package supports your screen resolution (e.g, FHD+ or QHD+).
• 🔧 In Nova Launcher, turn off the option of Adaptive Icons if it distorts the design.
• 🔧 Try a different icon package – some are better optimized than others.

Problem 3: After the MIUI update, the icons dropped.

⚠️ Attention: Updates MIUI They often reset the launcher settings and themes, to avoid this, before upgrading:

1. Take a screenshot of the current location of the icons.
2. Save the theme used in the Features in the Topic App.
3. Export the Nova Launcher settings (if you use it).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions