How to change the app icon on Xiaomi Redmi 7A: 5 working ways

Why change the standard icons on Xiaomi Redmi 7A?

The standard MIUI app icons on Xiaomi Redmi 7A often look boring or don’t fit into your smartphone’s overall style, and replacing them with customized ones not only personalizes the device, but also improves the visual experience of the interface. For example, uniform icons in a minimalist style make the screen less chaotic, and bright color icons more expressive.

In addition to aesthetics, changing icons can be practical, so you can assign more prominent icons for commonly used applications (such as instant messengers or banking services) to find them on your desktop faster. And if you use Redmi 7A for work, unified icons can help visually separate working applications from personal ones.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to change icons, from simple (via MIUI themes) to advanced (manual replacement via ADB or third-party launchers). Each method is tested on Redmi 7A with the latest versions of MIUI 12/13 and is suitable for users with any level of training.

Method 1: Using MIUI themes (the easiest method)

The fastest and safest way to change icons is to take advantage of the built-in theme feature in MIUI. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid themes, many of which include full icon sets for popular apps.

To apply a new theme:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Icons or Full Themes section.
3. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes – the icons will be updated automatically.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 No need for root rights or technical skills.
• 🔹 Icons change for all apps at once, keeping a single style.
• 🔹 You can return standard icons in one click.

⚠️ Note: Some themes may contain advertisements or paid items. Before applying, check other users' reviews in the Comments section.

Method 2: Third-party launchers (Nova, Apex, Lawnchair)

If you don't have the built-in MIUI themes, you can install a third-party launcher, popular options like Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Lawnchair, which allow you not only to change the icons, but also to customize animations, gestures and desktop layout.

Instructions for Nova Launcher (similar to others):

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Launch it and select as the default launcher.
3. Go to Settings Nova → Style of icons.
4. Select the Icon Set and download your favorite pack from the store.
5. Change the icons and the icons will be updated.

Comparison of popular launchers:

If you want to change the icon for just one app, Nova Launcher has a feature called Adaptive Icons, which allows you to assign a custom icon to a particular app without replacing the entire set.

Make sure there is free space (minimum 100 MB)

Download APK from the official website (if not in the Play Market)

Disable battery optimization for launcher

Make a backup of current settings-->

Method 3: Manual replacement via ADB (for power users)

This is a method that works for those who are ready to work with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to replace the icons of system applications that are usually not changeable through launchers, requires on-developer mode and access to the PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) → Developer Mode → USB debugging).
2. Connect Redmi 7A to your PC and confirm debugging permission.
3. Download and unpack ADB Tools.
4. Place a new.png icon in the ADB folder (e.g. icon.png).
5. Run the command to replace the icon (example for Google Play): adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/icon.png /data/app/com.android.vending-1/base.apk/res/drawable/icon.png chmod 644 /data/app/com.android.vending-1/base.apk/res/drawable/icon.png reboot

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause app crashes or even bootloop (a looped boot).Before experimenting, back up through TWRP Mi Cloud.

Alternatively, you can use apps like Icon Changer (requires root) that automate the replacement process through ADB. However, with a blocked bootloader, it is difficult to get root on Redmi 7A – you will need to unlock through the Mi Unlock Tool.

Method 4: Applications for changing icons (without root)

If you don't want to install a launcher or work with ADB, you can use specialized applications that create custom icon shortcuts without replacing the original files.

• 📱 Icon Pack Studio – allows you to create your own icons or download ready-made packs.
• 🎨 Awesome Icons – More than 10,000 free icons for popular apps.
• 🔄 Shortcut Maker – Creates shortcuts with any pictures (including photos from the gallery).

How it works with Shortcut Maker:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select the application you want to change the icon for.
3. Click Create a shortcut and select a new icon from the gallery or built-in templates.
4. Place a shortcut on the desktop – the original icon will remain in the app menu.

The downside of the method: there will be two icons on the desktop (original and custom). To hide the original, use Hide apps in the launcher settings (if supported).

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If you want custom icons to appear in the app menu (not just on the desktop), use the Nova Launcher + Icon Pack Studio combination to apply a uniform style to all icons, including system ones.

Method 5: Change icons via TWRP (for stitched devices)

If your Redmi 7A has an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery (TWRP) installed, you can replace the icons directly in system files.This method is suitable for deep customization, but requires caution.

Algorithm of action:

1. Download the icon pack in.zip format (for example, from the XDA Developers forum).
2. Reboot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up).
3. Select Install and point the way to the icon archive.
4. Confirm the installation and wait for completion.
5. Reset the device.

Warnings:

• 🚨 Incompatible icon packs can cause system applications to crash.
• 🚨 Always make a backup through TWRP → Backup before making changes.
• 🚨 On some firmware (for example, MIUI EU) Additional editing of the build.prop file is required.

If the icons have not changed since firmware, check their location in the archive. For example, for MIUI, the icons of system applications are usually in:

/system/priv-app/{application folder name}/res/drawable/

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you change your icons to Redmi 7A, you often encounter common errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Icons are reset after the MIUI update.

Solution: MIUI updates often overwrite system files to avoid resetting:

• Use third-party launchers (like Nova) that are not dependent on system updates.
• Create a backup of the theme through Settings → Themes → My themes → Export.
• Turn off automatic MIUI update in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

Problem 2: Not all icons change in the chosen theme.

Solution: This is because the theme doesn't have icons for some apps.

• Add the missing icons manually through Icon Pack Studio.
• Select a theme marked Full Icon Pack (full set).
• Use a launcher with adaptive icons (like Nova).

Problem 3: After being replaced through ADB, the app stopped opening.

Solution: Probably damaged signature APK-To restore the functionality of the file:

1. Remove application updates through Settings → Annexes → ⋮ → Remove updates.
2. Execute the command in ADB: adb shell cmd package compile -m speed -f com.name.packet
3. Reinstall the app from Google Play.

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If you are unsure of your ADB or TWRP skills, opt for third-party launchers or MIUI themes, which produce a similar result without risking damage to the system.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions