How to change the app icon on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 5 working ways

The outdated design of icons on the Redmi Note 8 Pro desktop is spoiling the smartphone experience? Want to personalize the interface but don’t know how to safely replace standard icons? In this article, 5 proven methods that work on MIUI 12/13/14 without risking damage to the system. We will analyze both simple solutions through built-in features and advanced tools for power users.

Many Xiaomi owners mistakenly believe that changing icons requires root access or custom firmware. In fact, 90% of tasks are solved by standard tools or third-party apps from Google Play. The main thing is to choose the right way depending on your goals: whether you want to change the icon of one application, all at once or create a unique theme.

In the article you will find:

• 🔧 Step-by-step instructions for each method with screenshots (analogues)
• ⚠️ Warnings about possible risks and how to avoid them
• 📱 Comparison of launchers and editors APK functionally
• 💡 Hidden chips MIUI icon-stomization

1. Replace icons through built-in MIUI themes

The safest and easiest way is to use the built-in Xiaomi theme store, which requires no additional apps to install and is suitable for replacing all app icons at once (but not selectively).

How it works: MIUI has a theme system that changes not only icons, but also fonts, wallpaper, animations. Many themes contain unique icon packs designed by designers. Minus — you can't change the icon of one particular application, just the entire set.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on your desktop).
2. Go to the Icons section in the lower menu.
3. Select your favorite icon pack and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes – the icons will be updated automatically.

🔹 Important: Some topics require a subscription (from 50 to five)₽). Free options are usually limited to basic sets, and when you change the theme, the location of shortcuts on the desktop may also fly off — MIUI Sometimes they drop them to the standard.

💡

Before applying a new theme, take a screenshot of the icons on your desktop, so you quickly restore their order if MIUI resets.

2.Using third-party launchers (Nova Launcher, Apex, POCO Launcher)

If built-in themes aren't enough, third-party launchers give you a lot more freedom.

• 🎨 Change icons selectively (only for the right applications)
• 🖼️ Install custom icons from.png or.ico files
• 🔄 Return standard icons in one click
• 📱 Keeping a few design profiles

Best launchers for the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

🔹 How to change the icon with Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Press your finger on the desktop → Settings → Style of icons.
3. Select the icon pack (if installed) or Adaptive icons for manual replacement.
4. For selective replacement: Press the icon → Change → Icon → Select the file.

⚠️ Note: When using launchers, turn off battery optimization for them in settings MIUI (Settings → Annexes → Application management → Battery optimization? Otherwise, the launcher may slow down or reset settings.

Download APK official website|Disable battery optimization|Make a backup copy of the desktop|Check compatibility with MIUI-->

3. Manually changing icons through APK-Editors (for experienced editors)

If you need to change the system application icon (e.g. Settings, Phone, Messages), regular launchers won’t help – they only work with shortcuts on the desktop. APK-file.

🔹 Important: This method requires:

• 📱 Included Mode For Developers (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — press 7 times).
• 🔧 Programme programmes APK Editor or Icon Changer.
• 📂 Backup copy of the original APK (in case of error).

📌 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Download APK Editor.
2. Select the application you want to change (e.g. com.android.settings for Settings).
3. Click Simple editing → App icon.
4. Upload a new image (size 192×192 pixels, PNG format).
5. Save the modified APK and install it on top of the original.

⚠️ Attention: Editing of systems APK It can cause app crashes or a cyclical reboot of the Redmi Note 8 Pro. Before you start: Create a restore point in the Redmi Note 8 Pro. TWRP (Make sure you have enough memory space (at least 1GB is free). APK com.miui.securitycenter or com.android.systemui applications – this can block the phone.

4. Applications for changing icons (Icon Changer, Awesome Icons)

For those who don't want to mess with launchers or APKs, there are specialized utilities that work on the "addition" principle of the standard MIUI launcher and allow you to change icons without making deep changes to the system.

🔹 Top.-3 applications:

1. Icon Changer – simple interface, PNG/JPG support, preview.
2. Awesome Icons – more than 5,000 free icons, integration with Nova Launcher
3. Icon Pack Studio – to create your icons from scratch.

📌 How to use Icon Changer:

1. Install Icon Changer.
2. Select an app from a list (such as WhatsApp).
3. Click Change Icon and select an image from the gallery.
4. Confirm the changes – a new label will appear on the desktop.

🔹 Limitations:

• ❌ Does not work with system applications (Settings, Calls).
• ❌ After updating the application, the icon may be reset.
• ❌ Some launchers (e.g, POCO Launcher) Blocking Changes.

💡

Applications like Icon Changer don't change the original icon in the system, they create a new shortcut, so once the program is removed, all icons will return to the standard look.

5. Hidden MIUI function: manual replacement via "Theme Editor"

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden theme editing tool that lets you change icons without third-party apps, called Theme Editor, and is only available in Chinese firmware or through the activation of hidden features.

🔹 How to turn on Theme Editor:

1. Activate the Developer Mode (as in Section 3).
2. In Settings → Additional → For developers, enable debugging over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell am start -n com.miui.themeeditor/com.miui.themeeditor.startup.StartupActivity
4. In the editor that opens, go to Icons and upload your images.

⚠️ Risks:

• 🚨 Informal method – can result in themes being reset after update MIUI.
• 🚨 It does not work on all versions of the firmware (on the Redmi Note 8 Pro checked for the first time). MIUI 12.5–14).
• 🚨 It requires a connection to the PC and ADB.

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When replacing icons, users of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro face typical problems.

🔹 Advice for Redmi Note 8 Pro: If after changing the icons the phone began to warm or discharge quickly, check:

• 🔋 Is hardware accelerated graphics for the launcher included (Settings) → Annexes → [launcher] → Additionally. → Acceleration GPU).
• 🔄 Does not work in the background auto-update themes (Settings) → Topics → Auto Update - Turn off).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions