How to change app icons on Xiaomi: from standard themes to ADB-team

Why Change Standard Icons and What You Need to Know Before You Start

Standard app icons on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO can get bored quickly - especially if you've been using a smartphone for several years. MIUI's uniform design, even with upgrades to MIUI 14/15, doesn't always meet users' personalization needs. Fortunately, there are at least 5 ways to change icons, from simple themes to manual editing via ADB.

Before you start, consider that not all methods are equally safe. For example, using third-party launchers can slow down animations slightly, and editing system files through ADB will negligently lead to resetting or loss of warranty. In this article, we will analyze each method with its pros, cons and potential risks - so that you can choose the best option for your model (Mi 11, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5, etc.).

It’s also important to understand that some methods require unlocking the bootloader or super-user (root) rights. If you’re a beginner, start with the simplest solutions, such as installing themes from the official Mi Themes store. Advanced techniques like modifying icon packs via ADB or custom firmware will be of interest to experienced users.

Method 1: Use official MIUI themes (without root)

The safest and easiest way is to install one of the thousands of themes from the Mi Themes store.This method works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and later, does not require administrator rights and takes less than 5 minutes.

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Icons section in the lower menu.
3. Choose your favorite icon pack (e.g. Minimalist, GlassMorphism or Neumorphic).
4. Click Apply – the system will automatically replace the icons on all screens.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Safe – does not affect system files.
• ✅ Quickly – Changes are applied instantly.
• ✅ Free – Most themes are available without payment.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Limited choice – not all icons will be changed (for example, system applications like Settings or Phone often remain standard).
• ❌ Advertising – Banners may be found in free themes.

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If some icons haven't changed after applying the theme, try restarting your smartphone. Sometimes the system caches old icons.

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

If the official themes don't work, you can install an alternative launcher, and popular options are Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Hyperion Launcher, which allow you to not only change icons, but also customize gestures, animations and even hide applications.

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Download any icon pack (such as Whicons, CandyCons or Delta).
3. Press the finger free space on the desktop → Settings → Style and icons.
4. Select the downloaded pack of icons in the section Pak icons.
5. Apply the changes and restart the launcher (it is enough to swipe down on the desktop and choose to Reboot).

Advantages of third-party launchers:

• 🎨 Flexibility – you can change not only icons, but also fonts, grid sizes, animations.
• 🔄 Compatibility – Works on all versions MIUI Android.
• 📱 Personalization – Icon packs from third-party developers are supported.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Resource consumption – some launchers may slightly increase battery consumption.
• 💰 Paid features – Nova Launcher asks for premium version ~5$.
• 🔄 Instability – rare, but bugs with widget displays occur.

Method 3: Manual change through ADB (for advanced)

If you're ready to experiment, you can change icons directly through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a developer mode on and PC connection, but allows you to replace any system icons, including those that don't change through themes.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the build number.
2. Enable USB debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux).
4. Check the connection command: Adb devices should appear serial number of your device.
5. Download the icon pack in.zip format and unpack it into a folder on your PC.
6. Use the command to replace the icon (example for the Settings app): adb shell cmd overlay enable --user 0 com.android.settings.icon Note: the exact syntax depends on the icon pack structure.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔧 Maximum customization – you can change even system icons.
• 📁 No need for root – works through standard commands ADB.

Risks:

• ⚠️ System failure – the wrong command can lead to loss of operational capacity of the launcher.
• ⚠️ Resetting settings – in rare cases, it may be necessary to reset to factory.

⚠️ Attention: Before working with ADB Make a full data backup through Settings → System system → Backup: Recovering deleted or damaged icons without backup will be extremely difficult.

Method 4: Install custom firmware (for enthusiasts)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can install custom firmware like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or HavocOS, which not only offer new icons, but also a complete interface overhaul.

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (will result in data resetting!).
• 📱 Root rights (potential security risk).
• 🛠️ Experience with fastboot and TWRP.

The process of installing firmware is beyond the scope of this article, but the key steps are:

1. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool (requires a wait of 7-14 days for new Xiaomi accounts).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3. Download the right firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience for Redmi Note 10 Pro).
4. Flush the firmware through TWRP and wipe dalvik/cache.

Advantages:

• 🆕 A completely new interface – icons, fonts, animations.
• 🚀 Productivity – custom firmware often works faster MIUI.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty – unlocking the bootloader will void the Xiaomi warranty.
• ⚠️ Risk of “brick” – the wrong firmware can turn a smartphone into a “brick".
• ⚠️ Lack of updates OTA — You will have to update manually.

⚠️ Note: Castom firmware may not support some Xiaomi features, such as: IR Blaster or Game Turbo. Check user reviews on the forums before installing your model XDA Developers or 4PDA.

Method 5: Applications for changing icons (Icon Changer, Shortcut Maker)

If previous methods seem too complicated, you can use specialized applications like Icon Changer or Shortcut Maker. They do not change the system icons, but create shortcuts with a new design that replace the original icons on the desktop.

Instructions for Icon Changer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Select the app you want to change (such as WhatsApp).
3. Upload a new image (you can download from the Internet or choose from the gallery).
4. Click Create – a new shortcut will appear on the desktop.
5. Remove or hide the original icon (for example, in a folder).

Pros of the method:

• 🎯 Replacement – Only change icons you don’t like.
• 📱 No rooting and ADB — It works on any device.
• 🔄 Reversibility – the original icons remain in the system.

Cons:

• ❌ Duplicates – new labels appear on the desktop, and the old ones have to be hidden.
• ❌ Manual work – each application is customized separately.

Frequent problems and their solutions

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

Problem 1: After applying the theme, some icons have not changed.

• 🔹 Solution: Reboot the device. If it doesn't work, check if the theme supports replacing system icons (often they remain standard).

Problem 2: Nova/Apex does not use icon pack.

• 🔹 Solution: Make sure the icon pack is compatible with your version of Android.Try clearing the launcher cache in Settings → Annexes.

Problem 3: After ADB-Icons have disappeared or become standard.

• 🔹 Solution: Return the original settings by the team: adb shell cmd overlay disable com.android.settings.icon If it doesn't help, reset the launcher via Settings → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data.

Problem 4: Castom firmware does not support IR Blaster or NFC.

• 🔹 Solution: Check out the forum XDA, Do you have any patches for your model? POCO X3 Pro may require additional installation of the XiaomiIR module.

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If the smartphone starts to brake after the changes, try rolling back the settings or returning the standard launcher. Most often, lag causes conflicting icon packs or improperly installed ones. ADB-overlay.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions