How to Make Your App Icons on Xiaomi: A Complete Customization Guide MIUI

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer users a wide range of personalization options, and one of the most popular ways to highlight your gadget is to replace standard app icons with unique ones, not only transforming the look of the device, but also highlighting the individuality of the owner.

But not everyone knows that you can create your own icons for Xiaomi apps without special design skills, just use built-in system tools or third-party applications. In this article, we will discuss all the methods available, from manual icon creation to automatic installation through themes and launchers.

If you’re tired of the monotony of standard icons or want to give your smartphone an original look, this guide will help you implement the idea with minimal effort.

Why should you change your icons to Xiaomi?

Replacing standard icons is not just an aesthetic solution, but also a way to optimize interaction with the device. Here are a few reasons why Xiaomi users are resorting to customization:

• 🎨 Unique Style – Your Smartphone Will Stop Looking Like Millions of Other Users.
• 👀 Improved readability – bright or contrasting icons are easier to distinguish on screen.
• 🧩 Mood themes – the ability to quickly change the design depending on the time of day or event.
• 🔍 Quick search – non-standard icons help you find the right applications faster.

Also, customizing icons can be useful for people with visual disabilities, such as enlarged or simplified icons that make it easier to navigate menus, and for creative people, it's also a way of expressing themselves through gadget design.

Importantly, MIUI supports several ways to replace icons, from built-in themes to third-party launchers, allowing you to choose the method that best suits your needs and technical skills.

How to Create Your Icons for Xiaomi

There are several basic methods to install custom icons on Xiaomi, each with its own pros and cons, so the choice depends on your goals and capabilities:

1. Manual icon creation is suitable for those who want complete control over design, and it will require basic skills in working with graphic editors.
2. Using ready-made icon packs is the easiest way to do it, and it doesn't require any special knowledge. You just need to download the set you like from the theme store.
3. Application launchers – allow not only to change the icons, but also completely transform the interface of the smartphone.
4. MIUI Themes is a built-in solution from Xiaomi that offers thousands of free and paid themes with unique icons.

If you are a beginner, we recommend starting with ready-made themes or launchers. Experienced users can try to create icons themselves - this will give more freedom in choosing a style.

Note that some techniques (like hand-crafted) take longer to produce a truly unique result, while ready-made solutions save energy but limit creativity.

Guide: How to create icons yourself

If you decide to design your icons for Xiaomi apps, follow this step-by-step instruction: You’ll need a computer or tablet with a graphics editor (such as Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or even Canva) to work.

First, you need to decide on the size of the icons. Xiaomi is considered the optimal resolution of 192×192 pixels or 512×512 pixels for more detailed images. The format should be.png with a transparent background.

Download icon template for MIUI|Select style (minimalism, 3D, flat design)|Prepare application logos in vector|Save files in PNG format with transparency-->

Then proceed to the design:

1. Open the graphics editor and create a new project with the selected resolution.
2. Add a base circle or a square, which will be the base for the icon (in MIUI, rounded shapes are often used).
3. Place the app logo in the center. Make sure it reads well.
4. Add a shadow or gradient for the volume (optional).
5. Save a file with the name corresponding to the application package (e.g. com.android.chrome.png for Chrome browser).

Ready-made icons can be tested on a smartphone by installing them through a launcher or a special application to replace icons. If the design is successful, you can use it on a permanent basis.

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To speed up the process, use online icon generators such as IconKit or App Icon Generator, which automatically adjust images to the desired sizes.

Installation of icons through MIUI Themes

The easiest way to change icons on Xiaomi is to use the built-in MIUI Themes store.This method does not require manual adjustment and is suitable even for beginners.

To set a new theme with icons:

1. Open the Themes app on your smartphone.
2. Go to the Icons or Icon Packages section.
3. Select the set you like and click Apply.
4. Confirm the changes in the window that appears.

Note that some themes may be paid or subscription-based, and not all icon packages support replacing all icons—some apps may remain with a standard design.

If the icons have not changed after installing, try restarting the device or clearing the launcher cache in the application settings.

Using third-party launchers to replace icons

If you don't like the built-in MIUI, you can install a third-party launcher, popular options are Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Hyperion Launcher, which offer advanced interface settings, including replacing icons.

To install a new launcher:

1. Download the selected application from Google Play.
2. Set it as the default launcher (the system will prompt you to do this when you first start).
3. Go to the launcher settings and find the Icons section or Icon Themes.
4. Select a package of icons from the offered ones or download your own.

Third-party launchers often support adaptive icons that automatically adjust to the shape of standard MIUI icons.

The disadvantage of this method is that some MIUI functions (such as gestures or widgets) may not work properly, and launchers consume additional battery resources.

How to replace icons without a launcher: hidden features MIUI

Few people know, but MIUI has hidden features that allow you to change the icons of individual applications without installing additional software, you can use the built-in editor of certain applications or special applications like Icon Changer.

Here’s how to do it through MIUI Themes Editor:

1. Download and install the MIUI Themes Editor app (available on Xiaomi forums).
2. Open it and select the option to Create a new theme.
3. Upload your icons to the appropriate slots.
4. Save the theme and apply it through the standard theme menu.

This method is suitable for advanced users, as it requires manual tuning and understanding of the structure of MIUI themes, but it allows you to achieve maximum customization without losing performance.

⚠️ Note: Using informal editing tools for topics risks disrupting the stability of the system.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When replacing icons with Xiaomi, users often face typical difficulties, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• 🔄 Icons don’t change after installing the theme – try clearing the launcher cache in the app settings or restarting the device.
• 🖼️ Not all icons have been replaced — some system applications may not support customization.
• 📱 The smartphone started to slow down – turn off animations in the developer settings or go back to the standard theme.
• 🔒 You can’t use a paid theme – make sure your Mi Account is tied to the same region as the purchase.

If the problem persists, check the version of MIUI on your device. Some customization features may not be available on older firmware. In this case, updates to the system through Settings → About Phone → System Update will help.

Important: On devices with unlocked bootloader and custom firmware (like LineageOS), the process of replacing icons may be different, in which case use methods that are compatible with your firmware.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions