App icons on Xiaomi Redmi are the first thing that catches your eye when you unlock the screen. The standard design from MIUI is not popular with everyone: someone wants uniformity with wallpaper, someone lacks brightness, and some are just tired of monotony. Fortunately, you can change the icons on Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 or flagships like Redmi K50 in several ways - from simple themes to manual editing via ADB.
In this article, we will break down all the current methods (including the hidden features of MIUI 14), explain how to get around the limitations of the system, and warn against errors that can lead to a launcher failure, you will learn what tools will be needed for each method, how long the process will take, and you will be able to choose the best option - from changing one icon to fully customizing the interface.
1. Method: Using the built-in MIUI themes
The easiest and safest method is to change icons through official MIUI themes. Xiaomi offers thousands of free and paid themes, many of which include unique icon packs. This method does not require root rights or third-party applications, but has a limitation: you can only change all icons at once, not selectively.
To apply a new theme:
- 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush on desktop).
- 🔍 In the search box, type a query, such as "minimalism icons" or "dark icons".
- 🎨 Choose your favorite theme and click Apply. The icons will automatically update.
- 🔄 If the theme is paid, check for free alternatives in the Recommended section.
⚠️ Note: Some themes may conflict with system fonts or wallpaper. If the icons look blurry after application, return the standard theme to Settings → Registration → Topics and try another one.
2. Method: Launchers from third-party developers
If the built-in themes aren't enough, install an alternative launcher. Popular options for Xiaomi Redmi:
- 🌈 Nova Launcher – supports customization of each icon separately, gestures and adaptive folders.
- 🎯 Apex Launcher – Lightweight launcher with wide transparency and scaling settings.
- 🖼️ Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration, smooth animations and icon packages from Microsoft.
- 🔧 Hyperion Launcher – Open Source, Icon Pack Studio Support.
Instructions for Nova Launcher:
- Download the launcher from Google Play and install it as the default application (when you first start the system will prompt you to do this).
- Press your finger on the free space of the desktop → Settings → Style of icons.
- Select the Icon Package (if installed) or click Edit for manual replacement.
- For individual icons: Press the application → Change → Icon → Select an image from the gallery.
Download APK official website|Make a backup of current settings|Disable battery optimization for launcher|Check compatibility with the Android version-->
⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 13/14 Some launchers may be slowing down due to aggressive memory optimization. To fix this, add a launcher to Settings → Annexes → Special rights → No restrictions.
3. Method: Installation of icon packs (Icon Packs)
Icon packs are a set of icons in a single style that are applied on top of the launcher.
- 🎨 Whicons are minimalist white icons.
- 🌌 Delta Icon Pack – Dark Theme with Geometry Emphasis.
- 🍭 CandyCons – bright and juicy icons.
- 🖤 Minima – monochrome icons with an emphasis on readability.
How to determine:
- Download your favorite package from Google Play (for example, Whicons Icon Pack).
- Open your launcher settings (like Nova Launcher).
- Go to the Icon Style → Icon Package and select the downloaded set.
- Change the icons and update them automatically.
| Package of icons | Style. | Compatibility with MIUI | Price. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whicons | Minimalism | Complete. | Free of charge. |
| Delta Icon Pack | Dark subject. | Partial (not all icons) | 149 ₽ |
| CandyCons | Bright colors | Complete. | Free of charge. |
| Minima | monochrome | Complete. | 99 ₽ |
💡 Important: On Redmi with MIUI 14 Some icon packs may not cover system applications (e.g. Settings or Phone) in which case you will have to manually replace them through the launcher.
4. Method: Manually replace icons through file manager
For advanced users who are ready to work with system files, there is a method of manually replacing icons, which requires root rights or access through ADB, but allows you to change any icon, including system ones.
Steps to replace (no root, via ADB):
- Connect Redmi to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock Developer Mode).
- Download ADB Tools and unpack it on PC.
- In the command line, run: adb shell pm path com.miui.home This will show the path to the launcher's APK (e.g. /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/MiuiHome.apk).
- Download APK on PC: adb pull /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/MiuiHome.apk
- Open the APK in the archiver (e.g. 7-Zip) and go to the res/drawable folder – this is where the icons are stored.
- Replace the file you want (for example, ic_launcher_phone.png) Save the changes and re-assemble them. APK.
- Return the file back: adb push MiuiHome_mod.apk /sdcard/ adb shell su -c "mount -o rw,remount /system" adb shell su -c "cp /sdcard/MiuiHome_mod.apk /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/"
- Reboot the phone.
What happens if you make a mistake with the ADB team?
⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 14 and newer system APK They're digitally signed, and after manual editing, the launcher can stop starting, and you'll need Magisk and a module to get around. MIUI Optimizations.
5. Method: Applications for customization (without root)
If you do not want to mess with ADB, use specialized applications:
- 🛠️ Icon Changer – allows you to change icons one by one, supports the creation of shortcuts.
- 🎨 Awesome Icons – More than 5,000 free icons, integration with Nova Launcher.
- 🖌️ X Icon Changer – Simple interface, support PNG/SVG.
Example for Icon Changer:
- Download the app from Google Play.
- Open it and select the app you want to change (like WhatsApp).
- Click Change the icon and select an image from the gallery or built-in library.
- Save the changes – a new label will appear on the desktop.
💡
If the icon is reset after replacing, check the battery optimization settings for the Icon Changer app. Add it to the exceptions in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
Frequent problems and solutions
When changing icons to Xiaomi Redmi, users are faced with typical errors:
- ❌ Icons don't change. → Check that the launcher is set as the main (Settings) → Annexes → By default).
- ❌ Blurred icons → Use images with at least a resolution 192×192 px.
- ❌ System icons are not changed → Settings, Phone and Messages will require manual replacement through ADB root.
- ❌ Launcher's slowing down → Turn off animations in Settings → Additionally. → Special effects.
If after applying the themes or icon packs, some icons remain standard, this means that there is no alternative in the package for this application.
- Find the missing icon manually (e.g. on Flaticon).
- Download it in PNG format with a transparent background.
- Use the Icon Changer or launcher settings for manual replacement.
💡
On the MIUI 14 Redmi, the best balance between customization and stability comes from the Nova Launcher + Icon Pack, a method that does not require root and works on 90% of models without lags.