Personalizing the appearance of a smartphone is not just a tribute to fashion, but a way to make using the gadget more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. Device owners Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco are often faced with the desire to change the standard appearance of the desktop so that it better suits individual preferences. The standard shell MIUI and the new one HyperOS provide basic tools for this, but their functionality is sometimes limited.
Changing the scale of interface elements may be required for various reasons: for some it is difficult to see small details due to their visual impairments, while others strive to place the maximum number of applications on the screen. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the available ways to transform the workspace of your smartphone.
You will learn how to use the built-in functions of the system, work with fonts and use third-party solutions to achieve the ideal result. Let's start with the simplest and safest methods available to every user without the need for superuser rights.
Using the built-in desktop grid settings
The easiest way to influence the visual perception of icons is to change the number of elements displayed on the screen. The shell MIUI allows you to flexibly customize the grid, which automatically changes the size of application icons. The fewer cells you select, the larger objects will appear.
To access these settings, you need to follow a few simple steps. On an empty space on the desktop, long press with your finger until the edit menu appears. In the lower corner of the screen, select “Settings” (gear icon) or go directly to the “Grid” section.
The system will offer you several layout options, for example, 4x5, 4x6 or 5x6. Selecting a 4x5 configuration will make the icons as large as possible, while 5x6 or 6x9 (if available) will significantly reduce their size, freeing up space for widgets. After selecting the appropriate layout, simply click “Apply.”
⚠️ Attention: Changing the desktop grid will also affect the font size of icon labels and the location of widgets. Some widgets may move or change their size, which will require manual adjustment of their position.
It is important to understand that this method does not provide precise control over pixel sizes, but is standard and does not affect the stability of the system. It is ideal for those who want to quickly adapt the interface to their needs without installing additional software.
Setting the font size and system scaling
The size of the icons Android is closely related to the overall scale of the interface and the size of the system font. By changing these parameters, you can achieve the effect of increasing or decreasing all graphic elements, including application icons.
To get to the desired menu, go to Settings and select section Screen. Here you are interested in the “Text size” or “Size of interface elements” item. As you move the slider, you will see changes in real time. Increasing the font often leads to proportional growth of icons.
For more advanced users, a developer mode is available, where you can adjust the minimum screen width (DPI). This is a more powerful tool, but it requires caution. To activate this mode, you need to go to Settings → About phone and quickly click on the build number seven times MIUI.
After activation, the “For Developers” item will appear in the “Advanced” menu. Inside, find the Smallest width option. The standard value is usually around 360-392 dp. Reducing this number will make all elements larger, and increasing it smaller.
☑️ Check before changing DPI
This method is the most effective for fine-tuning, but it affects the entire system, including the keyboard and settings menu. Be prepared for the fact that some interface elements may not display correctly if you select a DPI value that is too low.
Changes the entire system, including the keyboard and settings menu. Be prepared that some interface elements may not display correctly if you select a DPI value that is too low.
Changing the style of icons using a theme
One of the most beautiful ways to change not only the size, but also the style of icons is using themes. The theme store Themes on devices Xiaomi offers thousands of design options, where icons can be absolutely anything: from minimalistic circles to three-dimensional 3D objects.
Go to the “Themes” application and enter a query in the search bar, for example, “Large icons” or “Big icons”. Many authors create specialized sets focused on larger controls. You can (preview) the theme by applying only the icons, without changing the wallpaper or system sounds.
After downloading and applying the theme, the icons on the desktop will be replaced with new ones. Often in custom themes, the sizes of graphic elements differ from stock ones, which allows you to visually increase or decrease their occupied area.
| Theme type | Impact on size | Search complexity | Impact on battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | No changes | Low | Absent |
| Custom (Large) | Increase | Average | Minimum |
| Animated | Varies | High | Increased |
| Monochrome | Often reduces | Low | None |
Using third-party themes is a safe and reversible process. At any time, you can return to the standard design through the theme menu by selecting the “Classic” or “No Theme” profile.
Where to download themes if the store does not work?
If the built-in theme store does not open from your region, you can use third-party theme downloader applications or change the device region in the settings (for example, to India or Singapore), where the store functionality more complete.
Use of third-party launchers for complete control
If the built-in capabilities HyperOS or MIUI are not enough for you, third-party launchers will come to the rescue. These are special applications that completely replace the desktop, providing limitless customization possibilities.
Popular launchers, such as Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher, allow you to change the size of icons with pixel precision. After installing the application from Google Play and making it the default launcher, you will have access to advanced settings.
In the launcher settings menu, find the “Desktop” or “Icons” section. There will be an “Icon Size” slider, by moving which you can make the icons giant or microscopic. In addition, many launchers allow you to set the size for each icon individually.
⚠️ Attention: Third-party launchers may consume more battery and RAM resources than the standard shell. On budget models Redmi or Poco this may lead to a slight decrease in interface performance.
Using an alternative launcher is the best choice for those who want to create a unique design. You can customize indents, grids, animations and even control gestures, making the smartphone truly yours.
A third-party launcher gives maximum freedom of action, but requires getting used to the new control logic and can slightly increase battery consumption.
Fine-tuning through the engineering menu and ADB
For experienced For users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a way to change the size of icons via ADB (Android Debug Bridge). This method allows you to penetrate deeper into system settings than regular menus allow.
First, you need to activate USB debugging in the “For Developers” menu. Then connect your smartphone to your computer and use the command to change the screen density. For example, the command adb shell wm density 320 will change the system DPI, which will directly affect the size of all elements, including icons.
adb shell wm density resetThis command will return the screen density to factory values if the experiments were unsuccessful. The ADB method is a powerful tool, but requires a PC and basic knowledge of working with the command line.
It is also possible to use special customizer applications that work through ADB Shizuku, allowing you to change parameters without connecting a cable every time. However, the functionality of such applications depends on the version Android and access rights.
Before using ADB commands, be sure to write down the current DPI value (adb shell wm density command) so that in case of problems you can return everything as it was.
Possible problems and their solutions
When resizing icons, users may encounter various artifacts. For example, after changing the DPI, the text under the icons may become unreadable or cut off. In such cases, it is recommended to return to the standard scale values.
Sometimes after installing a new theme or launcher, icons may appear as white squares. This can be resolved by clearing the launcher cache in the application menu or reapplying the default theme. Also, the problem may lie in the incompatibility of the version Android and the old theme.
If the desktop starts to become unstable, freezes or frame skips appear, try reducing the number of widgets and live wallpapers. Heavy graphics, combined with customization, creates a load on the smartphone's GPU.
Why, after changing the theme, did the icons become different sizes?
This happens if the theme author did not draw icons for all applications you have installed. The system automatically inserts standard plugs, which may vary in style and size. This can be solved by applying a global icon mask in the theme settings or installing an icon pack in a third-party launcher.
Is it possible to change the size of only one specific icon?
Standard tools MIUI or HyperOS resize A separate icon is not possible - the entire grid is scaled. However, using third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher), you can long press on a specific icon, select “Edit” and change its size independently of the others.
Are icon settings reset when updating the system?
Updating version Android or switching from MIUI on HyperOS can reset the settings of third-party launchers and themes. The built-in grid settings are usually saved, but it is recommended to back up the launcher settings before major system updates.
Does the size of icons affect the performance of the smartphone?
The size of the icon graphic file itself does not affect the speed of the processor. However, using heavy animated icons or live wallpapers in combination with a custom launcher can increase RAM consumption and reduce the smoothness of the interface on weaker devices.