Owners of branded smartphones Honor often face the need to change the visual perception of their desktop. This may be due to age-related farsightedness, a desire to improve the readability of the interface, or simply aesthetic preferences. The standard MagicOS shell (formerly EMUI) provides flexible tools for customization, but not all users know where exactly the necessary switches are hidden.
Increasing icons is not just changing the image, it is a complex adjustment of pixel density and grid arrangement of elements. In this article we will analyze in detail all the available methods: from built-in system settings to hidden engineering menus. You will learn how to make icons larger without losing the quality and functionality of your device.
Standard desktop grid settings
The easiest and safest way to change the size of icons Honor is to use the built-in desktop settings. The shell’s operating logic is based on the principle “the fewer grid cells, the larger the objects.” If you reduce the number of icons that fit on one screen, the system will automatically stretch them to fill the free space.
To access these settings, you need to long press (tap and hold) on any free area of the home screen. In the lower menu that opens, select the item Desktop Settings or Options. Here you will find the option Grid Style or Layout. Selecting a configuration such as 4x5 or 4x6 instead of the standard 5x6 will immediately enlarge all application shortcuts.
Please note that changing the grid affects not only icons, but also widgets. Large weather or clock widgets may no longer fit into the cells of the new format. This is normal system behavior and requires manual rearrangement of elements to achieve the ideal balance.
⚠️ Warning: When changing grid density, some third-party widgets may move or resize disproportionately. It is recommended to check the operation of key widgets after changing the layout.
This method is preferable for most users, since it does not require deep knowledge of the system and is completely reversible. You can always return the original value if the new format seems inconvenient for you to navigate.
Changing font size and screen scaling
In the operating system Android the size of icons is often tied to the global scale of the interface. If the standard grid is not enough, you should turn to the system display settings. Changing these settings affects all controls, making text and graphics more visible to the human eye.
Go to Settings, then select Display and brightness. In this menu, find the subsection Text and display size (sometimes it is simply called Zoom). There are two sliders here: one adjusts the font size, and the second adjusts the size of interface elements. Moving the second slider to the right will increase not only the text in the menu, but also the size of application icons on the desktop.
It is important to understand the difference between these two settings. Increasing only the font will make the labels under the icons readable, but the graphic elements themselves will remain the same size. Complex scaling provides the most pronounced visual effect, which is often required by users with low vision.
Before resizing, take a screenshot of the current icon layout. After applying the new settings, the system may automatically redistribute the shortcuts, and you will have to reassemble the desktop.
Some models Honor have a pre-installed “Simple Interface” or “Senior Mode” mode. Activating this function in the screen settings instantly transforms the desktop: icons become as large as possible, the font is enlarged, and unnecessary controls are hidden.
Theme settings and third-party launchers
The visual style of your smartphone directly depends on the active theme. The shell Magic UI allows you to download themes from the official store Honor Themes. Some themes by default use enlarged graphic elements or a specific style of drawing icons that appears larger than the standard one.
Go to the application Themes, select the design you like and apply it. Pay attention to the preview: often the theme description will indicate whether it supports “large icons” or “responsive design”. After applying a theme, the sizes of elements may change even without manually adjusting the grid.
If the built-in capabilities of the system do not suit you, the best solution would be to install a third-party launcher. Apps like Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher provide advanced control over every pixel of your desktop. In their settings, you can separately adjust the size of the grid, the padding between icons and the scale of the shortcuts themselves.
| Settings parameter | Standard Honor shell | Third-party launcher (Nova) |
|---|---|---|
| Grid size | Fixed set of options | Any value (up to 15x15) |
| Icon scale | Depends on the grid | Separate percentage slider |
| Icon shape | Depends on the theme | Manual adjustment of the rounding radius |
| Animations | Standard | Full speed customization |
Using third-party software gives maximum freedom, but requires time for initial setup. In addition, some functions, such as control gestures or integration with the assistant, may work differently than in the native environment.
Where to download secure launchers?
It is recommended to download third-party shells only from the official Google Play store or Huawei AppGallery. Installing APK files from unverified sources can lead to infection of the device with malware or unstable operation of the system.
Using accessibility features
Hidden deep in the Android system settings is a powerful section designed for users with disabilities. Features in the category Special Features can force interface elements to be larger, ignoring the limitations of standard themes.
Navigation to this section is via the path Settings → Accessibility → Zoom. Here you can activate the “Screen Magnification” function. Although it is designed for temporary zoom (triple tap on the screen), there are settings that affect the permanent size of elements, such as “Large pointer” or specific display settings for the visually impaired.
It's also worth checking the settings Cursor Size i Zoom Gestures. In some firmware versions, activating certain accessibility profiles automatically applies a large zoom to the entire system, including the desktop and notification panels.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling some accessibility features may affect the responsiveness of the touch screen or change the logic of navigation gestures. Test usability before permanent use.
This method is especially effective if the standard scaling in the “Screen” section does not give the desired result. The system prioritizes accessibility settings so they can override the settings set in the regular display menu.
Advanced customization via the engineering menu
For advanced users who want full control over pixel density (DPI), it is possible to change system settings through the developer menu or the engineering menu. This allows you to set the exact density value, which directly affects the physical size of all objects on the screen.
To get to the developer menu, you need to go to Settings → About phone and quickly click 7 times on the item Build number. After the message “You have become a developer” appears, a new section For developerswill appear in the main settings menu. Inside, find the item Minimum width (or Smallest Width).
Standard value: 360 dp
Icon enlargement: 320 dp and below
Decreasing the number in this field will increase the size of all interface elements. For example, changing the value from 360 to 300 will make the icons noticeably larger. However, you need to proceed with caution: setting the value too low can make the interface unusable when the buttons cover the entire screen.
☑️ Safe DPI change
Remember that resetting the settings to factory settings will return the original DPI value. This method is the most radical and requires an understanding of how graphics rendering works in the system Android.
Possible problems and solutions
After resizing icons, users sometimes encounter display artifacts. Icons may become blurry if stretched beyond their original resolution. You can also overlay text on graphics or crop app labels.
If you notice that the icons look fuzzy, try changing the theme to one that uses vector or higher-quality raster images. Often the problem lies not in the size, but in the quality of the sources of a particular theme.
If the icons “fly” off the screen or overlap each other, reset your desktop settings. This can be done in the menu Applications → Manage applications → Desktop → Storage → Reset. Don't worry, your applications will not be deleted, only their location on the screens will be reset.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and names of menu items may vary slightly depending on the version of MagicOS and the model of your Honor smartphone. You can always check the current paths in the “Help” section on the manufacturer’s official website.
Regular system updates also help solve display problems. Honor engineers are constantly improving scaling algorithms in new firmware versions, eliminating bugs associated with non-standard element sizes.
The optimal balance between the size of icons and the amount of information on the screen is achieved when using a 4x5 grid in combination with a standard font scale.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why did the icons become square after enlarging them?
The shape of the icons depends on the active theme. Some themes do not support dynamic corner rounding when resizing. Try changing the theme to a standard one or one that claims to support “adaptive icons.”
Is it possible to enlarge only one specific icon?
This cannot be done using standard system tools. All icons on the desktop are scaled uniformly according to the grid settings. To individually resize, you will need to install specialized shortcut widgets.
Does the size of icons affect the performance of a smartphone?
No, changing the size of graphic elements does not have a significant impact on processor performance or battery consumption. This is a purely visual interface adjustment.
What to do if the icons become too large and do not fit into the screen?
You need to return the original settings. Go to Settings → Display and brightness → Text and display size and move the slider down, or change the grid style to a denser one (for example, 5x6).