Mi logo redesign: before-and-after evaluation
What changed in Xiaomi's Mi logo redesign, how to read the before-and-after comparison as vector artwork, and what to check before using either version.
Contents
The short answer
The Mi logo redesign is Xiaomi's 2021 update to its orange square emblem containing the "MI" letterforms. The redesign was credited to designer Kenya Hara. Its main visible change is the container shape: the earlier square with conventionally rounded corners was replaced by a smoother superellipse, often called a squircle, where the curvature changes gradually instead of switching abruptly from straight edge to circular arc. The "MI" letterforms and the orange identity color were kept, so the before-and-after difference is subtle at small sizes and clearer at large sizes or when the two outlines are overlaid.
Evidence gap: no source documents were supplied with this brief. The description above reflects widely reported public coverage of the 2021 announcement. Figures that circulated at the time, such as the reported design fee or the exact exponent in the superellipse formula shown in Xiaomi's presentation, are not verified here and should be checked against Xiaomi's own materials before being quoted.
Before and after at a glance
| Element | Earlier Mi logo | Redesigned Mi logo (2021) |
| Outer shape | Square with rounded corners built from circular arcs | Superellipse (squircle) with continuously changing curvature |
| Corner transition | Visible point where straight edge meets curve | Smoother, more gradual transition |
| Inner "MI" letterforms | White "MI" mark | Retained; no major structural change reported |
| Color | Xiaomi orange | Orange retained as the primary identity color |
| Overall effect | Geometric, conventional app-icon feel | Softer silhouette, framed by Xiaomi as more organic |
This comparison is qualitative. No measurements, path counts or color values were supplied, so none are given here.
Evaluating the redesign
As an editorial judgment, the redesign is an evolutionary refinement rather than a new identity. That suits a brand with strong recognition: the orange square still reads as Xiaomi, and the smoother outline matches the rounded-rectangle shapes common in phone icons and hardware. The trade-off is that the change is hard to notice in everyday use, which is why much public reaction at launch focused on how little seemed to have changed. A fair evaluation separates those two points. A small visible change can still be a deliberate structural decision, but it has to be judged by how consistently the new geometry is applied across products, packaging and screens, not by the amount of difference alone.
The rebrand also sits alongside a broader naming shift. Xiaomi has moved product branding away from the "Mi" name toward "Xiaomi". Readers comparing old and new assets should check which mark a given context calls for rather than assuming the orange "MI" square applies everywhere.
Why the change matters for vector artwork
The difference between the two versions lives in the outline geometry, which is exactly what vector artwork stores. A rounded square is typically drawn as straight segments joined to circular arcs. A superellipse has to be approximated with Bézier curves whose handles are set so that curvature builds gradually. In practice, the two outlines will have different anchor placement and handle lengths, and simply raising the corner radius on an old file does not reproduce the new shape.
- Practical consequences:
- Redrawing the new logo by eye from the old one is likely to produce a shape that looks close but is not the official outline.
- At favicon and small-icon sizes, the two versions may be nearly indistinguishable once rasterized, so a raster preview is a poor way to tell them apart.
- Overlaying the two outlines at large size in a vector editor is the clearest way to confirm which version a file contains.
Checking a Mi logo file before use
A file labeled as an SVG, EPS, AI or PDF version of the Mi logo is not necessarily editable vector artwork. Any of these formats can wrap an embedded raster image, and a file may contain only a raster preview. Open the file in a vector editor and inspect it in outline or wireframe view: genuine vector artwork shows editable paths for the square and the letterforms, while an embedded image appears as a single rectangular box with no inner paths.
- Questions to confirm:
- Does the outline view show paths, or a placed bitmap?
- Does the outer shape match the 2021 superellipse or the earlier rounded square?
- Is the "MI" mark built from outlined shapes, or does it depend on an installed font?
- Where did the file come from, and is it the brand owner's official artwork?
Downloading versus using the logo
Being able to download a Mi logo file does not grant permission to use or modify it. The logo is a Xiaomi trademark, and use in commercial work, product packaging or anything implying endorsement is governed by trademark law and Xiaomi's own brand rules. Editing the artwork, recoloring it or redrawing the outline raises separate permission questions, as does reusing any typeface associated with the identity, which carries its own license. Editorial use, such as illustrating an article about the redesign, is treated differently in many jurisdictions, but the specifics depend on location and context. Check Xiaomi's official brand or press guidelines, and seek legal advice for commercial use.
Bottom line
The Mi logo redesign kept Xiaomi's orange square and "MI" mark and changed the outer shape from a conventional rounded square to a smoother superellipse. Visually it is a modest refinement, and geometrically it is a distinct outline. That makes official vector artwork, checked in outline view, the only reliable way to work with the current version, and any use of it remains subject to Xiaomi's trademark rights.