Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often seek to personalize the interface by changing the standard shell beyond recognition. However, after downloading dozens of interesting designs, the natural question arises about where exactly the system stores this data. Understanding the structure of folders is necessary not only for curious users, but also for those who want to transfer favorite designs to a new device or make room in memory.
By default, system themes are hidden from the eyes of the average user and are in a secure partition of internal memory, done by the developers of MIUI and HyperOS to protect system integrity and prevent the accidental deletion of critical files. However, access to this data is possible if you know the correct algorithm of actions and the exact paths to directories.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the file structure, manual themes management techniques, and answer frequent questions, and learn how to find hidden files, manually install designs, and clean up the “junk” that accumulates after many experiments with the appearance of a smartphone.
The standard path to theme files in Android
The main storage of all user data, including downloads from the official store, is in the internal memory of the device. USB-If you open the cable or the built-in conductor, you'll need to go to the root directory. MIUI, which is key to the entire ecosystem of the shell.
Inside this directory is the theme subfolder, where all the files that are uploaded and installed are, but you can't just see the contents as clear pictures because the data is stored in a specific format, and the system encrypts and packages resources to optimize the interface.
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Use Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer app, as third-party file managers may not have rights to view system folders without root rights.
The path to the storage is as follows:
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/In some firmware versions or when using certain file managers, the path may be displayed differently, such as /internal_storage/MIUI/theme/. It is important to understand that physically it is the same place on your Redmi drive.
Folder structure and file formats
When you go to theme directory, you'll find a lot of files with the.mtz extension. These are the archives of themes that were downloaded through the Themes app, and each file contains all the resources you need: wallpaper, icons, fonts, notification sounds, and animation scripts.
In addition to user downloads, there may be system files of preloaded themes. Deleting unknown files can lead to a reset of the design to standard or the appearance of interface artifacts. Be careful when manually cleaning this folder.
Folder structure can be confusing if you're used to classical file organization.
- 📂 Content – a folder containing temporary files and a cache of displayed elements.
- 📂 Old – sometimes backups of previous versions of themes are transferred here after the update.
- 📄.mtz is the main archive format recognized by the Xiaomi Theme Store.
- 📄.cfg – configuration files that describe the settings.
The.mtz format is essentially a renamed format. ZIP-In theory, it can be renamed, unpacked on a computer and examined, but it's better to use the standard system tools to install it on a phone.
How to Access Hidden Folders
On current versions of Android 11, 12, 13 and 14, Google has imposed strict restrictions on access to the Android folder and some system directories. Although the MIUI folder often remains available, the standard file manager can hide some system files by default.
To see all hidden objects, you need to activate the appropriate mode in the Explorer settings, usually through the Explorer or Files settings menu of the app itself. Find the Show Hidden Files switch and activate it.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling the display of hidden files opens access to system configurations. Accidental change or deletion of files with unknown names can disrupt the operation of the operating system.
If a standard conductor doesn’t display the right directories, you can use more advanced tools like Total Commander or RS File Explorer, which often have their own mechanisms to circumvent restrictions, but require special permissions when you first run.
Also, it is worth considering that on some global firmware, access to the MIUI/theme folder may be restricted by superuser rights, in which case without Root rights, you will not be able to see the content, and the system will show an empty folder or give an access error.
Installing themes manually through the file manager
One of the big questions that comes up when you're learning file paths is whether you can manually install a theme. Yes, that's possible if you have a.mtz file that's downloaded from a third-party source. The installation mechanism is simple: the system has to pick up a file when you try to open it.
For successful installation, follow the following steps:
☑️ Pre-installing check
- Copy the downloaded theme file to any convenient folder, for example, in Downloads.
- Open the file manager and find the file.
- Click on the.mtz file. The system automatically recognizes the extension and launches the Themes app.
- In the window that opens, click the button “Apply” or “Install”.
If you click on a file and nothing happens or the archiver opens, then the file association is broken, so you can try renaming the file extension to.zip, unpacking it and viewing the contents, but installing such a theme in a regular way will be more difficult.
What to do if the topic is not set?
Sometimes users try to copy files directly to the MIUI/theme folder without installing it. This doesn't work. The theme won't appear on the list of available ones until it's registered in the Themes application database through the installation procedure.
Clearing the cache and freeing up the space
Over time, a theme folder can grow to a few gigabytes, because older versions of themes are not automatically deleted, but remain as backups or cached data, and cleaning up that trash is an effective way to free up space.
The safest way to clean up is to use the system's built-in tools. Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup. The system will analyze the files and suggest removing "Unused Themes" or "Theme Files." This is guaranteed not to remove the active theme you're currently using.
For deeper cleaning, you can use the manual method:
| File type | Location. | Can I remove it? | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active topic | MIUI/theme | No. | Resetting of registration |
| Cash preview. | MIUI/theme/content | Yes. | Low (recreated) |
| Old.mtz. | MIUI/theme | Yes (if you don't need to) | Low. |
| System configuration | MIUI/theme | No. | High-pitched |
Be careful: files in the content folder can take up a significant amount of space, as they store previews of icons and wallpaper for quick download in the store. They are safe to delete, but the next time you log in to the theme store, they will be rebooted, consuming traffic.
Transfer to another Xiaomi or Redmi
If you bought a new Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone, you don’t have to re-search and download all your favorite themes..mtz files can be simply copied from your old device to your new one, especially for rare or paid themes that are no longer available in the store.
To transfer, use any convenient method: Bluetooth, cloud storage, messenger or direct connection to the Internet. USB. Copy the necessary files from the folder MIUI/theme On the new device, put them in the same directory or just in the download folder.
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Copyed.mtz files are completely standalone – they contain all resources and do not require an Internet connection to activate after copying.
After transferring files to the new device:
- 📲 Find the copied files through the Explorer.
- 📲 Click on the.mtz file to start the installation.
- 📲 Use the theme and enjoy the familiar interface.
It’s worth noting that some themes may be tied to a specific screen resolution or Android version. If you notice a shift in icons or a lack of elements after installing on a new device, then the theme is not fully compatible with your current configuration.
⚠️ Note: When migrating themes between regional firmware versions (e.g., Chinese to Global), system font or sound conflicts may occur.
Using a Mi Account makes this process much easier: If you are logged in to the theme store on both devices, your purchases and favorites are synced automatically, and you only have to click the Download button in your download history.