How to transfer a theme from one Xiaomi phone to another: 5 proven ways

Moving your favorite design theme from one Xiaomi smartphone to another is a challenge that users face when changing devices or resetting settings. Unlike standard wallpaper or tunes, MIUI themes are stored in system folders and not always copied through the Mi Account cloud. In this article, we will examine all the current ways to transfer themes, from official tools to manual methods for experienced users.

Many people mistakenly believe that sync your Xiaomi account to automatically show themes on a new device, in practice it only works for purchased themes from Themes → My Themes. Free and custom themes installed through.mtz files require separate porting, then detailed instructions with the features of MIUI 14/15 and the new Xiaomi 13/14/Redmi Note 12 models.

If you use custom themes from third-party developers (such as Telegram feeds or 4PDA forums), migrating them will require additional steps. In some cases, you may need to unlock the bootloader or access root folders through ADB. We will look at these scenarios, but we will start with the simplest methods.

1.Official method: synchronization through Mi Account

The most reliable method for both purchase and standard themes is the use of cloud sync Mi Account, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, but has limitations.

How it works:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Xiaomi Account and make sure that theme sync is enabled (Themes → Settings → Theme Synchronization).
2. Sign in with the same account on the new device.
3. Go to Topics → My Themes → Cloud and choose the right theme to use.

⚠️ Important: This method does not preserve custom themes established through APK or MTZ-Also, some free themes from the official directory may not be displayed in the cloud due to regional restrictions.

2. Manual transfer of topics through MTZ files

If the theme was installed through a file with the.mtz extension (standard MIUI theme format), it can be manually transferred, which is suitable for free and custom themes downloaded from third-party sources.

Instructions:

• 📁 Find the theme file on your old phone. It's usually stored in a /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ or in the Download folder (Download).
• 📤 Copy the file to a new phone (you can use Bluetooth, messenger or cloud).
• 📱 On the new device, open the themes → Mine. → Local and select the copied.mtz file.

If /MIUI/theme/ is missing, create it manually through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).

Find it. MTZ-file

Copy it to a new device

Create a MIUI/theme folder if necessary

Apply the topic through “Local topics"-->

3. Transfer through MIUI backup

MIUI has a built-in backup tool that can save some theme settings, however, this method does not guarantee 100% portability, as the themes are often tied to system files.

Steps for backup:

1. On your old phone, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
2. Select System Settings and Themes (if any).
3. Save your backup to your memory card or the cloud.
4. On the new device, restore data from the backup.

⚠️ Warning: Restore backups can lead to a settings conflict if phone models are very different (e.g. Redmi Note 10) → Xiaomi 13 Ultra.In such cases, the theme may not display correctly.

4.Those transfer via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to copy the theme system files, which requires USB debugging and basic command line knowledge enabled.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) → Additional settings → For developers.
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command line (or Terminal) Mac/Linux) and do: adb pull /data/system/theme/ C:\Xiaomi_Themes\ (switch off).
4. Connect your new phone and transfer files back: adb push C:\Xiaomi_Themes\ /data/system/theme/
5. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause a system failure. Don't change other files in the folder. /data/system/, If you are not sure of your actions.

5.Tames transfer on phones with unlocked bootloader

If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader, you can use TWRP or Magisk to port themes.This method is suitable for deep customization and porting themes along with other system modifications.

Options for action:

• 🔧 Install Magisk Module to back up theme (e.g, MIUI Theme Backup from Magisk repository).
• 📦 Create a backup folder /data/system/theme/ through TWRP Restore it on a new device.
• 🛠️ Use the Xposed Framework (for older versions) MIUI) moduled MIUI Theme Manager.

⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bootloader resets all data on the phone, and it can also lead to loss of warranty on Xiaomi devices from 2023-2026 (under the new rules of the company).

💡

Before unlocking the bootloader, check if your Xiaomi model supports official unlocking via the Mi Unlock Tool.Some devices (such as the POCO F5 or Redmi K60) require waiting 7-15 days after an account is tied.

6. Solving problems in transferring topics

Even after successful transfer, the themes may not display correctly, including errors and ways to correct them.

Frequent problems and solutions:

• 🚫 Topic Not Applicable: Remove the Application Cache Themes in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Clear the cache.
• 🎨 Distorted icons: Some themes are optimized for a specific screen resolution. Try changing the screen density in the developer settings.
• ⚠️ “Theme is corrupted” error: Download the theme again – it may be that the file was corrupted when you copied it.
• 🔄 Reset theme after rebooting: This indicates a conflict with MIUI Optimization. Turn it off with Magisk. MIUI Optimization).

If the theme was installed via an APK (e.g., Mi Theme Editor), porting it may require re-installing the APK on a new device, and in some cases resetting the theme settings to standard with subsequent re-use may help.

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Before migrating themes, always check compatibility with the MIUI version. A theme running on MIUI 14 may not be supported in MIUI 15 due to changes in system libraries.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions