How to edit themes on Xiaomi: from beginner to pro

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the desire to make the device interface unique, going beyond the standard Themes store offerings. The standard MIUI shell or the new HyperOS provide the basic tools for changing wallpaper and fonts, but true customization requires a deeper immersion. Theme editing is a process that allows you to change absolutely every element of the visual design, from the color of the notification curtain to the animation of unlocking the screen.

In this guide, we will not only look at standard configuration methods through the built-in application, but also professional ways to edit configuration files. Using third-party theme editors allows you to embed system fonts and modify icons even in those parts of the system that are blocked by the manufacturer. You will learn to safely experiment with the design without risking the stability of the operating system.

The process of modification may seem complicated only at first glance. In fact, the structure of the theme files is a logically constructed set of resources that can be worked with with minimal knowledge. We will look at the necessary tools, preparation steps and specific steps to change the key elements of the interface.

Basic customization through the Topics app

Before you go to the complex editing of code and resources, you need to master the built-in functionality. Themes is the center of your Xiaomi appearance management. It allows you to apply ready-made solutions, but also hides the ability to fine-tune individual components without installing third-party software.

To get started, open the app and go to the user profile by clicking on the person icon in the lower right corner, and there's the Settings section that users often ignore, and it's in this menu that you can activate hidden features like changing the style of the app icons or adjusting the behavior of the lock screen.

⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party themes or using import features, always check author rating. Improperly collected themes can cause interface lags or lead to a black screen when downloading.

The "Create Theme" feature is particularly noteworthy, and in some regions and shell versions, it allows you to assemble your own package of selected elements, you can combine wallpaper, sounds and fonts to create a unique mix, but deep editing, such as changing the transparency of elements or the color of indicators, will require access to the file structure.

• 🎨 A standard store offers thousands of ready-made solutions, but they often contain ads.
• ⚙️ The built-in editor allows you to change only the combinations of elements, but not their internal structure.
• 🔒 System restrictions do not allow you to change some icons without superuser rights or special utilities.

Using embedded tools is a safe start for those who are afraid of disrupting the system, but if you want to truly unicalize the device, you have to move on.

Tools and training required

For professional editing of topics you will need a set of specialized software. APK-The main tool on the PC is the Miui Theme Editor, which automates the process of decompiling and compiling packets.

You’ll also need a file manager with advanced access rights if you plan to edit files directly on your smartphone. Apps like MT Manager or ZArchiver allow you to work with.mtz and.zip archives, which are the basis of the theme structure. During the preparation phase, it’s important to back up your current work theme so that you can roll back quickly if you make a mistake.

Required software for PC:


1. Miui Theme Editor (last version)




2. Java Runtime Environment (JRE)




3. Archivator 7-Zip or WinRAR

Remember to enable Developer Mode on your smartphone and activate USB debugging if you plan to transfer files directly or use ADB commands to apply modifications. Without this, some system fonts may not apply correctly.

Theme file structure and key sections

The theme file in the Xiaomi ecosystem is technically a rebranded ZIP archive, containing a strict hierarchy of folders and files, each of which is responsible for a specific visual element, and understanding this structure is key to successful editing.

The main resources, such as button images, menu backgrounds and icons, are stored in the image folder. This is where the.png files with a transparent background are located. Text stylization, color gamut and transparency of interface elements are covered by the description.xml file and resources in the values folder. By changing the hex color codes in these files, you can completely repaint the notification curtain or settings menu.

Particular attention should be paid to the file description.xml. This is a theme passport that includes metadata, author, version and, most importantly, compatibility with specific device models. An error in the syntax of this file will cause the theme to simply not install or the phone to go into a cyclic reboot).

⚠️ Warning: Never delete files from the theme structure unless you are sure of their purpose.It is better to replace the image with a transparent stub file than to disrupt the integrity of the archive, which can cause the system process to crash SystemUI.

Editing icons and system images

The most popular request among fashion designers is to replace icons. The standard set often looks boring or does not match the selected wallpaper. To replace you will need a graphics editor that supports layering and transparency, such as Photoshop or the free GIMP analog.

The process begins with extracting the icons folder from the theme archive. Find the desired image, such as a phone icon or messages. It is important to observe the original image size (usually 192x192 or 512x512 pixels). If you change the resolution, the icon may stretch or display incorrectly on the desktop.

Once you create or download new icons, place them in the appropriate folders, saving the original file names. If you want to add an icon for an application that is not listed, you will have to use the Re-definition function in the editor in one way or manually write paths in the configuration files, which requires careful attention.

• 🖼️ Use the format. PNG-24 To maintain the quality and support of the alpha channel (transparency).
• 📐 Strictly observe the size of the source files to avoid scaling artifacts.
• 🎨 Try to stick to the same style (flat, material, skeuomorphic) for all icons in the package.

Changes in fonts and text styles

Fonts are text clothes. Replacing system fonts can change the perception of the interface beyond recognition. MIUI and HyperOS use.ttf or.otf fonts. To install them through the theme editor, you just put a font file in the fonts folder of the theme archive and specify its name in the configuration file.

However, simply replacing a file is not enough. Some fonts do not support Cyrillic or special characters, which will lead to “quadatics” instead of letters in menus and applications. Always check for language support before embedding a font into a topic. Also, too bold or wide font can break the layout in narrow interface elements, such as file names or contacts.

Example of a path to font configuration in description.xml:

 Roboto-Regular.ttf

For advanced users, settings of kerning (letter distance) and interlinage (interline interval) are available through XML-This allows you to adapt even non-standard fonts to the dense interface of mobile devices, making the text readable.

💡

Before installing custom font, check its display in the Topics app -> Fonts -> Local. If the text reads normally, there is a high probability that it will get right in the topic.

Advanced customization: colors and transparency

Deep customization is impossible without working with colors. In files, color themes are set in the hexadecimal HEX format (for example, #FF0000 for red). By changing these codes in colors.xml files or directly in description.xml, you can change the color of volume sliders, settings background, clocks on the lock screen and even the color of the battery charge indicator.

The transparency of the elements is regulated by the first two symbols. HEX-The value of 00 is total transparency, and FF — And by experimenting with this, you can create a Glassmorphism effect by making the background of the notification curtain semi-transparent so that you can see the wallpaper.

If you want to fix the theme colors hard, you’ll have to turn off Dynamic Colors in your screen settings or override the corresponding variables in the theme, which may require editing system files through Root rights.

💡

Alteration of the alpha channel to HEX-code is the fastest way to create a unique translucent theme without redrawing all images in a graphics editor.

Setting and resolving problems

After making all the changes, the theme must be collected (compiled) into a.mtz or.zip file. In Miui Theme Editor, this is done with a single button. The finished file is copied to the phone's memory. To install, go to the Topics app, click on the profile avatar, select Themes, and find your file in the local list.

If the theme is turned off or an error message appears, don’t panic. In most cases, the system will roll back to the standard theme in 15 seconds. If that doesn’t happen and the phone freezes, try booting into Safe Mode (clamping the off button at start) or use ADB to delete the problem file.

Frequent problems include a black screen after applying the theme, which means that the file responsible for the system interface is damaged, the solution is to find a working theme, unpack its system files and replace the damaged ones in your custom theme with them.