How to make a unique theme for Xiaomi: from idea to installation

The theme on the Xiaomi smartphone is not just a background picture, but a full-fledged visual style that changes icons, fonts, animations and even the sounds of the system. MIUI Themes Editor and resource management. In this article, we will break down the entire process, from design preparation to final installation, and also reveal the secrets of optimization for different versions. MIUI (including MIUI 15, where the logic of working with topics has changed).

You might be surprised to learn that you don't have to be a professional designer to create a theme, but you have to understand the basic principles of assembling elements, and be able to work with graphic editors (albeit with a free one). GIMP Or Figma, and follow our recommendations, and if you want to speed things up, you can use the templates from the official theme store. miui.com/theme, which can be modified to suit their needs.

Important: Before starting work, check the version MIUI in settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI). Some functions of the theme editor may differ depending on the firmware. MIUI 14 for the global version there is no support for custom animations, while in Chinese firmware this functionality is saved.

1.Preparation: What is needed to create a topic

Before you start designing, you must assemble everything you need. Without proper preparation, you risk spending hours on work that won't be compatible with your version. MIUI device.

Here is the minimum set of tools and files:

• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone on the MIUI 12-15 (global or Chinese firmware) on HyperOS devices, the process may be different, and we'll talk about this separately.
• 💻 Computer with installed graphics editor (Photoshop, GIMP, Figma or even Canva for simple elements).
• 📁 Archive with the theme template (you can download from the official site or forums like XDA Developers).
• 🔧 MIUI Themes Editor – official Xiaomi theme builder software (available only for Chinese firmware; global version requires a workaround).
• 🎨 Set of icons in.png format (resolution at least) 192×192 px for adaptability).

If you plan to distribute your theme through the store MIUI Themes, note: Xiaomi has strict quality requirements, such as all icons must be in vector or with a resolution not lower than the previous one. 512×512 px, and background images are adapted to different ratios of the screen (from the 16:9 before 20:9).

⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) The standard theme editor may not work, in which case use alternative methods through the ADB Or third-party launchers like Nova Launcher.

2.Selecting Style: From Minimalism to Cyberpunk

Deciding on a theme style is half the success, and it's not just visual perception, it's also the complexity of implementation, for example, a "material design" theme (like Android stock) requires minimal effort, whereas a "neon cyberpunk" one requires every pixel to work through.

Here are the popular destinations and their features:

• 🌌 Dark subject with AMOLED-Optimization: uses deep black to save battery life.Suitable for Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro AMOLED-screen.
• 🍃 Minimalism: simple icons, pastel colors, no extra detail, perfect for business smartphones like Redmi. K70E.
• 🤖 Retro-futurism: inspired by 80s-90s design (pixel graphics, bright colors) Requires hand-drawn icons.
• 🌌 Space style: gradients, star textures, animations of "floating" elements.
• 🎨 Watercolor/painted style: icons and backgrounds look like watercolor sketches, difficult to implement due to the need to draw each element.

Tip: If you are in doubt, check out trends on Pinterest or in the community. MIUI Themes on Reddit. Pay attention to the high-rated topics, which are usually trendy. For example, in 2026, dynamic wallpapers (changing depending on the time of day) and the most popular ones are the ones that are popular. 3D-paralax.

3. Creating icons: rules and life hacks

Icons are the face of your theme, and their quality determines whether the theme will look professional or amateurish. Xiaomi has strict icon requirements:

• 📏 Size: minimum 192×192 px, optimally — 512×512 px (for scaling).
• 🎨 Format:.png with transparent background (unless the icon is square).
• 🔍 Details: Avoid small details – they will merge on the smartphone screen.
• 🎯 Uniformity: all icons should be in the same style (color scheme, line thickness, perspective).

If drawing icons from scratch is difficult, use these life hacks:

1. Download a free set of icons from Flaticon or IconFinder and modify them to your own style.
2. Use Figma or Adobe Illustrator for vector graphics, so the icons will be clear on any screen.
3. For 3D-Use the icons Blender (free of charge) 3D-editor) and export renders to.png.
4. Check the contrast icons with the WebAIM Contrast Checker tool – this is important for accessibility.

⚠️ Note: If you use icons from third-party sources, make sure they are distributed under a license that allows commercial use (e.g., for example, for the use of the icons, CC0 or MIT). Otherwise, Xiaomi may block your theme when posting in store.

Create a folder with icons in format.png

Check the size (minimum) 192×192 px)

Ensure uniformity of style

Optimize the weight of files (no more than 200 KB per icon)

Testing on a real device-->

4. Work with MIUI Themes Editor: Step-by-step instructions

MIUI Themes Editor is Xiaomi's official theme building software, and unfortunately, it's only available in Chinese firmware. If you have a global version, you'll have to use workarounds (which we'll discuss below).

Here's how to work with an editor:

1. Download and install. MIUI Themes Editor from the official website (requires a Mi Account with the Chinese region).
2. Open the program and select Create a new theme (in Chinese).
3. Import the prepared icons, background images and fonts to the appropriate folders (the folder structure should match the template).
4. Configure the interface colors in the Color palette (). Here you can set the colors for status bar, menu and notifications.
5. Add animations (if supported by your version) MIUI) in the section Dynamic Effects.
6. Export the theme to.mtz (ready file for installation).

For global firmware MIUI There are two options:

• 🔄 Use it. ADB for manual installation of themes (requires an unlocked bootloader).
• 📱 Install theme through third-party launchers (Nova Launcher, Lawnchair), but this will limit the functionality.

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If MIUI Themes Editor does not start, try changing the region of Xiaomi account to China using the Mi Account settings → Country/Region. After changing the region, you may need to restart the device.

5. Installation of the theme on the smartphone

When the theme is ready, you have to upload it to your device, and the way you install it depends on whether you want to use the theme for yourself or if you plan to share it with others.

For personal use:

1. Transfer the.mtz file to the smartphone memory (for example, to the Download folder).
2. Open the Themes app on your device.
3. Click on the profile icon in the top right corner and select Import theme.
4. Select your.mtz file and confirm the installation.
5. Apply the topic in the My Topics section.

For publication in the store MIUI Themes:

• 📤 Upload the topic to zhuti.xiaomi.com (Chinese account required).
• 📝 Complete the description in Chinese (you can use Google Translate, but it is better to attract the carrier).
• 🕒 Wait for moderation (can take 3 days to 2 weeks).
• 💰 If the theme is paid, adjust the price (Xiaomi takes a commission of 30%).

⚠️ Note: When posting themes in the store, Xiaomi prohibits the use of brand logos (such as Apple or Samsung) in icons, and you can not copy the design of existing themes, this will lead to the blocking of the account.

6. Optimizing theme for different devices

The same theme may look different on the Redmi Note 12 FHD+-screen and Xiaomi 14 Pro with 2K-To avoid scaling problems, follow these rules:

• 📱 Adaptive icons: create icons in vector or resolution 1024×1024 px to make them look good on any screen.
• 🎨 Background images: Use multiple wallpaper options for different aspect ratios (16:9, 18:9, 20:9).
• 🔤 Fonts: Avoid fonts that are too small or intricate – they may not be readable on small screens (POCO M6 Pro).
• 🎛️ Color profiles: test theme in modes AMOLED and LCD — colours may differ.

Use emulators to test, or ask friends with different Xiaomi devices to check your theme.

• Readability of text in light/dark backgrounds.
• Correctness of displaying icons in folders and on the main screen.
• Speed of application of the theme (if the process takes more than 10 seconds, optimize the graphics).

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Test the subject at least on 3 screen-wise (AMOLED/LCD) version MIUI. This will help to avoid compatibility issues.

7 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced designers make mistakes when creating themes for Xiaomi, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

If your theme refuses to install, check the error log through ADB:

adb logcat | grep -i"theme"

This will help identify the problem (e.g., no mandatory files in the.mtz archive).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions