Installing the Mars theme on Xiaomi: official and alternative ways

Xiaomi’s Mars theme is one of the most popular customizations of the MIUI interface, which transforms the look of a smartphone into a futuristic style with a focus on dark tones and dynamic animations. It features unique icons, adaptive wallpaper and optimized controls that make interaction with the device more convenient and visually appealing, but not all users know how to install this theme correctly, especially if it is not available in a standard theme store for their region.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to install the Mars theme on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones. POCO — from the official download through MIUI Themes to manual installation through APK-We will focus on common errors (e.g. Error 404 or “Not Supported Theme”) and how to fix them. If you want to radically upgrade your device design without risking losing warranty, read on.

What is the Mars theme and why is it so popular?

The Mars theme was first introduced in MIUI 12 as part of a collection of premium themes developed by Xiaomi’s design team.

🌌 Dynamic wallpaper with paralax effect and animation of particles that react to user gestures.
🎨 Redesigned application icons in minimalist style with emphasis on geometric shapes.
🌑 Dark mode with deep black tones, reducing the load on the eyes and saving battery power on the eyes AMOLED-screen.
⚡ Transition animations, smooth effects when opening applications and returning to the home screen.

Compared to standard MIUI themes, Mars stands out for its detail: even system notifications and settings menus get a new design, for example. It is important to note that the theme is optimized for MIUI 12/13/14 and may not work properly on older versions of the shell.

The theme’s popularity is also due to its exclusivity: in some regions (e.g. Europe), it is not available in the official theme store due to licensing restrictions, forcing users to look for alternative installation methods.

📊 Which style of topics do you like more?

The Dark Futuristic (Mars, Dark Mode)

Light minimalist

Bright colored

Classic (MIUI standard)

Official method: installation via MIUI Themes

The easiest and safest method is to download the Mars theme through the built-in MIUI Themes app, but it doesn't work for all regions and models. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Open the Themes app on your smartphone (an icon in the form of a palette of brushes).
Go to the Online tab (or Online in English).
In the search bar, type Mars (or in Chinese).
If the theme appears in the results, click on it and select Apply.

If the topic is not there, try the following:

🔄 Change the region in the settings MIUI: Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Region and select India or China (reset required).
🔍 Update the Themes app via Google Play or MIUI App Store.
📥 Clear the app's cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

☑️ Preparation for the installation of the Mars theme

Check out the MIUI version (12 and above)Update the "Themes" annexReplace the region with India/ChinaClear the cache of the "Themes" application

Done: 0 / 4

Important! After changing region, some system applications (such as Mi Pay or Mi Video) may stop working. You can return the original settings in the same Region tab.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI The Global Stable Mars theme may not be available even after a region change, requiring manual installation (see next section).

Manual installation: download and application MTZ-file

If the Mars theme is not available in your region, you can manually install it through a file with the.mtz extension.

Download. MTZ-Mars theme file from a reliable source (we recommend miuithemes.com or Telegram channel) MIUI Pay attention to the version. MIUI — The file must be compatible with your firmware.
Move the file to the MIUI/theme folder on the smartphone’s internal storage (create it if it’s missing).
Import theme through the Topics app: Open Topics → Profile → My Topics. Click on the + (or Import) icon. Select the downloaded.mtz file and apply the theme.

If the theme does not apply after importing or there is an error Theme is damaged, follow the following steps:

Mistake.	Reason.	Decision
Subject not supported	Incompatibility with the MIUI version	Download the.mtz version for your firmware (for example, Mars_MIUI13.mtz)
404 error	File corrupted or incomplete	Download the file from another source
Not enough rights.	There is no installation permit	Include Unknown Sources in Security Settings

Critical information:.mtz theme files can contain malicious code if downloaded from unreliable sites. Always check the source and read other users' reviews before downloading.

💡

Before you install a.mtz file, back up your current theme through Settings → Themes → Backup. This will allow you to quickly return the original design when crashes.

Installation via ADB (for experienced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can apply the Mars theme through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for users with unlocked bootloader or root rights, but requires caution.

Step-by-step:

Turn on USB debugging: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and press 7 times to activate Developer Mode. Return to Settings → Additional → For Developers and enable USB Debugging.

Connect your smartphone to your PC

platform-tools

official website of Android

Open the command line.

platform-tools

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb shell cmd overlay enable-exclusive com.android.theme.icon_pack.mars.fallback

adb reboot

If you have any errors (such as command not found), make sure that:

🔌 USB-The cable supports data transfer (not just charging).
📋 Drivers. ADB installed on PC (you can download via Mi) PC Suite).
🔄 Device unlocked (some commands require unlocked bootloader).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB-Teams can lead to disruptions in work MIUI, Including loss of access to system applications, create a full backup through Mi Cloud or before experimenting with the system. TWRP.

Alternative methods: Magisk-modules and custom firmware

For users with root rights or custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience), additional methods for installing the Mars theme are available:

1. Through the Magisk module

Some developers are building modules for Magisk that automatically apply the Mars theme after a reboot.

Download the module (for example, MarsTheme_Magisk.zip) forum XDA Developers.
Open Magisk Manager and install the module through Modules → Install from storage.
Reset the device.

2. Through custom firmware

Firmware like xiaomi.eu often includes the default Mars theme to install:

Download the firmware from the official website xiaomi.eu (choose the version for your model).
Install it via TWRP or Fastboot (instructions are available on the same site).
After installation, the theme will be available in Settings → Themes.

The advantage of this method is that the theme can work smoothly without compatibility errors, but installing custom firmware cancels the warranty and requires unlocking the bootloader.

What happens if you set an incompatible topic?

An incompatible theme can cause launcher failures (permanent reboots), disappearing application icons, or even “bootloop” (obsessing on the MI logo when turned on), in which cases resetting settings through Recovery or flashing will help.

Solving problems after installing the Mars theme

Even after successful installation of the Mars theme, there may be bugs, and consider the most common ways to fix them:

Problem.	Possible cause	Decision
App icons haven't changed	Conflict with another launcher (e.g. Nova Launcher)	Return to the standard MIUI launcher or apply the theme through its settings
Animations are running with delays	Lack of RAM or weak processor	Turn off animations in Settings → Special features → Remove animations
Black screen after applying the theme	Incompatible with MIUI version or corrupted.mtz file	Download to Safe Mode (hold the power button) and remove the theme

If the Mars theme doesn’t work properly, try the following generic steps:

🔄 Restart the device – sometimes it solves display problems.
🧹 Clear the app cache Themes and Launcher.
📉 Reverse to the standard theme and re-apply Mars.
🔧 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version through Settings → Updating the system.

💡

If after installing the Mars theme, the device starts to warm or discharge quickly, most likely, the problem is in the background animation processes.

How to bring back the standard MIUI theme

If you don’t like the Mars theme or it’s caused a crash, you can bring back the original MIUI design in a number of ways:

Through the Topics app: Open Topics → Profile → My Topics. Select Standard and click Apply.

Through resetting settings

Through ADB (Adb shell cmd overlay disable com.android.theme.icon_pack.mars.fallback adb reboot

If after resetting the theme, some interface elements remain changed (for example, icons), try:

🔄 Reinstall launcher MIUI through settings → Annexes → Launcher → Remove updates.
📥 Download the standard Default.mtz theme and apply it manually (similar to installing Mars).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mars

Can I install the Mars theme on the Redmi Note 10 Pro?

Yes, the Mars theme is compatible with the Redmi Note 10 Pro, provided that the device has MIUI 12 or later installed. If the theme is not in the store, use manual installation via the.mtz file (see section above).

Why did the wallpaper on the lock disappear after installing the Mars theme?

This is a known problem with the conflict between the theme and system wallpaper. To return wallpaper: Go to Settings → Lock screen. Select Wallpaper and apply any image manually. If the wallpaper is not saved, reset the theme settings (see previous section). In some cases, it helps to disable the Dynamic Wallpaper function in the Mars theme settings.

How to update the Mars theme to the latest version?

The official themes updates come through the Themes app. To check for updates: Open Themes → Profile → My Themes. Find Mars in the list and click on it. If an update is available, an Update button will appear. For manually installed themes (.mtz) updates, you will have to manually download from the same source where you took the original file.

Will the Mars theme work on POCO F3?

Yes, POCO F3 (He's a Redmi. K40 In China, it supports the Mars theme because it works on the Mars MIUI. But, POCO Launcher (standard launcher for the launcher) POCO) Some elements of the theme may not be displayed correctly.Recommended: Switch to standard launcher MIUI through settings → Home. → The default launcher, or set the theme through ADB (see section above) if the manual installation fails.

Can I use the Mars theme on MIUI 14?

The Mars theme is fully compatible with MIUI 14, but with caveats: MIUI 14 has a changed theme mechanism, so old.mtz files may not work. Look for versions labeled MIUI14. Some animations in MIUI 14 are reworked, so the visual theme may be slightly different from MIUI 12/13. On MIUI 14 Global, the the theme may not be in the official store - use manual installation.