How to install a theme on your Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi smartphones based on the company shell MIUI It's famous for its flexibility in personalization, from changing icons to completely transforming the interface, but not all users know how to set themes correctly, especially if it's informal. MIUI Themes to manual installation through APK-Files and even the use of alternative launchers.

We’ll break down the nuances for different versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS), explain why some themes don’t apply, and give you security recommendations, and at the end you’ll find a method comparison table and answers to frequent questions, from “how to return a standard theme” to “can I install an iPhone-style theme?”

1.Official way: MIUI Themes store

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI Themes Store. It is available on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with official firmware. To open the store, go to Settings → Decoration → Themes or find the Themes app icon on your desktop.

The store's themes are categorized as "Popular", "New", "Minimalism", "Dark Theme" and others. Most of themes are free, but some require purchase with MI-coins (the internal currency of the Xiaomi ecosystem). Note: once installed, the themes do not apply to all elements of the system - some icons and menus may remain unchanged.

• 🔍 How to find a topic: Use keyword search (e.g., “iOS", "AMOLED", "pixel").
• 📥 Download: Click on your favorite topic → Apply (automatically download and install).
• 🔄 Reset: To return the standard look, select the Default theme in the My Themes section.
• ⚙️ Settings: In some themes, you can separately configure icons, fonts or lock screensaver.

⚠️ Note: On devices with global firmware (Global) ROM) Some topics may not be available due to regional restrictions, the solution is to change the region in your Mi Account (but this may disrupt some services, such as Google Pay).

2. Installation of themes through APK-files (manual method)

If the official store does not have a suitable theme, you can install it manually through the APK-This method is suitable for users who are ready for a little manipulation of the system, XDA Developers or thematic forums to avoid viruses.

Algorithm of action:

1. Download. APK-Theme file (usually with.mtz or.apk extension).
2. Transfer the file to the phone’s memory (for example, to the Downloads folder).
3. Open File Manager → find the downloaded file → click on it.
4. The system will prompt you to open the file through MIUI Themes – confirm the action.
5. After installation, the theme will appear in the My Themes section where it can be applied.

If nothing happens when you click on APK, check:

• 📌 Permission to install from unknown sources: Settings → Annexes → Special rights → Installation of unknown applications → Select the File Manager and enable permission.
• 🔄 Compatibility of the theme with your version MIUI (specify in the description of the file).

⚠️ Attention: Some APK-Themes can conflict with system applications, causing Settings or Caller to crash. Before installation, back up your data via Settings → System system → Backup.

3. Use of third-party launchers (Nova, Lawnchair, etc.)

If you lack MIUI Themes, the alternative is to install a third-party launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – flexible customization of icons, gestures and animations.
• 📱 Lawnchair – Open Source Launcher, Supports Pixel Themes.
• 🎨 Microsoft Launcher – Microsoft Services Integration and Minimalist Design.

After the launcher is installed:

1. Launch it and select as the default launcher.
2. Go to the launcher settings (usually a long press on the desktop → Settings).
3. In the Themes or Style section, select your favorite icon/wallpaper package.
4. For full customization, download additional icon packages (such as Whicons or Delta) from Google Play.

The advantage of this method is the ability to combine elements from different themes (for example, icons from iOS + wallpaper from Samsung One UI). However, launchers do not change system menus (for example, Settings or Notification Panel), so you will have to combine them with MIUI Themes to fully transform.

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To return the standard MIUI launcher, go to Settings → Applications → Default → Launcher and select System Launcher.

Topics for HyperOS: What has changed in the new shell

With the release of HyperOS (replacement of MIUI 14+), the installation process has changed, and the store is now integrated deeper into the system, with some features moved to Settings → Decoration.

HyperOS has added Dynamic Themes, which automatically adjust to wallpaper or time of day. APK-Now, however, we need additional steps:

1. Download the theme file (.mtz).
2. Move it to the MIUI/theme folder (create it manually if it is not available).
3. Reboot the phone.
4. The theme will appear in Settings → Design → My themes.

5. Problem Solving: Why the topic is not set

If the topic does not apply or errors occur, check the following points:

• 📵 Incompatibility with the version MIUI: The topic may be designed to MIUI 12, and you have MIUI 14.Clarify the version in the file description.
• 🔒 Restrictions of the region: on Chinese firmware (China) ROM) Some of the topics are blocked. Solution is to change region or firmware to global.
• 🛠️ Damaged File: Download theme and check check the checksum (MD5), if it's listed.
• 🔄 Cache Systems: Clear the Cache of the Application Topics in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

If the icons haven’t changed after installing the theme, try:

1. Re-use the topic (sometimes 2-3 attempts are required).
2. Reboot the phone.
3. Install the icon package separately (via launcher or Icon Pack Studio app).

⚠️ Note: On devices with unlocked bootloader (Bootloader) and custom firmware (for example, LineageOS) store MIUI Themes may not work. In this case, use only APK-launcher.

6. Top.-5 source

In addition to the official store, theme for Xiaomi can be found on the following resources:

Important: Check the reviews and rating of the file before downloading from unofficial sources. Avoid sites that require you to disable antivirus or grant superuser rights (root).

FAQ: Frequent questions on topics on Xiaomi