How to import themes on Xiaomi: 4 working methods + error solving

Changing the standard theme to Xiaomi is one of the most popular ways to personalize a smartphone. However, not all users know that in addition to the official MIUI Themes store, there are alternative methods for installing themes, including importing from third-party sources. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to import themes to Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard to advanced, taking into account the features of the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS.

You’ll learn how to download.mtz files, bypass regional restrictions, use ADB for manual installation, and even back up your favorite themes. Focus on common bugs (e.g., Error 1001 or Theme not installed) and how to fix them. If you’re tired of having limited choices in a store or want to install custom theme from third-party developers, this guide is for you.

1.Official method: import via MIUI Themes

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in Topics app (MIUI It's suitable for most users, but it has limitations: not all themes are available in your area, and some require payment. Here's how it works:

Open the Themes app on your Xiaomi. From the bottom menu, select My Themes, then click on the + icon (or Import in older versions). The system will prompt you to select a.mtz file from the device's memory. Once you select the theme, you will install it automatically, but you may need to reboot it.

• 📁 Where to download.mtz files? Official themes can be exported from My themes section → Settings → Export: Use trusted sources for third-party topics, such as, MIUI Themes Russia or Xiaomi.EU.
• 🌍 Regional restrictions: If the theme does not install with an Unsupported region error, try changing the region in the Mi Account settings (see Section 3).
• 💰 Some premium themes can be imported for free if you find their.mtz version on the forums.

⚠️ Warning: When importing themes from unknown sources, the risk of catching malware increases.Always check files through VirusTotal before installing them.

2. Import themes through file manager (manual method)

If the Theme app doesn’t see your.mtz file or gives you an error, you can try manual importing through the file manager, a method that works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS, but requires you to follow the instructions exactly.

Copy the.mtz file to /MIUI/theme/ on the internal drive. If theme is not available, create it manually. Then go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the line with the version to activate the developer mode. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers and turn on the USB debugging option.

Download.mtz theme file | Create /MIUI/theme/| Move the file to folder |Enable debugging on USB|Reboot the device

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After rebooting, open the Themes app, go to My Themes and click Import. The system should detect your file. If the theme doesn't appear, check:

• 📂 Right track (/MIUI/theme/, not /MIUI/theme/.mtz).
• 🔄 Compatibility of the theme with your version MIUI (You can find the file name, for example, v14 for MIUI 14).
• 🔒 Write permissions to folder (sometimes root or Magisk is required).

Bypassing regional restrictions (region change Mi Account)

Many themes in MIUI Themes are region-specific (e.g. India or China) If you see an error when importing This theme is not available in your region, you can temporarily change the region of your Mi Account.

Go to Settings → Mi Account → Personal Data. Find Region and select India (India) or China (China). Confirm the change and restart the phone.

1. Open the Themes app and try to import the file again.
2. If the theme is set, return the previous region in the account settings.

⚠️ Warning: Changing your region may temporarily block access to some Xiaomi services (e.g. Mi Cloud or Mi Pay) Do not change region more than 1 time per month – this may result in your account being blocked.

4. Advanced method: importing themes through ADB

If standard methods don’t work (e.g., HyperOS or custom firmware), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but allows you to install themes even on locked devices.

First, download and install ADB Tools on your PC. Connect your phone to your computer via USB, enable USB Debugging (see Section 2) and execute:

adb devices

If the device is displayed, copy the.mtz file to the system folder:

adb push theme.mtz /sdcard/MIUI/theme/


adb shell am broadcast -a miui.intent.action.CHANGE_THEME --es theme_pkg_name theme.mtz

After you execute the commands, restart your phone. The theme should appear in My Topics. If you have a Permission denied error, try:

• 🔧 Enter the rights to record via adb shell chmod 777 /sdcard/MIUI/theme/.
• 🔄 The command is adb shell am start. -n com.android.themes/.module.ThemeManagerActivity.
• 📱 Switch to Custom Recovery (TWRP) And to scroll the subject like ZIP.

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If ADB does not recognize the device, update the drivers via the Mi Unlock Tool or use universal ClockworkMod drivers.

5. Import themes to HyperOS devices

HyperOS is Xiaomi’s new shell, replacing MIUI in 2026, and has changed the import process to require an additional Theme Manager app to install.mtz files, which isn’t always available by default.

To import the theme on HyperOS:

1. Download. APK-Theme Manager file with APKMirror (version must match your firmware).
2. Install APK via file manager (allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access).
3. Copy the.mtz file to /MIUI/theme/ and open the Theme Manager.
4. In the Local section, select your theme and click Apply.

⚠️ Note: On some versions of HyperOS (e.g. Xiaomi 14 Ultra), Theme Manager may not work without root rights. ADB (section 4) or custom firmware.

6. Solving common mistakes when importing themes

Even with accurate follow-up, users often encounter errors, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

If none of these methods worked, try:

• 🔄 Reset theme settings through Settings → Display. → Resetting the topics.
• 📱 Update MIUI Up to the latest version (sometimes bugs are patched).
• 🛠️ Install custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) where theme restrictions are removed.

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Before installing any theme, back up your current theme through Settings → Themes → Export. This will quickly return the original look if the new theme is not working properly.

FAQ: Frequent questions about importing themes on Xiaomi