How to Download and Install an Old Theme on Xiaomi: All the Ways to Work in 2026

Changing the theme on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the key ways to personalize the MIUI interface. However, after updating the firmware or resetting the settings, users often face the problem: a favorite theme disappears from the list of available ones. The reasons may be different: the developer removed it from the Themes store, the theme became incompatible with the new version of MIUI, or it simply is no longer supported. But this does not mean that it can not be returned.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to find and install old themes on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from official methods to alternative solutions with the limitations of recent firmware versions. You will learn how to bypass locks, where to look for archives of themes, and how to avoid installation errors. Special attention will be paid to security: not all third-party sources are reliable, and improper actions can lead to system failures.

If you're looking for a specific theme (like Dark Mode Pro or iOS 15 Style) that disappeared after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, or if you want to bring back a standard theme from an older firmware version, here's a solution. Let's start with the easiest and safest ways, and then move on to more complex ones that require technical skills.

Why the old theme disappeared from the store Xiaomi themes

Before you look for a solution, it is important to understand why the topic stopped showing.

• 🔄 Update MIUI: Newer versions of firmware often break compatibility with older themes. MIUI 12 may not work on the MIUI 14 due to changes in system file structure.
• 🚫 Removal by developer: Theme authors sometimes remove their work from the store for personal reasons or because of a violation of Xiaomi rules.
• 📵 Regional restrictions: Some themes are only available in certain countries (e.g., Sina-based versions of themes for global firmware).
• 🛡️ Xiaomi Block: Company periodically cleans store of items with suspicious code or violating privacy policies.
• 💾 Cache errors: Sometimes the theme stays on the device but doesn’t appear in the list due to a crash in the Themes app data.

If your theme is gone after a firmware update, check its compatibility first. Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and compare it to the theme requirements (you can find them on forums or in the archive description).

⚠️ Warning: Installing themes from unofficial sources may result in a loss of warranty if it damages system files.Always back up before experimenting.

Method 1: Recover Themes via Themes app cache

Sometimes the themes don't disappear from the device physically, but simply stop showing up in the interface, and this happens because of a crash in the cache of the Themes app.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Themes app (in some firmware it’s called Themes).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Close the app and restart the phone.
5. Open Themes and check out My Themes – Disappeared options may return.

If this method doesn’t work, try to clear the app data (not cache!) but keep in mind that it will delete all downloaded themes and you’ll have to download them again.

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Before cleaning the data, take screenshots of the current theme settings (fonts, icons, wallpaper) - this will help to quickly restore the appearance after reset.

For devices with MIUI 13+, there is another trick: switch the region in settings to India or China (Settings → Additional → Region). Sometimes this returns hidden themes, but after changing the region, you may need to reboot.

Method 2: Search for topics in the archives of the official store

Xiaomi's Theme Store stores archives of old themes, but they're not always accessible through the standard interface.

1. Open the Themes app.
2. Go to the Profile section → My downloads (or History).
3. Scroll down the list – it can show themes you’ve downloaded before, even if they’re removed from the main directory.
4. If the topic is not in the story, try searching for it by title by adding keywords like “old”, “MIUI 12” or “legacy”.

For Global ROM devices, some themes are only available in the Chinese version of the store.

• 🌐 Install. VPN servers in China (e.g. Hong Kong or Shanghai).
• 📱 Change region in phone settings to China (in Settings) → Additionally. → Language and region).
• 🔄 Restart the device and open Themes – additional categories should appear.

⚠️ Attention: Use VPN Xiaomi may violate the rules of some countries to access Chinese services, and note that Chinese themes often contain ads in Chinese.

Method 3: Install themes through.mtz files

If the theme is completely gone from the store, you can manually install it through a file with the.mtz extension. This is the official MIUI theme format, but installing it requires additional steps.

Where to download.mtz files:

• 🔗 Official Xiaomi Forums: Global Community (Themes & Ringtones section) Chinese Forum (use translator)
• 📁 Theme archives: MIUI Themes (unofficial catalog) Telegram channels (e.g, @miuithemes)
• 💾 Backup: If you’ve previously done a backup through Mi Cloud or Titanium Backup, check your archives for.mtz files.

How to install.mtz:

1. Download the theme file to your phone (for example, via a browser or Telegram).
2. Move it to the MIUI/theme folder (create it manually if it doesn’t exist).
3. Open Themes → My Themes → Click on the three dots in the top right corner → Select a theme from the file.
4. Select the downloaded.mtz file and apply the theme.

If you do not have a Select Theme from a File, use a root Explorer (such as MiXplorer) or install the theme through ADB:

adb install /path/to/file/theme.mtz

Download.mtz file from a verified source

Check compatibility with the MIUI version

Create a backup copy of the current theme

Make sure there is enough memory on the phone

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Method 4: Recover Themes through MIUI Backup

If you have previously backed up your system through Settings → Additional → Backup, there is a chance to restore an old theme from the backup.

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup → Local Backups.
2. Select the backup created before the theme goes missing.
3. Click Restore and tick only the Topic item (do not restore all data so as not to lose relevant information!).
4. Confirm the recovery and restart the phone.

If there are no local backups, check out Mi Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Backup of the device.
2. Find a backup with the desired date and restore only the Topic section.

Important: Recovering backup themes may reset some personalization settings (wallpaper, fonts). After the procedure, check the Settings section. → Screen. → Screen style.

Method 5: Using third-party launchers to emulate themes

If none of the previous methods worked, you can reproduce the look of the old theme with alternative launchers, which will not replace the system theme completely, but will allow you to customize icons, wallpaper and fonts to your preferences.

The best launchers for Xiaomi:

To recreate the old theme:

1. Install a launcher from Google Play.
2. Download iconpac (for example, Whicons for white icons or Delta for round) and wallpaper from the original theme.
3. In the launcher settings, select the downloaded icon pack and apply wallpaper.
4. Configure fonts through Settings → Screen → Font (if the launcher does not support custom fonts).

The downside of this method is that not all interface elements (such as notification panel or lock screen) will change.

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The launcher side is the only way to bring back the visuals of the old theme on new versions of MIUI without risking the system, but they don't replace system styles entirely.

Method 6: Manual editing of system files (for advanced)

This method is only suitable for users with unlocked bootloader and root rights. It allows you to manually replace theme files in system folders, but it is dangerous - wrong actions can lead to a bootloop (cyclic reboot).

Step-by-step:

1. Install Root Explorer (such as MiXplorer with root rights).
2. Go to /data/system/theme/, where you can find the current themes.
3. Copy old theme files (e.g., from a backup or downloaded.mtz unpacked via 7-Zip) into this folder.
4. Change the access rights to 755 (for folders) and 644 (for files).
5. Reboot the phone.

To unpack.mtz, use the command:

unzip theme.mtz -d /sdcard/extracted_theme/

Risks of the method:

• 🚨 Damage to system files → brick (defaulting device).
• 🔄 After updating MIUI change.
• 🛡️ Violation of warranty (if the device is under warranty).

⚠️ Note: Before editing system files, create a full backup through TWRP Or OrangeFox Recovery. If you crash, you can restore your phone.

Where to look for old themes for specific Xiaomi models

Some themes were developed specifically for individual smartphone lines (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or Mi 11 Ultra).

To search for themes by model, use the queries of the type: site:xiaomi.eu "Redmi Note 11 Pro" theme.mtz (in Google).

If you’re looking for a theme for HyperOS (a new firmware from Xiaomi), note that most of the older themes are incompatible, in which case try converting.mtz to a new format using the MIUI Theme Editor tool (available on GitHub).

FAQ: Frequent questions about old themes on Xiaomi