Users of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the need to find original files after installing a new theme or saving a beautiful image from a gallery. The standard shell of MIUI (and its successor HyperOS) has a specific file system structure that hides user content from easy viewing. This is done to protect system files, but makes it difficult when you need to transfer wallpaper to another phone or save a background that you liked in the the theme store.
Finding the right directories requires understanding the logic of how Android works in conjunction with the manufacturer's add-ons. The files you download through the built-in Themes app are not in the usual gallery or downloads folder. They are packed into special archives with the.mtz extension and placed in hidden system memory partitions. To access them, you will need a file manager with extended rights or a computer connection.
In this article, we will take a look at all the possible paths where your images and design configurations might be located. We will look at both standard methods of accessing through built-in tools, as well as more advanced ways to extract graphics from system caches. Understanding the folder structure will allow you to create your own backups of your favorite design without losing quality.
Standard Storage Paths in the Android File System
Let's start with the most obvious places where the system defaults to store user content, and if you download wallpaper from the Internet or get it through a messenger, it's probably in public memory, but the system wallpapers that come with the firmware are not located, and you can access it with a standard conductor, like MI Explorer or Files by Google.
The main directory for custom images is /storage/emulated/0/Pictures or /storage/emulated/0/Wallpaper. This is often where saved screenshots or downloaded files from the browser are found. In newer versions of Android 11 and above, access to some system folders is limited by the Scoped Storage security policy, so direct copying of system resources can be difficult without special permissions.
If you use live wallpaper or dynamic themes, they can take up much more space. The system caches this data for fast download, but it doesn't always make it easy to extract the original file. It's important to distinguish between files that you downloaded yourself and those that are part of the installed theme. The former is easy to find, the latter requires a deeper dive into the directory structure.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful when working with system folders at the root of memory. Deleting unnecessary files can lead to resetting of design settings or unstable interface operation.
To navigate along the way, use the following sequence in the conductor address bar:
/storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme
This is a key path for MIUI device owners, and it's where data is stored for active and loaded topics, but you can't just go in there and find a picture, because files have specific names and extensions.
📊 What file system do you use to search for files?
Standard MIUI Conductor
Total Commander
CX File Explorer
Solid Explorer
Other
Theme Files in MIUI and HyperOS
Shell MIUI It uses a unique theme storage format. All files downloaded through the official Themes app are saved in a hidden directory. To see it, you need to activate the "Show hidden files" option in the Explorer settings.miui_mods System directories of theme will be invisible to the user.
Theme files are.mtz. These are compressed archives containing all graphics, sounds and configurations. XML-The path to them usually looks like /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme. Inside you will find files with names like 0000000000000000000000000000000.mtz. The file name does not indicate the content, so you need to navigate by the date of change or size.
If you want to change the theme manually or transfer it to another phone, you need to copy this.mtz file. On the new device, you can install it through the same Themes app by selecting Local. This is a convenient way (backup) of paid or rare themes that may disappear from the store.
- 📂 The way to cash themes: /data/system/theme (requires a Root license).
- 📂 The Path to User Themes: /MIUI/theme root-memory.
- 📂 Theme file format:.mtz (compressed archive).
The HyperOS shell structure remained similar, but new encryption mechanisms were added for some elements. However, the basic principle of working with.mtz archives is preserved. You can rename the file extension to.zip and open it with any archiver to view the contents.
How to open a MTZ file on your computer?
File with extension.mtz is a regular ZIP-archive. To open it on PC, simply rename the file extension in.zip and use the standard archiver (WinRAR, 7-Zip). Inside you will find folders, sounds and config containing all the elements of the theme.> To extract graphics from the theme, it is enough to rename the extension.mtz to.zip and unpack the archive. System wallpaper wallpaper and the path to Wallpaper Carousel deserves special attention, which automatically changes the screen without the scanners, so many users do not want to save the images from the background. However, if you have access, look along the way: /data/data/com.miui.mishell.lockscreen/files/lockscreen It stores temporary image files. They may not have an extension or have strange names. To find the right photo, sort the files by size — photos usually weigh more than text logs. The copied file will need to be renamed by adding the extension.jpg or.png. ⚠️ Attention: Folder /data/data/ It's only available if you have Root rights, and without them, you can't copy files from there using standard methods. MIUI. Some users find saved copies in a folder /MIUI/wallpaper/ or in the cache of the com.miui.gallery app. the location may vary depending on the firmware version and the regional setting of the smartphone. ☑️ Search for system wallpaper Enable the display of hidden files Find folder MIUI Go to the wallpaper section Sort by date of change: 0 / 4 Hidden folder access and Root rights: The full management of theme and wallpaper files often requires a superuser (Root) right to access these rights (e.g., via Magisk) to access the partition. /data/, Without root access, many system paths will be closed to read, and if you have root rights, use advanced file managers like Root Explorer or MiXplorer. They allow you to copy files from protected system partitions to user memory, and this is the only way to get the original wallpaper from the system application "Wallpaper", which is not stored in the gallery. This can disrupt banking applications (although this is solved by hiding modules), disable some security features and cancel the warranty.In addition, careless deletion of a file in the system partition can lead to a "bootloop" (cyclical reboot). 🔑 Root rights give full access to the file system. 🔑 Without root access /data/system/theme closed. 🔑 Use of the TWRP Recovery allows you to copy files without downloading the OS. For users who do not want to root the device, there is a use case ADB (Android Debug Bridge. By connecting the phone to a PC, you can copy the files you want with the adb pull command, but accessing secure folders still requires device-level root rights. If your goal is to get specific pictures (icons, desktop background) from an already installed theme, it is easiest to work with a.mtz file. As mentioned earlier, this is an archive. You need to find the theme file in the folder. /MIUI/theme/, You can copy it to a convenient location and rename the extension to.zip. Inside the unpacked archive, you'll find a folder structure. Usually, images, widgets, icons, the files inside can be.png or.9.png (NinePatch — images with stretch areas for buttons. When you extract them, you get the graphics in the original quality. Of particular interest are the preview.jpg or preview.png files, which are a preview of the topic. description.xml, It's a theme that contains the title of the topic, the author, and the original in the theme store. It's useful if you've forgotten what the theme is called. File type in the subject Where is Wallpaper.jpg Description /images/ The main background of the desktop lockscreen.jpg /images/ Lock screen background icons.zip /icons/ Archive with icons of statusbar.png applications /images/ Top panel graphics (time, battery) When you take out graphics, remember copyrights. Themes are created by designers, and it is forbidden to use their work for commercial purposes without permission. For personal use (installing on another phone, using fragments in personal projects) there are usually no restrictions. Access problems and their solution A common problem when searching for files is the inability to open a folder or copy a file. 11, 12, 13 and 14 Google has tightened access restrictions to the folder Android/data and Android/obb. Even file managers can show these folders empty or deny access. To circumvent this limitation in new versions MIUI HyperOS can use the built-in Cleanup function or special conductor applications that request special permission through the system. API. For example, CX File Explorer can correctly request access to system folders on new Androids. Another problem is that files can be corrupted or encrypted. Some paid themes are tied to a Mi Account. A copied.mtz file with such a theme may not work on another device or require re-authorization. ZIP It may not work because the content is encrypted. ⚠️ Note: If after manipulation of the files of the themes the interface of the phone began to display incorrectly, reset the theme to the standard through the menu "Themes" →"Profile" →"Topics" →"Standard". If standard methods don't work, you can still search the right images online by the title of the topic, and designers often post previews and source codes on forums like this. 4PDA or in Telegram channels dedicated to Xiaomi customization. 💡The most reliable way to get wallpaper is to find its source file on the Internet or extract it from the.mtz archive, since the system cache is constantly being cleaned (FAQ) Where are the wallpapers from the Xiaomi Wallpaper app stored? They're usually in the folder. /MIUI/wallpaper/ If it's empty, it means it's stored in an application cache that can only be accessed with root rights along the way. /data/data/com.miui.gallery/. How to open a.mtz file on a computer?.mtz file is a regular file. ZIP-Rename the file extension to.zip and open it with any archiver (WinRAR, 7-Zip). Inside there will be folders with images and configuration. Why I can't see the file MIUI In your file manager settings (Conductor), turn on the option "Show hidden files." Also make sure you are at the root of internal memory, not in memory. SD-Can you transfer the subject to another phone without the Internet? Yes. Find the theme file with the.mtz extension in the folder. /MIUI/theme/, Copy it to another phone and install it through the “Themes” app" ->"Profile" ->"Where is the Wallpaper Carousel's cache stored? Cash is on the way. /data/data/com.miui.mishell.lockscreen/files/lockscreen. Root rights are required to access this folder. Files can be there without extension, they need to be renamed to.jpg to view.