How to Become a Xiaomi Theme Designer: From Idea to Publishing in the Mi Theme Store

Creating themes for Xiaomi smartphones is not only a way to express your creativity, but also an opportunity to make money from your hobby. MIUI It allows designers from all over the world to share their work with millions of users through the official Mi Theme Store, but the journey from the first idea to the published theme requires not only artistic taste, but also knowledge of the technical nuances of the platform.

In this article, we’ll look at the whole process, from working tools to getting a theme store moderation. You’ll learn what Xiaomi demands designers, how to structure theme files correctly, and what mistakes most often lead to rejection of work. And if you’ve tried to create Android themes but have encountered problems, you’ll find solutions to typical problems, such as why the theme is correctly displayed in the editor but “breaks” after installation on the device.

It is important to understand the design of topics for MIUI It's different from creating wallpaper or icon packs for other launchers, and you need to take into account the specifics of the branded shell, maintain adaptability to different screen resolutions (from Redmi with the help of the new model). HD-displays up to the flagship Xiaomi 14 with 2K+), And we also have to follow strict design rules, so that the subject is moderated the first time!

Xiaomi’s Designer Requirements: What You Need to Know Before Starting

Before you start creating themes, read the official Mi Theme Store rules, which require both technical requirements (image resolutions, folder structure) and visual content, such as:

• 🚫 Any infringing elements (brand logos, characters from movies/games without a license).
• 🚫 Political, religious or provocative symbols.
• 🚫 Incorrect display on devices with notch or punch-hole in the screen.
• 🚫 Using stock images without processing (Xiaomi requires at least 70 uniqueness%).

Technical requirements include:

• 📱 Support for permits from 720×1280 (HD) before 1440×3200 (2K+).
• 🎨 Color profiles only in sRGB or Display P3.
• 📁 The folder structure should conform to the template MIUI Theme Template (you can download it on the official website).
• 📝 Mandatory availability of the file description.xml Metadata of the topic (title, version, author).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi blocks designer accounts for repeated violations of the rules. If your theme is rejected 3 times in a row, you will be temporarily banned from downloading new works. MIUI Theme Editor).

Also note that you need to register as a developer in the Mi Theme Store to publish themes, a process that involves verifying your account through phone number binding and email confirmation, and in some regions (e.g. China) additional document verification is required.

2. Necessary tools: what to install for the job

To create themes under MIUI You'll need specialized software. The basic set includes:

Pay special attention MIUI Theme Editor: This tool allows you to use it:

• 🖌️ Edit icons, wallpaper, font styles and color schemes.
• 📱 View how the theme will look on different devices (including notch and punch-hole models).
• 🔍 Check for errors before sending to moderation.
• 📦 Automatically package theme in.mtz format.

If you are running Windows, install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE), so MIUI Theme Editor is written in Java. macOS may require manual file permissions.

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Before installation MIUI Theme Editor Disable Antivirus – Some versions of Xiaomi software falsely trigger as threats.

Theme structure: how to organize files correctly

Every topic for MIUI It should have a clear folder structure and files, and if you don't follow this structure, your theme won't be validated:

miui_theme/


├── description.xml #Metadata topics (required!)




├── preview.png # Store Preview (size 1080×1920)




├── wallpaper/ # Wallpaper (background images)




│   ├── lockwallpaper.jpg




│   └── wallpaper.jpg




├── icon/ # App icons




│   ├── com.android.contacts.png




│   ├── com.android.settings.png




│   └── ...




├── style/ # Styles of interface elements




│ ├── colors.xml # Color schemes




│ ├── styles.xml # Button styles, menus, etc.




│   └── ...




└── font/ # Fonts (optional)




└── custom_font.ttf

Pay special attention to the file description.xml. It should contain the following mandatory fields:

<theme>


<name>The name of your topic</name>




<author>Your name or nickname</author>




<version>1.0.0</version>




<compatibility>MIUI 14, MIUI 13</compatibility>




<description>Short description of the topic</description>




<tags>minimalism, dark, AMOLED</tags>




</theme>

For icons, use.png format with transparency, size 192×192 Wallpapers must be in.jpg or.png format, with a resolution of at least 1080×1920 (for vertical) and 1920×1080 (Xiaomi recommends that you provide wallpaper in multiple resolutions for better adaptability.

⚠️ Note: If your topic uses custom fonts, make sure they support Cyrillic and Chinese characters (to moderate in the Chinese version of the store».

File. description.xml well-filled|Preview.png is the same size as 1080×1920|All icons in format PNG 192×192|Wallpapers adapted to different permissions|The style folder contains colors.xml and styles.xml-->

4. Theme design: key elements and typical errors

In creating a theme for MIUI And it's important to remember that users value not just aesthetics, but functionality:

4.1. Icons

The icons must be:

• 🎨 Recognisable – the user should immediately understand which application is hiding behind the icon.
• 🔍 Readable – Avoid too small details that will be illegible on screen.
• 🎭 Uniform – all icons must follow the same style (for example, flat design or design). 3D).

A common mistake of beginners is to use icons from Google Material Design without adapting to the new design. MIUI. Xiaomi requires icons to be unique or significantly redesigned, for example, if you are using a Material YouTube icon, you need to modify it by at least 50% (change shape, color, add unique elements).

Wallpaper.

Wallpaper should:

• 🖼️ Be adaptive – not distorted on screens with an aspect ratio of 16:9 to 20:9.
• 🌓 Support dark and light modes (if the theme is universal).
• 🎨 Have a minimalist design – avoid too bright or colorful backgrounds that will distract from icons.

Use the Wallpaper Preview tool to test the wallpaper in MIUI Theme Editor. will show how the background will look on devices with a cutout in the screen (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or Redmi Note 12).

Color schemes

In the file style/colors.xml color-determined:

• 📱 Status bar and navigation bar.
• 🔘 Buttons and switches.
• 📝 Notification background and settings menu.

Xiaomi recommends using no more than 5 primary colors in a single theme to avoid visual chaos, and make sure the colors are sufficiently contrasted for accessibility (e.g. white text on a light gray background will be rejected by moderators).

5. Testing theme: how to avoid deviation on moderation

Before submitting a theme to the Mi Theme Store, you need to test it on a real device or emulator.

1. Pack the theme in.mtz format through MIUI Theme Editor (File menu) → Export).
2. Transfer the file to your smartphone (for example, via Mi Drop or cable) USB).
3. Install theme through the Topics app: Open Topics → My subjects. → Local. Select your.mtz file and click Apply.

Check the display.

Common issues that cause topics to be rejected:

• 🔴 Distortion of wallpaper on devices with notch or rounded corners.
• 🔴 No icons for standard applications (e.g. Camera or Phone).
• 🔴 Incorrect colors in dark mode (for example, black text on a dark gray background).
• 🔴 Too large file size (maximum 50MB for free themes).

If the topic does not apply or crashes, check:

• 📋 Correctness description.xml (Frequent error - the wrong version MIUI).
• 📋 All required folders (icon, wallpaper, style).
• 📋 File resolutions (all images must be readable for the system).

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Test the theme on at least 2 devices with different versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 13 and MIUI 14) – this increases the chances of approval by the moderator.

6.Publishing in Mi Theme Store: A Step-by-Step Process

Once the topic is ready and tested, you can start publishing.

1. Sign in to the Mi Theme Store website under your Xiaomi account.
2. Go to the Designer Center section.
3. Download the.mtz archive and fill in the topic information: Title (up to 20 characters) Description (up to 200 characters, supported by emoji) Category (e.g., Minimalism», «AMOLED», «Game tags (up to 5 pieces) Price (free or paid, from 0.99$).

Send it to moderation.

Once approved, the theme will be available in the store, you can track download statistics and revenue (if the theme is paid) in your personal account. Xiaomi pays designers once a month for a linked PayPal or Alipay (depending on the region).

⚠️ Attention: If your topic is rejected, the email will give reasons with specific errors. Do not submit the same topic to moderation again without corrections - this increases the risk of blocking the account.

To increase the visibility of your topic:

• 📢 Share a link on social media (e.g., in Xiaomi groups on Facebook or Facebook) VK).
• 📊 Use popular tags (for example, #AMOLED, #DarkTheme).
• 🔄 Update theme every 1-2 months (add new icons or wallpapers).

7 Monetization and promotion: how to make money on themes

Xiaomi provides designers with several ways to monetize:

To increase sales:

• 📈 Create a series of themes (e.g., Space, Cyberpunk, Minimalism 2.0) and users who buy one of the themes in the series are more likely to purchase the rest.
• 🎁 Hold promotions (for example, a 30% discount for the first week after release).
• 📱 Adapt themes to trends (for example, iOS 17 or Windows 11 themes are always in demand).

You can also make money on donat themes: upload a free version with a basic set of icons, and ask for donations for the full version via PayPal or Patreon, a method popular with designers who want to circumvent the restrictions of the Mi Theme Store (for example, the number of free themes per month).

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Use Canva to create a promo graphic for your themes. Beautiful banners increase conversions to downloads by 40%!

8. Alternative means of disseminating topics

If your theme didn’t go through moderation in the Mi Theme Store or you want to expand your audience, consider alternative sites:

• 🌍 XDA Developers is a forum where users share custom themes and firmware, and you can upload the theme as.mtz or.apk (for installation via a user interface). TWRP).
• 📱 Telegram channels – many communities (for example, MIUI Customizations – Accept themes from designers.
• 🛒 Etsy or Gumroad are digital marketplaces, and you can put themes like digital products».
• 🎨 DeviantArt or Behance – portals for artists, where you can put the theme as a portfolio and get orders.

When distributing via third-party sources, consider:

• 🔒 Security: Don’t post topics on questionable sites – this could lead to your job being stolen.
• 📜 Licensing: Indicate whether your subject can be changed (e.g. Creative Commons) BY-NC).
• 💰 Payments: on platforms like Gumroad, the commission is ~10%, but there are no content restrictions (unlike the Mi Theme Store).

If you plan to sell themes outside of the Mi Theme Store, pack them into.apk using the Apktool tool or the Mi Theme Store. MT Manager.This will allow users to install themes without root rights, but will require you to know the basics of reverse Android development.

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Alternative venues are suitable for experimental themes that don’t go through Xiaomi moderation (e.g., with anime characters or branding).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions