How to install paid themes on Xiaomi: the full guide

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face the desire to personalize their device’s interface. The standard theme catalog offers thousands of options, but the highest-quality and most elaborate designs are often marked with a “Premium” icon and require payment. This restriction annoys many users who are not willing to pay for visual design, especially given that technically the theme file is already on the device.

Fortunately, the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS have certain vulnerabilities and hidden features that allow you to activate any design without financial investment. The process does not require complex hacking or obtaining Root rights, which makes it accessible to the average user.

In this article, we will discuss two main methods in detail: using a third-party application GetThemes and manual modification through MT Manager. You will learn to bypass regional locks, fix compatibility errors and safely implement the desired style into the system. It is important to understand that any manipulation of system files requires care, so follow the instructions Step-by-step.

Preparing a smartphone for the modification of themes

Before you start installing paid designs, you need to set up the smartphone properly. Basic training will take no more than five minutes, but it is critical to the successful application of methods. First of all, make sure that your device has the ability to install applications from unknown sources, as we will need third-party snails.

Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots in the corner → Install unknown applications. You must allow access to the browser and file manager you plan to use. Without this permission, the system will simply prevent the theme installer from running, blocking the process at the start.

⚠️ Attention: A complete backup of data is recommended before any changes to the theme system. Although the methods described are considered safe, a human factor or failure in the process can lead to unexpected results.

The second important step is to create and log in to a Mi Account, and the region in your phone settings (Settings → Settings → Region) should be changed to India, the US or the UK, where the directory is often richer, and some global restrictions may not be as strict as in other localities.

It's also worth freeing up some space in the memory. Theme cache can grow, and when you try to apply a heavy paid design with a lot of animations, the system may not have enough RAM to render. Clearing the cache of the standard "Themes" application through the application menu is a mandatory procedure before work begins.

Method One: Using the Mi GetThemes app

The easiest and most popular way to activate paid functions is to use a specialized application GetThemes. This tool automatically finds and applies the necessary patches to the system application of the theme, allowing you to download any content. You do not need to be a programmer to understand the interface of this utility.

After downloading and installation APK-GetThemes file (the version should be selected for your version of Android and MIUI/HyperOS), It will automatically diagnose the system and suggest the available activation methods, usually by installing a patch or switching to the server version of the theme store.

  • 📲 Download the current version of GetThemes from a trusted source (the official developer website or forum) 4PDA).
  • 🔐 Give the application the necessary permissions to install and access the file system.
  • 🚀 Click the button "Apply Patch" or "Activate", wait for the reboot of the theme service.
  • 🎨 Open the standard “Themes” app and try downloading any paid design.

If the download button on the paid theme became active and the price icon disappeared, then the method worked. Now you can download any wallpaper, fonts and design themes. However, it is worth remembering that system updates can close these vulnerabilities, so the method may stop working after a major MIUI update.

⚠️ Note: Do not use older patcher versions on newer versions of Android 13 and 14.This may result in a cyclical interface reboot or constant dropouts of the app".

In some cases, after applying the patch, you need to clean the data of the Themes application itself. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Topics → Clean and select Clear All Data. After that, re-enter your Mi Account within the Themes application and check the result.

Method Two: Manual installation via MT Manager

For more advanced users, or in cases where automatic patchers don’t work, there is a method of manually modifying the theme file, which is considered more reliable because you personally control the process of replacing key identifiers. To work, you will need a file manager with access to system partitions, for example, MT Manager.

The method is to take a paid theme file (which can be found in cache or downloaded in.mtz format), change its internal structure and make the system think that the theme is legally purchased, and this requires careful handling of hex code or xml files inside the theme archive.

First, download the file of the desired theme in.mtz format. Open it through MT Manager. Inside the archive, you need to find theme.xml file or a similar configuration file. In some cases, you need to rename the theme file extension to.mtz if it is different, or change the digital signature.

The path to modification: /sdcard/MIUI/theme/.data/


File: description.xml or theme.xml




Change of status from "paid" to "free"

After making changes, save the file and update the signatures (F1 function in MT Manager). Move the finished file to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/. Next in the Topics app, go to profile and select Local Themes. Your modified file should appear there, which can now be used without payment.

☑️ Pre-manual check

Done: 0 / 4

Importantly, new versions of HyperOS have changed the theme structure, and now.mzt is more common, and the license verification algorithm is stricter, and if simple renaming doesn't work, you may need to use specialized LSPosed modules, but that already requires an unlocked bootloader.

Solving common mistakes and problems

The process of installing paid themes is not always smooth. Users often face download errors, application crashes or system failure to apply the theme. Understanding the causes of these failures will help quickly fix the problem without rolling back the entire system.

One of the most common mistakes is, "I couldn't download the theme." This can be due to an unstable Internet connection or a lockdown of Xiaomi servers by your ISP. DNS-servers in Wi-Fi settings on 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8, and temporarily disable IPv6.

Hidden causes of application errors
Often the problem is the conflict of versions. MIUI 12, and you have HyperOS 1.0, the system fonts and icons may not match, causing the interface to crash, and an error may occur if you are trying to apply a theme designed for the global version to Chinese firmware, or vice versa. In such cases, it helps to find an adapted version of the topic or use a mediator theme (for example, a classic theme). MIUI) before use of modified.> Another common problem is the "bootloop" right after you apply the theme. If that happens, don't panic. Press the volume and power button to get into the Recovery menu, or just wait for the system to roll it out (in newer versions). MIUI has a security timer). If the system doesn’t boot, try going into Safe Mode by pressing the volume button when you load the logo, and remove the problematic theme through the file manager. Error type Probable reason Method of solving Departure of the application "Themes" Patch Incompatibility Reinstall GetThemes, clear cache Topic not applied File Signature Error Resign File to MT Manager Black screen after application Resource conflict Change theme to standard in 5 seconds No Premium icon Regional restrictions Change region in phone settings Also worth mentioning the problem with "bricking" theme module. If after all the manipulations the theme store stopped opening at all, the solution is to delete the updates to this system application or reset the settings through Recovery. APK-files without the original backup always carries the risk of loss of the interface. Alternative sources and customization If embedded methods seem too complex or risky, there are alternative paths to a beautiful interface. Many designers post their work for free on third-party platforms. Sites like Zthemes or the 4PDA and XDA Developers forums offer thousands of modified themes where the "Premium" restriction has already been removed by developers. In addition, you can use third-party launchers like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Smart Launcher. They allow you to change icons, fonts and transition animations regardless of system constraints. This is a safe way to get the "premium" restriction removed by developers, and those who want to use the concept of the "to be more deeply embedded in the file." Enthusiasts take items from paid themes (wallpaper, sounds, icons) and collect them in one free package. MIUI. However, be careful: downloading files from unverified sources, you risk getting a virus or malware.Security and legal aspects Use of paid content for free, in fact, is a violation of the terms of use of the Xiaomi service. Although the company rarely blocks accounts for this (since the verification is at the device level, not the account level), the theoretical risk is there: weigh the desire to save a few dollars against potential problems with the warranty or account. APK-Files from unverified sources are always a risk. Theme files have access to the visual part of the system and can, in theory, contain malicious code if the modifier was dishonest. Always check the downloaded files with an antivirus, such as the built-in Google Play Protect scanner or Dr.Web. 💡Use a virtual environment or a second profile (if supported) to test a questionable topic before installing it on your main account, which will isolate potential threats. It's also important to understand that once you reset your settings to the factory, all the themes that you set up will fly away, and the interface will go back to the standard one. You'll have to repeat the installation procedure again. So save your favorite files in the cloud or on your computer so you don't have to look them up again if you reinstall your system (FAQ) Will the warranty fly when installing paid themes? By itself, installing themes through the GetThemes application or modifying theme files does not require unlocking the bootloader (Bootloader) and does not leave obvious traces in the logs that service centers check in case of warranty. However, if you unlock the bootloader in the process to use Magisk modules, the software warranty will be void. Can paid fonts and wallpaper be activated in this way? Yes, the methods described (especially using GetThemes) work not only for full-fledged themes, but also for individual components of the theme store, including fonts, Always On Display (AOD) And static wallpaper. The principle of circumventing license checks is the same for all the content inside the application. What if the phone starts warming after applying the theme? Heavy themes with lots of live animations and widgets can load the processor and the processor. GPU, causing heat and increased battery consumption. If you notice these symptoms, immediately change the topic to a lighter or standard one. Code optimization in pirated versions of themes often suffers, which leads to inefficient use of resources. Does this method work on global versions of firmware? The methods are universal and work for the global, EEA, Russia and other regional firmware versions. The only difference may be in the path to the files or the need to change the region in the phone settings for the correct operation of the theme download servers. 💡The safest path to personalization is to use official free themes or verified ports from the community, rather than experimenting with system files on the main device.