Themes on Android: what is this application, how it works and where to download themes

If you have ever gone into the personalization settings on your smartphone Xiaomi, Samsung or Huawei, then you have probably encountered the application Themes (in some firmware - “Themes” or “Themes Store”). This is a standard application for Android that allows you to radically change the appearance of the system: from wallpapers and icons to fonts and animations. But many users do not understand why you need it, how to use it and whether it can be removed without consequences.

In this article we will look in detail at what it is Themes, how it works on different devices, where to get safe themes and how to avoid common mistakes when installing them. You will also learn why some themes are paid, how to test them before purchasing, and what to do if your smartphone starts to slow down after applying the theme. If you want to make your Android device unique, this guide is for you.

What is the Themes app on Android and why do you need it?

The application Themes (or “Themes”) is an official tool for customizing the Android interface, which is pre-installed on most smartphones with proprietary shells. It allows you to change:

• 🎨 Wallpaper (home screen, lock screen, Always-On Display)
• 📱 Application icons (their shape, color, style)
• 🔤 Fonts (system and for individual applications)
• 🎭 Color schemes (dark/light theme, accent colors)
• ⚙️ Sounds and notifications (ringtones, vibrations, animations)
• 🖼️ Styles of interface elements (buttons, menus, notification panels)

Unlike launchers (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), which simply replace the home screen, Themes integrates deeper into the system and changes the design at the firmware level. This means that changes affect not only the desktop, but also system menus, settings, keyboard and even some third-party applications (if they support themes).

On different devices, the application may be called differently:

• 📱 MIUI (Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO) — Themes or “Themes”
• 📱 One UI (Samsung) — Samsung Themes or “Themes and Wallpapers”
• 📱 EMUI (Huawei, Honor) — Themes or “Themes”
• 📱 ColorOS (Oppo, Realme) — Theme Store

⚠️ Attention: On “pure” Android (Pixel, Motorola, Nokia) there is no application Themes - instead, the wallpaper and style settings in the menu are used Settings → Design. The functionality there is more modest, but there is no risk of conflicts with the firmware.

How the Themes application works: technical details

Application Themes interacts with the system through special APIs provided by the smartphone manufacturer. When you apply a theme, the following happens:

1. The theme files (usually in the format .mtz for MIUI or .szt for Samsung) are downloaded to the folder /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ (or similar for others brands).
2. The system checks the compatibility of the theme with the firmware version and device model.
3. Theme elements (icons, fonts, wallpapers) are loaded into the cache and applied to the interface.
4. Some themes require a device reboot to be fully applied.

It is important to understand that themes do not change system files they are simply superimposed on top of the standard interface. This means that:

• ✅ They can be deleted or rolled back at any time.
• ✅ They do not affect performance (if the theme is optimized).
• ❌ But they may conflict with some launchers or widgets.

For example, if you install a theme with dark icons, but use the launcher Nova Launcher, the icons may not display correctly. In such cases, you have to choose: either a system theme or a third-party launcher.

Where to download themes for the Themes application: official and third-party sources

There are several ways to get topics for Themes:

1. Official theme store

On most devices, the application Themes has a built-in store where you can download free and paid themes. For example:

• 📱 On Xiaomi: open Themes, go to the Online tab.
• 📱 On Samsung: go to Samsung Themes → Themes.
• 📱 On Huawei: Themes → Recommended.

Pros of the official store:

• ✅ Themes have been tested for compatibility with your firmware.
• ✅ Automatic updates.
• ✅ Support from developers.

Cons:

• ❌ Limited selection (especially for older models).
• ❌ Many high-quality themes are paid.

2. Third-party sites and forums

If there are no suitable themes in the official store, you can search for them on specialized resources:

• 🌐 XDA Developers (themes section for your model)
• 🌐 MIUI Themes (for Xiaomi devices)
• 🌐 Samsung Themes (for Samsung gadgets)
• 🌐 Telegram-channels (for example, “Themes for MIUI” or “Samsung Themes”)

⚠️ Attention: By downloading themes from third-party sources, you risk running into viruses or incompatible files. Always check the reviews and reputation of the source. Be especially careful about topics in the format .apk —they may contain malicious code.

3. Creating your own theme

If you have not found a suitable theme, you can create it yourself using special apps:

• 🎨 MIUI Theme Editor (for Xiaomi)
• 🎨 Samsung Theme Studio (for Samsung)
• 🎨 Theme Factory (universal tool)

This requires time and skills to work with graphic editors, but you will get a unique theme that no one else will have.

Theme source	Pros	Cons	Risks
Official store	Security, compatibility	Limited selection, paid themes	Minimal
Third-party sites	Large selection, free themes	You need to look for compatible ones	Viruses, unstable operation
Creating your own theme	Uniqueness, full control	Difficult, takes time	May not work correctly

How to install and apply a theme in the Themes application

The process of installing themes varies slightly depending on the manufacturer, but the general scheme is as follows:

For Xiaomi (MIUI)

1. Open the application Themes.
2. Go to the tab Online and select the topic you like.
3. Click Download (for free) or Buy (for paid).
4. After downloading, click Apply.
5. Confirm application (some themes require a restart).

For Samsung (One UI)

1. Go to Samsung Themes.
2. Select section Themes or Icons.
3. Find the topic and click Download.
4. After downloading, tap Apply.
5. Wait for the system to update the interface (may take up to a minute).

For Huawei (EMUI)

1. Open Themes.
2. Go to Store.
3. Select a theme and click Install.
4. After installation, click Apply.

If the theme does not apply or errors occur, try:

• 🔄 Restart your smartphone.
• 🗑️ Clear the application cache Themes (Settings → Applications → Themes → Memory → Clear cache).
• 📥 Make sure the theme is compatible with your firmware version.

Check theme compatibility with MIUI/One UI/EMUI version

Clear Themes application cache

Reboot your smartphone

Delete conflicting launchers or widgets

Update the Themes application to the latest version-->

Paid themes in Themes: is it worth buying and how not to waste it

Many users are faced with the fact that the most beautiful themes in Themes are paid. Prices usually vary from 50 to 500 rubles, but sometimes you come across themes for 1000+. Is it worth buying them?

When the purchase is justified:

• 🎨 The theme is truly unique and suits your style.
• 🔄 The developer regularly updates the theme (check the date of the latest update).
• 📱 The theme has good reviews and a high rating (4.5+).
• 🛡️ It is possible to test the theme before purchasing (some stores allow you to use the theme for 1 day for free).

When it is better not to buy:

• 🚫 The theme has not been updated for a long time (risk of incompatibility with the new firmware).
• 🚫 There are no screenshots or video previews (you can run into low quality).
• 🚫 A lot of negative reviews about bugs or brakes.
• 🚫 The theme copies a popular design (for example, iOS), but is made crookedly.

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi) there is a function Trial period —you can apply a paid theme for 1-3 days for free. If you don't like it, the money will not be written off. There are also sometimes promotions when paid themes are given away for free (follow the news in the official brand communities).

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (especially Samsung), the purchase of themes is tied to the manufacturer's account, and not to Google Play. This means that when you change your smartphone, you will have to buy the theme again, if the new gadget is not from the same brand.

Problems with the Themes application and how to solve them

Sometimes after installing themes, bugs arise: brakes, crashes, incorrect display icons or fonts. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:

1. The theme is not applied or partially applied

Reasons:

• 🔧 Incompatibility with the firmware version.
• 🗑️ Damaged theme files.
• 🚫 Conflict with the launcher or widget.

Solution:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🗑️ Clear the cache Themes.
• 📥 Try downloading the theme again.
• 🚫 Remove third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher).

2. The smartphone began to slow down after applying the theme

Reasons:

• 🐢 The theme with animations is too heavy.
• 🗃️ Not fast enough memory.
• 🔄 Conflict with other system settings.

Solution:

• 🔄 Return the standard theme and check if the brakes go away.
• 🗑️ Clear the system cache (Settings → Memory → Clear).
• 📵 Try disabling animations in the developer settings (Settings → About phone → Build number (7 taps) → Animations → Off).

3. Icons or fonts are not displayed correctly

Reasons:

• 🖼️ The theme is not optimized for your screen resolution.
• 🔤 The font does not support Cyrillic or special characters.
• 📱 Conflict with the shell (for example, One UI may ignore some theme elements).

Solution:

• 🔄 Try another theme.
• 🔤 Manually change the font in the settings (Settings → Screen → Font).
• 📵 Disable the theme and return the standard icons.

What to do if widgets disappeared after applying the theme?

If after theme settings, widgets have disappeared (for example, weather or calendar), this means that the theme has overwritten the system widget files. To return them:

1. Delete the theme.

2. Reboot your smartphone.

3. Go to the widget settings and add them again.

If the widgets still do not appear, try resetting the home screen settings (Settings → Applications → Launcher → Reset).

Is it possible to delete the Themes application and what will happen if you do it

Many users want to delete Themes, because it:

• 📱 Takes up space in memory.
• 🔄 Sometimes slows down the system.
• 🚫 Intrudes advertising or paid themes.

Can I delete Themes?

• ❌ Without root access: No, this is a system application, and you can only disable it (Settings → Applications → Themes → Disable).
• ✅ With root access: Yes, you can delete via Titanium Backup or ADB, but this may lead to interface crash.

What happens if you disable Themes?

• ✅ The application will stop update and take up resources.
• ✅ Notifications about new themes will disappear.
• ❌ You will not be able to change themes through the standard menu (but wallpapers and fonts will remain).
• ❌ Some system updates may bring the application back.

What happens if remove Themes with root access?

• ❌ System wallpapers and fonts may disappear.
• ❌ Design settings in the menu Settings → Screen will stop working.
• ❌ When updating the firmware, the application may be restored.

⚠️ Attention: If you still decide to delete Themes via ADB, first make a backup of the system (adb backup -apk -shared -all -f backup.abIn case of problems, you can restore the application.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the Themes app on Android

Is it possible to use themes from one brand on another (for example, a theme for Xiaomi on Android) Samsung)?

No, themes are tied to a specific shell (MIUI, One UI, EMUI). The file formats are different, and even if you download a theme for Xiaomi and try to install it on Samsung, it will not work. The exception is universal launchers like Nova Launcher, but they only change the home screen, not the entire system.

Why do some themes require payment, while others are free?

Paid themes are usually developed by professional designers and include unique elements (animations, custom icons, exclusive fonts). Free themes are often made by amateurs or use templates. the theme is free, and then they make it paid if it becomes popular.

How to return the standard theme if you don’t like the new one?

To roll back changes, go to Themes, find the tab My themes or Installed, select Standard (or Default) and click Apply. If this option is not available, try clearing application data Themes (Settings → Applications → Themes → Memory → Clear data).

Can I transfer purchased themes to another smartphone?

It depends on the manufacturer:

• 📱 Xiaomi: Themes are linked to Mi Account. If the new smartphone is also from Xiaomi and you log in with the same account, the themes will be transferred.
• 📱 Samsung: Themes are linked to Samsung Account, but only if the new smartphone is Samsung.
• 📱 Huawei: Themes are linked to Huawei ID, but transfer is possible only to Huawei/Honor devices.

If you switch to a smartphone of another brand, the purchased themes will not be transferred.

Why did the themes disappear after updating the firmware?

During major system updates (for example, from MIUI 12 to MIUI 13), some themes may become incompatible. Developers must adapt their themes to the new firmware version. If the theme is missing, check its availability in the store - perhaps an updated version has been released. If not, you will have to look for an alternative.