How to remove the theme on Xiaomi Redmi 9: a complete guide with solutions to typical problems

We changed the theme to Xiaomi Redmi 9, but the new design irritates the eyes, slows down the system or just doesn’t like it? Return the standard MIUI in a few steps — but it’s not always obvious where to look for the right settings. In this article, we will analyze all the working ways to disable themes (including hidden ones), explain why sometimes the Reset button does not work, and show how to avoid typical errors when returning to factory design.

Feature of Redmi 9 (model M2003J15SC/M2003J15SS) in that he works on MIUI 12–14 It's themes, where the themes are integrated deeper than the Android stock. APK-The theme file won't work through the application settings, the system will restore it when it reboots, so you'll have to use a combination of methods, from standard tools to manually resetting the cache. If you have already tried to return the theme through the “Themes” menu and nothing worked, do not rush to reset your phone to the factory settings – first check the alternative options from this instruction.

Method 1: Reset theme through the standard “Themes” menu

The most obvious and safe method is to use the built-in reset feature in the Topic app, which is suitable if:

• 🔹 You installed a theme from the official store MIUI Theme Store.
• 🔹 The interface responds to touch (no freezes).
• 🔹 The phone does not have root rights or custom firmware installed.

To bring back the standard theme:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Slip on your avatar in the upper right corner → select My themes.
3. Scroll down to the Current Theme block and click on it.
4. In the window that opens, tap the Reset button (or Return Standard in new versions of MIUI).
5. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Make sure your phone is 30%+ charged.

Close all background applications

Connect to Wi-Fi (if the theme is downloaded from the Internet)

Back up important data (theme settings sometimes reset wallpaper)

-->

If the Reset button is inactive or absent, the problem may be:

• 🛠️ System Failure – Try to clear the Themes app cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 📱 Updates MIUI — in some versions (for example, MIUI 13.0.4) Reset function temporarily disabled due to bugs.
• 🔒 Access rights – if the topic has been established through APK, It cannot be dropped in the standard way.

Method 2: Remove theme through the launcher (for custom themes)

If you have downloaded the theme from third-party sources (for example, APK-forum-file 4PDA or XDA Developers, a standard reset may not work, and manually deleting the theme files through a launcher or file manager will help. Importantly, this method requires caution, as improper actions can lead to a failure of the interface.

Instructions for the POCO Launcher or MIUI Launcher:

1. Press and hold your finger in the free desktop space → select Desktop Settings (or Home Screen).
2. Go to the Topics or Style section.
3. Find an active topic and tap on its name.
4. If you have the option to Delete or Disable, use it. If you don't, move on to the next step.

For manual removal:

1. Open any file manager with access to root folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/.data/ or /data/system/theme/
3. Delete the folder with the current theme title (e.g. com.example.customtheme).
4. Reboot the phone.

💡

If after removing the theme, the interface began to glittle (icons are gone, fonts are lost), reset the cache in Recovery Mode. To do this, turn off the phone, then press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears.

Method 3: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If previous methods didn’t work, and the theme completely blocks access to settings or causes critical lags, then only a complete phone reset remains, which will delete all data, including photos, messages and installed apps, so use it only as a last resort.

How to reset Redmi 9 to factory settings:

1. Back up important data via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud.
2. Go to Settings → System → Additional → Resetting settings.
3. Choose Delete all data and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

💡

Before resetting to factory settings, be sure to log out of your Mi Account account (in your account settings), otherwise after rebooting, the phone may require you to enter a password from an old profile you don’t remember!

Solving typical problems when resetting themes

Even after successfully disabling theme, Redmi 9 users often encounter bugs, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to spontaneously reboot after resetting the theme, check if it conflicts with the launcher installed (for example, Nova Launcher or Hyperion). MIUI via application settings.

Problem 1: The subject has dropped, but the wallpaper and fonts have remained the same.

• 🖼️ Go to Settings. → Wallpaper and select standard wallpaper.
• 🔤 To reset fonts go to Settings → Screen. → Font and select Systems.

Problem 2: After deleting the theme, the app icons disappeared.

• 🔄 Restart your phone – icons should be restored automatically.
• 📥 If it doesn’t help, upgrade the launcher through the Play Store.
• 🛠️ In extreme cases, reset the launcher settings: Settings → Annexes → MIUI Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data.

Problem 3: The theme returns after the reboot.

• 📁 This means that the theme files have not been deleted completely. 2 and check the folders. /MIUI/theme/ and /data/system/theme/.
• 🔧 If the theme is system-based (such as Dark Mode), disable it via Settings. → Screen. → Dark subject matter.

Standard (MIUI Default)

Dark Mode (Dark Mode)

Custom (from the theme store)

His own (created in the editor)

Don't change the subject.-->

How to avoid problems with topics in the future

To avoid having to deal with broken topics again, follow these rules:

1. Install themes only from the official store (MIUI Theme Store. APK-Files may contain viruses or conflict with the system.
2. Check reviews before installing – if the theme has a low rating or bug complaints, it is better not to download it.
3. Don't overlaid themes. If you've already applied one theme, drop it before you install a new one.
4. Update MIUI. In new versions of firmware, bugs with themes are fixed (for example, MIUI 14 added protection against failures when changing the design).

If you like to experiment with design but don’t want to risk system stability, use alternative launchers (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) that allow you to change icons and wallpaper without deep interference with MIUI. For full customization, you can also consider installing custom firmware (like Pixel Experience), but this will require unlocking the bootloader and fastboot skills.

💡

Back up your favorite theme! To do this, copy its folder from /MIUI/theme/ to your computer, and if the theme disappears from the store after the MIUI update, you can manually restore it.

Frequent questions about themes on Xiaomi Redmi 9