Users of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face intrusive interface personalization, which is built into the shell of MIUI. By default, the system offers to automatically change the wallpaper, use recommended themes and display banner ads in the design menu. This is not only distracting, but also consumes traffic, and can slow down the device on weak models.
Fortunately, the flexibility of Android smartphone customization allows you to completely get rid of this visual noise. In this article, we will discuss how to turn off themes on Xiaomi Redmi, remove wallpaper auto-changers and block promotional notifications from the Themes system application.
The disabling process does not require super-user permissions (root) and is safe for your device.We will consider the settings inside the application, system restrictions and additional steps to completely clean the interface from the manufacturer's marketing elements.
Disabling automatic wallpaper change in the Topics app
The first step for those who want to remove intrusive image change is to customize the Theme app itself, which is responsible for so-called wallpaper carousels and regular desktop background updates, and the default feature is often activated immediately after buying or updating the firmware.
To stop this process, you need to open the Theme app (the brush icon) and go to the user profile, usually a button with a little person or avatar in the lower right or upper right corner of the screen, and here you can find the basic personalization switches.
Find the Settings section or the Wallpaper Carousel section, and the menu that opens will have a switch that automatically changes images when you lock the screen, which you need to put inactive, and you should also turn off the Recommend Theme option to stop the system from analyzing your preferences.
⚠️ Warning: After the Carousel is turned off, the background of the lock screen will become static. If you are used to daily new pictures, you will have to install them manually through the gallery or third-party widgets.
Additionally, this menu recommends unchecking the “Receive Notifications” box, which will prevent ads from the theme store from appearing in the notification curtain of your smartphone, and will stop bothering you with offers to download new icon packs or fonts.
Removing updates and cleaning app data Topics
If simply switching the togglers didn’t help, or you want to make the system as light as possible, you can use a more radical method – resetting the application to the factory state, this is especially true if the Topic application has started to work incorrectly or continues to show ads even after setting up.
Go to your Redmi System Settings, then select the Apps section and go to All Apps. In the list, look for Topics. Here we are interested in the Memory tab or immediately available control buttons.
Click Clean and select Clear All. This action will delete the cache, temporary files and downloaded data, returning the application to its original state. It is important to understand that this will not delete the application completely, since it is system-based, but will reset all your settings inside it.
☑️ Checklist for full app cleanup
After this procedure, the application may request permission to access memory or network when it first starts up, and be careful when granting permissions. If your goal is to completely abandon the service, you can deny access to the network, as discussed in the next section.
Restriction of access rights and prohibition of network activity
The most effective way to disable theme is to deny the Theme app access to the Internet. Without a connection to the Xiaomi server, the store will not be able to download banner ads, update the carousel or offer new paid designs.
To implement this method, go back to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Themes. Find Activity Control or Data Use (name depends on the version of MIUI). You need to turn off mobile Internet and Wi-Fi access for that particular application.
Once the network is banned, the app icon may change the look or stop reacting to some online features, but the basic color scheme change functionality (if it is in memory) will remain, ideal for those who want to use a standard concise style without unnecessary traffic.
⚠️ Note: If you completely ban the network for system applications, you may stop receiving critical security updates for interface components.
Also in the restrictions menu, you can find the "Out-Out" option, disable it for the Themes app, which will prevent the service from running in the background immediately after the phone is turned on, which will positively affect the speed and autonomy of Redmi.
Comparison of methods of disabling topics and their impact on the system
The choice of method depends on how deeply you want to integrate into the system settings. Each method has its pros and cons, which should be considered before making changes. Below is a table to help determine the best option.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnection in settings | Low. | Medium | Absent. |
| Clearing the data | Low. | Tall. | Resetting personal settings |
| Network access ban | Medium | Maximum | Lack of updates |
| Disconnection through ADB | Tall. | Maximum | Possible instability |
As you can see from the table, blocking the network is the best way to fight ads, but it requires care. Simply turning off the settings is for most users who just want a static picture.
Using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) commands allows you to completely remove or “freeze” the application, but this method requires a connection to a computer and the presence of certain technical skills.
What is ADB and is it worth using?
Return to the standard theme and classic MIUI look
Many users confuse switching off the theme store with returning the standard design. If you accidentally installed a third-party theme and want to return to the factory look, you don't need to turn anything off, just change the active design profile.
Open the Themes app, go to Profile (bottom right) and select Themes. My shopping or download list always has a theme called Classic or Basic (often with a black cylinder icon or MIUI logo).
This action will instantly bring back the standard icons, fonts, system colors and wallpaper that were on the phone when you first turned on, the safest way to “disable” a bright or uncomfortable theme without affecting system files.
If the standard theme doesn’t show up, try clearing the Topic app cache as described in the previous sections. Sometimes the theme list doesn’t update correctly due to caching errors.
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Tip: Before installing any new theme, take a screenshot of your desktop, which will help you visually assess the changes and quickly understand which widgets or icons are no longer displayed correctly.
Problem Solving: If the topics are not turned off
In rare cases, users are faced with a situation where settings are reset or ads return after a reboot.This may be due to the operation of the system process msa (MIUI System Ads), which is responsible for advertising in the entire shell, not just in the themes.
Try turning off ads globally. Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Access to personal data. Go to msa and turn off the switchboard. The system will ask you to wait 10 seconds, then click "Cancel." If you fail the first time, repeat the procedure 3-5 times in a row.
Also make sure you don’t have a “Plate” mode or access modes that can force certain visual styles. In some firmware regions (like the Chinese version), the number of ads is much higher, and the only solution may be to reflash to the Global ROM.
⚠️ Note: Disabling the msa system process may cause recommendations to disappear in standard applications (Music, Video), but may also temporarily disrupt widgets.Rebooting the device usually solves the problem.
If nothing helps, check for system updates. With new versions of MIUI and HyperOS, Xiaomi is gradually rolling out more options to disable ads and personalize on request from users in the EU and other regions.
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Comprehensive approach: the combination of turning off the wallpaper carousel, banning the network for the application of Topics and revoking permissions from msa guarantees a complete elimination of intrusive advertising and themes.