How to remove the theme on Xiaomi: a complete guide to returning standard design MIUI

Changed theme to Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco, but the result was disappointing? Bright colors cut your eyes, icons look ridiculous, and system fonts become unreadable? Don't worry — you can get MIUI back in a few minutes. In this article, we'll look at all the working ways to cancel the topic, from basic settings to radical methods like resetting a launcher.

It’s important to understand that the process differs depending on the firmware version and device model. For example, on MIUI 14 the path to customizing themes changed compared to MIUI 12, and on some Poco devices, additional launcher settings may be required. We took into account all the nuances and prepared universal instructions that will be suitable for most current Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13, Poco X5 and others).

If you accidentally applied a paid theme or it was installed through third-party sources, some methods may not work – in this case you will have to use alternative solutions, which we also described below.

1. Standard reset theme through MIUI settings

The easiest and safest way to get back to standard is to use the built-in MIUI settings, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco devices with official firmware (including global and Chinese versions).

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (cog icon).
2. Go to the Design section (or Themes on older versions of MIUI).
3. Tape on the current active topic (it is marked with a tick).
4. At the bottom of the screen, select the option Standard or Default.
5. Confirm the changes – the system will automatically apply the basic design.

If the standard item is not on the list, try:

• 🔍 Scroll down the list of topics – sometimes a standard theme is hidden among the user’s.
• 🔄 Restart the device and try again.
• 📥 Update theme app via Google Play or App Store MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware devices (e.g. Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS) may call the standard theme a different name – look for options like Default, Stock or System.

2. Reset via the Themes app (if the standard method doesn’t work)

If the design settings don’t have a return option to the standard theme, try using the official Themes app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi devices and allows you to manage visual styles more flexibly.

Step-by-step:

1. Launch the Themes app (icon with brush and palette).
2. Go to the tab My (or Profile in English version).
3. Find the Current Theme and tap it.
4. In the menu that opens, select Remove or Reset (if the theme was installed from the store).
5. Confirm the action - the system will return to factory design.

If there is no Delete button, then the theme is a system.

• 🎨 Try to apply another topic from the Recommended section and then reset it again.
• 🔧 Use the method with cleaning the launcher cache (described below).
• 📲 Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) if the problem is in the interface itself. MIUI.

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If you have artifacts left after resetting the theme (such as custom icons or fonts), restart the device in safe mode (press the power button → Reboot in safe mode) this will turn off all third-party add-ons and return the factory appearance.

3.Cleaning up the MIUI launcher cache

Sometimes the theme won't be reset because of errors in the system launcher (the application that runs the main screen), in which case cleaning its cache will help, which is a method that is safe and does not delete user data.

How to clear the cache:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type Launcher (or Launcher for English-language MIUI).
3. Select the MIUI Launcher (or MIUI Launcher) app.
4. Slip it on the vault. → Clear the cache.
5. Reset the device.

After the reboot, the launcher will reassemble the cache, and the theme should reset to standard. If this does not happen, try to clear the launcher data as well (but note that this will reset the location of the icons on the home screen!).

Take screenshots of the icons on the main screen

Close all open applications

Connect the device to charging (recommended)

Make sure that the device has enough free memory (minimum 500 MB)-->

⚠️ Note: On some Poco devices (e.g. Poco) F4 POCO X3 Pro) The launcher may be called Poco Launcher. If you don't find it on the app list, try searching for the keyword Poco.

4.Resetting launcher settings to factory

If cleaning the cache didn't work, the next step is to completely reset the launcher settings, which will not only bring back the standard theme, but also the factory layout of the icons, the view of the folders and other settings of the home screen. All user settings of the launcher will be lost!

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the MIUI Launcher (or Poco Launcher).
3. Go to the Warehouse section.
4. Use the Clear Data (or Clear Data) tool.
5. Confirm the action and restart the device.

After the reboot:

• 📱 The main screen will return to the factory look (including the standard theme).
• 🔄 You will have to re-configure wallpaper, widgets and the location of icons.
• 🔒 If the theme still doesn’t reset, the problem may be in system files – move on to the next method.

5. Use of alternative launchers

If standard methods don't work and you don't want to reset the device, you can just mask the bad theme with a third-party launcher, which won't remove it from the system, but will allow you to use a smartphone with a familiar interface.

The best launchers for Xiaomi:

How to install an alternative launcher:

1. Download the selected launcher from Google Play.
2. After installation, click the Home button and select the new launcher as the main one.
3. Then, set it up for yourself (paper, icons, fonts).

Important: Alternative launchers do not remove the MIUI system theme – it will remain active in the background and may affect the operation of some system applications (for example, Settings or Phone).

6. Radical methods: reset to factory settings

If none of the above methods work, the last option is a complete reset of the device, which will delete all data, including apps, photos and settings, so be sure to back up before starting the procedure.

How to reset Xiaomi to factory settings:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset All Settings (or Erase All Data).
3. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
4. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After discharge:

• 📱 The device will return to factory state with a standard theme MIUI.
• 🔄 You will have to reconfigure all parameters and restore data from the backup.
• ⚠️ If the theme was installed through root access or custom firmware, reset may not help – you will need to flash it.

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Factory reset is a last resort, and try all other methods before using it, as the procedure irreversibly deletes all user data.

7. Flashing through Fastboot (for power users)

If the theme was implemented at the firmware level (for example, through a modified framework-res.apk), the only way to return the standard interface is to reflash the device. This method is only suitable for advanced users, since it requires unlocking the bootloader and working with the Fastboot.

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi Unlock Tool.
2. Download the original firmware for your model from en.miui.com.
3. Connect the device to the PC in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when turned on).
4. Run the command in the terminal: fastboot flash all [name file firmware].zip
5. Wait for the process to be completed and restart the device.

Warnings:

• 🔧 Flashing voids the warranty (if the loader has been unlocked).
• 💻 Requires a PC with installed drivers ADB/Fastboot.
• 📡 Continuous Internet connection (firmware weighs 2-4 GB).

⚠️ Warning: Wrong firmware can turn a device into a brick.If you've never worked with Fastboot, you'd better contact Xiaomi's service center.

Frequently asked questions