How to remove wallpaper from the screen Xiaomi: from standard themes to live wallpaper

Are you tired of the standard wallpaper on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, but don’t know how to quickly remove or replace them? Perhaps the screen displays an obsessive theme from the manufacturer, live wallpaper slows down the system, or you just want to return the classic black background. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to remove wallpaper — from basic settings to hidden MIUI functions, which work even on locked smartphones.

The problem with wallpaper on Xiaomi is often related to the features of the shell MIUI: The system can automatically set themes from the Theme, caching old backgrounds, or blocking changes due to energy saving. We will look not only at obvious methods (through screen settings), but also at hidden tricks - for example, how to throw wallpaper through the screen. ADB or disable the forced installation of topics. All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14/15 model 2020–2026 year-end.

Before you start, check: if the wallpaper does not change due to a system failure, you may need to reset the theme settings (section 5).

1. Standard method: changing wallpaper through screen settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools.It is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5.If the wallpaper doesn't change due to a bug, try the alternative methods below.

How to remove wallpaper through the menu:

1. Long press on the free space of the main screen (not on the icon!).
2. In the lower menu, select Wallpaper (or Themes on older versions of MIUI).
3. Scroll down to My Wallpaper or Basic.
4. Choose Black, White or any other static background. For live wallpaper, click Dynamic and click No.
5. Confirm the choice with the Apply button.

⚠️ Warning: If after selecting a new background, the old wallpaper returns - this is a sign of a failure in the service com.miui.home.The solution is to clear the cache (section 3) or restart the phone.

Long press on the screen → Wallpaper

Check the "My Wallpaper" section (here are the saved backgrounds)

Turn off the live wallpaper in the "Dynamic" section

Apply the changes and restart the phone-->

2.How to remove obsessive themes from Xiaomi

Xiaomi often sets themes by default through the Themes app, which can change not only wallpaper, but also icons, fonts, sounds, to bring back the standard look:

Instructions for deleting topics:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
• 🔍 Go to the section My topics → Find an active topic (marked with a tick).
• ❌ Click on it and select Remove (or Reset).
• 🔄 If there is no Delete button, tap Apply on a standard theme Basic or MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Some systemic themes (e.g, MIUI 15 Dark) can not be deleted - they can only be replaced with another. If after resetting the wallpaper is left, clear the data of the application Themes in Settings → Annexes.

On Xiaomi models with MIUI 14+ (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60), some themes are blocked due to brand policy.The only way to remove them is to roll back the firmware or use ADB (section 6).

3. Cleaning the cache of wallpaper and themes

If the wallpaper doesn’t change or comes back after a reboot, the problem may be in the cache of system applications. Cleanup helps in 70% of cases when MIUI “forgets” new settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find and select: Themes (If you use this launcher) com.miui.home (system launcher)

Warehouse → Clear the cache

Clear the data

Reboot the phone.

💡

If after cleaning the cache, the wallpaper was reset to standard, but you want to return your background - save it in the gallery in advance. After cleaning, apply it again through a long press on the screen → "My wallpaper".

4.Resetting launcher settings to factory

If the wallpaper is stuck due to a launcher failure (for example, after the MIUI update), resetting its settings will help. This method works on all Xiaomi models, including the POCO X6 and Redmi 12.

How to drop the launcher:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find com.miui.home (system launcher).
3. Click Warehouse → Delete data (not just cache!).
4. Confirm the action. The phone may be hanging for a while, which is normal.
5. After rebooting, the wallpaper will be reset to standard.

Standard (black/white background)

Live wallpaper (dynamic)

Gallery photo

Topics from Xiaomi

Your custom wallpaper-->

5. Removal of wallpaper through safe mode

If the wallpaper is not removed due to third-party software (such as viruses or “optimizers”), try booting into Safe Mode, which disables all third-party applications, and you can change the background without interference.

How to enter safe mode and remove wallpaper:

1. Press the power button before the turn off menu appears.
2. Long press on Turn off (will be prompted to go to safe mode).
3. Confirm the login. The phone will reboot with the message "Safe Mode" at the bottom of the screen.
4. Repeat the standard method of changing wallpaper (section 1).
5. Reboot your phone to exit safe mode.

If you change the wallpaper in Safe Mode and then you come back after you restart, the problem is in one of the apps you installed.

• 🛡️ Antiviruses (e.g. Avast, 360 Security).
• 🔧 «Optimizers» (DU Speed Booster, Clean Master).
• 🎨 Applications for customization (Nova Launcher, KWGT).

💡

Safe Mode helps you identify conflicting applications, and if the wallpaper changes only in it, delete programs one at a time until you find the culprit.

6. Radical methods: ADB and resetting themes

If nothing has worked, there are two extreme ways: ADB commands to reset themes or a full reset, which are suitable for power users.

Method 1: Resetting themes through ADB

You will need a computer with installed ADB-Drivers and enabled Debugging by USB phone-on.

adb shell pm clear com.android.themes


adb shell pm clear com.miui.home




adb shell settings put global theme_customization_version 0

Method 2: Complete resetting of settings

This will remove all data from your phone, including wallpaper, themes and apps, and only use it if other methods have failed:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset all settings (do not delete all data unless you want to lose files!).
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot with the factory wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: After discharge through ADB If you're using a Nova Launcher or HyperOS Launcher, back up the configuration in advance.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper on Xiaomi