We changed the design to Xiaomi Redmi 8 Pro, but the new theme is annoying, slowing down the system or just bored? Delete it is not as easy as it seems: the standard click "Delete" in the themes menu often does not work, and some elements remain in the system even after reset. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to remove themes from basic to advanced, including cleaning through ADB and manual deletion of files.
The Redmi 8 Pro (and other MIUI devices) have a deep-featured themes that can affect not only wallpaper and icons, but also system fonts, animations, even notification sounds, so simply removing MIUI Themes from the store doesn't always solve the problem, but we'll show you how to completely clean the system of theme traces, including cache and residual files that take up space and can conflict with the new design.
Important: Some methods require superuser rights (root) or work with a user. ADB. If you're a beginner, start with safe ways (sections 1-3), and then move on to radical measures. MIUI!
1. Delete theme through the standard MIUI Themes menu
The most obvious and safe way is to use built-in tools, which is suitable if the theme was installed from the official MIUI Themes store and is not system (preinstalled).
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the "Themes" appendix»** (MIUI Themes) on the main screen.
⚠️ Note: If the Remove button is inactive or missing, the theme is a system (pre-installed by the manufacturer) in which case it cannot be removed in the standard way - methods from the following sections will be required.
What if the theme is gone but the design elements are still there? For example, icons or fonts are not back to standard. This means that the theme files have not been completely cleared.
2. Resetting themes to factory settings
If MIUI Themes deletion doesn't work, try resetting your design settings to standard, a method that doesn't require root rights and is data-safe.
Step-by-step:
- Open the Settings. → The phone.
- Tap 7 times on the MIUI version to activate the developer mode (if not already activated).
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- Find the Reset Theme (or Reset themes) option and confirm the action.
Once you restart the device, all user themes will be deactivated and the system will return to standard design, but the themes will remain in memory and take up space. To delete them, move to the next section.
Check that important data is stored in the cloud
Disable theme synchronization (Settings → Synchronization)
Close all applications before resetting
Make sure the battery is charged > 30%-->
3. Manually delete theme files through the file manager
The themes in MIUI are stored as file packets in system folders, which can be manually deleted, but this requires a file manager with access to root directories (for example, MiXplorer or Root Explorer).
Where to look for files topics:
| Type of file | The way in the system | What's stored |
|---|---|---|
| Established themes | /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ | User Themes (.mtz files) |
| Cash is the one. | /data/system/theme/ | Temporary files and settings |
| Systemic themes | /system/media/theme/ | Pre-set topics (requires root) |
⚠️ Note: Delete files from the folder /system/ You can't have root rights. You can't change your system files incorrectly, you can have bootloop. If you don't have root experience, skip this step.
How to remove user themes:
- Open a file manager with root support.
- Go to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/.
- Remove folders with unnecessary themes (e.g. com.theme.name).
- Clear the cache to /data/system/theme/ (requires root).
- Reset the device.
💡
Before deleting files, back them up by copying them to the cloud or on PC, which will help restore the theme if you have problems with the design after deleting.
4. Removal of topics via ADB (no root)
If previous methods didn’t work and you don’t have root rights, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to delete themes through the command line without directly interfering with system files.
What you need:
- 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
- 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
- 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → For developers → Debugging by USB).
Instructions:
- Connect Redmi 8 Pro to your PC and confirm debugging permission.
- Open the command line (cmd) and enter:
adb devices(Your device should be displayed.)
- Find out the name of the theme package:
adb shell pm list packages | grep theme- Delete the theme by the package name (e.g. com.android.theme.default):
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 name packet themes⚠️ Note: Do not delete packages called miui.system or com.android.theme, which are system components, and their removal will lead to a failure of the interface.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
5. Full phone reset (last chance)
If the theme is not deleted and its elements spoil the system, then the radical method is hard reset, which will remove all data from the device, including themes, applications and personal files.
How to reset:
- Create a backup of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
- Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
- Choose Delete all data and confirm.
- Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).
⚠️ Warning: Once reset, the phone will return to factory status, all apps, accounts and settings installed will be deleted, and if the topic was the cause of the brakes, this method is guaranteed to solve the problem.
💡
Full reset is the only way to remove the built-in Xiaomi themes that can’t be removed by other methods, but only use it as a last resort when other methods haven’t worked.
Frequent mistakes and their solutions
When removing themes, users often face typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.
Problem 1: The Remove button is inactive.
- 🔹 The theme is systemic – remove it through ADB dump.
- 🔹 The theme is currently in use – apply a different theme first.
Problem 2: After removing the theme, there are old icons or fonts left.
- 🔹 Clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🔹 Reset the device.
Problem 3: The phone freezes after the theme is deleted.
- 🔹 System files were probably deleted. Try resetting the theme settings (section 2).
- 🔹 If it doesn’t work, do a hard reset.