How to return your native theme to Xiaomi Redmi Note: 5 working ways

We changed the theme on our Xiaomi Redmi Note, but did we like the standard MIUI shell better? Or did the system automatically apply a new theme after the update and get the factory one back? You're not alone: according to Xiaomi Community statistics, one in five users has experienced this problem at least once. You can restore the native theme in several ways, from simple settings to manual reset configurations.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to bring back a standard theme, including hidden MIUI features, work with design files and even restore through ADB for power users. Separately, we’ll focus on the nuances for different generations of Redmi Note (from Note 7 to Note 13 Pro+) and explain why the theme sometimes flies off after updates. All instructions are tested on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS.

Before you start, check:

• 📱 Model of your device (settings in Settings) → The availability of certain functions depends on it.
• 🔄 Version MIUI/HyperOS. In new firmware, the path to theme settings may be different.
• 🔒 Root rights. Some methods will require them.

1. Restore the standard theme through MIUI settings

The easiest way is to return the factory theme through the built-in tools, which works on all Redmi Note devices without any additional manipulation, but only if you haven’t deleted the standard design files.

Open the Themes app (an icon with a brush on your desktop or app menu) if it's not available, check the MIUI folder or search the system.

1. Go to the "Mine" tab (bottom of the screen).
2. Scroll down to the Standard Themes section.
3. Select MIUI (or HyperOS for new devices) – that’s the theme.
4. Click "Apply" and confirm the action.

If the standard theme is not on the list, it has been deleted or corrupted, in which case move on to the next method.

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On some firmware, the standard theme may be called "Default" or "System"; if you don't find it, try changing the interface language to English (Settings → Additional settings → Language & input).

⚠️ Warning: After applying the theme, restart the device. Some elements (such as animations or fonts) will only be updated after the reboot.

2. Reset theme settings through the hidden menu

MIUI has a hidden menu for resetting configurations to topics that not all users know, which helps if a standard theme has “dropped” after an update or conflict with third-party design packages.

Follow the following steps:

1. Open the Themes app.
2. Go to Profile (the icon of the person in the upper right corner).
3. Click on "Settings" (cog at the top right).
4. Scroll down and select “Restore Default Settings”.
5. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

Once reset, the system will automatically apply a standard theme, and if this item is missing, your version of MIUI does not support the function, or it is blocked by the manufacturer (relevant for some regional firmware).

3. Remove custom themes through MIUI Cleaner

Sometimes a standard theme doesn’t apply because of a conflict with the installed design packages, and the built-in MIUI Cleaner app that removes unnecessary theme files will help.

Instructions:

1. Open the "Cleaning" (icon with a broomstick).
2. Go to the “Deep Cleaning” tab.
3. Select “Installed Themes” or “.mtz folder” (theme file extension).
4. Check all user themes (except "MIUI" or "Default").
5. Click “Clean” and confirm the removal.

Once cleaned, restart the device and try to re-apply the standard theme, and if the problem persists, move on to more radical methods.

⚠️ Warning: Do not delete system files manually through the file manager! this can cause the interface to crash. MIUI cleaner ADB (section).

4 Manual restoration of a standard theme through APK-file

If a standard theme has been deleted or corrupted, it can be manually restored by installing the original.apk file, a method that is suitable for experienced users and requires caution.

You'll need:

• 📱 File standard theme for your model (you can download from Xiaomi) EU Community or 4PDA).
• 🔧 File Manager with access to system folders (e.g. MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).
• 🔓 Permission to install from unknown sources (Settings) → Annexes → Special access → Installation of unknown applications).

Step-by-step:

1. Download a standard theme.apk file for your Redmi Note model (e.g. com.android.theme.default.apk).
2. Transfer the file to the device memory (preferably to the root folder for convenience).
3. Open the file manager and go to /system/priv-app/ThemeManager/ or /system/app/ThemeManager/
4. Find the theme file (usually called MiuiTheme.apk or DefaultTheme.apk) and rename it to MiuiTheme.bak (this is a backup).
5. Copy the downloaded.apk into this folder.
6. Change the file access permissions to 644 (rw-r----).
7. Reset the device.

Critical: The Wrong Version APK-The theme file can cause a cyclic bootloop. Make sure the file is designed for your model and version. MIUI/HyperOS.

5. Complete reset to factory settings

If none of the previous methods worked, then the radical solution is hard reset, which erases all user data, but is guaranteed to return the standard theme and fix system errors.

Before discharge, it is mandatory:

• 📲 Backup important data (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup and reset).
• 🔋 Charge your phone to at least 50% (resetting at low charge can lead to a brick).
• 📡 Unplug your Mi Account if you plan to sell the device (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Get out).

Resetting instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Select "Settings Reset."
3. Mark “Delete all data” (including internal memory if necessary).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion (it will take 5-15 minutes).

After the reboot, the device will be as new as new – with a standard MIUI theme and factory settings.

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Resetting to factory settings is the only way to return a standard theme if it was removed at the system file level or after a failed update.

6. Restore theme through ADB (for advanced users)

If you have experience with ADB (Android Debug Bridge), you can restore a standard theme through the command line, which is suitable for devices with unlocked bootloader or root rights.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed ADB Tools and Xiaomi drivers.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📄 Standard theme file in.mtz format (can be extracted from firmware).

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd) and execute: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
4. Download the standard.mtz theme file for your model and place it in the adb folder.
5. Execute the command to install the theme: adb push theme_name.mtz /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ adb shell am start -n com.android.theme/.activity.ThemePreviewActivity -d file:///sdcard/MIUI/theme/theme_name.mtz
6. On the phone, confirm the application of the topic.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB It may vary depending on the version MIUI/HyperOS. Misuse of privileged commands (e.g., adb shell su) without root rights will lead to error.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even with the instructions, users often face problems, and we'll look at the most common ones.

Problem 1: The standard theme applies, but is reset to the user theme after a while.

• 🔹 Reason: Conflict with Mi Home or Xiaomi Cloud app that syncs settings.
• 🔹 Solution: Turn off theme synchronization in Settings → Xiaomi account → Synchronization.

Problem 2: After the reset, the theme returned, but there are no standard wallpapers and icons.

• 🔹 Reason: Wallpaper files have been deleted or replaced.
• 🔹 Solution: Download the official wallpaper package for your model from themes.xiaomi.com.

Problem 3: When applying the theme, the error “Can not load the theme” appears.

• 🔹 Reason: Damaged cache of the "Themes" app».
• 🔹 Solution: Clear the cache and application data (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache/data).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions