Changed theme to Xiaomi and disappointed with the result? Or did the MIUI update look different than you used to? Bring back the factory theme on Redmi, Poco or Mi smartphones in a number of ways, from simple selection in settings to complete system reset. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including hidden features Mi Theme Editor and recovery through ADB.
Theme issues on Xiaomi often arise from experimenting with custom packages from the Mi Theme Store or third-party sources. Some themes change not only wallpaper and icons, but also system fonts, animations, and sometimes even disrupt the interface. If you encounter bugs after changing the theme, don't rush to bring your phone to the service: 90% of the time everything is fixed in 5-10 minutes.
Important: the recovery procedure for a standard theme depends on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and the device model. For example, on the Poco F5 with global firmware, the path to the theme settings may differ from the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with the Chinese version of the software.
1. Restore the standard theme through MIUI settings
The easiest way is to return the factory theme through the settings menu, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices with MIUI 12-14, as long as the system files are not corrupted.
Open the Themes app (brush icon) or go to Settings → Decoration → Themes. At the top of the screen you will see an active theme — tap it. In the list of available themes, select Standard (or Default in English firmware). Confirm the change and restart the device.
- 🔄 If the Standard button is missing, try updating the Themes app via Google Play or Mi App Store.
- 📱 On some models (e.g. Poco) X5 Pro) a standard topic may be referred to "MIUI" or "Systemic".
- ⚙️ If after applying the theme icons remained custom, reset them separately in Settings. → Registration → Icons.
What if the standard theme doesn't apply? Sometimes the system will give an error, "Not able to apply the theme", which means that the files of the standard theme are corrupted, in which case cleaning the cache of the application will help:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find Themes (or Theme Manager) and select Warehouse.
- Click Clear the cache and Clear the data.
- Reboot your phone and try to change the subject again.
2.Using Mi Theme Editor for manual recovery
Mi Theme Editor is a hidden tool in MIUI that allows you to edit and reset themes at the system file level, which is useful if the standard theme has disappeared from the list or is not applied through settings.
To open the topic editor:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
- Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
- Install the Mi Theme Editor app (not available in all regions).
- Open the editor, select Local Themes, and find the default.mtz file (or miui.mtz).
- Apply this theme and restart the device.
If Mi Theme Editor does not find a file of a standard theme, it can be downloaded manually:
Download the archive with the standard theme for your version of MIUI| Connect your phone to your PC and transfer the file to /MIUI/theme/|Reboot the device | Apply the theme through the Topics app
-->
| MIUI version | Title of the subject file | Download link |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 | default_v12.mtz | Download |
| MIUI 13 | miui_global_v13.mtz | Download |
| MIUI 14 | miui14_default_theme.mtz | Download |
⚠️ Warning: Installing themes from third-party sources can lead to malfunctions MIUI. Before downloading, check the hash of the file (MD5) Xiaomi official forums, such as Mi Community.
3. Reset theme settings via ADB (for power users)
If a standard theme is not restored through the interface, you can reset the theme settings using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.
Instructions:
- Install ADB Tools on your PC.
- Connect your phone to your computer via USB (enable USB debugging in the developer settings).
- Open the command line (cmd) and enter:
adb shell pm clear com.android.themes
adb shell pm clear com.miui.home
adb shell settings put global theme_customization_version 0
adb rebootAfter the device restarts, the standard theme should be restored. If this does not happen, follow the additional command:
adb shell am start -n com.android.themes/.activity.ThemePreviewActivityThis will open up the hidden preview menu to those where you can manually select the standard option.
💡
Before using ADB, back up your data via Settings → System → Backup. This will help you restore your settings if something goes wrong.
4. Complete resetting of settings (if nothing helps)
If all previous methods failed, the last option is a factory reset, which will delete all user data, but is guaranteed to return the standard theme and fix system errors.
How to reset:
- Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
- Choose to erase all data (or Factory Reset).
- Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-15 minutes).
- 🔐 Before reset, save photos, contacts and other data to Google Drive or Mi Cloud.
- 🔄 After resetting, the phone will reboot to its original state – you will need to reconfigure MIUI (Choose a language, connect to Wi-Fi, etc.).
- ⚠️ On some models (for example, Redmi Note 11) after reset, you may need to re-activate your Mi Account account.
⚠️ Warning: On devices with Bootloader Unlocked, resetting your settings may result in your phone being locked.Be sure to have a backup and access to the Mi Account associated with the device before the procedure.
5. Fastboot Recovery (for advanced users)
If the smartphone doesn’t turn on or hovers on the MIUI logo after changing the theme, firmware may be required via Fastboot.This method is only suitable for users familiar with Xiaomi’s firmware.
Step-by-step:
- Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
- Unpack the archive with the firmware in a folder on the computer.
- Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the device is off).
- Open the command line in the firmware folder and do:
fastboot flashall
fastboot rebootIt's going to take 10 to 20 minutes, and when you reboot it's going to be a factory firmware and a standard theme.
What if the Fastboot Firmware does not help?
6 How to avoid problems with topics in the future
To avoid having to restore a standard theme, follow these guidelines:
- 🛡️ Install themes only from the official Mi Theme Store. avoid third-party themes APK-Files with theme, especially if they require root rights.
- 🔄 Before applying a new theme, create a restore point through Settings. → System system → Backup.
- 📱 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, bugs with the display of themes are corrected.
- 🚫 Do not use themes that change system fonts or animations (e.g., "iOS Theme" or "One"). UI Theme. They often conflict with MIUI.
If you like customization but are afraid of failures, try alternative ways:
- 🎨 Use launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher) to change icons without tampering with system files.
- 🖼️ Change the wallpaper and style of icons through Settings → Design without resorting to a complete change of the topic.
- 🔧 Install Xiaomi.eu firmware – it offers more customization options without the risk of “breaking” the interface.
💡
The safest way to return a standard theme is to use the built-in MIUI settings. Methods with ADB or Fastboot should only be used if other options have not worked.