How to return a standard theme to Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

You've installed a custom theme on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, but it's too bright, slows down the system or just doesn't fit into your style? You can bring back the factory MIUI theme in a few minutes without complex manipulations and the risk of losing data. In this article, we'll look at all the working methods from standard settings to forced reset through recovery mode.

The problem often arises after a firmware update, when a custom theme conflicts with a new version of MIUI, or when you downloaded a dark/light theme from Mi Themes, but it doesn’t display icons and fonts correctly. We’ll look at solutions for all scenarios – even if the phone doesn’t turn on or hovers on the logo after changing the theme.

Important: The recovery procedure for a standard theme differs depending on the version of MIUI (12/13/14) and the smartphone model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro with MIUI 14, the path to the theme settings may differ from the Redmi Note 10 with MIUI 12.5.

1. Restore the standard theme through MIUI settings

The easiest way is to return the factory theme directly to the personalization menu, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices, as long as the system is not damaged and you can go to the settings.

Open the Themes app (Brush icon) or go to Settings → Screen → Themes. At the top of the screen, you'll see an active theme marked "Apply." Click on it, then select "Standard" (or "Default" in older versions of MIUI). Confirm the change - the phone will reboot and all interface elements will return to the factory view.

Make sure the battery is more than 30% charged.

Close all background applications

Connect to Wi-Fi (if the theme is downloaded from Mi Themes)

Backup important data (in case of failure)

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If there is no "Standard" button, try:

• 🔍 Scroll down the list of topics – sometimes the factory theme is hidden among the user’s.
• 🔄 Click Reset theme settings (if such item is in the menu).
• 📥 Update the Mi Themes app via Google Play or App Store.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (e.g. custom type xiaomi.eu), a standard theme may be called "MIUI Default" or "Stock Theme." If it's not on the list, move on to the next method.

2. Reset themes via Mi Themes (if there is no standard theme)

Sometimes a factory theme disappears from the list after updating or manually deleting system files, in which case it can be restored through the official Mi Themes app:

1. Open Mi Themes and go to My Themes.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Theme Management".
3. Find a theme in the list called “Default”, “MIUI” or “Standard” and click “Apply”.
4. If there is no theme, click Restore or Reset (not available on all versions).

If the Mi Themes app is not on your phone (for example, on devices for the European market), download it from the official Xiaomi website or through APKMirror. Make sure that the version of the application is compatible with your firmware - for example, Mi Themes 5.0.1.3025 and later will suit for MIUI 14.

On some models (such as the POCO F3 or Redmi K40), the standard theme may be called "POCO Default" or "Redmi Standard." If you are not sure which theme is factory-specific, look for the "Official" icon (the crown in the upper right corner of the preview).

3. Forced resetting of themes via ADB (for power users)

If the standard theme is not applied through the interface, you can use the ADB debugging bridge. This method requires connecting the phone to the computer and enabling the developer mode.

First, activate the debugging over USB:

1. Go to Settings. → About the phone and 7 times click on "Version" MIUI", to unlock the developer menu.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.

Next, run commands in the terminal (Windows/Linux/macOS):

adb shell


pm clear com.android.themes




pm clear com.miui.themes




reboot

These commands will clear the theme settings and restart the device, and the standard theme should apply after turning on. If that doesn't happen, try the additional command:

adb shell settings put secure theme_customization_pkg com.android.themes

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB If you type the wrong commands, you can crash. Don't do this unless you're sure you're doing it. If you're using an unlocked bootloader, you're at a higher risk of losing data.

Standard (MIUI Default)|Dark (AMOLED)|Custom from Mi Themes.|Your own. MTZ-file)|I don't care.-->

4. Recovery through Recovery Mode (if the phone is not turned on)

In rare cases, an incorrect theme can cause a bootloop or a black screen. If the phone doesn't load, try resetting the theme through Restore mode:

1. Turn off the phone (press Power + Volume up for 10 seconds).
2. Press Power + Volume up until the Mi logo appears, then let go.
3. From the Recovery menu, select the language (if you have a choice) and go to "Wipe & Reset".
4. Select "Wipe Theme Data" or "Clear Theme Cache" (the name may vary).
5. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

If you don't have one, try "Wipe Cache Partition" to clear the cache of your system applications, including Mi Themes. Importantly, don't choose "Wipe Data/Factory Reset" unless you want to lose all your data on your phone.

If none of these methods worked, perhaps the problem lies deeper in corrupting system files, in which case only a complete reset or flashing through Fastboot will help.

5. Complete resetting of settings (if other methods do not work)

This is an extreme measure that should be used if:

• 📵 Phone does not turn on or hovers on the logo after changing the theme.
• 🔄 The standard theme does not apply even through ADB.
• 📱 The screen is displayed incorrectly (artifacts, no icons).

Before resetting, back up your important data via Mi Cloud or by connecting your phone to your PC in MTP mode.

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Select “Erase all data” (on some models – “Delete everything”).
3. Enter your password (if required) and confirm the reset.

After the reboot, the phone will return to factory settings, including the standard theme, and the method will remove all apps, photos and accounts (except those associated with the Mi Account).

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If the theme doesn’t apply again after reset, check if you have custom firmware installed (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), in which case you can’t return the standard MIUI theme – just by flashing it back to the official version.

6 How to avoid problems with topics in the future

To avoid having to return a standard theme, follow these tips:

• 🔍 Before installing a custom theme, check the reviews in Mi Themes – some themes contain bugs or ads.
• 📥 Download themes only from official sources (Mi Themes, Xiaomi Community).
• 🔄 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, errors in the display of topics are corrected.
• 📱 Avoid those marked "Beta" or "Experimental".

If you often experiment with design, back up a standard theme.

1. Download the default.mtz theme file from a trusted source (e.g., Xiaomi EU Community).
2. Place it in the MIUI/theme/.local folder (use root or ADB file manager).
3. Apply the theme through Mi Themes → Local → default.mtz.

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A standard MIUI theme is stored in the system section along the /system/media/theme/default path. Deleting or corrupting files in this folder can cause interface failures.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing themes to Xiaomi