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

Changed the theme to Xiaomi and disappointed with the result? Or did the MIUI update look different than before? Bring back the standard theme on Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones in a number of ways, from simple resetting through settings to manually restoring system files. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including those that work even after the themes malfunction.

It is important to understand that a “standard theme” on Xiaomi can mean two options: a factory theme MIUI Default (white/light with branded accents) or a basic theme of the current firmware version (for example, MIUI 14 Dark for dark mode).

If you have never manually changed the theme, but the interface still looks different – the problem may lie in the automatic application of the updated theme from Xiaomi or a malfunction of the service com.android.themes.

1. Return the standard theme through MIUI settings

The easiest way to get a factory theme back is through the Themes menu, which works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11. The main condition is that you must have at least one custom theme installed (even if it is not active).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush on desktop).
• 🔍 At the top of the screen, select My Themes tab.
• 🏠 Scroll down to System Themes – here are the standard options.
• 🎨 Click on the subject. MIUI Default (or) MIUI [version] Light/Dark) and select Apply.

If the System Themes section is empty or missing, it means:

• ⚙️ The topic has been removed from the system (see section 3).
• 🔄 There was a failure in the work of the theme service (solution - cleaning the cache, section 2).
• 📱 You have an outdated version. MIUI (up to 11 inclusive), where system themes are not displayed separately.

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO F3 Globally, a standard theme can be called POCO Default instead of Default MIUI If you don't find the right option, check all the themes marked Default in the title.

Resetting the cache of the "Themes" app

If the standard theme is not applied or the interface is not changed after choosing it, the problem is most often associated with the damaged cache of the com.miui.theme application.

How to reset the cache:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search, enter Themes and select the Themes app (brush icon).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reset the device.

After the reboot:

• 🔄 Try to apply the standard theme again through the Topics menu.
• 📲 If the theme does not apply, delete the app data (Clear Data button), but note that this will reset all downloaded themes.

Disable mobile internet (to avoid automatic downloading of topics)

Check the space in memory (need ≥500 MB)

Remember the title of the current topic (in case of rollback)

Make a backup copy of the desktop wallpaper-->

If cache resetting didn’t help and the standard theme still doesn’t appear on the list, move on to the next method – manually installing the system theme.

3. Manual restoration of a standard theme through MTZ-file

On MIUI devices, system themes are stored in.mtz format, and if a standard theme has been deleted or corrupted, it can be manually restored.

• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with unlocked bootloader (not necessarily, but simplifies the process).
• 💻 Computer installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📁 Standard Theme File for Your Version MIUI (can be downloaded from the forums XDA or 4PDA).

Step-by-step:

1. Download. MIUI_Default.mtz for your version of the firmware (for example, for MIUI 14 File from Redmi Note is suitable 11).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode).
3. Move the.mtz file to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/ on your phone.
4. Open the Themes app, go to My Themes → Import and select the downloaded file.

If the subject is not applied after importation:

• 🔧 Check the version's compliance MIUI and topics (e.g. theme for MIUI 13 is not suitable for MIUI 14).
• 📂 Make sure the file is copied to the correct folder (path: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/).
• 🔄 Restart the device and try again.

⚠️ Note: Installing an incompatible theme can cause graphical glitches or Launcher malfunctions. If artifacts (e.g., black squares instead of icons) appear after the theme is applied, return to the previous theme immediately or reset to factory settings.

4.Resetting the launcher settings (if the theme is partially applied)

Sometimes the standard theme is not fully applied: wallpaper and fonts change, but icons or animations remain from the previous theme. This is due to a malfunction in the Launcher (desktop shell), the solution is to reset its settings.

How to drop the launcher:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Launcher app (or POCO Launcher for POCO devices).
3. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and confirm the action.
4. Reset the device.

After discharge:

• 📱 The desktop will return to the factory view (icons at the bottom, standard folders).
• 🔄 The standard theme will be applied in full, including icons and animations.
• ⚠️ All widgets and icon layout will be reset – they will have to be reconfigured.

If the launcher reset didn't help, try installing an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) and then go back to the standard one.

5. Complete reset to factory settings (last resort)

If none of the previous methods worked, the last option is hard reset, which will return the device to its original state, including the standard theme, but delete all the data. Use it only as a last resort!

How to perform the reset:

1. Back up important data (Settings → About Phone → Backup).
2. Open Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
3. Select Reset and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the device will be like new – with a factory theme.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi) 9A s MIUI 12.5) After a reset, you may need to re-activate your Mi Account.Make sure you remember your password or you risk losing access to your phone!

Alternative resetting method (if the phone is not turned on):

1. Turn off the device.
2. Press the Power button + Volume up to enter Recovery Mode.
3. Select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data (Change Volume Buttons).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the completion.

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Before resetting, write down your device's IMEI (type *#06# in the dialer). In rare cases, after a hard reset, you may need to restore the IMEI through an engineering menu.

6. Solving theme issues after MIUI update

After updating MIUI (for example, from 13 to 14), the standard theme may change or disappear from the list, because Xiaomi updates the system themes along with the firmware, to return the familiar look:

Method 1: Retrace to the previous version of the theme

• 📁 Download an old theme.mtz file (for example, MIUI_13_Default.mtz).
• 📲 Import it through the Topic app (see Section 3).
• ⚠️ Note that some elements (such as animations) may not work properly.

Method 2: Forced updating of topics

• 🔄 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📥 Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Update Theme Package.
• 🔄 Reboot the device – this often restores missing system themes.

Method 3: Installation of custom firmware

If you are not satisfied with the new standard theme, you can install an alternative firmware (for example, Xiaomi.EU), where advanced theme settings are available. However, this requires unlocking the bootloader and may deprive you of warranty.

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If the standard theme is not restored in any way, check the firmware integrity. You may need to reflash the device via Fastboot or Recovery.

FAQ: Frequent questions about topics on Xiaomi