Xiaomi smartphone users often experiment with the look of the interface, installing third-party themes and live screensavers. However, over time, the brightness and novelty fade, and the desire to see a clean, classic interface becomes stronger. Returning standard wallpaper to Xiaomi is necessary not only for aesthetics, but also to improve performance, as heavy animations can strain the processor.
The process of restoring the factory background depends on how it was changed. If you just picked a different picture from the gallery, it takes a couple of seconds. If you installed a third-party theme from the GetThemes store, the algorithm will be a little more complicated, but it's quite understandable even for a beginner.
In this article, we’ll look at all possible scenarios for returning to factory visual settings. We’ll look at the standard methods through the personalization menu, cleaning the theme cache and working with the file system for advanced users. Follow the instructions to make your Redmi or Poco shine with its original design again.
Resetting settings through the personalization menu
The easiest and safest way to return standard wallpaper to Xiaomi is to use the built-in settings menu, which works in most cases when the user simply replaced the static image, and you do not need superuser rights or a computer connection.
You can get to the background selection menu first, and you can do this in two ways: through the main settings menu or by long pressing on an empty desktop space. The second option is often faster and more convenient. Open the personalization menu and select the wallpaper section.
In the window that opens, you'll see a few tabs, and we're interested in the Systems or Standards tab, and that's where the factory images are stored, preinstalled by the manufacturer, and you can choose your favorite and click Apply.
- 📱 Press and hold your finger on the free area of the screen to call the edit menu.
- 🎨 Select the "Wallpaper" item at the bottom of the screen to go to the background gallery.
- 🏭 Go to the Systems tab to access factory images.
- ✅ Click on the desired image and confirm the action with the button "Apply».
If the standard wallpaper is not used or the system gives an error, it may be a conflict with the active theme of the design, in which case it is recommended to first reset the theme to the standard, and then select the background, this will eliminate software conflicts.
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Before using the new wallpaper, make sure that there is enough free space in the device memory to caching a high-resolution image.
Removing Third-Party Themes to Return to Classics
Often, users forget that the background change was due to the installation of a complex theme. In the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem, the theme changes not only icons, but also system wallpaper, sounds and fonts. To return standard wallpaper, sometimes it is not enough just to change the picture - you need to delete the the theme itself.
To do this, open the Themes app. In the lower right corner is the user profile icon. By clicking on it, you will be taken to the installed component management menu.
In the list of installed themes, find the one that is currently active. It is usually marked with the corresponding status. Click on it, and in the menu that opens, select the option “Delete” or “Reset”, and then the system automatically prompts you to apply the default theme.
⚠️ Attention! When removing a paid theme, make sure you don't lose access to it in the future if you plan to use it again. Free themes can be re-downloaded without restriction.
Once the theme is reset, the interface will return to factory form, but in some cases, the wallpaper may not be updated immediately, then you need to restart the device, this will update the system cache and apply standard graphics settings.
Work with the Gallery application and local files
Sometimes users set their own gallery photo as a background, then forget where the original is, or the file is corrupted. To guarantee that you will return standard wallpaper to Xiaomi, you need to know where the original files are stored in the system.
Xiaomi system wallpapers are usually in a hidden folder of internal memory.The path may vary depending on the version of Android and the MIUI shell. Most often it is the directory /data/system/theme/ or the folder at the root of the storage /MIUI/theme/.
To access these files, you'll need a file manager with permissions to system folders, such as MT Manager or Root Explorer, if you have root rights. Without superuser rights, access to system files can be restricted.
Where to look for hidden system files?
If you don't want to go into system files, try to find the original image in the download folder or in the Screenshots album if you've previously taken a screenshot of your desktop, and you can download the official wallpaper for your model from the Internet and install it manually.
Use this method only if the standard menu methods do not work.
Comparison of Background Recovery Methods
The choice of recovery method depends on your situation, and here is a table that will help you determine how to solve the problem, and it takes into account the complexity, risks and the need for additional tools.
| Method | Difficulty | Necessary rights | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through the settings menu | Low. | No. | Absent. |
| Resetting the topic | Low. | No. | Absent. |
| File manager | Medium | Access to files | Minimum |
| System Commands (ADB) | Tall. | Root / ADB | High-pitched |
As you can see from the table, for most users, the first two methods are the best option: they are technically knowledge-free and secure, and file managers are only justified in the rare cases of failure.
We don't recommend ADB or root rights for ordinary users, and a command error can lead to a device being built or data being lost, and only use them as a last resort.
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The safest way to use the regular personalization tools built into the shell MIUI or HyperOS.
Cleaning the cache of the “Themes” application
There are times when standard Xiaomi wallpapers don’t come back because of a software failure or a crowded cache, and the system can “remember” an old image and not allow a new one to be used, in which case cleaning the application data will help.
Go to your smartphone settings and select the Apps section. Search the All Apps list and sort them. You need to find the Themes system app (an icon with a brush).
Inside the app menu, find Memory or Storage, and it will have a "Clean" or "Delete Data" button. Press it. Don't worry, your personal photos and themes from your Mi Account won't be lost, only the temporary cache and current display settings will be reset.
- 🔍 Open "Settings» → «Annexes» → «All applications».
- 🖌️ Find the "Subjects" app in the list».
- 🗑️ Click on “Memory” and select “Clear Everything».
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to apply changes.
After this procedure, the phone can behave as if you just turned it on in the design plan, which is a normal reaction, and the system will re-index the available wallpaper and suggest you choose the standard wallpaper.
☑️ Checklist for cache cleanup
Solving the problems with live wallpaper
The live wallpapers, which consume significantly more battery and processor resources, deserve special attention, and if your phone is starting to run slower or discharge faster, you might want to give up liveness in favor of static.
To remove the live wallpaper and return the standard static, go to the background selection menu. From the category list, select Wallpaper (static). The system automatically deactivates the video process and replaces it with a normal image.
⚠️ Attention! Using live high-resolution wallpaper on Redmi or Poco budget models can cause the housing and interface lags to heat up.
If the background still moves or glips after switching to static, check if the wallpaper carousel mode is on, which periodically changes the images on the locked screen, and you can turn it off in the lock screen settings.
To completely turn off the carousel, go to Settings → Lock screen → Wallpaper carousel and switch the switch to off position, which returns the static picture to the lock screen.