How to bring back an old theme on Xiaomi Redmi 9 Pro: all working methods

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 Pro often face a situation where after updating MIUI or accidentally changing the settings, the familiar appearance of the interface disappears. The system automatically applies a new design theme, which may seem less convenient - too bright, contrasting or simply unusual. Fortunately, you can return the previous theme to the Redmi 9 Pro in several ways, and most users do not even need to go into technical details.

In this article, we will analyze all current methods - from a simple rollback through standard settings to restoring a backup copy of the themes. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances that arise on the Redmi 9 Pro, taking into account its hardware features and version. MIUI. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes (such as resetting all personal data) and what to do if the topic is removed from the list of available ones. MTZ-file.

Why the old theme is missing on the Redmi 9 Pro

Before we move on to recovery, it's important to understand why the theme might have changed. On the Redmi 9 Pro, this is usually for three reasons:

  • πŸ”„ Automatic update MIUI. After installing a new firmware version, the system resets the theme to a standard one (most often this is the case). MIUI It's in the logic of the shell, and the developers want users to appreciate the new visual changes.
  • πŸ“± Reset the theme settings. Sometimes it is enough to accidentally click "Apply" on another theme in the Settings section. β†’ Themes and the previous one will disappear from the recent ones. MIUI It does not always preserve the history of the applied topics.
  • πŸ—‘οΈ Clear cache or theme app data if you've been cleaning memory through Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Application management β†’ Themes that may have been removed from previously downloaded themes, including custom ones.

Less commonly, the problem is related to bugs of a particular version. MIUI. For example, in firmware MIUI 12.5.3. and MIUI 12.5.4 for the Redmi 9 Pro, there was an error that caused themes to reset after the device restarted.In this case, either rolling back the firmware or manually installing themes through the device helps. MTZ-files (we will explain below).

πŸ“Š How often do you change your topic on Xiaomi?
Once a week.
Once a month
Only after the MIUI update
Never change.
I don't know what it is.

Method 1: Recovery through MIUI Theme History

The quickest method is to check if the previous theme has been saved in the history of the Themes app. On Redmi 9 Pro, this section is sometimes hidden, but it can be opened through the standard menu:

  1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
  2. Go to My β†’ History section (if there is none, tap three dots in the upper right corner and select Topics History).
  3. Scroll down the list, and it should show the latest themes you've applied. Find the one you want and click Apply.

If the story section is empty or your topic is not there, try another way. Importantly, the story only stores the last 5-7 topics, so if you've changed the layout for a long time, this method will not work.

πŸ’‘

On Redmi 9 Pro with MIUI 12.5 and later, theme history may not show up unless you've ever gone to the Moi section. Try applying any other theme first, then go back to the story - sometimes it will "wake up" the feature.

Method 2: Reset the settings of the β€œThemes” application

If the theme is gone after clearing the cache or data, you can try resetting the application settings without affecting user data.This often helps to return standard MIUI themes that could have β€œflyed” due to a crash.

Instructions:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Find the Topics list (or com.android.themes) and tap it.
  3. Select Warehouse β†’ Clear cache (don’t click Clear Data – this will remove all downloaded themes!).
  4. Restart your phone and check if the old theme appears in the Topics β†’ Standards section.

If this method didn't work, move on to the next.On Redmi 9 Pro with MIUI 13+, a cache reset of the Themes app can temporarily return a standard MIUI Default theme, even if you used a custom one.

β˜‘οΈ Preparation for the resetting of topics

Done: 0 / 4

Method 3: Manual recovery through MTZ-file

For experienced users who want to return a specific custom theme, manual installation through.mtz files is a good option: these are archives with MIUI themes that can be downloaded from an official or third-party source (for example, themes.mi.com).

Algorithm of action:

  1. Download. MTZ-the file of the theme you want. Make sure it's compatible with your version MIUI (Redmi 9 Pro is a good option for theme MIUI 12–14).
  2. Transfer the file to the phone’s memory (for example, to the Download folder).
  3. Open the Themes app, tap the profile icon in the top right corner and select Import theme.
  4. Specify the path to the downloaded.mtz file and confirm the installation.

If there is an error when importing "Impossible to apply the theme", check:

  • πŸ” Compatibility of the theme with your version MIUI (It's in the description on the site).
  • πŸ“ Integrity of the.mtz file (try to download again).
  • πŸ”§ Rights to install themes from unknown sources (included in Settings) β†’ Special facilities β†’ Topics β†’ Allow installation from unknown sources).
Where to download MTZ-Themes for Redmi 9 Pro?
Official themes: [themes.mi.com](https://themes.mi.com/) (registration required. Third-party collections: [XDA Developers](https://forum.xda-developers.com/) (Look for themes for the Redmi Note 9 Pro – they are compatible with Redmi 9 Pro), [Mi-Themes](https://mi-themes.com/). ⚠️ Caution: download themes only from trusted sources to avoid viruses.

Method 4: Restore from MIUI backup

If you have previously backed up through Settings β†’ Additional β†’ Backup, you can try resetting the themes. This method is suitable if:

  • πŸ“… Backup was done before the theme changed.
  • πŸ“± You didn't update. MIUI after you have created a backup (otherwise conflicts may occur).

How to restore:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Additional β†’ Backup β†’ Local Backups.
  2. Select the right backup and click Restore.
  3. In the data list for recovery, only mark the theme settings (do not restore everything in a row, so as not to lose current data!).
  4. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

⚠️ Warning: If the topic is not used after recovery, restart the phone. MIUI gives an error about the incompatibility of the backup, so the firmware has been updated - in this case, the method will not work.

Method 5: Firmware rollback (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, and the old theme was part of a standard MIUI package (like Fresh or Dark Mode), you might consider rolling back the firmware to the previous version.

  • πŸ”™ You know exactly which version MIUI was the right topic.
  • πŸ“‰ Ready for possible data loss (although with the right rollback, this can be avoided).
  • πŸ”§ Can you work with Fastboot or Recovery.

Step-by-step:

Step.Action.Note
1Download the required firmware version for Redmi 9 Pro (codename joyeuse) from the official Xiaomi website.Choose Stable, not Developer, if you are not sure.
2Unpack. ZIP-firmware archive in a folder on a computer.Don't change the folder structure!
3Connect your phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (press Power + Volume down when the phone is off).Make sure that the ADB/Fastboot drivers are installed.
4Fastboot flash recovery recovery.img fastboot reboot recoveryThis will overwrite Recovery, but will not delete the data.
5In Recovery, select Install update.zip and specify the path to the firmware.Do not choose Wipe Data if you want to save files.

After you roll back, check the Topic section -- the topic you want should appear on the standard list. If not, try using it through the standard one. MTZ-file (see Method 3).

⚠️ Attention: Firmware rollback may result in bootloader lock if the Mi Cloud Lock feature is activated on the phone. β†’ Xiaomi account.

What to do if nothing helps

If all the methods have been tried, but you can not return the old topic, consider the alternatives:

  • 🎨 Find a similar topic. You can filter themes by color and style on themes. AMOLED Black, look for other options with a similar palette.
  • πŸ–ŒοΈ Create your own theme. MIUI There is a built-in theme editor (Themes) β†’ Editor), where you can customize colors, icons and wallpaper for yourself.
  • πŸ“± Use a launcher. Apps like Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher allow you to customize the interface regardless of system themes.

If the problem is due to a bug MIUI, Keep an eye out for firmware updates. Often newer versions fix themes. To get update notifications, turn on Settings. β†’ The phone. β†’ Updating the system β†’ Settings (βš™οΈ) β†’ Automatic booting.

πŸ’‘

Before experimenting with themes, always back up through Settings β†’ Additional β†’ Backup. This will allow you to quickly roll back if something goes wrong.

FAQ: Frequent questions about topics at Redmi 9 Pro

Can I return the theme if I reset to factory settings?
Unfortunately, no. Resetting to factory settings deletes all user data, including downloaded themes. You can only reinstall the same theme through MTZ-file (if you have saved a copy of it) or find a similar one in the directory MIUI Themes.
Why did my theme become glitzy after the MIUI update (icons don’t change, colors go off)?
This is a typical problem when the theme is incompatible with the new version of MIUI. Solutions: Update theme through Themes β†’ Mine β†’ Update (if available). Install an alternative theme with a similar design. Reverse to the previous version of MIUI (see Method 5). If the glitches only appear on the desktop, try changing the launcher to Nova Launcher.
Where do the Redmi 9 Pro themes store? Can they be copied manually?
Tag files MIUI stored in the system section along the way /data/system/theme/, But without root rights, you can't copy them. MTZ-files (see Method) 3). Create a backup copy through TWRP (requires an unlocked loader). ⚠️ Manual copying of system files without knowledge can cause failure MIUI!
How do I know what theme was before my shift?
If you don't remember the title of the theme, try: View screenshots in the gallery (you may have taken screenshots with previous designs); Check the download history of Topics β†’ Mine β†’ Downloads; Remember which theme you downloaded last β€” users often return to the previous one after experimenting. If nothing helps, pay attention to the details: the color of the notification panel, the shape of the icons, wallpaper.
Will the theme work from another Xiaomi smartphone on the Redmi 9 Pro?
Yes, but with reservations: πŸ“± The theme should be compatible with your version. MIUI (for example, topics MIUI 13 will do, and for MIUI 10 - No). 🎨 Some elements (wallpaper, fonts) may not fit due to different screen resolution. πŸ”§ The theme should be in.mtz (a universal format for all Xiaomi devices). Themes with the Redmi Note 9 Pro work best, POCO X3 NFC and other devices on the Snapdragon processor 720G (Like the Redmi 9 Pro).