How to bring back an old theme on Xiaomi: 5 ways to roll back to the previous version of MIUI Theme

You updated your theme on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone, but the new version was uncomfortable, too bright or just doesn't fit into your style? Or maybe your favorite wallpaper, icons or fonts disappeared after the MIUI update? Don't rush to reset your phone to factory settings - you can return the old theme in several ways, and without losing data.

In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working methods to roll back a theme on Xiaomi, from simple (via built-in settings) to advanced (using ADB and backups), and why topics sometimes reset on their own, how to avoid losing customization after a system update, and what to do if the desired theme disappeared from the MIUI Themes store.

Important: the procedure differs depending on whether the theme was installed from an official store, downloaded as a.mtz file or was part of the firmware. We will look at all scenarios.

Why Xiaomi Theme Is Resetting or Updating Automatically

Before you go back to an old topic, you need to understand why it has changed.

• 🔄 Automatic update MIUI: When you install a new firmware version, the system can reset the theme to a standard one (especially if it was part of a previous build).
• 📦 Update theme in the store: If you used a custom theme from MIUI Themes, its creator could release an update that applied automatically.
• 🔧 Resetting: Even a partial reset (e.g. Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings can return a standard theme.
• 🚫 Sync Error: If you’re logged in to another Mi Account, the theme could sync with another user’s cloud.
• 📱 Launcher conflict: Installing an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or HyperOS Launcher) sometimes resets visual settings.

On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5) Themes can be updated in the background via com.miui.themeeditor and com.android.themes. To disable this, go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points (⋮) → Show system and prohibit auto-update for these services.

⚠️ Note: If the theme is gone after upgrading to HyperOS, standard methods may not work – the new shell has changed the structure of the themes. ADB.

Method 1: Recovering a Theme Through History in MIUI Themes

The easiest way to return a previous version of the theme is to use the built-in download history in the MIUI Themes app.

• ✅ The theme was installed from the official store.
• ✅ You didn't clear the cache of the Themes app.
• ✅ It has been no more than 30 days since the update.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on desktop).
2. Go to the Profile section → My downloads.
3. Find the right topic in the list and click on it.
4. Select Apply – the system will offer a version that was installed earlier.

If the topic is not in the story, try searching for it in the store, sometimes the old versions are available under a different name, ThemeName_v1 instead ThemeName_v2).

Method 2: Manually install theme backup (.mtz)

If you have saved a backup copy of the theme (a file with the.mtz extension) in advance, it can be installed manually, which is suitable for custom themes downloaded from third-party sources (for example, from the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums).

Where to get the.mtz file:

• 💾 Own copy: If you have previously exported the theme through Settings → Topics → Exports.
• 🌐 Third-party resources: Search on thematic forums (e.g. Xiaomi) EU or 4PDA).
• 📧 Cloud Storage: Check Google Drive, Mi Cloud, or other services where you may have downloaded the file.

How to determine:

1. Download the.mtz file to your phone (for example, to the Download folder).
2. Open the File Manager and find the downloaded file.
3. Click on it – the system will prompt you to apply the theme through the Themes app.
4. Confirm the installation and restart the device.

⚠️ Attention: HyperOS (MIUI 14+) The manual installation of.mtz may be blocked for security reasons. ADB (see method 4).

Method 3: Resetting through theme settings reset (without data loss)

If the theme resets after the system update, but you don’t want to return the factory settings completely, you can only partially reset the theme settings.This method works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12-14.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version several times until you get a message: You are a developer!
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
4. Activate Reset Themes (or Reset Themes in English).
5. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Once rebooted, the standard MIUI theme will be applied, but all your wallpaper, icons and fonts will remain intact. Then you can manually apply the desired theme from the story or backup.

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If the Reset Theme option is missing, try entering the "reset themes" request in Settings Search - sometimes it is hidden in English localization.

Method 4: Install theme through ADB (for power users)

If previous methods have failed (e.g., HyperOS or custom firmware), you can apply the theme through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included Developer Mode and Debugging by USB phone-on.
• 📁.mtz theme file, renamed theme.mtz and placed at the root of internal memory.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB and select File Transfer mode.
2. Open the command line (cmd) and enter:

adb devices

(The name of your device should appear.)

1. Run the command to install the theme:

adb shell am start -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d file:///sdcard/theme.mtz -t application/vnd.xiaomi.theme

1. On the phone, confirm the installation and restart the device.

If the team fails, try an alternative method:

adb shell pm install -r /sdcard/theme.mtz

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) for installing themes through ADB You need to turn off signature verification first:

adb shell settings put global miui_optimization_disable 1

Method 5: Restore theme from MIUI (Local Backup) backup

If you regularly back up your backups through the built-in Backup app (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup, the files could have been saved in the archive. Here's how to extract them:

Step 1: Find a backup copy

• Open the File Manager and go to the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder.
• Find a folder with a date when the theme was still installed (e.g. 2023-10-15).

Step 2: Remove the files to themes

• Inside the backup folder, find the file com.miui.themeeditor_*.bak.
• Copy it to your computer and rename it theme.zip.
• Unclose the file, and it should be.mtz inside.

Step 3: Set the topic

• Transfer the extracted.mtz back to the phone.
• Install it through File Manager or ADB (see Method 4).

If you don’t have theme files in your backup, try restoring the entire copy through Settings → Additional → Backup → Restore. Choose a date when the theme was still working and tick only the Topic item.

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Backups of MIUI only save themes if they were installed through an official store..mtz-castom files are not included in the backup!

How to Prevent Automatic Theme Updates in the Future

To avoid resetting the topic, follow the following steps:

• 🔕 Turn off auto-update themes:
• 📥 Block background activity:
• 🔒 Create a backup copy of the theme:
• 🛡️ Turn off the themes sync:

On HyperOS devices, it is also recommended to disable Automatic Theme Optimization in Settings → Display → Additional. This will prevent the forced application of system styles.

If you use custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU or PixelExperience), upgrade to the latest version – new builds often fix theme reset bugs.

FAQ: Frequent questions about returning old themes to Xiaomi