How to return a standard theme to Xiaomi MIUI 12: 5 working ways

Did you install a custom theme on your Xiaomi with MIUI 12, but it was too bright, uncomfortable or just bored? Returning the factory design of the system is harder than it seems – especially if the theme was installed through third-party sources or modified by APK. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of rolling back to standard design, including hidden settings, cache reset and even manually deleting themes via ADB.

To make matters worse, MIUI 12 actively caches themes and sometimes forgets original files after they're replaced. We tested each method on Redmi Note 9 Pro, Mi 10T and POCO X3 NFC models — all of which run on current firmware versions (including MIUI 12.5 Enhanced Edition). If your smartphone freezes on the logo after changing the theme or your system refuses to apply standard design, here's the solution.

Why can’t we get back to the standard theme?

In 80 percent of cases, the problem is not the theme itself, but the way it's applied. MIUI 12 uses a multi-layered design system where:

• 🔹 Systemic topics - stored in /system/priv-app/MiuiSystemUI and protected from change;
• 🔹 User-generated themes are downloaded into /data/system/theme They may conflict with the original;
• 🔹 The Cash Theme - located in /data/data/com.android.thememanager and often does not clean automatically.

If you installed a theme through a.mtz file or a third-party store (such as the Mi Themes Store from third-party developers), the system could overwrite critical files in the /miui/theme folder, in which case simply selecting the default theme in the settings will not be enough.

Method 1: Reset themes through standard settings

Start with the simplest method, which is to roll back the themes menu, and it works if you:

• 📱 The topic was installed through the official Topic appendix;
• 🔄 You did not edit the system files manually;
• 🛠️ There are no root rights on the smartphone.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the section My topics → Established.
3. Find the current active theme and click on it.
4. At the bottom of the screen, select the default Theme or Reset to standard.
5. Confirm the action and restart the device.

If the default theme button is inactive or missing, the original theme system files are corrupted, in which case move on to the next method.

Method 2: Cleaning the cache of the application "Themes"

Often the problem is solved by a simple cleaning of the theme manager cache, which helps if:

• 🎨 The applied theme is displayed curved (distorted icons, wrong colors);
• 🔄 The system forgets the standard theme after restarting;
• ⚙️ In the settings there is no option to reset to factory design.

How to clear the cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Themes app (or Theme Manager).
3. Open the Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Return to the main menu of the Themes app and try to apply the standard design again.

💡

If the theme doesn't reset after cleaning the cache, try to further clean the theme app data, which will delete all downloaded themes, but will return the standard design to work.

If the cache cleanup didn’t help, the cause could be damage to the files in the /data/system/theme folder, in which case only manual deletion or resetting of settings (see Method 4) will help.

Method 3: Remove themes via ADB (no root rights)

For advanced users willing to work with ADB, there is a way to remove all custom themes without resetting their phone.

• 🔧 Standard reset doesn't work;
• 📁 The themes folder is filled with garbage;
• 🚫 No desire to reset the phone to factory settings.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with ADB-tools installed;
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original);
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Step-by-step:

adb shell


su -c "rm -rf /data/system/theme/*"




su -c "rm -rf /data/data/com.android.thememanager/cache/*"




su -c "rm -rf /data/data/com.android.thememanager/files/*"




reboot

If the theme does not reset after the reboot, execute an additional command:

adb shell cmd package compile -m speed -f com.android.thememanager

Method 4: Resetting settings to factory

The last resort is hard reset, if:

• 🔄 All the previous methods didn't work;
• 📵 phone is stuck on startup logo after changing the subject;
• 🛠️ We need to get the system back clean.

Important: Reset will delete all data from the device, including photos, contacts and apps. Pre-backup through Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud.

How to reset your settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Delete all data.
3. Enter the password from your Mi Account (if linked).
4. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

💡

If the phone is not turning on due to a glitchy theme, reset via Recovery: turn off the device, press Power + Volume Up, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.

Method 5: Manual System File Recovery (for Advanced)

This method requires root rights and is designed for power users, and incorrect actions can lead to a "brick" of the device! If you are confident in your abilities, follow the instructions:

MIUI 12 system themes are stored in:

• /system/priv-app/MiuiSystemUI/MiuiSystemUI.apk – core resources
• /system/media/theme/default – the default file
• /vendor/overlay – overlays.

To return the original files:

1. Download the stock firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware Updater website.
2. Remove the files of MiuiSystemUI.apk and theme/default folder from the archive.
3. With Root Explorer or ADB, replace the files on your device (pre-backup!).
4. Follow the commands: su chmod 644 /system/priv-app/MiuiSystemUI/MiuiSystemUI.apk reboot

💡

If the phone doesn’t boot after replacing files, run it through Fastboot using the Mi Flash Tool, selecting the clean all option.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even after a successful theme reset, users are plagued with bugs, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

• 🔳 Icons left from the old theme: Clear the launcher cache (Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Clear the cache) or reinstall it through the Mi App Store.
• 🎨 UI Colors Haven't Returned to Standard: Go to Settings → Screen. → Color scheme and select System by default.
• 🔄 After the reboot, the theme returns: Delete the file /data/system/theme/current_theme.xml through ADB or a root explorer.
• ⚠️ Phone freezes when using themes: This indicates damage to system files. perform reset via Recovery (see Method 4).

⚠️ Note: If you have installed themes through modified APK (For example, MiuiThemeEditor, they could implement changes to system overlay files, and in this case, only a complete flashing through Fastboot will help.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions