Many Xiaomi smartphone users like to experiment with the look and feel of the interface by installing bright and unusual designs from the Themes store. However, over time, the standard design may seem more familiar, or the installed theme may not work properly, causing visual bugs. Owners of budget models such as the Redmi 9A, it is especially important to have a stable system operation, as heavy graphics shells can slow down the device.
Returning to classic design is not just a change of picture, but a complex process that may require resetting certain settings or even completely removing third-party components. In this article, we will look at all the available methods, from simple change of theme in the menu to deeper actions if standard methods do not help.
Sometimes the problem isn't the topic itself, but rather the application version conflict or bugs after the MIUI update. Understanding how the system manages visual style will help you avoid problems in the future. We'll look at the nuances of the launcher and system fonts that often come bundled with downloadable files. Let's figure out how to safely return your smartphone to its original, clean look.
A simple way to change the topic through settings
The most obvious and safe way to go back to the standard look is to use a built-in theme management app. In the MIUI operating system that's installed on Redmi 9A, the Themes app is responsible for that, and it allows you to activate a standard profile in a single click, even if a third-party design is active right now, you don't need to have superuser rights or connect the cable to your computer.
To start, open the Themes app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. Go to the Profile section, which is usually in the lower right corner of the interface. This displays the current active theme. If you've ever saved a standard theme called Classic or Default, it will be listed here. Click on it and select Apply. The system will automatically replace wallpaper, icons and sounds with factory ones.
If a standard theme has been removed or hidden, you'll have to find it again. Search inside the app for "Classic" or "Standard." Xiaomi's official themes are tagged with the appropriate badge. After download, click the application button. It's important to understand that using the theme only changes the visual layer, without affecting your personal files, contacts or installed apps.
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Before applying a new theme, take a screenshot of your desktop to remember the location of the widgets, as after changing the design, the icons may move.
It is worth noting that some third-party themes can block the ability to switch quickly, in which case the interface of the Themes application may behave unusually. If the application button is inactive or the application is closed, try to clear its cache through the system settings, which we will talk about in the next sections, this often solves the problem of “hang” visual style.
Resetting launcher and desktop settings
The system application launcher is responsible for displaying icons, folders and widgets on the screen. On Redmi 9A, it is MIUI Launcher or POCO Launcher depending on the region of the firmware. If the icons remain the same or appear with errors after changing the theme, the problem may be in the launcher cache. Resetting its settings will return the location of the elements and the appearance of the shortcuts to the factory state.
To do this, go to your smartphone's Settings menu. Find the Apps section and select All Apps. Find System Launcher or System Launcher. Click on it, then select Memory. Here you'll see two buttons: Clear Cache and Clear Everything. Click on the second button for a full reset.
☑️ Launcher reset
Once you press the clean button, all the launcher data will be deleted, which means that the icons will be dislocated, and you will have to re-arrange the widgets and folders. However, this is the action that is guaranteed to remove traces of third-party themes that may have entered the desktop structure. The screen will blink, and you will see a standard desktop, as when you first turn on the phone.
⚠️ Warning: Clearing all launcher data will delete your search history and widgets, but will not affect your photos, contacts or documents.
In some cases, especially on older versions of MIUI, the launcher may simply be called Desktop. The principle of operation remains the same. If after reset, the phone suggests you choose a new language and region every time you turn on, then the reset was successful, but the system requires an initial calibration of the interface.
Removing Third-Party Applications for Themes
Often users install themes not only through the official store, but also through third-party programs like zTheme or MIUI Theme Editor. These applications can make changes to system files that are not rolled back by simply switching theme. If you used such utilities on your Redmi 9A, they must be removed first.
Go to the settings and find a list of all the installed applications. Carefully review it for the programs you don't know about the design. If you find an application that was used to modify themes, click on it and select Delete. After deleting, be sure to restart the device so that the system can reassemble the interface without the influence of remote code.
Sometimes deleting an application is not enough if it has changed the system fonts or the boot animation, which may require manually changing the font to the standard one. Go to the Themes app, then to the Fonts section. Find Roboto or MIUI Font font and apply it. This action will rewrite the changed font files to the original ones.
Also worth checking for application permissions. Some programs require access to the system to work. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Special Rights. Check if there are suspicious activities from remote or unknown programs. Disabling such rights helps prevent the modified interface from being re-imposed.
Using Safe Mode for Diagnostics
If the phone is unstable, glitchy or theme is not switching, it may be a third-party app that is in conflict with the system.Safe Mode allows Redmi 9A to run only with system applications.This is the perfect way to check if the theme problem is system-based or caused by installed software.
To enter Safe Mode, press and hold the power button until the turn off menu appears. Then press and hold your finger on Turn off on the screen. A request will appear to go to Safe Mode. Confirm action. The phone will restart, and in the corner of the screen you will see the words "Safe Mode."
In this mode, all third-party themes and applications are disabled. If the interface looks normal and works quickly in safe mode, then the problem is in one of the applications you install. You will need to find and remove the culprit by eliminating the method, and if in safe mode the theme is still broken, the problem is deeper, and you may need to reset to factory settings.
How do you get out of safe mode?
Remember, in Safe Mode, you won't be able to access the Internet through mobile data and some features. This is a temporary diagnostic measure. Use it to understand the source of the problem, and then return to normal mode to fix the cause. Often, this is the mode that shows that a particular program is blocking the change of topic.
Full reset to factory settings
When none of the softer methods work, the radical, but most effective way is to reset the Redmi 9A completely, and it will put all the data, including topics, apps, photos and contacts, away, so make sure you back up important information before you start.
To perform the reset via the menu, go to Settings → About → Settings → Reset. Select Erase all data. The system will ask you to enter the unlock password and the Mi acc password. Once confirmed, the cleanup process will begin, which will take a few minutes.
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A complete reset is a guaranteed way to remove any software bugs and return a 100% factory theme, but it takes time to recover data.
There's also a way to reset through Recovery Mode if the phone menu doesn't open. Turn off the phone completely. Press Volume+ and Power button at the same time. Hold them until the Mi logo appears, then release power, but keep the volume. On the Recovery menu, select Wipe Data → Wipe All Data.
Once the process is complete, the phone will restart and start setting up the original setting, and you will see a language selection welcome window, and from that point on, the device will have a clean, factory-based MIUI theme installed, without any trace of your previous use or third-party modifications, and this is the most reliable way to solve any software problems.
Table of comparison of recovery methods
To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you assess the risks and labor costs for each method on the Redmi 9A model.
| Method | Data retention | Difficulty | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replacement in annex Topics | Complete. | Low. | Medium |
| Launcher reset | Partial (icons are knocked down) | Low. | Tall. |
| Safe regime | Complete. | Medium | Diagnostics |
| Full reset (Hard Reset) | No (all removed) | Tall. | Maximum |
As you can see from the table, it is always best to start with the least risky methods. Changing the topic in the application or resetting the launcher takes a couple of minutes and does not pose a threat to your files. Full formatting should be used only as a last resort when other options are exhausted.
Remember that regular system updates via Settings → About Phone → MIUI also helps fix design bugs. Xiaomi engineers are constantly improving the stability of the interface. If you have a very old firmware version installed, the update can automatically solve the problem with the “curve” theme.