How to return standard wallpaper on Xiaomi Redmi: from reset to ADB

Did you accidentally delete the standard wallpaper on your Xiaomi Redmi or did it disappear after the MIUI update? Or did a third-party app replace it with ads that can't be removed? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 and other smartphones. You can restore the original wallpaper in a number of ways, from simply resetting through settings to manually copying files through ADB.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including hidden MIUI features that do not require root rights, and you will learn how to return factory wallpaper even if:

• 📱 They disappeared after resetting to factory settings
• 🔄 They were replaced by an update. MIUI (particularly relevant to versions 13-14)
• 🚫 They were removed by a third-party app (for example, Wallpaper Carousel or Themes)
• 🔧 They're damaged by a system failure.

All instructions are tested on current MIUI 14/15 firmware and work on models from Redmi 9A to Redmi Note 13 Pro+. If you have an older version of Android (below 10), some steps may differ - we will point out this separately.

1. Wallpaper recovery via MIUI settings (no reset)

The easiest way is to use the built-in wallpaper reset feature in MIUI, which works if the wallpaper system files are not damaged, but have simply been replaced by custom ones.

Open the Themes app (icon with brush) and follow the steps:

1. Go to the Wallpaper section (the tab at the bottom of the screen).
2. Scroll down to the Basic Wallpaper or Standard Wallpaper block.
3. Choose Restore by default (may be called Wallpaper Reset).
4. Confirm the action - the system will return the factory wallpaper for the main screen and lock screen.

If this is not the case, try an alternative route:

1. Hold your finger on the empty spot on the main screen.
2. Select Wallpaper → More (three dots at the top) → Reset wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 12.5 for Redmi Note 8 Pro) this item may not be available.

2. Wallpaper reset via "System settings" (soft reset)

If the previous method didn’t work, try resetting the wallpaper settings through the system menu, which doesn’t affect personal data, but returns the standard display settings.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5-7 times on the MIUI version until you become a developer! (if you haven’t activated this mode already).
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Find Reset Wallpaper Settings (or Reset Wallpaper Settings) and activate it.
5. Reboot the phone.

On some models (POCO F3, Redmi K40) this item may be called Restore Wallpaper by default and be located in the Screen → Additional.

⚠️ Warning: If the wallpaper has not recovered after the reset, and instead of it, a black screen or artifacts appear, this is a sign of damage to system files. ADB (section).

3. Manual copying of wallpaper from MIUI backup

Xiaomi system wallpaper is stored in a secure folder /system/media/theme/default_wallpaper. If you have a firmware backup or you can download the original wallpaper file, they can be manually returned.

You'll need:

• 📱 PC with installed Xiaomi drivers and Mi program PC Suite.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📁 Archive of wallpaper for your model (can be found on the forums) 4PDA or XDA-Developers).

Steps:

1. Download the archive with wallpaper for your model (for example, redmi_note_10_wallpapers.zip).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → Developer).
3. Use it. ADB or a root-access file manager (such as Mixplorer) to copy files to a folder: adb push local_wallpaper.jpg /sdcard/MIUI/theme/default_wallpaper/
4. Reboot your phone and apply wallpaper through Settings → Wallpaper.

A critical caveat: if you copy wallpaper to the wrong folder (e.g. /data/system instead of /system/media), it may disappear after the reboot. Always check the path through ADB Shell with ls /system/media/theme/.

4. Wallpaper restoration through factory reset

If previous methods didn’t work, and it’s critical to return the wallpaper (for example, due to an ad virus), you’ll have to make a partial reset, which will delete user settings, but save photos and files.

How to reset your settings without losing data:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Settings Reset (Do not delete all data!).
3. Enter your Mi Account password if required.
4. After the reboot, the wallpaper will be restored, but you will have to reconfigure Wi-Fi, screen brightness and other parameters.

If this option does not work, perform a complete reset (with deletion of data), but first:

• 📤 Make a backup copy through Settings → System system → Backup.
• 🔐 Make sure you know the username/password from Mi Account (required to unlock after resetting).
• 📱 Charge your phone at least 50% (resetting at low charge can lead to a brick).

💡

Before resetting, write down your phone's IMEI (type *#06# in the dialer). In rare cases, it may reset and have to be restored via the Mi Flash Tool.

5. wallpaper restoration via ADB (for power users)

This method is suitable if the system wallpaper files are damaged, but you have access to ADB. It requires minimal command line knowledge, but allows you to return the wallpaper without completely resetting.

What needs to be done:

1. Install ADB on your PC (instructions are available on XDA-Developers).
2. Connect your phone in debugging mode (Settings → For developers → Debugging via USB).
3. Open the command line and type in: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/Download/wallpaper.jpg /system/media/theme/default_wallpaper/ chmod 644 /system/media/theme/default_wallpaper/wallpaper.jpg reboot

If you do not have root rights, use an alternative method via pm:

adb shell pm clear com.android.wallpaper

This command will reset the Wallpaper app cache, and the system will download the standard wallpaper again.

💡

Use ADB only if you are confident in your actions. The wrong command (e.g. rm -rf /system) can knock your phone out of order!

6. Alternative methods: if nothing has worked

If none of these methods worked, consider these options:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: Sometimes the wallpaper is restored after installing a new firmware version. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Fastboot Flash Flash: The last resort if system files are badly damaged.Use the Mi Flash Tool and the official firmware for your model.
• 📱 If the phone is warranty, Xiaomi specialists can restore wallpaper through service utilities.

For POCO models (like the POCO F4 or X5 Pro), it sometimes helps to install an alternative firmware, such as the Pixel Experience or LineageOS. But note that this voids the warranty and requires unlocking the bootloader.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper restoration on Xiaomi