How to return a standard theme to Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

You've installed a new theme on your Xiaomi, but it's too bright, slows down the system or just doesn't fit your style? The pullback to the standard MIUI theme is a procedure that every second brand user faces. According to statistics from Xiaomi Community, more than 40% of smartphone owners have tried to bring back factory design after experimenting with custom themes. The problem is that the MIUI interface doesn't always offer an obvious way to undo changes, especially if the the the theme was installed through third-party sources.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of returning to a standard theme – from basic actions in the settings menu to advanced solutions through ADB and recoveries. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances for different versions of MIUI (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and smartphone models, including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13T. If your phone after changing the theme began to warm up, quickly discharge or give errors – here you will find a solution.

1. Recurring theme through standard MIUI settings

The easiest way to get back to the factory theme is to use the built-in tools of the system, which works on 95% of Xiaomi devices if the theme was installed through the official MIUI Themes app.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the My Themes tab (or My Themes in global firmware).
3. Click on the current active topic (checked).
4. At the bottom of the screen will appear button Remove or Reset – select it.
5. Confirm action. The system will automatically apply the standard MIUI Default theme.

⚠️ Note: If the Remove button is inactive or missing, the theme is protected from removal (often found in themes from Xiaomi partners, such as Disney or Marvel.

2. Reset themes through the “Themes” app (if the standard method doesn’t work)

Sometimes the MIUI interface will be buggy and the reset button will not appear, in which case forced reset through hidden settings of the Themes application will help:

Algorithm of action:

1. Launch the Topic app.
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Settings (cog at the top).
4. Scroll down and click Clear Data or Reset Theme Settings.
5. Confirm the cleanup. Once the device is restarted, the standard theme will be applied.

🔹 Important: This method will reset all custom theme settings, including saved wallpaper and icon styles. If you want to save some items (for example, wallpaper), use the method with selective application (described below).

3. Selective return of elements of a standard theme

If you don’t like only part of a new theme (like icons or fonts), you can return individual items to factory settings without completely resetting, which is especially useful for users who want to save wallpaper or sound schemes.

How to do this:

• 🎨 Wallpaper: Clutch the empty space on the desktop → Wallpaper. → Choose the standard option.
• 🔊 Sounds: Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound circuit → Choose Standard.
• 📱 Icons: In the Topics app, go to the Icons section and select Standard.
• 📝 Fonts: Settings → Screen. → font → Go back to Systems.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12) changing fonts may require rebooting the device. If the text is not displayed correctly after changing the font, reboot.

4. Recurring theme through ADB (for power users)

If the theme was installed via a.mtz file from third-party sources and is not deleted by standard methods, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help.This method requires connecting a smartphone to a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

File transfer

ADB Tools

Win + R

cmd

cd C:\platform-tools

adb shell cmd overlay reset com.android.theme.iconPack.android

For a complete reset of all overlays:

adb shell cmd overlay reset-all

Reboot the phone.

Critical information: ADB teams reset NOT only the theme, but all system overlays, including interface modifications from the manufacturer. On some devices (e.g. POCO F4) this can lead to reset animations and transitions to standard Android.

💡

Before using ADB, create a restore point in TWRP (if you have a custom recap) to help you return the system to its original state if you have errors.

5. Remove theme through TWRP (for firmware with root)

If your Xiaomi has an unlocked bootloader and customized recap (TWRP) installed, you can manually delete theme files through the file manager.This method is suitable for removing "broken" themes that do not want to be reset by other methods.

Instructions:

1. Boot to TWRP (clip Power + Volume up when turned on).
2. Select Advanced → File Manager.
3. Go to /data/system/theme/ or (for older versions of MIUI): /data/miui/theme/
4. Delete the folder with the current theme title (e.g. com.example.customtheme).
5. Reboot to the system.

How to perform the reset:

1. Make a backup copy of important data (photos, contacts, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Select Delete all data.
4. Enter a password (if required) and confirm the action.
5. Wait for the process to be completed (it will take 5-10 minutes).

🔹 Important: On devices with MIUI 13+ After the reset, you may need to re-assign your Xiaomi account to unlock.Make sure you remember your login and password!

FAQ: Frequent questions about the rollback of themes on Xiaomi