How to remove the theme from Xiaomi phone completely: from standard methods to hidden MIUI features

Tired of screaming wallpaper, uncomfortable icons or slow smartphone after installing a new theme on Xiaomi? You are not alone: many MIUI users face the problem when removing the theme through the standard menu does not work – the interface elements remain in place, and the system continues to “load” the old settings. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to completely erase the the theme from the Xiaomi smartphone, including hidden methods for experienced users.

It's important to understand that MIUI themes are not just wallpaper, they're packages that change icons, fonts, animations, and even sounds. So simply clicking "Delete" in the themes menu often doesn't work properly. We tested all methods on Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X5 Pro, and Xiaomi 13 Ultra (versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS) models, the results are shown in the comparison table below.

1. Standard theme removal through MIUI settings

So, to start with the obvious, the built-in deletion feature, which is a way for most users, but it doesn't always work. Here's how to do it right:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the section My topics → Established.
3. Find the right topic and click on it.
4. In the upper right corner, tap three points (⋮) and choose Delete.

If the Remove button is inactive or the theme is left after the reboot, it is embedded in the system (e.g. standard MIUI themes or pre-installed branded packages).

⚠️ Warning: Some themes (such as Dark Mode or Super Wallpapers) cannot be removed completely - they are part of the firmware. ADB This can cause system failures. UI.

2. Reset the themes to factory settings

If the theme is stuck and doesn't get deleted, try resetting the theme to the standard one, which doesn't affect personal data, but it will return all visual elements to default:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Topics → Settings of topics.
• 🔄 Choose Reset to factory settings (or Restore a standard theme in new versions) MIUI).
• ✅ Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After you reboot, check if the old theme elements have disappeared. If not, the problem may be cache or corrupted files. Cache cleaning (described in the next section) usually solves this problem.

Make sure that important wallpaper is saved in the Gallery

Remember the current settings of icons and fonts

Connect your phone to charge (the process can take up to 5 minutes)

Don’t interrupt the reset – wait for the reset.-->

3. Cleaning the cache of the "Themes" app

Often, residual themes are stored in the cache of the com.android.themes application. Their cleaning helps when the theme is deleted, but the interface elements (icons, fonts) remain.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In search, type Themes and select the app (the name may vary: Themes or MIUI Themes).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. For a full reset, also click Clear Data (this will delete all downloaded themes, but return the standard interface).

If the theme is still partially displayed after cleaning the cache, try reinstalling the Themes app via ADB (method 5).

4. Manual deletion of theme files (for advanced users)

If you are ready for experimentation and have a Root access or file manager with superuser rights (e.g. MiXplorer), you can manually delete the theme. Theme files are stored on the path /data/system/theme/ and /data/app/com.android.themes-*/.

1. Open the file manager with Root access.


2 Go to the folder /data/system/theme/.




3. Delete the folder with the title of your topic (e.g., "com.theme.custom123").




4. Also check the folders:




- /data/app/com.android.themes-*/ (delete cache and data)




/sdcard/MIUI/theme/ (themes are stored here)

Once removed, restart your phone. If the theme was system, its files can be restored, in which case only flashing or rolling back to factory settings will help.

⚠️ Note: Removing files from /system Without Root, you can lead to bootloop. Don't edit system folders unless you're sure you're doing it!

5. Delete theme through ADB (no Root)

The method is for those who don’t want to get Root but are willing to use Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method removes the theme as a regular app, even if the “Delete” button in the menu is inactive.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB-driver.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Steps:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
2. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
3. Find out the name of the theme package (e.g. com.theme.custom.pink) via the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep theme
4. Delete the theme by command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 name packet theme Replace the name packet themes with the real name (e.g. com.android.theme.iconpack.rounded).

If the team makes a mistake DELETE_FAILED_INTERNAL_ERROR, So the theme is system-based and can't be removed without Root, and then you can just reset to factory settings.

💡

Before using ADB, back up important data. the adb backup command will help save applications and settings, but does not work with some system files.

6. Full reset phone (last chance)

If none of these methods worked, then the radical solution is Hard Reset, which will bring the phone back to factory status by removing all the themes, apps and settings, and all the data will be erased, so first, you'll have to take it back to the factory.

• 📤 Make a backup copy through Settings → The phone. → Backup or Mi Cloud Backup.
• 📝 Save contacts, photos and files to your PC or cloud.
• 🔐 Remember your Mi Account details (required to unlock after resetting).

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data (or delete everything in HyperOS).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot (it will take 5-10 minutes).

After the reset, the phone will turn on with the factory theme. Remember to restore the data from the backup and do not install the problematic theme again.

💡

Factory reset is the only way to guarantee that you will remove embedded MIUI themes, but it erases all data. Use it only if other methods have failed.

FAQ: Frequent questions about removing themes on Xiaomi