How to remove the theme from the Xiaomi Redmi 9C phone: from standard methods to radical solutions

Why Xiaomi Redmi 9C Themes Can Be Troublesome, and When to Delete Them

Replaceable themes in MIUI are one of the features of Xiaomi’s firmware, allowing you to personalize the interface of your smartphone to the smallest detail. However, not all themes work correctly: some slow down the system, others conflict with system applications, and others are installed without your knowledge through updates or viruses. Owners of Redmi 9C (model M2006C3LG/M2006C3MI) often face a situation where the the theme “sticks” to the system and is not removed by standard methods.

In this article, we will discuss all possible methods for removing themes from basic (via the MIUI menu) to advanced (using ADB and resetting), focusing on common errors, such as when artifacts remain in the form of modified icons or fonts after deleting a topic, and figure out how to return the standard MIUI interface without losing data.

Warning: Some methods require superuser rights or system files, and if you're not sure about your skills, stick to the first three methods in the manual.

Method 1: Remove theme through the standard MIUI menu

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable if the theme was installed through the official Themes store and did not damage the system files.

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (brush icon on desktop).
• 🔍 Go to the My Themes tab (or My Themes in English).
• 🗑️ Find the theme you want, click on it and select Delete (or Delete).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone to make the changes take effect.

If the Remove button is inactive or not, the theme is a system (e.g., standard MIUI Default) in which case, try changing it to another and then returning it back.

⚠️ Note: Some topics from third-party sources may not appear in the My Themes list. If you installed the.mtz file manually, go to Method 2.

Method 2: Manually delete theme files through file manager

If the theme is not deleted through the menu, its files could remain in the device’s memory. To delete them, you will need a file manager with access to system folders (for example, MiXplorer or Solid Explorer with Root mode enabled).

The path to topics at MIUI:

/data/system/theme/

Or for user-generated themes:

/sdcard/MIUI/theme/

Algorithm of action:

1. Open the file manager and follow one of the paths.
2. Find a folder with the title of the theme (e.g. com.example.theme).
3. Delete the entire folder or only files with the.mtz extension.
4. Clear the Themes app cache in settings (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Themes → Storage → Clear the cache).
5. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Note: Delete files from the folder /data/system/theme/ root-free can cause the Themes app to crash. If the theme still appears after deleting, use the Method 4 (reset).

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If you can’t find a theme folder, try sorting files by the date of the change – newly installed themes will be at the top of the list.

Method 3: Reset themes via ADB (no root)

If standard methods don’t work and you don’t have root rights, you can use the Android debugging bridge (ADB), which is a good way to remove “stuck” themes that don’t appear on the menu but affect the interface.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Connect Redmi 9C to your PC and confirm debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Follow the command to reset themes: adb shell pm clear com.android.themes
4. If the topic is still active, try to delete its cache: adb shell pm clear com.miui.thememanager
5. Reboot the phone.

These commands do not physically delete theme files, but reset the Themes app settings, which often solves the problem with “sticky” styles.

Method 4: Completely reset (if nothing helps)

If the theme has damaged system files or if it has been deleted, MIUI has crashed, the only reliable way to get your phone back on track is to reset to factory settings, which will delete all data from your device, including apps, photos and accounts, so use it only as a last resort.

How to reset:

1. Create a backup copy of important data (contacts, photos, messages).
2. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
3. Choose to erase all data and confirm the action.
4. After the reboot, the phone will return to the standard MIUI theme.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9C It can take up to 10 minutes to reset. Don't interrupt the process, even if the screen goes out for a long time. If the phone doesn't turn on after the reset, try going to Recovery Mode. + Volume up) and repeat the discharge from there.

Method 5: Remove themes with TWRP (for advanced users)

If you've already got root rights and installed custom TWRP recaps, you can delete the theme through the file manager recapvery, which is a way to deep-clean system folders.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone and press Power + Volume up to enter TWRP.
2. Select Advanced → File Manager.
3. Go to /data/system/theme/ and delete the theme folders.
4. Go back to the main menu and select Wipe → Dalvik / ART Cache.
5. Reboot the phone.

Important: If the phone stopped booting after removing the themes through TWRP, critical system files were deleted, in which case you will need to reflash the device via Fastboot.

How to Prevent Automatic Theme Installation in the Future

To avoid repeated issues with topics, follow these tips:

• 🛡️ Turn off automatic theme updates in Settings → Themes → Auto-update.
• 🔍 Install themes only from the official store MIUI.
• 📥 Before installing a.mtz file, check it for viruses (for example, via VirusTotal).
• 🔄 Clean the Themes app cache regularly.

If you’re a frequent user of design experiments, consider using third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher) that allow you to change icons and styles without tampering with MIUI system files.

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The safest way to test new themes is to use the Preview feature in the Themes app before installing.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When working with themes on Redmi 9C, users face typical problems.

1.Theme removed, but icons remain changed

Reason: The theme replaced standard icons with its files in the /data/app folder.

• Install another launcher and select a standard set of icons.
• Use it. ADB Icon Reset: Adb shell cmd overlay disable com.android.theme.icon_pack

2 After removing the topic, the phone began to brake

Reason: Damaged cache files or conflict with other system applications.

• Clear the cache in Recovery Mode (Wipe → Wipe Cache).
• Disable unnecessary system applications via ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.themeeditor

3. You cannot delete the standard MIUI theme

Reason: System themes are protected from deletion.

• Change it to another topic and then return it.
• Use ADB to hide the theme: adb shell pm hide com.android.theme.default

FAQ: Answers to popular questions