Installing a new theme on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO is an easy way to refresh the look of a smartphone, but sometimes the results are far from expectations. Too bright colors, unreadable fonts or bugs in the interface cause users to look for a way to return the standard design. However, removing themes in MIUI is not always intuitive: some themes remain in the system even after clicking the “Delete” button, and others completely block the possibility of rollback.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove themes on Xiaomi, from standard methods through the Themes app to manually clearing the cache and resetting settings. We will focus on problems with system themes that can not be deleted in the usual way, and also tell you how to avoid errors when working with.mtz files. The instructions are checked on MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, but are suitable for earlier versions (taking into account the features of the interface).
Why is the topic not removed in the standard way?
The issues with removing themes on Xiaomi are usually due to one of three factors:
- 📱 Systemic constraints MIUI: Some themes (such as Mi Fan Festival or Dark Mode) are sewn into firmware and cannot be completely removed without root rights.
- 🗑️ Residual files: Even after clicking “Delete” in the Topic app, the theme packet (.mtz) can remain in the folder /MIUI/theme/.
- 🔄 Cache and application data: a failure in the service com.android.thememanager leads to “sticking” themes.
In addition, users often confuse deleting the theme (completely erasing files) and resetting to a standard theme (returning to default without cleaning up downloaded packets). If your goal is simply to return the original MIUI look, just select the Default theme in the settings. If you need to free up memory or get rid of bugs, more radical measures will be required.
Method 1: Remove the topic through the “Themes” app
The most obvious method is to use the built-in Themes app, which is suitable for most users, but only works with manually loaded themes (not system ones).
- Open the Themes app (the brush icon on your desktop or in the app menu).
- Go to the My Themes tab (or My Themes in global firmware).
- Find the topic you want to remove and click on it.
- In the window that opens, tap the basket icon (🗑️) or choose Delete.
- Confirm the action in the dialog window.
If the Remove button is inactive or missing, the theme is system (it can only be deactivated, but not erased).
☑️ Preparation for deletion of the topic
⚠️ Note: Some themes from the Mi Theme Store continue to appear in the list after deletion due to cache. To completely remove them, clear the application data Themes in the settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the data).
Method 2: Manually delete theme files (without root)
If the theme is not removed through the interface, its files can be manually erased using a file manager. This method does not require root rights, but requires access to hidden MIUI folders.
- Install a file manager with access to system folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).
- Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/ This is where all downloaded themes in.mtz format are stored.
- Find a file with your theme name (like DarkNebula.mtz) and delete it.
- Reboot your smartphone so that the changes take effect.
If /MIUI/theme/ is empty, check the alternative path:
/data/system/theme/Deleting files from this directory can cause the Themes app to crash – only do this if you are confident in your actions!
| folder | Contents | Can I remove it? |
|---|---|---|
| /MIUI/theme/ | User-generated themes (.mtz) | Yes. |
| /data/system/theme/ | System settings of the themes | Careful (risk of failure) |
| /MIUI/miui_home/ | Theme icons and widgets | Partially (user files only) |
💡
Before deleting the theme files, back them up by copying them to the cloud or PC, which will help restore the design if something goes wrong.
Method 3: Reset theme settings via ADB (for experienced)
If previous methods have not worked, you can use them. ADB-This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and installing Android Debug Bridge, but it is guaranteed to clear all traces of installed themes.
Instructions:
- Turn on USB Debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to unlock Developer Settings). Then: Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB.
- Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux).
- Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
- Do reset the theme settings: adb shell pm clear com.android.thememanager
- Reboot your smartphone.
This command clears the cache and the data of the Themes app, returning all settings to factory settings. Attention: once completed, all downloaded themes will disappear from the list, and they will have to be re-installed.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
How to remove the system theme (e.g. Mi Fan Festival)
System themes pre-installed in MIUI (e.g. Mi Fan Festival, Dark Mode or Christmas Edition) cannot be removed by standard methods.
- 🔧 Disconnect via Settings: Select another theme in the Themes app – the system theme deactivates automatically.
- 📦 Removal through TWRP (Requires root: Install custom Recovery TWRP. Go to Advanced. → File Manager, find the folder. /system/media/theme/ and delete unnecessary files.
- 🔄 Factory reset: extreme method if the theme causes critical errors → The phone. → Resetting settings.