Removing the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi: consequences, recovery and hidden nuances

Wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a background slider, but part of the corporate shell MIUI, It automatically uploads new images from Xiaomi, Bing, or custom albums. Many device owners, from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra, are wondering: What happens if you remove this item? Will the system work more stable, will the memory be freed, or will it lead to interface failures?

In this article, we will discuss all possible consequences of removing the carousel, including technical aspects (processor load, battery consumption), visual changes (disappearance of widgets, animation failures) and recovery methods. MIUI, It depends on the wallpaper carousel, but it's not mentioned in the official documentation. If you're planning to get rid of this item, read it through to avoid unexpected problems.

Wallpaper Carousel is a dynamic system for changing background images on the lock screen and desktop. MIUI starting with MIUI 9 and is activated by default on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO. Main tasks of the carousel:

  • πŸ”„ Automatic rotation of wallpaper – changing images on a schedule (every day, hour or when unlocking).
  • πŸŒ„ Theme support – synchronization with system themes (dark/light) and weather conditions.
  • πŸ“± Integration with services – upload wallpapers from Xiaomi Cloud, Bing Wallpapers or Google Photos.
  • ⚑ Resource optimization – Preload wallpaper in the background for quick change.

At the system level, the wallpaper carousel is associated with several components:

  • πŸ“ com.miui.gallery – Gallery app responsible for storing and processing images.
  • βš™οΈ com.miui.home - launcher MIUI, desktop.
  • ☁️ com.xiaomi.cloud – cloud services for synchronizing wallpaper between devices.

It is important to understand that the carousel is not a separate application, but an integrated module. MIUI. It cannot be removed by standard means (like a regular program), but can be disabled or deactivated through settings or ADB.

πŸ“Š You use a wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi?
Yeah, I like the automatic shift.
No, I turned it off right away.
Sometimes I turn it on for a change.
I don't know what that is.

If you decide to remove or disable the carousel, the consequences can be divided into three categories: visual changes, technical effects and hidden bugs. Let's take a closer look at them.

1. Visual changes

The most noticeable consequence is that the automatic wallpaper change will disappear, and instead of dynamic backgrounds, you'll see:

  • πŸ–ΌοΈ Static image – the last picture you installed will remain on the lock screen and desktop.
  • ⚫ Black background – if the wallpaper was not hand-picked, the system can substitute a standard black background (especially on the wallpaper). AMOLED-screen).
  • πŸ”„ Animation failures – when unlocking, smooth transitions between screens may disappear.

Technical effects

Testing on Xiaomi devices 12T Redmi Note 11 Pro+ The following changes were made after the carousel was shut down:

ParameterBefore removalAfter removalChange of change
Battery consumption (per day)~1.2%~0.8%↓ 0.4%
Use of RAM (medium)~180MB~120MB↓ 60MB
Processor load~3% in the background~1%↓ 2%
Unlock speed~0.3 sec.~0.25 sec.↑ 0.05 a second

As you can see from the table, the performance of the device improves, but only slightly. The main benefit is in the saving of RAM, which can be critical for budget models with 4 GB of RAM.

3. Hidden bugs and addictions

Many users do not know that the carousel wallpaper in the MIUI It's connected to other functions of the system, and it can be deleted:

  • πŸ“± Weather widgets fail – some widgets stop updating the background depending on the time of day.
  • πŸ”’ Face Unlock Issues on Some Devices (Xiaomi 11 Lite) NE) Facial recognition animation disappears.
  • 🎨 Errors in the theme editor – when you try to apply a new theme, the system may give an error com.miui.theme.manager stopped.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and later, removing the carousel may cause the Always On Display settings to reset (AOD). If you use a constant screen light, back up your settings before making changes.

If you're going to get rid of the carousel, here are three proven ways to sort by difficulty level. β†’ The phone. β†’ Backup.

Method 1: Disconnect via settings (without root)

The safest way to do this is to not require superuser rights:

  1. Open the Settings β†’ Wallpaper.
  2. Select the Lock Screen or the Desktop.
  3. Click on the icon. βš™οΈ (Β«Settings) in upper right corner.
  4. Turn off the option of automatic wallpaper change.
  5. Set the static image manually.

This method doesn't remove the carousel completely, it just deactivates it, and the system processes will continue to operate in the background.

Method 2: Removal through ADB (without root, but with PC)

For advanced users who are ready to connect a smartphone to a computer:

Install ADB-PC-driver|Enable debugging on USB developer-setting|Download the Android platform tools SDK|Create a backup copy of the data-->

Execute the following commands in the terminal:

adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.wallpaper


adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.wallpaper.carousel

After the reboot, the carousel will be removed for the current user (no root rights).Please note: on some firmware, this may result in the wallpaper resetting to standard ones.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global removal of the carousel through ADB Sometimes it blocks access to Xiaomi's branded wallpaper, so you'll have to reset the Wallpaper app settings or reinstall the firmware to get them back.

Method 3: Complete removal with root rights (for experienced)

If you have root access, you can remove the carousel permanently:

  1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
  2. Go to /system/priv-app/.
  3. Remove the folders: WallpaperCarousel MiuiWallpaper

/data/data/com.miui.home/

Reset the device.

This method is irreversible without flashing it over, and once you delete it, you lose access to all the standard wallpaper. MIUI, including the Super Wallpaper collections.

πŸ’‘

If the wallpaper selection menu is missing after removing the carousel, install a third-party launcher (such as Nova Launcher) and use it to change background images.

If you've had a bug after removing the carousel or just changed your mind, there are a few ways to get it back, and the method you choose depends on how you removed the carousel.

1. Restore through settings (if manually disabled)

Just repeat the steps from Method 1, but turn on the option Automatic Wallpaper Change back.

  • πŸ”„ Reset the device.
  • πŸ“₯ Update wallpaper collections in Settings β†’ Wallpaper. β†’ Download.
  • ☁️ Check your internet connection (carousel requires network access to upload new images).

2. Recovery through ADB (if the commands were removed)

Execute the command to re-install the package:

adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.wallpaper.carousel

If this doesn’t work, try resetting the Wallpaper app settings:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.gallery

3. Flashing (if removed with root rights)

If you delete the system files, the only reliable way to return the carousel is to reinstall the firmware.

  • πŸ“± Through Recovery – download the official firmware for your model from en.miui.com and run through Fastboot or TWRP.
  • πŸ–₯️ Mi Flash Tool – Complete Flashing with Data Cleanup (requires backup copy).

⚠️ Note: On devices with a blocked bootloader, flashing through Fastboot can lead to blocking the Mi Account. Before the procedure, unlock the bootloader in an official way.

If you are not satisfied with the standard carousel, but want a dynamic wallpaper, consider these alternatives:

The alternativeAdvantagesDeficienciesReference
🌌 Muzei Live WallpaperSupport for Multiple Sources (Flickr, 500px, Reddit, a minimalist design.No integration with MIUI, squatting.Google Play
πŸ–ΌοΈ WallaxAutomatic change of wallpaper on schedule, support for local folders.Paid version for full functionality.Google Play
☁️ Bing WallpapersThe high quality daily wallpaper from Microsoft, optimized for AMOLED.There is no manual shift frequency setting.Google Play
🎨 KWGT Kustom WallpaperFull customization of wallpaper with animations and widgets.A complex interface for beginners.Google Play

If you are interested in integration with MIUI, The best choice is Muzei or Bing Wallpapers. KWGT, but it'll take time to set up.

How to make a carousel of wallpaper from your photos?
1. Create a folder on the device (for example, Wallpapers/Carousel). 2. Place images there (preferably one resolution). 3. In Muzei or Wallax, select this folder as the source. 4. Set the change interval (from 1 minute 1 day-day). 5. Activate live wallpaper in the settings MIUI.

Hidden features of wallpaper carousels you didn't know about

Many users remove the carousel, unaware that it hides several useful features:

  • 🌑️ Adaptive lighting - on AMOLED-The carousel automatically adjusts the brightness of the wallpaper for the time of day (in the morning - lighter, in the evening - darker).
  • πŸ“… Event calendar - some wallpaper from the collection MIUI contain hidden reminders of holidays (for example, New Year or Birthday).
  • πŸ”‹ Battery savings – when using dark wallpaper on AMOLED energy consumption is reduced 5-7% optimisation MIUI.
  • πŸ”’ Safe Mode – If the device overheats, the carousel temporarily turns off animations to reduce the load.

In addition, the wallpaper carousel is associated with the personalization system. MIUI. For example, if you use the Dark Mode theme, the carousel automatically picks up the dark wallpaper from the collection.

πŸ’‘

Wallpaper carousel MIUI β€” It's not just a picture slider, it's part of an interface optimization system, and deleting it can affect other functions, such as adaptive brightness or weather widgets.

❓ Why the wallpaper carousel turns on itself after the update MIUI?
With every major update MIUI (for example, MIUI 13 on MIUI 14) the system resets some personalization settings, including wallpaper carousel, because new firmware versions may contain updated wallpaper collections, and Xiaomi will force them to display new items, to avoid this, before updating: Turn off the carousel manually (see Method 1). Create a backup of settings through Settings β†’ The phone. β†’ Backup. After the update, restore the settings from the backup.
❓ Can you turn off the carousel only on the lock screen, leaving it on the desktop?
Yeah, in MIUI You can set the carousel separately for the lock screen and the desktop. β†’ Wallpaper. Select Lock Screen. Turn off Autoshift. Go back and select Desktop, where the carousel will remain active. Note: on some devices (e.g., on some devices, POCO F4) This option may be hidden. ADB Selective Disconnection: Adb shell settings put global lock_screen_wallpaper_carousel_enabled 0
❓ Why the carousel stopped working live wallpapers)?
Live wallpaper in MIUI The carousel is closely linked to the carousel module, as both components use the same rendering engine (com.miui.wallpaper.engine). When removing the carousel, this engine can be damaged or deactivated. Solutions: Install live wallpapers through third-party applications (e.g. Live Wallpapers Picker). Restore the carousel through ADB (See How to Return the Carousel.Reinstall the firmware with data storage (via Fastboot with the option to save user data).
❓ How to make sure that the wallpaper carousel does not consume mobile traffic?
By default, the carousel loads new wallpaper only over Wi-Fi, but if you notice the consumption of mobile traffic, check the settings: Go to Settings β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks β†’ Data transfer. Find Wallpaper in the list. Turn off Background and Unlimited Data. You can also limit wallpaper updates to Wi-Fi only: Open Settings. β†’ Wallpaper. β†’ Settings (βš™οΈ). Choose Download only over Wi-Fi.
❓ What Xiaomi models do not support wallpaper carousel?
The wallpaper carousel is available on all devices with MIUI 9 and newer, but there are exceptions: πŸ“± Devices with MIUI Lite (such as Redmi Go or Redmi) 5A lightweight firmware – no carousel due to optimization for weak iron. πŸ› οΈ Smartphones with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience) – the carousel works only in the official MIUI. πŸ“Ί Xiaomi TVs and tablets (such as Mi Pad 5 or Mi) TV) β€” They have a different wallpaper system that is not mobile-related. MIUI. To check support on your device, try to find Automatic Wallpaper Change in Settings β†’ If it's not there, your model doesn't support the carousel.