Wallpaper carousel in Xiaomi Redmi: how it works and how to configure the function in MIUI

If you are the owner of a smartphone Xiaomi Redmi based on the company shell MIUI, You've probably noticed that sometimes the background on the lock screen or the desktop changes on its own, and it's not just a coincidence, but the function of the wallpaper carousel, one of the features of the firmware that allows you to automatically update the screensaver on a schedule or at certain events. Unlike static images, the carousel makes the interface more dynamic, but not all users know how to control it.

In this article, we will discuss what is a wallpaper carousel in Redmi, how it works on different versions. MIUI (12 to 14), which image sources are supported, and how to customize the function - from selecting the frequency of the shift to disabling unnecessary categories. You will also learn about hidden features, such as how to use your own photos in a carousel or why sometimes wallpaper is reset after a system update.

We will focus on the typical issues: why the carousel does not work, how to return the standard wallpaper after a failure, and whether it is possible to turn off automatic background change if it interferes. At the end of the article, answers to frequent questions and life hacks for experienced Xiaomi users.

What is a wallpaper carousel and why it is needed

Wallpaper Carousel is a built-in function MIUI, It automatically changes the background images on the lock screen and/or desktop according to the rules, and unlike manual wallpaper changes, it uses an algorithm that picks up images from predefined sources:

• 🌄 Standard collections MIUI — landscapes, abstractions, thematic collections (for example, "Space" or "Animals").
• 📱 Dynamic wallpaper – animated screensavers that respond to the time of day or weather (available not on all models).
• 🖼️ Personal photos – images from the user’s gallery (requires settings).
• 🌐 Online services – selections from Xiaomi partners (for example, Unsplash or Bing Wallpapers).

The main purpose of the function is to diversify the visual experience and avoid getting used to one background, for example, in the morning you can see the dawn on the lock screen, in the afternoon - the cityscape, and in the evening - the starry sky.

• 🔄 Save time – no need to manually select wallpaper.
• 🎨 Maintain relevance – backgrounds can be tied to holidays or seasons.
• 📲 Reduce memory load – some images are downloaded on demand rather than stored permanently.

On the Redmi Note models 10/11/12 and flagships of the K series (for example, POCO F4 GT) The carousel is often activated by default, but it can be turned off or reconfigured. It is important to understand that the logic of the function depends on the version. MIUI: in old firmware (up to) MIUI 12) It was more primitive, and newer ones have expanded settings, including geolocation binding.

⚠️ Note: Some Redmi budget models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or Redmi A1) The carousel may be missing or operating in a reduced mode due to memory limitations.

How to turn on or off the wallpaper carousel

The function is managed via the wallpaper menu, but the path to settings may differ depending on the version. MIUI. Let’s look at the universal method for most devices:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush) or go to Settings → Wallpaper.
2. Select the Lock Screen or Desktop section (depending on where you want to set up the carousel).
3. Scroll down to the wallpaper carousel block (or Automan in older versions).
4. Activate the switch and select the source of the images (such as Landscapes or My photos).

To turn off the automatic shift, it is enough:

1. Back on the wallpaper menu.
2. Select a static image from a gallery or standard collection.
3. Confirm the choice - the carousel is deactivated automatically.

On Redmi with MIUI 13/14 There is an option to schedule a shift where you can ask:

• ⏰ Interval (every 10 minutes, hour, day or week).
• 🌍 Geolocation (for example, changing wallpaper when changing the city).
• 📅 Link to events (holidays, weekends).

After the update MIUI The carousel stopped working, try it:

⚠️ Attention: Resetting the settings of the Themes application (in Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear data) may return the function, but will delete all saved wallpaper.

Image Sources for the carousel: what can be used

By default. MIUI It offers several categories of wallpaper for carousel, but the list can be expanded:

To add your own photos to the carousel:

1. Open the Settings. → Wallpaper. → Wallpaper carousel.
2. Choose My Photos (or Gallery)
3. Please specify the folder with images (for example, DCIM/Camera).
4. Configure filters (for example, only horizontal photos or with a resolution higher) 1080p).

If you want to use online services but they don’t appear on the list, check out:

• 🌐 Internet connection (carousel only downloads previews when active) Wi-Fi/mobile).
• 📱 Device region (some services blocked in Russia and the EU).
• 🔄 Update Themes app via Play Market or App Gallery.

💡

If the carousel is slowing down when using personal photos, create a separate folder (for example, Wallpapers) and put only optimized images there (resolution is no higher than this). 2K, format JPEG).

Hidden settings and life hacks for the carousel

The function of the wallpaper carousel MIUI It has some non-obvious features that are not written in the official documentation:

1. Time-of-day reference

On Redmi with MIUI 13+ You can change the wallpaper depending on the time:

• 🌅 Morning (6:00-12:00) – light colors, sunny landscapes.
• 🌇 Day (12:00-18:00) – urban views, abstractions.
• 🌃 Evening (18:00–24:00) – dark wallpaper, starry sky.
• 🌙 Night (0:00-6:00) – minimalistic black screensavers.

For activation:

1. Go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → carousel → Schedule.
2. Select Time of Day.
3. Assign wallpaper categories for each interval.

2. Geolocation wallpaper

On devices with MIUI 14 Global carousel can change backgrounds depending on your location, for example, in the mountains will show alpine landscapes, and on the sea - marine species:

• 📍 Include geodata in your phone settings.
• 🔄 Allow the Topic app to access location.
• 🌍 In the carousel settings, select by geolocation.

3. Hidden wallpaper folder

If you don't want the carousel to use all the photos in the gallery, create a folder called.wallpapers (with a dot at the beginning) in the root directory of internal memory. You can only put those images that are supposed to be in rotation. The folder won't be visible in the standard conductor, but you can put them in the root directory of internal memory. MIUI recognizes.

4. Disabling shift animation

On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) when you change the wallpaper, you get a smooth animation that can be annoying, to remove it:

1. Activate Developer Mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in your phone settings).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the window animation option and set the value to turn off animation.

Typical problems and their solutions

Despite the convenience, the wallpaper carousel in Xiaomi Redmi sometimes doesn’t work properly. Here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

1.The carousel doesn't change the wallpaper

If the backgrounds are frozen in one image, check:

• ⏳ Is automatic mode enabled in the settings → Wallpaper. → carousel.
• 📶 Is there internet access (for online services).
• 🔋 Is there enough free memory (carousel can be blocked when the carousel is not free) <1 GB of free space).
• 🔄 Are there any background restrictions in the settings? → Battery → Battery Optimization (turn off optimization for the Topics app).

2 Wallpaper is reset after the update

After installing the new version MIUI The carousel can reset to factory settings to avoid that:

• Before updating, make a backup copy of the folder /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper.
• Use only standard wallpaper sources (personal photos are most often reset).
• After manual update, return the settings to Themes → carousel.

3. Black screen instead of wallpaper

If a black screen is displayed instead of a background, the reason may be:

• 🖼️ Damaged wallpaper files (remove the wallpaper folder manually).
• 🛠️ Application Failure Topics (clean cache and data).
• 📱 Incompatibility with the shell (for example, after installing custom firmware).

4. High battery consumption

Dynamic wallpaper and frequent background changes can drain the battery to reduce consumption:

• 🔋 Set the shift interval no more than 1 time per day.
• 🚫 Turn off dynamic wallpaper in favor of static.
• ⚡ Add the Topics app to the background restrictions list (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).

💡

If the problem with the carousel appeared after installing custom firmware (for example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS), go back to the official. MIUI — The function only works with the native shell.

Comparison of carousels on different versions of MIUI

The functionality of the wallpaper carousel varies significantly depending on the firmware version, and below is a comparison table of possibilities:

On Redmi with MIUI 12.5 and newer carousels are smarter: they analyze your preferences and can suggest wallpapers based on commonly used colors or styles. For example, if you often choose dark backgrounds, the algorithm will pick up similar images.

On the old versions (MIUI 11 and below) functionality is reduced, but it can be extended using third-party applications, for example:

• 📱 Wallpaper Changer (Automatic change from the gallery).
• 🌄 Muzei Live Wallpaper (Integration with Online Services).
• 🎨 Tapet (generation of wallpaper by templates).

Clear the cache of the "Themes" app

Reboot the phone

Check the settings of the carousel in the "Wallpaper" section

Update the Themes app through Play Market

Reset the wallpaper settings to factory

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FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions