Personalizing your smartphone is the first step to turning a standard device into a unique tool that reflects your style. Xiaomi smartphone owners often want to see their favorite shots immediately after unlocking the screen or right on the home screen. This allows you to keep the important things in focus without opening the gallery app every time. MIUI It does not always offer a clear path to accomplish this task.
Many users mistakenly believe that installing a photo on the desktop requires downloading third-party applications or having superuser rights. In fact, the functionality of the Android system in conjunction with the Xiaomi shell allows you to implement this standard means.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to install a photo as a background or widget. We will look at the nuances of working with widgets, the features of different versions of firmware and answer frequent questions that arise during the setup process. Xiaomi’s main difference from other brands is the ability to use live wallpaper and specific gallery widgets without third-party software.
Basic methods of installing wallpaper on the desktop
The simplest and most common method is to install a static image on the entire lock screen and desktop, which does not require widgets, since the image becomes part of the background of the interface, and to do this, you need to open any image in the Gallery or Photos application.
Once you open the picture, click on the “More” button (usually three dots or a menu icon) and select “Install as wallpaper.” The system will prompt you to select the framing area, and then ask whether you should apply the image to the lock screen, desktop or both.
- 📸 Open the Gallery app and select the desired photo.
- ⚙️ Click the menu (three dots) and select "Install as wallpaper».
- 🖼️ Set up the display area and confirm the choice for the desktop.
Consider that with this approach, app icons can merge with an image if it is too bright or colorful. MIUI automatically darkens the wallpaper when searching for applications, but for comfortable use, it is better to choose images with a less contrast center, which will ensure better readability of icons and widgets.
⚠️ Note: If you use Dark Theme, some standard wallpaper may be inverted or darkened by the system. Always return to the home screen after installation to check the result.
An alternative way is through personalization settings, where you can pinch the blank area on your desktop and select Wallpaper, where you can catalog the embedded images, and you can choose a photo from your gallery, and this method is convenient because you can pre-evaluate how the image will look along with the grid of icons.
Using the Gallery widget to display photos
If your goal is to see a particular photo in a specific location on the screen without covering the entire background, the ideal solution is a widget. The Gallery widget (or Photos depending on the version of MIUI) allows you to fix the picture in any free place on the desktop, this is especially true for iOS-style widgets 14, which are popular in the latest versions of firmware.
To add a widget, you need to pinch your finger on an empty desktop area before the edit menu appears. At the bottom of the screen, select "Widgets." In the list that opens, find the "Gallery" or "Photo" section. The system will offer several sizes, from small squares to large rectangles.
- 👆 Click the blank space on the screen and select “Widgets».
- 🔍 Find the "Gallery" app in the list».
- 📐 Select the size of the widget and drag it to the desktop.
- 🖼️ Click on the installed widget to select a specific photo.
Once the widget is installed, you can click on it to change the image you're displaying. In some versions of the shell, the Carousel feature is available, which allows the widget to automatically switch photos from the selected album at a given time interval, which creates a live frame effect without the battery consumption characteristic of video wallpapers.
☑️ Checking widgets
It's important to note that widgets occupy the grid cells of your desktop. If you have many apps, you may have to create a separate page for a large photo widget. The space optimization in Xiaomi allows you to combine widgets of different sizes to create unique compositions.
Setting up slideshows and live wallpaper
For those who can’t decide on a single image, Xiaomi offers a “Wallpaper Carousel” or “Slide Show” feature, which automatically changes the background image of the desktop and lock screen at certain intervals, and can be sourced from both system selections and your personal albums.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Wallpaper. Here you will find the item “Wallpaper Carousel” (or “Slideshow”). In the slideshow settings, you can specify the frequency of changes in images (for example, when each screen is turned on) and select specific albums from the gallery that will be used for rotation.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Shift frequency | How often does the picture change (when the screen is turned on / timer) | Low. |
| Source | Local Gallery or Online Services Xiaomi | Average (if online) |
| Permission | Quality of the displayed images | It doesn't. |
| Wi-Fi download | Upload new wallpaper only via Wi-Fi | Saving traffic |
Using online sources in slideshow mode requires an Internet connection. If you want to save traffic, it is recommended that the carousel settings include the option “Download only via Wi-Fi.” It is also worth remembering that frequent change of high-quality images can slightly increase battery consumption, although on modern models Redmi and Poco this is almost invisible.
Working with themes and third-party launchers
If standard MIUI capabilities aren't enough, there's always the option of installing themes. Themes has thousands of designs that incorporate desktop photos into unique icon and widget designs. Searches for "Photo Widget" or "Gallery" will yield a lot of results.
But installing themes can change not only wallpaper, but also the style of system elements, which is not popular with everyone. A more flexible approach is the use of third-party launchers, such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, which allow you to place gallery widgets with greater accuracy and offer additional effects when you click on a photo.
- 🎨 Download the Themes app from the standard Xiaomi set.
- 🔎 In the search, type “Photo” or “Gallery».
- ⬇️ Download and apply your favorite theme.
- ⚙️ To customize, install a third-party launcher from Google Play.
When using third-party launchers, the process of adding photos is often even easier, because these applications are sharpened for deep personalization. You can customize the action when you click on a photo widget, such as opening a particular album or launching a camera, which turns the desktop into a full-fledged multimedia hub.
⚠️ Note: When installing themes from unofficial sources or third-party launchers, carefully read the permissions requested.Some topics may attempt to access contacts or location without an obvious need.
Typical problems and their solution
Despite the simplicity of the process, users may encounter a number of difficulties, and it is often the case that the photo on the desktop looks blurry or cropped incorrectly, due to a mismatch in the resolution of the image and the pixel density of the screen of your smartphone.
Another common problem is that the gallery widget doesn't update or shows an old photo, usually by cleaning the Gallery app's cache or restarting the device, and it's also worth checking if the phone is in power saving mode, which can limit the background activity of the widgets.
If a desktop photo suddenly disappears or is replaced with a standard stub, the source of the wallpaper in the theme settings may have been changed. Go back to Settings → Wallpaper and re-select the image you want. Resetting your desktop settings rarely helps, but this will result in the loss of icon location.
Optimizing performance when using photo widgets
Using a large number of widgets, especially those that display graphics, can affect the speed of the interface. While modern Snapdragon and MediaTek processors used in Xiaomi are easy to cope with this task, on budget models, it is worth observing the measure.
To maintain a high system response rate, it is not recommended to place more than 3-4 heavy widgets on the desktop at the same time, also try not to use widgets with a high refresh rate (for example, changing photos every second), unless this is urgently necessary, this will save battery power and ensure smooth animation of the interface.
Regularly cleaning the device’s memory also helps widgets to work more steadily. If the phone’s memory is full, the system can slow down the rendering of desktop elements, including your favorite photos. Keep an eye on the free space, and personalization will delight you without delay.