How to change the wallpaper on the Xiaomi smartphone: all the ways from standard to hidden

Not all owners use Xiaomi wallpapers, but it's a waste! Not only does the background change the look of the smartphone, but it also affects usability. For example, dark wallpaper on AMOLED- screens saves up to 15% of battery power, and dynamic themes are adjusted to the time of day, reducing eye strain, and many users do not change the standard background for years, without even knowing that there are 5 different ways to install wallpapers in MIUI, from basic to hidden functions for advanced.

In this article, you will find not only classic instructions through Settings or Gallery, but also little-known chips: how to install live wallpaper without third-party apps, where to download exclusive themes for Xiaomi, and why sometimes a new background “flys” after a reboot. All methods are tested on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and are relevant for models from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

If you want to change the image, and completely transform the interface, pay attention to the section about MIUI themes. There you will learn how to get free premium wallpaper, which usually cost from 500 rubles in the official store. And for fans of minimalism, we have prepared instructions for creating a black background with icons — this design not only looks stylish, but also prolongs the life of the screen.

1. Standard method: through phone settings

The easiest method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones is to change the wallpaper through the system menu, where you can choose from both static images from the gallery and built-in versions from MIUI. The main advantage of this method is that you do not need to install additional applications, and all changes are applied instantly.

To change the wallpaper through the settings:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Wallpaper section (in some firmware it is called the Lock and Wallpaper Screen).
3. Select the desktop wallpaper tab or the Home screen.
4. Scroll down and click My Wallpaper to upload your own images or choose from the categories offered.

This menu is available:

• 🌄 Dynamic wallpaper - automatically changes depending on the time of day.
• 🖼️ Static images are classic images from a gallery or an embedded collection.
• 🎨 Color schemes are monochromatic background colors with adaptive icons.

Note that if you choose wallpaper from the gallery, the system will automatically crop the image to the screen resolution. To avoid distortion, use images with a resolution of at least 1080×2400 for modern smartphones.

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If after changing the wallpaper on the lock screen there is an old background, go to Settings → Lock screen and manually apply the changes.

2. Quick shift through the gallery

You don't want to go through the settings? You can change the wallpaper directly from the Gallery app -- it takes literally 10 seconds. It's perfect if you've already downloaded the picture you like and you want to use it as a background quickly.

Instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app and find the image you want.
2. Slip it to open it in full screen mode.
3. Click on the three dots in the lower right corner and select Set as.
4. Choose one of the options: 📱 Desktop wallpaper 🔒 Lock screen wallpaper 📱🔒 Wallpaper on both screens

If you don’t have the right item on the menu, update the Gallery app via Play Market, which may not be available in older versions, and make sure that the image is not.gif or.webp, which is not supported for wallpaper.

Download the image in high resolution (minimum 1080p)

Cut off unnecessary items (use the built-in editor in the Gallery)

Check if the file format is JPG or PNG

Make sure that the image is not copyrighted-->

3. Live wallpaper without third-party applications

Few people know, but the MIUI has built-in live wallpaper that doesn't require any additional software, and these animations consume a little more power, but they look impressive — especially on smartphones with AMOLED- screens. There are three types of dynamic backgrounds available:

• 🌊 Water effect – waves respond to the phone’s tilt.
• ✨ Particles are luminous points that move when touched.
• 🌌 Cosmos is a slow-moving star and nebula.

To activate the live wallpaper:

1. Go to the settings → Wallpaper → Live wallpaper.
2. Choose the option you like and click Apply.
3. Set the animation speed (not available on all models).

Important: Live wallpaper can reduce battery life by 5 to 10 percent. If you notice that your phone is running out faster, go back to a static background.

4.Installation of themes from MIUI store

If you're tired of standard wallpaper, look at the MIUI theme store — there are thousands of free and paid options, including exclusive designs for flagship models. For example, for Xiaomi 13T Pro there are special wallpapers with the effect of 3D- glass, and for POCO F5 — themes in the style of cyberpunk.

How to set up a theme with wallpaper:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
2. At the bottom of the screen, select the Wallpaper tab.
3. Scroll through the directory or search (e.g., type in “dark wallpaper” or “minimalism”).
4. Slip on the picture you like and click Apply.

There are a few hidden chips in the theme store:

• 🔍 Use color filters (Black, Blue, Gradient) for quick search.
• 💎 Free themes are updated every Tuesday, and new wallpapers are added on that day.
• 📁 Save your favorite options in your favorites so you don't have to look for them again.

Beware of fakes! Some "free" themes require subscriptions or display ads. Before installing, read reviews from other users - if the theme has a rating below 4.5 ★, it's better to look for an alternative.

5. Third-party applications: pros and risks

If you don't have many built-in options, you can use third-party apps like Zedge, WallpapersCraft or Backdrops, which offer millions of wallpapers for every taste, from abstractions to 4K nature photos.

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Attention! Some wallpaper applications ask permission to access contacts, messages or geolocation. This is not normal for a program that just sets background images. Delete this software immediately!

Safe alternatives:

• 🛡️ Zedge is a proven directory with content moderation.
• 🎨 WallpapersCraft — wallpaper without ads, sorted by resolution.
• 🖼️ Google Wallpaper is the official app with daily updates.

How to install wallpaper through a third-party application:

1. Download and install a program (such as Zedge) from the Play Market.
2. Select the category of wallpaper (e.g., Abstraction or Minimalism).
3. Slip on the image you like and click Install.
4. Choose where to apply: on the desktop, lock screen or both.

If after installation the wallpaper looks blurry, check the screen settings:

1. Go to Settings → Display.
2. Make sure Auto Resolution is enabled (or manually install FHD+).
3. Turn off Adaptive Brightness – sometimes it distorts the color of the wallpaper.

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When using third-party wallpaper, give preference to applications with a rating above 4.7 ★ and the number of downloads from 10 million.

6.Why are wallpapers dropped or not applied?

Sometimes, when you change the wallpaper, it suddenly goes back to the standard wallpaper, or it doesn't show up correctly, and this is a typical MIUI problem, and there are several reasons for this.

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Attention! If the wallpaper is reset after the reboot, it's Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times. Then turn off the option to Turn off the wallpaper when you reboot from the menu that appears.

Common problems and solutions:

• 🔄 Wallpaper resets after updating → Before the update, save your favorite background to the Gallery and apply it again.
• 🖼️ Background stretched or cropped → Use 9:20 aspect ratio images (for modern smartphones).
• ⚡ Live wallpaper brakes → Turn off animation in Settings → Wallpaper → Live wallpaper settings.
• 🔒 No wallpaper changes on the lock screen → In Settings → Lock screen, turn off the option to Use desktop wallpaper.

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the launcher settings:

1. Click the empty space on the main screen.
2. Select Home Screen Settings (or Launcher Settings).
3. Press Reset Settings.
4. Reboot the phone.

In extreme cases, the reset of the cache of the Topic application will help:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Themes app and select Clear Cache.
3. Restart the phone.

7 Hidden chips: black background, adaptive wallpaper and not only

For those who want to make the most of the wallpaper, the MIUI has a few hidden features, such as creating an all-black background that not only looks stylish, but also saves charge on the AMOLED- displays, or adjusting adaptive wallpapers that change color depending on the time of day.

How to turn on a black background with transparent icons:

1. Download a black PNG image from the internet (e.g., from wallhaven.cc).
2. Set it up as wallpaper through the Gallery.
3. Click the empty space on the home screen and select the Icon Style.
4. Activate the option Transparent Icons (available on MIUI 14+).

How to set up adaptive wallpaper:

1. Go to the Settings → Wallpaper → Dynamic Wallpaper.
2. Choose the color accent option.
3. Set up the colors for Day and Night.
4. Enable the automatic switching option.

For models Xiaomi 12/13/14 series wallpaper with paralax effect (3D- depth at the tilt of the phone) is available to activate:

1. Download a special image with the Parallax tag (for example, on 4kwallpapers.com).
2. Set it through the Settings → Wallpaper → My Wallpaper.
3. Enable the option Depth Effect (available only on flagships with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2+ processor).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions