Changing the wallpaper on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the first things that users do after buying a device. Even the standard MIUI shell offers dozens of personalization options, but not everyone knows how to make the most of these features. In this article, we will discuss not only the basic ways to change the background image, but also hidden features that are not available to everyone.
Features of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO — It's very tightly integrated with the company's services, for example, the gallery has the default wallpaper tab, where you collect images that are at the best resolution for your model. → Themes, you can download dynamic wallpapers that respond to gestures or time of day, but what if the standard options don't work.
Method 1: Standard change of wallpaper through the gallery
The simplest method, which works on all models, from the budget Redmi 12C to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. The algorithm is the same, but in the new versions of MIUI 15 the interface has become slightly different.
- Open the Gallery app (an icon with a floral logo).
- Select any image and tap it to open in full screen mode.
- Click on the three dots in the lower right corner and select "Install as".
- There will be a menu with options: “Block screen wallpaper”, “Wallpaper of the home screen” or “Wallpaper on both screens”.
- Select the desired item and confirm the action.
If the image doesn't fit the resolution, the system will automatically crop it or suggest scaling it. AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) are recommended to use dark wallpaper – this reduces the load on the battery.
Selected image with a resolution not lower than Full HD (1080p)|
Adaptive Brightness is disabled for fine tuning|
Verified that the wallpaper does not contain important elements at the edges (they will be trimmed)|
Backup of current wallpaper (in Settings → Wallpaper → My wallpaper)
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MIUI 14/15 has a feature called Blurring Wallpaper on the Lock Screen. To activate it, go to Settings → Lock Screen → Wallpaper Effects and turn on the Blurr Background Slider, which will add depth to the image, but can slightly increase energy consumption.
Method 2: Live Wallpaper and Dynamic Themes
Xiaomi smartphones support live wallpapers, which are animated when interacting with the screen, and can be installed in two ways:
- 🌌 Through the standard Themes app: go to Settings → Topics, select the Wallpaper tab and scroll to the Live Wallpaper section, where you can see animations with particles, weather effects, and even interactive ones. 3D-background.
- 📲 Google Wallpapers: Download Google's Wallpapers app from Play Market, which has a collection of live wallpapers, including the famous Earth and Space, which vary with the time of day.
On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13T Pro or POCO F5 Pro), live wallpaper runs smoother than on budget chips like the Helio G88. If the animation slows down, try turning it off in the battery settings (Settings → Battery → Select Performance Mode).
Standard static |
Live (animation) |
Dark (for AMOLED) |
Photos of yourself |
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| Wallpaper type | Pluses | Cons | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard static | Minimum battery consumption, quickly installed | No animation, it may look boring. | All models. |
| Live wallpaper (MIUI) | Interactivity, beautiful effects | Increase the load on the processor, can slow down | Smartphones on the Snapdragon 7/8 series |
| Google Wallpaper | High quality, optimization for AMOLED | Requires installation of additional software | All models from Play Market |
| Appendix side (Zedge, Backdrops) | A huge selection, regular updates | Advertising, possible viruses in unofficial APK | For experienced users |
⚠️ Note: On some models (for example, Redmi Note 12 with a MIUI for POCO) If you've got live wallpaper that might conflict with battery optimization, if you've got the animation on, go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Wallpaper and turn off background activity.
Method 3: Install wallpaper through the “Themes” app
Themes is not just a wallpaper, but a marketplace for personalizing the interface, and you can find unique background images, icons, and even notification sounds. Here's how to use it:
- Open the themes (icon with brush and palette).
- Go to the wallpaper tab in the lower menu.
- Select the category: “Recommended”, “Popular”, “Minimalism”, etc.
- Slip on the image you like and click "Apply".
- Choose where to install: on the home screen, lock screen or both.
Feature MIUI — The ability to download packages to topics that change not only wallpaper, but also icon style, fonts and even transition animation. MI-If you don't have one, the system will offer to register.
How to download paid themes for free?
If the wallpaper hasn’t changed after installing the theme, try restarting your phone or clearing the theme app cache (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Themes → Clear the cache).
Method 4: Use of third-party applications (Zedge, Backdrops, Muzei)
If there are few standard options, you can install wallpaper through third-party services.
- 🎨 Zedge is the largest database of wallpaper and ringtones with user-generated content. There are filters by resolution and category (for example, for example, for the user, «4K wallpaper AMOLED»).
- 🖼️ Backdrops is a minimalist wallpaper with a focus on high-quality graphics. All images are optimized for modern smartphones.
- 🌄 Muzei is a unique application that automatically changes wallpaper from the collections of art museums (for example, the Hermitage or the Louvre).
To install wallpaper from these applications:
- Download and install the app from the Play Market.
- Select your favorite image and click “Install” or “Set Wallpaper”.
- In the window that appears, select where to apply the wallpaper (home screen, lock or both).
- If necessary, adjust the scale and position.
⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Zedge) may request permissions to access storage and location. waive unnecessary permissions - file and media access is sufficient to install wallpaper.
On Xiaomi smartphones with an unlocked bootloader (for example, after firmware custom software) third-party wallpaper may not be displayed correctly due to conflict with MIUI Launcher. In this case, the installation of an alternative launcher (Nova Launcher, Lawnchair) will help.
Method 5: Manually copying wallpaper through file manager
This method is suitable for power users who want to install wallpaper from.zip archives or files with non-standard resolution, for example, if you downloaded wallpaper for Xiaomi from the 4PDA forum or XDA Developers.
Instructions:
- Download the wallpaper archive and unpack it in a folder on your phone (for example, Internal Storage → Pictures → Wallpapers).
- Open any file manager (e.g. Files by Google or standard Explorer from Xiaomi).
- Find the unpacked image and tap it.
- In the menu that appears, select “Install as wallpaper”.
- Adjust the scale and confirm the installation.
If wallpaper is in.apk format (for example, live wallpaper from third-party developers), they must first be installed as a regular application, and then activate in the wallpaper settings.
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To keep your wallpapers from getting lost after the MIUI update, save them to the MIUI → theme → wallpaper folder (root rights or access via ADB are required).
Problem Solving: Wallpaper doesn’t change or gets lost
Sometimes users find that the wallpaper is not installed or return to the standard after rebooting, here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper is not installed through the gallery | Failure in the Gallery or Themes app | Clear the cache of both applications in Settings → Apps |
| Wallpaper is knocked off after rebooting | Conflict with battery optimization | Add the Themes app to the exceptions (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization) |
| Live wallpaper is slowing down | Insufficient processor performance | Turn off animation in Settings → Wallpaper. → Wallpaper effects |
| Wallpaper is being cut incorrectly | Discrepancy of screen resolution | Use images with a resolution of at least 1440×3200 for modern smartphones |
If none of these things worked, try resetting the launcher settings.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find MIUI Launcher (or POCO Launcher for POCO devices).
- Click on “Storage” → “Clear Data”.
- Confirm the action and restart the phone.
⚠️ Attention: Clearing the launcher data will reset the location of the icons on the desktop.
Bonus: How to make animated wallpaper from your video
On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14/15, you can create live wallpaper from your own video files.
- Open the Gallery and select a video that is no longer than 15 seconds long.
- Slip on three dots in the lower right corner and select "Install as".
- The system will offer to crop the fragment (maximum 15 seconds) and install it as a live wallpaper.
- Select the lock screen or home screen and confirm.
Video wallpaper will play in the cycle, but note that this is a lot of battery drain. On the Xiaomi 12S Ultra and other flagships with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 you can enable the option “Replay only when charging” in the wallpaper settings.
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To create live wallpaper from video, use clips with a resolution of at least 1080p and a duration of 5-15 seconds. The optimal format is MP4 with a bitrate of up to 10 Mbit / s.