Personalization is the first thing that many new smartphone owners start with, because it’s the visual component that creates the mood every time they unlock the screen. On Xiaomi devices running MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, the process of changing the background is not limited to simply replacing the picture from the gallery, opening up access to a huge catalog of themes and live scenes.
System algorithms offer a variety of design options, from minimalistic gradients to complex touch-responsive animations, and it’s important to understand that the right resolution and image format directly affects display quality and may even have a slight impact on the power consumption of the device when using dynamic elements.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available ways to change the background, including hidden features that often go unnoticed by ordinary users. You will learn not just to change the picture, but to create unique scenarios for the lock screen and desktop using built-in tools of the system.
Standard Replacement Procedure Through Settings
The most obvious and frequently used method is to access the configuration menu, where the main display options are concentrated. First, you need to unlock the smartphone and find the Settings app icon, which is usually located on the home screen or in the folder with system utilities.
Once you log in, you scroll down to the visualization section, which can be called Wallpaper or Themes in different versions of the firmware. By clicking on this item, the user enters the interface, where the system offers several categories: standard static images, live wallpaper and access to the online directory.
When choosing a static image, the system will suggest applying it to the lock screen, the main screen or both, a key feature of modern versions of MIUI is the ability to preview how the selected image will look in combination with widgets and application icons.
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Using a standard menu is the fastest way to ensure that there are no conflicts with the system and save battery life.
Use of the Application Topics for Enhanced Opportunities
Much deeper customization is available through the pre-installed Theme app, which is the central hub for the interface in Xiaomi smartphones. Unlike the simple settings menu, here are thousands of author’s works, including not only wallpaper, but also sets of icons, fonts and system sounds.
At the bottom of the app screen is the Profile tab, where the Wallpaper button is located. By going to this section, you can access the local gallery and cloud collections, and you can filter content by categories like Nature, Abstraction, City or Technology.
Special attention should be paid to the section HD Wallpaper, which presents images in maximum resolution, adapted to specific models of smartphones, for example, Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13. downloading such materials provides perfect clarity without pixelation, even on screens with high pixel density.
- 🎨 Thousands of free and paid design options from independent designers.
- 🔄 Automatic update of the collection "Wallpaper of the day" for a constant change of background.
- 📱 Special sets optimized for camera cutout and dynamic interface elements.
Installation of your own image from the Gallery
Often, users want to see their favorite travel photo or pet shot on the screen, which requires the installation function from the gallery, which is slightly different depending on which application you choose to perform the operation through: through the gallery itself or through the theme menu.
If you are in the Gallery app, you need to open the desired image, click on the three dots in the upper right corner or the "More" button, and then select "Install as wallpaper" and the system will suggest framing the image if its proportions do not match the aspect ratio of your Redmi or POCO screen.
An alternative way is through the Themes app: in the Wallpaper section, select the Local tab or folder icon, after which you will access all the images stored in the device’s memory. This method often provides more editing options, such as overlaying filters or effects before installation.
⚠️ Warning: When installing photos with text or small details, make sure that they do not overlap with watch widgets or application icons, otherwise the information will become unreadable.
☑️ Checking the image before installation
Live wallpaper and video backgrounds: features of use
Dynamic wallpaper adds life to the smartphone, making the background move when unlocked or touched. The Xiaomi ecosystem supports both standard live wallpaper and video wallpaper, which can be created from any video saved in the phone's memory.
To install the video as a background, you need to use the feature "Video wallpaper" in the Themes application or third-party widgets if they are supported by the firmware version. After selecting the video file, the system will suggest selecting a fragment that will be played cyclically and adjusting the sound (if necessary).
It's worth remembering that using complex animations and video as a background increases battery consumption.The processor and graphics accelerator must constantly render the image, which creates an additional load, especially on previous generations models.
Impact on autonomy
The function of the wallpaper carousel for automatic change
One of the most popular features in the MIUI and HyperOS shells is the Wallpaper Carousel, which allows you to automatically change the image on the lock screen every time you turn on the screen, which turns the smartphone into a digital photo frame with constantly updated content.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock Screen → Wallpaper Carousel. Here you can choose the sources of images: these can be categories from the online catalog (travel, art, nature) or your own albums from the gallery.
The flexibility of settings allows you to set the frequency of changes in images and even enable mixing. It is a great way to never see the same background twice and constantly get visual diversity without unnecessary action on your part.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency of update | How often does the picture change? | Minimum |
| Source (Online) | Download from the Internet | Traffic consumption |
| Source (Gallery) | Local photos | Memory expenditure |
| Transition effects | Shift animation | GPU loading |
Problems with image quality and resolution
Users often experience a situation where an image uploaded from the Internet appears blurred or stretched after installation, due to a mismatch in the resolution of the picture and the physical resolution of the screen matrix of your Xiaomi.
Modern smartphones have an aspect ratio of 20:9 or 19.5:9, whereas many images on the network have a standard 16:9. The system automatically trims the edges or stretches the picture, which leads to a loss of quality or composition.
To solve this problem, it is recommended to use images with a resolution of at least 1080x2400 pixels. If the picture still looks bad, try pre-processing it in the photo editor, setting the exact proportions of the screen of your device before downloading to the phone.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid using images with watermarks or low bitrate (compressed in messengers), as on the AMOLED-The compression artifacts will be visible especially strongly.
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To find the perfect wallpaper, use resolution queries such as “wallpaper 1080x2400” to find the right size files right away.
Reset and return to factory design settings
If you've experimented with themes and fonts and made the interface unstable or the visual style was not pleasant, you can always go back to the original state. Resetting the theme to the standard often solves problems with "following" icons or fonts.
To do this, open the Themes app, go to profile and select the Topics section. In the list of installed themes, find a theme called Classic, Default or Untitled (standard MIUI theme) and click Apply.
Once you apply a standard theme, all system fonts, sounds and wallpaper will return to factory values, and this action is secure and does not delete your personal data, contacts or applications, affecting only the visual part of the shell.