Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which are powered by MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, offer users a variety of visual features for personalization, one of which is the automatic change of background images on the lock screen, known as “Wallpaper Carousel.” While for many it is a way to regularly see beautiful new images, a significant proportion of users face intrusive advertising or simply want to keep a static image they have chosen.
The problem is that standard gallery or theme settings often don’t give a direct answer to how to get rid of this feature forever. The system can offer a “subscription” to new wallpapers or enable them automatically after a software update. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods for deactivating dynamic saver, including hidden settings and system applications.
Not only will disabling this feature give you back control of the look of the device, but it can also have a positive impact on the autonomy of the smartphone, since the background loading of images consumes traffic and CPU resources. Let's take a step-by-step look at how to return a static lock screen.
What is a Wallpaper Carousel and Why It Turns On
The wallpaper carousel is a system service integrated into the MIUI shell that automatically uploads and displays new images on the lock screen, originally conceived as a way to show quality photos, over time, this feature has evolved into a platform for (push) advertising content. Often users find that the feature activated itself after another system update or installing themes from an official store.
The main reason Xiaomi owners are looking for a way to turn off is because of the service’s aggressive behavior, which may offer paid themes, news or banner ads that cover part of the screen. Moreover, the image selection algorithm is not always correct: (lock screen) can get images of poor quality or inappropriate topics, which annoys users who appreciate minimalism.
It is important to understand that this service is closely related to Mi Account and regional settings. In some regions (for example, India or Russia), advertising on the carousel is more common than in global versions of firmware for Europe, so completely disabling requires intervention in the settings of a particular system application, not just changing the picture in the gallery.
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Before making changes to system settings, it is recommended to back up important data, although turning off the carousel is a safe operation.
Disconnection through lock screen settings
The easiest and most obvious way to remove a changing screensaver is to use the standard smartphone settings menu. However, the path to the desired switch can vary depending on the version of Android and the MIUI shell. Most current models, such as the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi 13, the algorithm of actions is unified.
You need to go to the main settings menu and find the section that controls the look and feel. Often users confuse the usual Wallpaper with the carousel settings. The key difference is that the regular wallpaper changes the background of the desktop, and the carousel affects the lock screen and requires separate management.
☑️ Algorithm of disabling through settings
After doing this, the system will stop downloading new images. However, in some cases, the old settings can be preserved in the cache. If after switching the toggler, the images continue to change, try to further clear the data of the Wallpaper Carousel application through the application management menu, this is guaranteed to reset all temporary files and service settings.
⚠️ Warning: Once the function is disabled in the settings, the current carousel image may remain on the lock screen until the next manual wallpaper change.
Management through the “Themes” app
In Xiaomi’s ecosystem, the Themes app acts as a central hub for all visual design, and this is where deep content subscription settings often hide, which duplicate or overlap system switches, and if the standard method didn’t work, it’s worth checking the settings inside the app.
Open the Themes app and go to the user profile (usually the person icon in the lower right corner). The profile menu should look for an item associated with the Wallpaper Carousel or Wallpaper Subscription. There may be a "Get New Wallpaper" switch or a similar option that forcefully activates the service even when the system setting is off.
Also in this section, you can often control the frequency of changes in images or select specific categories if you do not want to disable the function completely, but only want to filter out inappropriate content.
Why are the settings in the Topics app important?
It is worth noting that the interface of the Themes app is regularly updated, and the location of items can change. If you do not find the desired item right away, look at the Settings section inside the application itself, often hidden behind the gear icon in the upper corner of the profile screen.
Disconnection through Application Management
If the visual switches fail or are permanently returned to their original position after rebooting, a more radical method can be used: forced shutdown and cleaning of the system component data, which is the most effective method for combating the “resurrection” settings.
You'll need to find the system process that's responsible for the function on the list of all the applications, and depending on the firmware version, it might be called Wallpaper Carousel, or Wallpaper, and it's important not to confuse it with a regular Gallery or a Live Wallpaper, because these are different services.
The sequence of actions is as follows: go to Settings → Apps → All apps. In the list, find the desired application. Click on it and select the option “Clean” (or “Storage”), and then “Clear all data” and “Clear cache.” After that, click on the button “Stop”.
| Parameter | Action. | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing the cache | Deletion of temporary files | Resetting the current display settings |
| Clearing the data | Resetting all application settings | The function will return to the state of “as after the factory” |
| Stopping. | Compulsory completion of the process | The service will stop working until the next launch |
| Disabling notifications | Blocking communications | Stopping advertising fluffs from the service |
Once this is done, the system will find that the next time you try to start the carousel, it will not be able to re-activate the function without the explicit consent of the user, and this is one of the most reliable ways to pacify an aggressive service.
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Comprehensive data cleaning of the Wallpaper Carousel application is the most effective method if the simple switches in the menu do not work.
Advertising Hiding and Limiting Notifications
Even with the change of images disabled, some remnants of the service may continue to bother the user with pop-ups or “subscribe” offers. To completely isolate yourself from this MIUI component, you need to limit their notification rights.
On modern versions of Android and HyperOS, you can customize the rights of each application in detail. Find the Wallpaper Carousel (or similar system name) in the list of applications and go to the Notifications section. It is recommended to disable all notification categories, especially those marked as Marketing or Recommendations.
If an application has access to geolocation or contacts (which is sometimes the case with older firmware versions), these rights should be revoked. The wallpaper reset service does not require access to personal data to function, and the existence of such rights is a clear sign of excessive information collection.
There is also a method to limit background activity: In the battery settings, find the carousel app and set the "No Limits" mode (so the system doesn't wake it up) or, conversely, a strict restriction if this option is available in your version of the shell, which will prevent the background loading of content.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove the system application completely through ADB, This can lead to errors in the operation of the lock screen or a cyclic reboot of the device.
Features depending on the version of MIUI and HyperOS
The procedure for disabling can vary significantly depending on which version of the software is installed on your Xiaomi. Owners of devices based on MIUI 12 and MIUI 13 often face more intrusive advertising, while MIUI 14 and the new HyperOS, Xiaomi has begun to implement more flexible privacy settings.
For example, HyperOS has the ability to control the widgets on the lock screen, which often go in conjunction with the carousel. Turning off the carousel in new versions may also require disabling the Recommendations widget, which visually duplicates the function of changing the background.
Older device users who don’t receive updates may need to use specialized tools to remove system applications (bloatware) if standard methods have stopped working due to changes in company policy.
The influence of the region on the functionality
It is important to keep an eye on security updates. Sometimes security patches contain patches that return disabled features or change the logic of their operation. If the problem returns after the update, the configuration procedure will have to be repeated.