The wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a feature for decorating the screen, but a powerful personalization tool that allows you to automatically change background images on a schedule or depending on the time of day. However, many users are not even aware of its existence or face problems when setting up. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances from basic settings to hidden features that are not described in the official documentation.
The MIUI and HyperOS carousel features a tight integration with Xiaomi’s cloud services, which allows access to thousands of high-quality wallpapers, but also requires proper account synchronization, and we’ll show you how to get around common mistakes, such as when wallpapers aren’t updated or reset after a reboot, and we’ll also reveal the secret of how to get the carousel to work with local images from Google Photos or Telegram folders, which is not officially supported.
What is a wallpaper carousel and why it is needed
The wallpaper carousel is a dynamic system for changing background images on the home screen and lock screen, and unlike static wallpaper, it allows you to:
- 🔄 Automatically change the background on a schedule (every hour, day or week)
- 🌅 Adjust to the time of day (morning, afternoon, evening wallpaper)
- 🎨 Use thematic collections (nature, cities, abstractions)
- 📱 Sync wallpaper between devices through your Mi Account
On Xiaomi, this feature is implemented through the Themes app, but with the release of HyperOS, the algorithms have changed. Now the system analyzes your preferences and can offer wallpaper based on frequently used colors in the interface. For example, if you often turn on a dark theme, the carousel will pick up darker tones.
⚠️ Note: On HyperOS devices (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) The wallpaper carousel is disabled by default due to performance optimization, and it needs to be activated manually through a hidden menu.
Preparation of the smartphone: compatibility check and updates
Before you set up the carousel, make sure your device supports this feature.It is available on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, as well as on HyperOS.
| OS version | Support for the carousel | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12-13 | Yes. | There is no automatic change by time of day. |
| MIUI 14 | Yes. | Requires a binding to the Mi Account |
| HyperOS 1.0 | Yes (hidden) | You need to include it through Settings → Additionally. |
| HyperOS 2.0+ | Yes. | Support for AI-selection of wallpaper |
Check the version of your firmware in the Settings menu → The phone. → Version. MIUI/HyperOS. If you have an outdated version, update the system through Settings. → Software Update: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note) 10 Pro) after upgrading to HyperOS, the carousel may disappear - in this case, resetting the settings of the Themes application will help.
Step-by-step setting up the wallpaper carousel
Now, let's get to the point. The instructions are universal for most models, but we'll show you the features for HyperOS.
- Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on the home screen or in the app menu).
- Go to Wallpaper → Wallpaper Carousel. On HyperOS, this item may be called Dynamic Wallpaper.
- Click Add Wallpaper to Carousel and select sources: 🌐 Online collections (requires the internet) 📁 Local images (from the gallery) ☁️ Cloud Mi (synchronized with account)
Set up the change parameters:
- ⏰ Interval: 1 hour to 1 week
- 🌓 Day/night mode (automatic change of dark/light wallpaper)
- 🔄 Random order or successive
- Save the settings and return to the main screen – the wallpaper will begin to change according to the given rules.
💡
If the carousel brakes on weak devices (for example, Redmi 9A), reduce the number of wallpaper to 3-5 pieces and set the shift interval no more than once every 6 hours.
Solving typical carousel problems
Even after you set it up properly, users are confronted with bugs, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
- ❌ Wallpaper does not change: Check if the feature is included in Settings → Battery → Optimization → Topics (should be "No Limits"). Reboot your phone - sometimes helps. Update the Themes app via Google Play.
- ❌ Carousel resets after update: This is a HyperOS bug.Solution: Before updating, back up the wallpaper via Settings → Topics → Backup.
- ❌ Online wallpapers do not work: Check your Internet connection and Mi Account status. Change your region to India or Russia - collections are limited in some countries.