How to permanently disable automatic wallpaper change on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Automatic wallpaper change on Xiaomi smartphones is a feature that is not popular with all users, many of whom are faced with a situation where the desktop suddenly changes the background to standard images from MIUI, and favorite wallpaper disappears without the possibility of recovery, especially when the system resets personalized backgrounds after updating or rebooting the device.

Complicating the problem, different versions of the MIUI shell (12 to 14) and different models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T) may have different ways to disable this feature. Moreover, after major system updates, the settings sometimes “hide” deeper into the menu, making them less obvious to the user. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to turn off car wallpaper, including hidden settings and solutions for cases where standard methods do not work.

Why does Xiaomi automatically change the wallpaper?

The automatic wallpaper change feature was introduced in MIUI as part of the personalization ecosystem, designed to diversify the user experience by offering fresh backgrounds from Xiaomi’s collection or time-of-day, but in practice, it often leads to inconveniences:

• 🔄 The system resets user wallpaper after software update or reboot.
• 🖼️ Standard backgrounds from the thematic store are automatically installed MIUI, even if they don't like it.
• ⚙️ Wallpaper change settings may conflict with manual background installation through the gallery.
• 📱 On some models (e.g. Redmi) 10C or POCO M4 Pro) the function is activated by itself after resetting.

It is important to understand that automatic wallpaper change can be associated not only with desktop settings, but also with:

• 🌙 Dark Theme Mode (Some Versions) MIUI Change the wallpaper when switching light/dark theme).
• 🔄 System updates (after installing a new version) MIUI Personalization settings may be reset).
• 📲 Appendix "Themes" (if it has the right to change wallpaper).

Method 1: Disconnect through desktop settings

The most obvious and quick method is to use standard MIUI settings. It works on most devices with the MIUI 12-14 shell, including the Xiaomi 12, Redmi Note 11 and POCO F4.

1. Press and hold the free space on the desktop (not on the icon!).
2. In the menu that appears, select Wallpaper (or Desktop Style on some models).
3. Go to My Wallpaper or Current Wallpaper.
4. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Settings.
5. Find the option Automatic Wallpaper Change (or Dynamic Wallpaper) and turn off the slider.

If your menu doesn’t have Automatic Wallpaper Change, it could mean:

• 📱 You have an outdated version. MIUI (Below 12), where the function is called differently.
• 🔧 Settings reset after the update, and manual resetting of the cache of the “Themes” application is required».
• 🚫 The function is disabled at the firmware level (relevant for some regional versions) MIUI).

⚠️ Note: Some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite) may require a smartphone reboot to take effect after the automatic wallpaper change is disabled. If the wallpaper continues to change, check the settings in the Themes app (see Method 2).

Method 2: Deactivation through the “Themes” application

The Themes app (or Themes in global versions of MIUI) often causes unauthorized wallpaper changes, and it can automatically use background images from the themes you set up, even if you didn't give permission to do so, to fix it:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to My Topics or Management (the person icon in the lower right corner).
3. Select Settings (cog in the top corner).
4. Find the Automatic Application or Wallpaper Recommendation option and turn it off.
5. Return to the main menu of the app and click Wallpaper → Current → Cancel changes (if available).

If there is no explicit switch in the Themes app settings to turn off autowallpapers, try:

• 🗑️ Clear the app cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 Disable auto-update themes: in the application settings, find Auto-update and deactivate it.
• 🚫 To prohibit the change of wallpaper through permissions: Settings → Annexes → Permits → Topics → Change the wallpaper (turn off).

On devices with MIUI 14 (such as Xiaomi 13 or Redmi K60), the Themes app may have advanced personalization settings.

1. Open the Topics → Profile → Synchronization settings.
2. Turn off the option of Sync Wallpaper with your Xiaomi account.
3. Return to the Wallpaper section and manually select a static background.

Method 3: Resetting the settings of the application "Luncher"

If previous methods failed, the problem may lie in the MIUI launcher, the standard desktop display app, which sometimes “forgets” user settings and returns to factory settings, including automatic wallpaper change, to fix this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type Launcher (or Launcher for global versions).
3. Select the app and press Memory.
4. Click Clear Cache and Reset Settings (or Delete Data, but this will reset the location of the icons!).
5. Reset the device.

After the launcher is reset, all widgets and the layout of the icons on the desktop will return to the factory settings. Take screenshots of the current desktop in advance to quickly restore the layout.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and new (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) launcher reset can cause temporary loss of access to some widgets (weather, calendar).To restore them, restart your smartphone and wait for sync with Xiaomi servers (can take up to 5 minutes).

Method 4: Using ADB for deep shutdown (for advanced)

If standard methods have failed and automatic wallpaper change continues to bother you, you can resort to debugging through ADB. This is a method for users willing to work with the command line. It allows you to disable the function at the system level, which is guaranteed to solve the problem.

This will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB and Platform Tools.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (original or high-quality analogue).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with the platform-tools.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices (should display the name of your device).
4. Use the command to disable automatic wallpaper change: adb shell settings put global auto_wallpaper_enabled 0
5. Reset the device.

If the wallpaper continues to change after the reboot, try additional commands:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miservice # Disables personalization service


adb shell pm clear com.android.themes # Resets theme settings

💡

Before use ADB Back up important data. If after commands the smartphone started to work unstable, reset to factory settings or return the changes with the command adb shell settings put global auto_wallpaper_enabled 1

⚠️ Note: Disconnecting system services through ADB It may cause some functions to fail. MIUI, If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to use alternative methods (for example, installing a third-party launcher).

Method 5: Installation of a third-party launcher (radical solution)

If all previous methods have failed, the most reliable way to get rid of automatic wallpaper change is to install an alternative launcher, which completely replaces the standard MIUI desktop with another one, where you can manually control all aspects of personalization.

The best launchers for Xiaomi:

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – flexible settings, gesture support, desktop backup.
• 🎨 Apex Launcher – lightweight, with the ability to hide icons and change animations.
• 🔧 Lawnchair – open source, minimalist design, support for dark topics.
• 📱 Microsoft Launcher – Windows integration, cloud synchronization.

How to install and configure:

1. Download the selected launcher from Google Play.
2. After installation, click the Home button and select the new launcher as standard.
3. Go to the launcher settings and disable all options related to automatic wallpaper change or dynamic backgrounds.
4. Set your wallpaper through the launcher menu (usually a long press on the desktop → Wallpaper).

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Complete control of the desktop without interference MIUI.
• ✅ Ability to back up settings and recover after reset.
• ✅ No Advertising and Unnecessary Widgets from Xiaomi.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Some brand functions MIUI (Super Wallpapers will be unavailable.
• ❌ You may need to manually adjust gestures and animations.

💡

Installing a third-party launcher is the only way to guarantee that you will turn off wallpaper on devices with custom firmware or heavily modified versions of MIUI (for example, on some Chinese models).

What do you do if nothing helps?

If you have tried all the ways, but the automatic wallpaper change is still active, the problem may lie in:

• 🔄 Failing firmware - try updating MIUI Up to the latest version or re-flash the device.
• 📦 Application Conflict – Check if there are third-party personalization programs (such as Zedge or WallpapersCraft) that can change wallpapers.
• 🔧 Settings for your Mi Account – log in to account.xiaomi.com and turn off the themes sync.
• 🛠️ Hardware failure – in rare cases, the problem is associated with damage to the device’s memory (relevant for smartphones after falls or moisture hits).

Extreme measures:

1. Reset to factory settings (before doing this, back up!): Settings → Additional → Reset and Reset → Reset settings.
2. Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS) where there are no autowall features from Xiaomi.
3. Contact Support – if the problem appears after the update, report the bug via Settings → Review.

If you decide to reset the settings, consider:

• 📁 All data (photos, contacts, messages) will be deleted if a backup is not made.
• 🔑 After the reset, you will need to re-enter all accounts (Google, Mi Account, etc.).
• 🔄 Autowallpapers can return if you restore settings from backup MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about auto wallpaper on Xiaomi