How to turn off the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi Redmi 9

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the intrusive feature of automatically changing images on the lock screen, a system known as the Wallpaper Carousel, designed to delight the user with new images, but in practice often turns into a source of annoyance and advertising. On the Redmi 9 model, which runs on the shell of MIUI, this service can be especially aggressive, requiring a constant connection to the Internet to download content.

Many users are wondering how to permanently get rid of this feature to return a static image and save battery power. The deactivation process is not always obvious, as developers hide switches in different menu sections or use marketing names. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to disable the service, including hidden settings and blocking network activity.

Now, it's worth noting that you can't completely remove a system application without getting root rights, but it's actually possible to effectively shut it down using standard methods. We're going to look at a step-by-step algorithm that will help you clean up the interface from the unnecessary visual noise. Let's start setting up your device.

What is a wallpaper carousel and why it is needed

The Wallpaper Carousel feature is a service that automatically updates the background image on a locked screen. Originally conceived as a way to personalize and showcase artwork, it is now often used to promote news feeds and ad integrations. On the Xiaomi Redmi 9, this component is built deep into the system and activated by default when first turned on or after resetting settings.

The main problem is that the service requires constant network access to upload new images, which leads to an invisible but constant consumption of traffic and CPU power, and users often complain about the inability to quickly unlock the device, as banner ads can block important notifications or buttons.

It's important to understand the difference between a regular live wallpaper and a carousel. Live wallpaper is an animation that works locally or is a simple video file. A carousel is a separate aggregator application that is managed by the manufacturer's server. Disabling this service will not affect the ability to install your own static or animated images from the gallery.

Disconnection through lock screen settings

The easiest and most obvious way to remove the change of pictures is to use the standard MIUI settings menu, which is suitable for most cases where the function was turned on by the user accidentally or during the initial setup of the phone.

First, you need to go to the main settings menu of your smartphone, find the partition responsible for the appearance and lock, depending on the location of the system, it can be called "lock screen" or "Always on screen and lock", and this is where the switch that activates streaming images is hidden.

Inside the menu, find the wallpaper carousel item. When you click on it, you'll see an on/off switch. If it's active, just put it in an inactive state. The system may suggest that you choose a static image from the gallery instead of dynamic content. This action will instantly stop new images from loading.

Sometimes, after switching off the switch, the changes do not take effect immediately, in which case it is recommended to turn off the device screen completely and turn it on again, or reboot the smartphone. If the switch is missing or immediately returns to the "On" position, then the process is blocked by system restrictions or administrator rights, and a deeper approach will be required, described below.

Restricting Internet access for system applications

If a standard shutdown doesn't work or the function turns on again, the way to do that is to block the network activity of the app that runs the carousel, because the service needs the Internet to download images, the lack of connection will force it to stop working, a robust method that works at the level of the Android operating system.

You'll need to find a system component in the application list that's often hidden from the average user, called miui.gallery, msf, or called the Wallpaper Carousel in the Russian interface, and access to network management is via the data usage menu.

Follow the following steps to block:

• 📱 Open Settings and go to the Application section.
• 🔍 Click on the menu button (three dots) and select All Apps to see system processes.
• 📡 Find the app associated with wallpaper and click on the item Use data.
• 🚫 Turn off the Mobile Internet and Wi-Fi switches for this app.

⚠️ Be careful when shutting down the Internet for system applications. Make sure you restrict access specifically for the wallpaper service, and not for critical system components such as Google Play Services or System Frame, otherwise the phone may start to malfunction.

Once these restrictions are applied, the app will not be physically able to download the new image. Even if the lock screen settings are ticked on, the carousel will remain empty or show the last preserved image. This will also positively affect the battery life of Redmi 9, as the background process will stop waking the communication module.

Removing updates and cleaning up data

Often the problem of intrusive advertising and carousel lies in the updated state of the system application. Developers can add new features through component updates that are not part of the basic firmware. Returning to the factory version of the application often solves the problem of unstable operation or the inability to disable the function.

To do this, you need to access the app information page. Find the Apps option in the settings and turn on the system processes display through the filter menu. Find the component responsible for the gallery or carousel (often MIUI Gallery or Wallpaper Carousel).

After rolling back, it is also recommended to clear the cache and application data, which will reset all temporary files and settings that may have caused the conflict. Click on Clear and select Clear Everything. Don't worry, your personal photos in the gallery will not be affected, as we only affect the system cache of the interface.

Combining the two methods — rolling back the version and locking the network — gives you almost 100% of the guarantee of success. Even if the system tries to update the component in the background, it will not have the rights to use traffic and it will remain in sleep mode, especially for older models such as the Redmi 9, where memory resources are limited.

Comparison of methods of disabling the service

The method of disabling depends on your goals and level of ownership of the device. Simple switching the switch in the settings is convenient, but not always reliable. Internet blocking is more radical, but guarantees the result. Below is a table that helps you choose the best way to solve the problem.

As you can see from the table, for the average Xiaomi user, the most sensible step is to combine the first and second method. First try to turn off the function in the menu. If it returns or continues to consume resources, move to blocking network access. Using ADB commands to completely remove the package is recommended only for advanced users, as an error can lead to a cyclical reboot of the device.

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If you’re planning to sell the phone, be sure to reset the carousel settings or perform a complete data reset so the new owner doesn’t get your personalized (or blocked) interface.

Frequent problems and their solution

Users may encounter various difficulties in setting up, such as a menu item that may be inactive (surfaced), or when the carousel is turned off, notifications from certain applications stop coming, due to the aggressive optimization of the battery in MIUI and the interweaving of system processes.

If you can't find the app you want, try changing the language to English. Often, system components have English names like Wallpaper Carousel or MIUI Daemon, which are easier to identify, and it helps to turn on the developer mode, where you can more detail manage running services.

Another common problem is that a black bar or artifact appears on the lock screen after the service is disabled, which indicates that the shutdown process was incorrect and the program’s tails are left in memory, in which case cleaning the cache of the Security section and rebooting the device will help.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use third-party cleaners or launchers to fight the carousel.They often require excessive resolutions and can disrupt the stability of the Redmi 9, causing interface lags or quick battery discharge.

Remember that MIUI is a complex ecosystem, and removing one component completely can affect the way others work. For example, a gallery may stop opening certain file formats if you touch the system's image libraries, so blocking the Internet is the middle ground between efficiency and security.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The most reliable way to remove the carousel is not just to turn off the switchboard, but to prevent the application from accessing the Internet, which ensures that the content will not load, even if the service runs in the background.