How to permanently remove the wallpaper carousel in MIUI 12: 5 working ways

Automatic wallpaper change on the lock screen Xiaomi is a feature that is not popular with everyone. in MIUI 12, the developers made it on by default, and to turn off the carousel through standard settings is not as easy as it seems. Users complain of sudden changes in the background image, mismatch of style and even increased traffic consumption when downloading new wallpaper from the cloud. If you are tired of this feature and want to regain control over the appearance of your smartphone, this article is for you.

We tested all the current methods of disabling the carousel on devices with MIUI 12 (including Redmi Note 9 Pro, Poco X3, Mi 10T and other models) and selected only those that work without the need to obtain root rights or install third-party firmware. Importantly, some methods may differ depending on the regional version of the shell (global, Chinese, European), so we specified the nuances for each option.

Why does MIUI 12 forcefully change wallpaper?

The Wallpaper Carousel feature was introduced in MIUI 12 as part of a personalization strategy, designed by Xiaomi to:

• 🎨 Offer users fresh backgrounds from the collection Xiaomi Themes.
• 🔄 Automatically adjust wallpaper for the time of day (morning, evening options).
• 🌍 Reduce the burden on the user by design choice.

However, in practice, many face problems:

• 📱 Inconsistency of wallpaper to the user’s style (e.g., bright abstractions instead of minimalist backgrounds).
• 📶 Additional mobile traffic consumption for downloading new images.
• 🔋 Increased power consumption due to background activity of com.miui.gallery.

The root of the problem lies in the MIUI architecture: the feature is integrated into the Gallery system application (com.miui.gallery), which is responsible not only for viewing photos, but also for managing wallpaper, which makes it difficult to completely disable it without interfering with system files.

Method 1: Disconnect via theme settings (official method)

The easiest and safest way is to use the built-in MIUI options, which are suitable for most global and European firmware versions.

1. Open the Themes app on the home screen.
2. Go to Wallpaper (or Wallpapers in English).
3. Slap the icon. ⚙️ Settings in upper right corner.
4. Find the Wallpaper Carousel option and move the slider to the off position.

If this is not the case, then your version of MIUI 12 uses an alternative control mechanism.

1. Return to the main screen of the Themes app.
2. Select the section My topics → Current theme.
3. Click on Wallpaper and manually set a static image.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Update the Themes app to Google Play (if you use a global version)

Make a backup of the current wallpaper in the Gallery → Albums → Wallpaper

Restart your phone before changing your settings-->

Important! On some devices (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro with Chinese firmware), the option may be called AutoWallpaper Changer or Dynamic Wallpaper. If you don't find the right item, move on to the next one.

Method 2: Reset the settings of the “Themes” application

If the carousel continues to work after the switch-off in the settings, the problem may lie in the cached data of the Themes application.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Topics list (com.android.themes) and tap it.
3. Select Warehouse → Clear cache and Clear data.
4. Confirm the action and restart the device.

After the reboot:

• 🔄 Go to the Themes app and manually install wallpaper.
• 📵 Check if the carousel is back on in the settings.

💡

If the Themes app is not stable after reset, try reinstalling it via Google Play (for global versions of MIUI only).

Warning: Cleaning up the Themes app data will reset all your custom settings, including saved wallpaper and color schemes. If you use premium themes, you will have to download them again.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don't work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a tool for debugging Android devices, which requires a PC connection, but does not need root rights.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to activate the developer mode, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (or Terminal on Mac/Linux) in the adb.exe folder.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must display the serial number of your device.
4. Run the command to shut down the carousel: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper
5. Reboot the phone.

To return the functionality, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper

Attention. ⚠️ Some versions MIUI 12 (especially Chinese) are blocked ADB-If you get an Operation not allowed error, this method won't work.

Method 4: Using third-party launchers

If you can't disable the carousel by system means, the alternative is to install a third-party launcher, which will completely replace the standard MIUI interface, including the wallpaper changer.

The best options for Xiaomi:

How to install and configure:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play (like Nova Launcher).
2. When you first start, select it as the default launcher.
3. Go to the launcher settings and turn off the wallpaper Automan (if any).
4. Set the static image manually.

Third-party launchers do not cancel the system carousel in com.miui.gallery, but visually it will no longer appear on the home screen and lock screen.

Method 5: Manually remove updates to the Themes app

On some devices, the wallpaper carousel appears after updating the Themes system app, and a rollback to the factory version can solve the problem:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Topics.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After that:

• 🚫 Stop automatically updating the app on Google Play (open the Topics page, click on three dots). → Remove from auto-update).
• 🔒 In the phone settings, turn off automatic updates to system applications: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⚙️ → Auto-update of applications.

Attention. ⚠️ On devices with MIUI 12.5 and later, this method may not work, as the Themes app has become part of the system partition and is not updated through Google Play.

What do you do if nothing helps?

If all of these methods have not yielded results, radical measures remain:

1. The firmware rollback to MIUI 11 (if available for your model) is either missing or is more easily disabled.
2. Installing custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience) requires unlocking the bootloader and losing warranty.
3. Using the Xposed Framework (for advanced root users only). The MIUI Carousel Disabler module can block the function at the system level.

Before making decisions, weigh the risks:

• ⚠️ Firmware rollback can lead to data loss.
• ⚠️ Castom firmware deprives the device of official support Xiaomi.
• ⚠️ Root voids warranty and increases system vulnerability.

💡

If your Xiaomi model supports unlocking the bootloader, back up your data via Mi Cloud or TWRP before experimenting with firmware.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper carousel in MIUI 12