Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter an intrusive feature that regularly changes the background image on the lock screen without their knowledge.This phenomenon, known as "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Wallpaper Glad," is not only distracting, but can consume mobile traffic and battery power in the background. Many users perceive this as an advertising mechanism built into the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, and are eager to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, the developers have provided several ways to deactivate this feature, although the settings menu can be located in different places depending on the firmware version. Disabling changing wallpaper is a simple process, but it requires care, since menu items can be hidden in sections that are not directly related to the gallery or decoration. In this article, we will discuss all possible solutions to the problem.
We'll look at both standard methods through system settings and deeper methods through special applications if the standard path is not available. Personalization management in Xiaomi devices has its own features that it's important to consider so that the feature does not turn on again after the system update. Let's take a step-by-step look at each method.
What is a Wallpaper Carousel and Why It Turns On
A feature popularly known as “changing wallpaper,” officially known as the Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance), is a service that automatically uploads new images from the Internet and installs them on a lock screen every time you wake up a device, originally conceived as a way to personalize and news feed, in practice it often turns into a channel for displaying banner ads and promotional materials.
This option is often activated not at the user’s request, but at the time of initial smartphone setup or after a major system update. MIUI and HyperOS may suggest enabling “recommendations” or “personalization,” and inattentively pressing the “Accept” or “Enable” button activates this service. In some regions, this feature is enabled by default right out of the box.
The main reason users are trying to turn off background changes is because of resource consumption. The app keeps the network connection active to download new images, which can be imperceptibly consuming traffic if you are not connected to Wi-Fi. Also, constantly rendering new images and services in the background can slightly increase battery life.
⚠️ Warning: Wallpaper carousels can collect data about your preferences to generate advertising results. If you care about privacy, disabling this feature is a must-do step.
Understanding the nature of this service helps not only remove the image, but also prevent it from turning on again. Often the system may insist on returning the "beautiful wallpaper" after the next update, and the user must know where the switch is to refuse this offer.
Disconnection through lock screen settings
The most direct and obvious way to remove automatic image change is to find the appropriate switch in the lock screen settings, which may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic remains the same: we need a partition that is responsible for the appearance of the locked smartphone.
To start, open the main settings menu and find the item associated with the Lock Screen. In new versions of HyperOS, this section may be called Always On and Lock Screen. This is where the basic visual controls are hidden.
Within this menu, look for an option called Wallpaper Carousel or Glad Wallpaper. If the function is active, there will be a slider next to it in the position on. You need to click on it to deactivate the service. After that, the system can show a pop-up asking "Disable Wallpaper Carousel?" or asking you to leave it on - feel free to choose a disconnect confirmation.
If a simple switch is not enough, an additional list of sources or categories can be available inside the wallpaper carousel menu. Source management allows you to disable the download of specific types of content, but to completely get rid of the function, it is better to turn off the main switchboard, after which only the static image that you chose yourself will remain on the lock screen.
☑️ Checking the lock settings
Management through the Topics app
In the Xiaomi ecosystem, there is a Themes system app, which is the central hub for all visual design. This is where settings that often duplicate or extend the capabilities of the standard menu are hidden. If you haven't found the switch in the main settings, be sure to check this section.
Run the Themes app on your smartphone. In the lower right corner or side menu (depending on the interface version), find the profile icon or settings (usually a human icon or gears) and click on it to open the additional menu.
In the list that opens, look for the wallpaper carousel, and you'll see more detailed service settings here, and even if the switch wasn't in the basic settings of the phone, it should be here, you can turn it off completely or adjust its behavior, like not downloading from the mobile network.
- 📱 Open the “Themes” app on your desktop.
- ⚙️ Go to the user profile (human icon).
- 🖼️ Select the “Wallpaper Carousel” section in the list of options.
- 🚫 Click on the "Enable Wallpaper Carousel" switch to deactivate it.
It is important to note that the Themes app may require an update to work properly for some features. If you can't find the right item, check for updates for that system component through the built-in GetApps store or Google Play.
Hiding through notification settings
Sometimes users confuse changing wallpapers with advertising notifications that appear on the lock screen and create the illusion of changing the background.In MIUI, there is a separate mechanism called "Recommendations" that can show carousel-style banners directly on top of the watch.
To rule out this option, go to the settings and search for the word “Recommendations” and the system will prompt you to go to the appropriate section, often located inside the “Password and Security” or “Special Features” menu, where you need to turn off all switches associated with receiving recommendations.
It’s also worth checking the settings of specific applications that have permission to display on top of other windows. Advertising notifications can mimic system features, so it’s worth checking the list of newly installed programs and disabling suspicious permissions.
Why is the ad coming back?
If after disabling all recommendations, images still change, you may have activated a third-party widget or live wallpaper you installed earlier. Check the Wallpaper section in the settings and make sure you choose a static image rather than a slideshow from the albums.
Use of third-party launchers and applications
If standard methods don’t help or the menu is hidden in your regional firmware version, you can resort to using third-party tools.There are specialized applications that allow you to manage Xiaomi system settings hidden from the average user.
One of the most popular solutions is the SetEdit (Settings Database Editor) application, which allows you to edit system databases where activation flags of various functions are stored. Editing system parameters requires caution, but is effective in complex cases.
To use this method, you need to:
- Download and install the application for editing system settings.
- Find the option for the look or carousel.
- Change the value to 0 or false.
Another option is to install an alternative lock screen. There are many apps available in the Play Market that completely replace the standard MIUI lock screen. By installing such a launcher, you are guaranteed to get rid of the system carousel, as it simply will not display.
| Method | Difficulty | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock screen settings | Low. | Tall. | No. |
| Annex Topics | Low. | Tall. | No. |
| Disabling recommendations | Medium | Medium | No. |
| Third-party editors (SetEdit) | Tall. | Maximum | Medium. |
⚠️ Warning: When using third-party registry editors, be extremely careful. Changing unfamiliar parameters can lead to unstable system operation.
Settings in the new shell HyperOS
With the release of the new HyperOS shell, which gradually replaces MIUI on the new Redmi and Xiaomi models, the menu structure changed.
In HyperOS, personalization management has become more centralized. Go to Settings → Wallpaper and personalization. Here you will find a single control center for all visual elements. Find the Lock Screen section and turn off the wallpaper carousel option.
The peculiarity of HyperOS is that the system can more aggressively offer a return to factory visualization settings. After upgrading to HyperOS, the carousel settings can be reset to standard (on), so check it immediately after the firmware update.
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If you have upgraded to HyperOS and can’t find the settings, search by settings by typing in “Carousel” or “Glance.” The system will open the desired item.
The new shell also offers the ability to fine-tune the refresh rate more if you want to leave the feature but make it less intrusive, but to completely disable it, it is enough to simply turn off the main switch in the personalization section.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the simplicity of the instruction, users may encounter situations where the function does not turn off or is turned on again. One common problem is that the wallpaper carousel item is not on the menu, which is common in global firmware versions, where the service can be hidden or replaced with an analog.
In this case, try to clear the Themes and Security app data. Sometimes cached data interferes with the new settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the desired application and select Clear → Clear all data.
Another problem is the "resurrection" of the feature after the reboot.This may indicate that some third-party plugin or weather widget that has access to the background is activated.
- 🔄 Restart the device after changing the settings to apply the changes.
- 🗑️ Clear the Themes app cache if the switch doesn't work.
- 📱 Check the list of widgets for suspicious items.
- 🌐 Make sure the region in your phone settings is set correctly (sometimes changing the region changes the available features).
If nothing works, you can try temporarily changing the region in your phone’s settings (like India or the US), disabling the feature there, and then returning the region back, a method that often helps unlock hidden settings menus.
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The key takeaway: In 95% of cases, simply turning off the switch in the Themes app or Lock Screen settings solves the problem.