Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter an intrusive feature that automatically replaces the image on the lock screen. Instead of a static picture or the photo you choose, the system offers random images that often contain advertising content or news. On the Redmi 9 model, which runs on the MIUI shell, this feature can be especially aggressive, consuming traffic and distracting the user.
The main source of the problem is the Glance service or the built-in wallpaper carousel mechanism. Many users confuse the usual background change in the gallery with a system function that is built deep into the theme settings. Disabling this option does not require root rights or complex software, but knowing the exact location of the switches is critical for comfortable use.
In this guide, we will take a look at how to get rid of changing images forever. You will learn where to look for hidden settings in the Wallpaper menu, how to disable notifications from system services, and what options in the Security section can affect this process. Follow the instructions Step-by-step to regain control over the appearance of your device.
The Nature of the Problem: Why Pictures Change
The phenomenon of spontaneous image change on Redmi 9 is driven by a pre-installed service that Xiaomi integrates into its MIUI shell.This component, often called Glance for Mi or Wallpaper Carousel, is activated by default on many devices shipped in specific regions, and its task is to show content from partners, news and promotional offers every time you wake up on the screen.
Beyond advertising, the system can simply cycle to the wallpaper folder or the online directory if the appropriate option is enabled in the theme settings, which creates the illusion of a malfunction, when in fact it is a regular, albeit intrusive, behavior of the software, and understanding that it is not a virus, but a system function, helps to approach its deactivation correctly.
⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to remove system applications through ADB Disabling wallpaper service through standard settings is a safe method that will not disrupt the smartphone.
Often users notice that the feature is re-enabled after a firmware update, because newer versions of MIUI can reset some user preferences or force monetization services to be activated, so if the problem comes back after the update, the setup procedure will most likely have to be repeated.
Disconnection through theme and wallpaper settings
The most direct way to stop the image change is to go to the native Theme app, where the main switch that controls the source of images for the lock screen resides. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the logic remains the same for all devices in the Redmi line.
To start, unlock your phone and find an app on your desktop called "Themes." When you run it, look at the bottom navigation bar. You'll need to go to the user profile, which is usually marked by the human icon or avatar in the bottom right corner of the screen, and it's in the profile that the global display settings are hidden.
In the menu that opens, look for Settings. Inside this section, you're interested in an option that might be called Wallpaper Carousel, Glance, or Wallpaper Subscription. The name depends on the regional version of the firmware. If you see an active switch opposite these points, you need to deactivate it.
☑️ Checking the theme settings
Once the switch is turned off, the system can request confirmation of an action or offer to leave a review of the reason for the disconnect. Boldly ignore the suggestions to stay or choose the option "Not Interesting." Now go back to the home screen and lock the phone to check the result. The image should become static.
Managing a subscription to wallpaper in MIUI
Some versions of the Redmi 9 MIUI have a separate subscription management mechanism, a deeper level of settings that not only disables the change of images, but also prevents new image packs from loading in the background, which is especially important for saving mobile traffic.
Go to Settings of the smartphone itself (cog icon). Scroll down to Lock Screen. There may be a "Subscription to Wallpaper" or "Online Wallpaper" option. If there is one, log in and find the "Subscribe" switch. Turn it to "Off".
You should also pay attention to the item "Update Frequency." Even if a full subscription seems to be disabled, there may be a value of "Daily" or "When unlocked", changing this setting to "Never" or completely disabling the feature ensures that the phone will not try to load a new background over the Internet.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper carousel | Off | Stops the shift of pictures |
| Auto-update | Off | Saves traffic and battery |
| Showing the news | Off | Removes text blocks |
| Energy saving regime | On | Prevents background activity |
What happens if the switch returns to the "on" position?
Setting up the lock screen and password
Sometimes it's not the theme, it's the security settings. On Xiaomi Redmi 9, there are settings that allow you to show a slideshow from your personal gallery when you lock it. This is convenient for some users, but if you didn't set it up, the feature may not work properly or use the wrong albums.
Go to Settings -> Lock screen. Find the section related to the lock format or wallpaper display. Make sure you don't tick the box next to "Slideshow" or "Shuff Photos." If you want to use your photos but they don't change, check if you've selected the album you want.
It's important to distinguish between static wallpaper and live wallpaper. Live wallpaper is animated backgrounds that may require more CPU resources. If your goal is maximum performance and battery savings, choose a simple static image. To do this, select the "Static" category from the Wallpaper menu or download the picture from the gallery.
⚠️ Note: If you change the type of lock (for example, from the pattern lock to the fingerprint), the wallpaper settings may be reset. After changing the screen protection method, recheck which image is set to lock.
Clearing the Wallpaper app data
If the standard switches fail and the images continue to flash, there may be erroneous data or an update process in the application cache, in which case the effective measure is to force the stop and clear the data of the system component responsible for the background.
Open your smartphone settings and find the Apps section. Select All Apps. Search Wallpaper (may be called Wallpaper or My Wallpaper) in the list. Be careful not to confuse it with Themes or Gallery.
Inside the app menu, click on the Clean (or Memory) button and then select Clear All/Clear Data. This action will reset the wallpaper widget settings to factory ones, but will not delete your personal photos.
Settings -> Apps -> All Apps -> Wallpaper -> Clean -> Clean allOnce rebooted, the system will reinitiate the wallpaper service, and since we previously disabled the subscription in the previous steps, it will now remain disabled and the cache that may have caused the crashes will be deleted.
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If you can't find the Wallpaper app in the list, click on the three dots in the top right corner of the app list and select "Show System Processes." This will open access to hidden MIUI components.
Additional measures and disabling advertising
Changing wallpapers often come bundled with other ads in the MIUI system. To completely clear the Redmi 9 interface of intrusive content, it is recommended to disable the MSA recommendation service (Mi Advertising).
Go to Settings -> Passwords and Security -> Access to Personal Data (or "Authorization and Privacy"). Find the msa service in the list and turn off the switchboard. The system will count down the time for 10 seconds, then click "Cancel." If you failed the first time, try 3-5 times in a row - this is a known interface bug.
- 📉 Battery savings: Turning off background image loading significantly reduces power consumption, which is critical for the Redmi 9 with its capacious but not infinite battery life.
- 🚀 Performance: Freeing RAM from carousel services makes menu work and switching between applications smoother.
- 🔒 Privacy: Wallpaper picking services often collect data about user preferences; disabling them increases privacy.
It's also worth checking the lock screen settings. Some versions of the software have a separate "Get recommendations" switch right in the wallpaper selection menu. Make sure it's also deactivated. The comprehensive approach ensures that no ad image will ever appear on your screen unexpectedly.
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Completely disabling the changing wallpaper requires deactivating the feature in the Themes app and, if necessary, revoking permissions from the MSA service to block ads at the system level.