Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where the lock screen begins to behave unpredictably. Instead of the usual static image or personal photo, suddenly there is advertising, news or automatically changing landscapes. This is not a virus or a system failure, but an activated feature of the wallpaper carousel or Glance service, which is enabled by default in many firmwares.
Developers are introducing these elements to monetize their devices, offering users free access to content in exchange for displaying promotional materials. However, for many, this intrusiveness becomes an annoying factor that prevents normal use of the gadget. Fortunately, the modern MIUI shell and the new HyperOS allow for flexible management of these settings, although options are sometimes hidden in non-obvious menu places.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the ways to disable automatic image change, learn how to distinguish between system carousel and third-party services, and how to prevent them from being turned on again after updates, which will return your device to its original appearance and eliminate unnecessary traffic.
Reasons for the appearance of advertising wallpaper on the lock screen
Understanding the source of the problem is the first step to solving it. There are several mechanisms in the Xiaomi ecosystem that can change the background of the lock without you directly involved, most often a built-in service called Wallpaper Carousel, which is positioned as a way of personalization, but actually works as a platform for distribution of content and advertising.
In some regions, such as India or Russia, InMobi’s Glance service may pre-installe on budget models, but it works similarly, but has its own app and settings different from the standard Xiaomi carousel, and the change in screen behavior may be due to the installation of Themes themes that force the lock style to change.
Importantly, after a major system update, settings can reset to factory values, which means that even if you previously turned off ads, they can come back, and the most common reason is accidentally pressing the Accept button when you first turn on your phone or after resetting your settings.
Below is a table that helps identify the type of intrusive content by its characteristics:
| Type of content | Source | Shift frequency | Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper carousel | MIUI System Application | Every screen switching on | Often present. |
| Glance | Third-party service (InMobi) | Timer or switch on | Built into the interface |
| Live wallpaper | Personal settings of the user | Touch animation | Absent. |
| Theme of the design | Shop Topics | Depends on the topic. | Depends on the author. |
⚠️ Warning: If banners appear on the lock screen suggesting that you install games or apps, it is almost always a sign of an activated Carousel.
Disabling the wallpaper carousel through screen settings
The most reliable and official way to remove intrusive image change is to use the built-in settings menu, which works on most current models, including the Redmi Note, Poco F and the flagship Mi series. The algorithm may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the overall logic remains the same.
First, you need to go to the basic settings of the device. Find the partition responsible for the appearance and lock. In new versions of HyperOS, the path can be slightly changed, so watch the item names carefully. You need to find the lock screen bar or Always on screen and lock screen.
Inside this menu, you'll see a switch that activates the Carousel function, often labeled as a wallpaper carousel or Wallpaper Carousel, and next to it, you can have the Carousel Settings button, where you can hide more subtle parameters, such as refresh rates and content sources.
☑️ Algorithm for Carousel Disconnection
Once the switch is turned off, the system can request confirmation of action. Xiaomi often uses dark pattern tactics, making the off button less noticeable or adding a pop-up asking "Why do you want to turn it off?". Ignore these tricks and safely choose the option to turn off or OK.
💡
If the wallpaper changes after the Carousel is turned off, try restarting the device, and sometimes the cache stores the old installations and reuses them.
Delete and deactivate the Glance application
If the standard shutdown through settings didn’t help, or you didn’t find the appropriate items, it’s likely that your device is active Glance, a separate app that is often pre-installed on smartphones shipped to specific regions, and works independently of Xiaomi’s system carousel and requires a separate approach.
To check if this service is available, go to the menu of all the apps and look for an icon called Glance or Glance for Xiaomi. If there is one, it is the one that is responsible for changing the images, and in some cases it can not be removed in the usual way, but you can turn it off.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Go to Glance. Click on it and select Disable or Delete. If the delete button is not available, you first need to take away all permissions from the application, especially access to the network and storage.
There is also a hidden way to disable via password settings that works on some versions of MIUI, which allows you to force the service to close even if it does not appear in the list of applications.
The hidden method of turning off Glance
⚠️ Note: After the system update, the Glance application can automatically activate again. Periodically check the list of installed programs for unknown services.
Configure content sources and update frequency
Not all users want to give up beautiful pictures completely, and many people are annoyed by the advertising component and the inability to control the process. If you like the idea of changing wallpaper, but want to clear it of marketing noise, you can use advanced source settings.
The wallpaper carousel menu often includes the Sources or Categories section, where you can deselect items marked as "Recommendations", "Promo" or "News" and leave only the categories "Landscapes", "City" or "Art" if they do not contain built-in brand advertising.
Also worth paying attention to the update rate, which can be set as "Every time the screen is turned on" by default, which quickly depletes the battery and consumes traffic, and the optimal option is to set the interval, for example, every 4 hours or manually.
For those who use custom themes, it is important to know that some of them take precedence over system settings. If you have installed a theme from Themes, go to its description and check if it includes the Dynamic Lock option. Disabling this option in the theme profile will return control of the standard screen settings.
Resetting theme settings and restoring standards
Sometimes the problem lies deeper, in the conflict of the current theme and system files. If the switches don't work or the settings are reset, it's recommended to reset the theme to the standard one. This won't delete your personal data, photos or contacts, but will return the visual style to the factory state.
Open the Themes app. Go to the user profile (usually the person icon in the corner). Select My Themes. Find a theme called "Classic," "Default" or "Standard" and click Apply.
After applying a standard theme, recheck the lock screen settings. Often this action "cures" software glitch when the Carousel shutdown slider is visually turned on but functionally not working. The system forcibly overwrites the lock configuration files.
If that didn't work, you can try to clear the Themes and Wallpaper Carousel app itself through the application management menu. Select the app, click Clear → Clear all data. Be prepared for the previously downloaded themes to have to be re-downloaded.
💡
Returning to a standard theme is a universal solution for cases when the interface settings behave incorrectly or are blocked by third-party modifications.
Frequent questions and possible problems when disconnecting
The process of disconnection usually goes smoothly, but users may face various nuances depending on the specific model of the smartphone and the region of the firmware. Below are answers to the most popular questions that will help solve unusual situations.
One of the common problems is that widgets disappear after the Carousel is turned off. Some widgets, like Stepmer or Notes on the lock screen, are tied to this service, and to get them back, you either have to accept Carousel or look for alternative widgets in the store of those that work independently.
Users are also concerned about security, which does not affect the stability of the phone, but can have a positive impact on battery life, as background processes will no longer load heavy images and analytics.