Why Xiaomi Redmi 9 is changing the wallpaper on the lock and how to stop it
Are you tired of your Xiaomi Redmi 9 slipping new images onto the lock screen every day?This MIUI feature, which the manufacturer positions as "personalization," often annoys users. Automatic wallpaper change not only eats up traffic and battery power, but can also showcase not always relevant content - from banner ads to random landscapes from the Xiaomi gallery.
The problem is compounded by the fact that there is no explicit switch in the standard settings to disable this feature, and the downside is that after the updates, the switch is not made. MIUI The parameters can be reset and the wallpaper starts to jump again. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disable the change of wallpaper on Redmi 9, including hidden settings, ADB-The methods are tested for the use of third-party utilities. MIUI 12.5, 13 and 14, but most of them work on older versions.
Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings
So, to start with the obvious, looking for an option in the phone's menu, and even though Xiaomi likes to hide useful features, some firmware does have a switch. Here's how to find it:
- Open the Settings app (cog icon).
- Go to Lock Screen (or Lock and Password in older versions of MIUI).
- Slip on the lock screen wallpaper.
- If you see the slider Automatic shift or Dynamic wallpaper - move it to the off position.
Unfortunately, many Redmi 9 don't have this item. If you do, read on. It's also worth checking if the Topic feature (more on it below) is activated.
Method 2: Deactivation through the “Themes” application
MIUI is actively promoting its own Themes app, which is often guilty of automatically changing the wallpaper. Even if you didn't manually install themes, the system can upload "recommended" content to stop it:
- 📱 Open the Themes app (icon with brush and palette).
- 🔍 Go to My Subjects or Profile (depending on version).
- 🛑 Find the Auto Update Wallpaper or Recommendation option and turn it off.
- 🗑️ In the application settings (⋮ → Settings) clear the cache and remove downloaded themes.
Important: Reboot your phone after you shut down. Sometimes the changes only apply after you reboot. If the option is activated again, then the other mechanism is to blame (see Method 4).
☑️ Check before wallpapering is disabled
Method 3: Manual assignment of static wallpaper
If the system is persistent in preventing you from turning off the automatic shift, you can go the deceptive way of manually setting wallpapers that MIUI can't change.
- Download any image to the gallery (for example, a black square or your photo).
- Press your finger on the lock screen → select Wallpaper.
- In the wallpaper selection menu, tap on My Wallpaper or Gallery.
- Select the downloaded image and use it only for the lock screen.
- Return to the wallpaper settings and make sure that the Home Screen Sync option is disabled.
This method works 70% of the time, but it doesn't guarantee 100% results -- MIUI can overwrite your settings after the update. If the wallpaper changes again, try Method 4.
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To prevent wallpaper from being dropped, use a resolution image exactly below the Redmi 9 screen (720×1600 pixels) and the system is less likely to interfere with “perfectly fit” images.
Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)
If the standard methods do not work, you will have to use them. ADB-This requires you to connect your phone to your PC, but it gives you a guaranteed result:
- Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.
Redmi 9
File transfer
ADB Tools
Open the command line (Windows) or the terminal (Mac/Linux) in this folder.
adb devices(Your phone serial number should appear)
adb shell settings put global lock_screen_allow_remote_themes 0adb shell settings put global lock_screen_allow_remote_wallpaper 0These commands disable the ability to remotely change wallpaper and themes. After you do this, restart your phone. If the wallpaper keeps changing, try the additional command:
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.thememanagerIt completely disables the theme manager, but can cause some MIUI features to malfunction.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause your phone to run in an unstable way if you type in the wrong commands.
Method 5: Remove system applications (requires root)
If you have root rights, you can radically solve the problem by removing the apps that are responsible for changing the wallpaper.
- 🔧 Install a file manager with root support (e.g., Root Explorer).
- 🗃️ Go to the folder. /system/priv-app/ or /system/app/.
- 🔍 Find and delete (or rename) the following files: MiuiDaemon.apk (responsibilities MIUI) ThemeManager.apk (topical) WallpaperCropper.apk (wallpapering)
- 🔄 Reboot the phone.
This method is guaranteed to disable wallpaper change, but has risks: deleting system files can lead to interface failures. If errors occur after deleting - restore files from the backup.
What if the phone doesn’t start after removing the apps?
Comparison of methods: which one to choose?
To make it easier for you to determine, we have compiled a comparative table of all ways:
| Method | Difficulty | PC/root required | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard settings | ⭐ | ❌ No. | 30% | Low. |
| Disconnection on "Themes" | ⭐⭐ | ❌ No. | 50% | Medium (may reset) |
| Handwallpaper | ⭐ | ❌ No. | 70% | Low. |
| ADB-team | ⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes) | 90% | Average (for errors) |
| Deletion of system files | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yeah) | 100% | High (risk of failure) |
For most users, the best solution is a combination of Method 2 (disable in "Themes") and Method 3 (handwallpaper). If you're ready for experiments, try the ADB.
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On the Redmi 9 with MIUI 14, automatic wallpaper change is often associated with com.miui.gallery, and disabling it via ADB gives the best result without root.
Frequent problems and solutions
Even after you turn off the wallpaper, you get nuanced, and here are the most common ones.
- 🔄 Wallpaper is reset after updating MIUI → Repeat the settings or use ADB-Teams (they are saved after updates).
- 📱 On the lock screen appears advertising → Turn off the Recommendations MIUI In Settings → Annexes → Application management → Advertising.
- 🔒 You can’t change the wallpaper – the button is inactive. → Check if Guest Mode or Parental Controls are enabled.
- 🔧 ADB can't see the device → Install Xiaomi drivers and enable debugging by USB (safe-haven).
If neither method helped, it may be the custom firmware or virus software that is to blame. In this case, resetting to factory settings will help (don’t forget to make a backup!).
⚠️ Note: Some Redmi 9 with firmware for the European region (EEA) Change of wallpaper blocked at the policy level MIUI. In this case, only reflashing to the global or Chinese version will help.