Animated smart wallpaper in MIUI firmware is one of Xiaomi’s most controversial features. On the one hand, it adds dynamism to the interface by automatically adjusting to the time of day, weather, or even your location. On the other, many users complain about increased battery consumption, occasional background changes and the inability to install a static image without smart overlays. If you’re tired of constant animations, unexpected desktop changes, or just want to regain control of the appearance of your smartphone, this article is for you.
Depending on the phone model (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5 etc.) and versions MIUI (13, 14 or HyperOS) the shutdown process may be different, and we've collected all the relevant methods, including hidden settings that are not obvious even to advanced users. ADB-commands or superuser rights — we’ll take them down, too, but with warnings about possible risks.
Before you start, check your firmware version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI. This will help you avoid errors when choosing instructions. Also note that after updating the system, the settings may reset — you will have to reconfigure them.
1. Standard Disconnection through theme settings
The easiest way is to use the built-in MIUI Themes options. It works for most MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS devices, but doesn't always disable all animations (for example, weather effects may stay).
- Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
- Go to Wallpaper section. → My wallpaper.
- Select the current wallpaper (they are marked with a tick) and click Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
- Turn off the options: 🌅 Time of day driver 🌦️ Dynamic effects of weather 📍 Geolocation wallpaper (if any)
Save the changes and restart the phone.
If the wallpaper changes after this action, then your firmware has activated system services that are not managed through the Themes app.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) After disabling animations in Themes, you may not be able to install live wallpaper from Google Play.
2. Disconnection through hidden developer settings
If the standard method didn’t work, try deactivating animations through developer mode, a method that works for Xiaomi on MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, but requires pre-activation of hidden options.
First, turn on the developer mode:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Click on the MIUI version 7 times in a row (you will be notified “You became a developer”).
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
If you need to return the smart wallpaper, use the command:
adb shell cmd package install-existing com.miui.miwallpaper4. Complete removal via Magisk (for root users)
If you have superuser rights (root), you can permanently delete the system APK-This method permanently deletes files from the system partition, so first make a backup through TWRP Or OrangeFox.
Instructions:
- Install Magisk and Root Explorer (such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
- Go to /system/priv-app/ and delete: MiWallpaper MiWallpaperEarth MiWallpaperMars
Settings → Storage → Clean the cache
Reset the device.
After that, the system wallpaper will be dropped on a standard black background to set its wallpaper:
- 🖼️ Use any image from the gallery (long press on the desktop) → Wallpaper).
- 🚫 Dynamic effects will not appear again, even after the update MIUI.
⚠️ Attention: Removal of system APK It can cause com.android.systemui to crash on some firmware, and if the phone is stuck on the logo after you restart, restore deleted files through the back of the phone. TWRP.
5. Alternative method: use of third-party launchers
If you don’t want to interfere with system settings, you can simply replace the standard launcher with a third-party one, which will hide the smart wallpaper, but will not turn it off completely (they will remain active in the background, consuming resources).
The best launchers for Xiaomi:
| Launcher | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Flexible customization, gesture support, no advertising | Premium version for some functions |
| Lawnchair | Free, open source, support for Android 13+ | Less to do with the design |
| Hyperion Launcher | Optimized for Xiaomi, support MIUI-chip | Rare updates |
| Microsoft Launcher | Integration with Windows, cloud backup | Data collection (privacy) |
To set up the launcher:
- Download the app from Google Play.
- Click Home and select the new launcher as the main one.
- In the launcher settings, turn off all animations and install static wallpaper.
The downside of this method is that the system processes of smart wallpaper will continue to work, using up to 5-10% of the battery per day (depending on the model). ADB-teams from Section 3.
How to return the standard MIUI launcher?
6. Disconnect via the Settings Editor (for experienced)
This method is suitable for users who are not afraid to work with the Xiaomi Settings database.We will use the SharedPreferences Editor app (root or ADB with shell rights is required).
Instructions:
- Install SharedPreferences Editor.
- Open the application and find the file: /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/com.miui.home.preferences.xml
- Change the following parameters: key_wallpaper_effect_enabled → false key_dynamic_wallpaper_enabled → false key_weather_wallpaper_enabled → false
Save the changes and restart the phone.
This method is guaranteed to disable all dynamic effects, but requires caution: improper editing can lead to malfunctions in the MIUI Launcher.
💡
Editing shared_prefs — The deepest way to turn off smart wallpaper, but also the riskiest.