Changing the visual design of the start screen is the first thing a user does when wanting to personalize their Xiaomi Redmi. The standard MIUI or HyperOS shell interface offers many tools to customize, but not all of them are obvious at first glance. Smartphone owners often look for ways to change not only the picture, but also the time font, notification style or way to unlock.
The replacement process can vary depending on the version of the Android operating system and the firmware version installed. Some features are available immediately, others will require additional components to be installed or a change of region. It is important to understand that deep customization sometimes requires caution not to disturb the stability of the device.
In this article, we will discuss all available methods, from the standard replacement of wallpaper through the gallery to the use of specialized themes and third-party applications. You will learn how to activate the second space, change the font of the watch and what hidden settings may be necessary to fully control the appearance of the lock screen.
Standard wallpaper replacement through the Gallery and Settings
The easiest and fastest way to change the background is to use the built-in tools of the system. You don't have to download third-party software if you're comfortable with standard functionality, just choose the right image from your personal collection or the options offered by the system.
To install the gallery image, open the Gallery app and select your favorite photo. Click on three dots in the corner of the screen or the "More" button, then select "Install as wallpaper." The system will suggest you install the image on the lock screen, the main screen or both. Select the lock screen to take effect.
The alternative path is through the system menu. Go to Settings → Wallpaper. Here you will see several tabs: Online, Video, Local and Carousel. The Local tab contains your saved images, and Online offers a catalog of high-quality images from developers. Always use the Local section to install a static image from your device’s memory to avoid conflicts with the carousel.
Note the wallpaper carousel function, which, if it's active, will change automatically every time you turn on the screen, and to create a static image, you have to turn it off in the lock screen settings, otherwise the image you choose may not stick.
Using the Themes app to change style
Themes is the central hub for customizing the interface in Xiaomi smartphones, which allows you to change not only wallpaper, but also icons, sounds and, importantly for us, the style of the entire lock screen. Unlike simply replacing the picture, the themes change the design of the watch, the animation of unlock and the location of the widgets.
Open the Themes app and go to Profiles or search for Lock screen, and you'll find thousands of free and paid options. After you pick a theme, click Download and then Apply, and the system will warn you that wallpaper and possibly system sounds will be changed.
If you want to change only the style of the watch or background without affecting the application icons, when using the theme, select the option “Tune theme”. In the menu that appears, you can deselect from the “Icon” or “System” items, leaving only the Lock Screen active, which will allow you to combine elements of different styles.
⚠️ Note: Some themes, especially those created by third-party designers, may contain ads or require you to watch videos to unlock.
To return to the standard look, open the Topic app, go to the profile (human icon) and select My Themes. There will be a standard theme called "Classic" or "Default." Click on it and select "Apply" to reset all visual changes.
☑️ Checking before setting the topic
Setting up the wallpaper carousel and the Second Space
The wallpaper carousel feature is a unique feature of the MIUI shell that allows you to automatically update the background every time you wake up the screen, but many users confuse it with regular live wallpaper. The carousel uploads new images from the online catalogue while the phone is connected to Wi-Fi.
To manage this mode, go to Settings → Lock screen. Here you will find the item "Wallpaper Carousel". Inside the menu you can select categories of images (nature, architecture, animals) and how often they are updated. There is also a "Download" button that will force the set of images to be updated.
The second space feature deserves special attention, not just changing the background, but creating a completely isolated environment in the phone with a different set of applications and, accordingly, a different lock screen, and you can switch between them through settings or a fingerprint.
To set up the Second Space:
- 🔒 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Second space.
- 👆 Click “Enable Second Space” and follow the instructions of the setup wizard.
- 🖼️ After creating the space, set up separate wallpapers and passwords for it, different from the main profile.
- 🔄 Switching is done by swiping down on the lock screen (if configured) or through settings.
Using a second space is a great way to hide personal details or just have two different visual styles for work and relaxation without having to drop your phone.
How to turn off advertising in the Wallpaper Carousel?
Changes in time and notification style
Visual perception of the lock screen is highly dependent on how the time is displayed. In standard Xiaomi settings, there is no direct button "Change the font of the watch", but this option depends on the theme set. However, there are ways to customize this element more subtly.
Some global themes allow you to change the style of the dial regardless of the rest of the interface. In the Search Themes app, type in "Clock" or "Clock"; You will find specialized packages that change only the time widget on the locked screen. After installing such a theme, use only the "lock screen" component.
Also worth mentioning is the notification style: the new versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 have changed the design of the notification curtain to bring back the classic look or, conversely, to update it:
- Open Settings → Notifications and Control Center.
- Select "Control Center Style".
- Switch between the “New” and “Classic” options.
The classic style combines the notification curtain and quick settings into one tape, which visually changes the look of the lock screen when swiping down. The new style splits them into two separate panels, which looks more modern but takes up more space.
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The style of the dial on the lock screen depends on the active theme of the design. There is no separate time font setting in the basic menu.
Changing the region to access additional functions
One of the most effective but little-known tricks of Xiaomi owners is to change the region: some features, themes and styles of lock screens are available only for certain countries (for example, India, Indonesia or the United States).
By changing the region, you can access exclusive wallpaper sets and new lock screen features that haven't officially arrived in your region yet.It's secure and doesn't require root rights.
Algorithm of action:
- 🌍 Go to Settings. → Additionally. → Region.
- 🇮🇳 Select a country, for example, "India" or "USA».
- 🔄 The system will reconnect to the servers of the selected region (the interface may blink).
- 🎨 Go to the “Themes” or “Wallpaper” app – the content will be updated.
Once you have set the desired theme or wallpaper, you can return the region back, however, keep in mind that some system applications (such as Music or Browser) may offer to upgrade to versions that are relevant to the selected country.
| Region | Features of the content | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | Localized topics, Yandex services | Standard set of functions |
| India | A huge selection of free themes | There may be advertising in system applications |
| USA | Minimalist Wallpaper, Google Services | Lack of some regional services |
| China | Exclusive MIUI functions | Transition to Chinese (not recommended) |
⚠️ Warning: If you change region to China, the phone interface will completely switch to Chinese. It will be extremely difficult to return Russian without resetting data.
Installation problems and their solution
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users often encounter difficulties, such as the selected wallpaper is not saved, or after a reboot, a standard image is returned, most often due to the work of the wallpaper carousel function or theme cache errors.
If the wallpaper goes off, try clearing the theme and wallpaper app cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the app you want, and click Clear → Clear cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Data, otherwise you'll lose downloaded themes.
Another common problem is poor image quality. The system can compress images to save space. To avoid this, use images with a resolution corresponding to your Redmi screen (for example, 2400×1080 or 2340×1080). Higher resolution images will be automatically reduced, which can lead to loss of detail.
In rare cases, the problem lies in the damage to the system file responsible for storing desktop settings. If nothing helps, you may need to reset the lock screen settings to factory through the recovery menu or a full reset of the phone, but this is an extreme measure.
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If you use live wallpaper (video), make sure the file is optimized.Video files (over 10MB) that are too heavy can cause unlock delays and increased battery consumption.