How to change photos on the lock screen Xiaomi: 5 ways with photos and videos

Why Change Wallpaper on Lock Screen and What You Need to Know Before Starting

Xiaomi’s lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone. Standard MIUI wallpaper quickly gets boring, and a personalized image makes the gadget unique. But not all users know that most Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra) can change the lock background in literally 2-3 touches — without root rights and complex manipulation.

Before you start, take into account a few nuances:

• 📱 Version. MIUI important: MIUI 12/13/14 The algorithm of actions is slightly different (details - in the table below).
• 🔒 Password Blocking: If You Have a Password PIN, a pattern lock or fingerprint, the system may request confirmation when changing the wallpaper.
• 🖼️ Image resolution: for perfect display without stretching, use a photo with a resolution not lower than 1080×2340 (For most of today’s Xiaomi).

In this article, we'll look at 5 proven ways to change backgrounds, from standard MIUI tools to little-known life hacks, and if you like experimentation, at the end of the day you'll find a bonus: how to install live wallpapers on a lock screen without third-party apps.

Method 1: through standard MIUI settings (fastest)

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and later. Suitable for Redmi 9/Note 11, Poco X3/X4, Xiaomi 11T/12 Pro and others.

1. 📱 Open Settings (cog icon on the main screen).
2. 🎨 Go to the Lock Screen section (in some versions - Wallpaper). → Lock screen).
3. 🖼️ Click Change Wallpaper and select the source: 📁 Gallery - upload your photo. 🌄 Standard – wallpaper from Xiaomi (updated with each firmware). 🔄 Dynamic - animated background pictures (not available on all models).

Apply

Install

If the Lock screen option is not in the menu, then your device uses a combined wallpaper mode (for the home screen and lock).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14 Xiaomi 13/13 Pro and Redmi Note 12 By default, wallpaper sync is enabled. To divide backgrounds, turn it off in Settings. → Wallpaper. → Synchronize the wallpaper of the main screen and lock screen.

Check resolution (minimum 1080×2340)|Save important details in the center (edges may be cut)|Save photo in JPEG/PNG|Save image in dark (MIUI automatically adds gradient)

-->

Method 2: Change the background directly from the lock screen (without settings)

Few people know, but MIUI allows you to change lock wallpaper without even unlocking your phone! This method works on Xiaomi with MIUI 12.5 and later.

1. 🔒 On a locked screen, make a long tap in any free place (not on notification icons!).
2. 🎨 There will be a menu with the option Change wallpaper - tap it.
3. 🖼️ Select the source (galleries or standard wallpaper) and confirm the installation.

If the long press doesn’t work, try an alternative:

1. 📱 Unlock your phone and swipe down the notification panel.
2. 🔧 Find the Settings (cog) icon in the upper right corner and hold it. 2-3 seconds.
3. 🎨 In the menu that appears, select Lock screen Wallpaper.

Important: on some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 Global for Poco F3), this method may not work due to manufacturer limitations.

💡

If you change wallpaper often, add the Wallpaper widget to the home screen. To do this, hold your finger in the free space of the screen → “Widgets” → find “Wallpaper” and drag it to a convenient place.

Method 3: Using Xiaomi Gallery for Precise Trimming

If standard methods don't work (e.g. MIUI automatically crops the image curve), you can set the background through the Gallery app, which gives you more control over the positioning of the image.

1. 📷 Open the gallery and select the photo you want.
2. 🔧 Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Set up how → Lock screen wallpaper.
3. 📏 An editor will be opened where you can: 🖼️ Scaling the image with two fingers. 🔄 Turning – if the photo is turned. ✂️ Pruning – Drag the frame to select the desired area.

Ready.

Install

The advantage of this method is that it fits the screen accurately, for example, if you have a Xiaomi 12T with curved edges of the display, you can manually move the image so that important details do not fall under the curvature.

⚠️ Note: If you are using a dark topic in the MIUI, The system can automatically darken the lock wallpaper. To avoid this, before setting the background, switch to a light theme in Settings. → Screen. → Dark subject matter.

Method 4: Third-party applications for advanced capabilities

If the built-in MIUI tools aren't enough (like animated wallpaper or customized watches), third-party utilities will come to the rescue. We tested the top 3 apps that are compatible with Xiaomi:

• 🎨 Wallpapers Craft -- allows you to create a paralax effect (wallpaper responds to the tilt of the phone). MIUI 12-14 rootless.
• ⏳ KLWP Live Wallpaper Maker is for advanced users, you can customize widgets on top of wallpaper (weather, time, notifications.
• 🌌 Backdrops – a collection of unique wallpapers with support for dark theme and adaptive color scheme.

How to install wallpapers through Wallpapers Craft:

1. 📥 Download the app from Google Play.
2. 🖼️ Choose your favorite image or upload your own.
3. 🎛️ Customize effects (paralax, blur, masking icons).
4. 📲 Press Set. → Select Only the Lock screen.

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, KLWP) They may be in conflict with energy saving regimes. MIUI. If after installation wallpaper is not displayed, disable Battery Optimization for the application in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Battery.

Method 5: Live Wallpapers without root

Dynamic wallpaper on the lock screen Xiaomi can be installed without root-rights, but only on devices with MIUI 13/14 and Snapdragon processor 8-series (Xiaomi 12/13, Poco F4 GT, etc.). on budget models (Redmi 10A, Poco M4) this feature may not be available due to hardware limitations.

Instructions for MIUI 14:

1. 📱 Go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → Lock screen.
2. 🌊 Select the Dynamic tab (if not, your device does not support the function).
3. 🎞️ View available animations (e.g. Ocean Waves, Space, Particles).
4. ✅ Click Apply and wait for processing (may take up to 1 minute).

If you don’t have enough built-in dynamic wallpapers, install Live Wallpapers for Me:

• 🎨 More than 100 animated themes.
• 🔧 Setting the animation speed and color scheme.
• 📱 Optimized for MIUI (No bugs with hours and notifications).

💡

Dynamic wallpaper increases battery consumption by 5-15% (based on tests on Xiaomi 13 Pro).If you notice a quick discharge, turn off animations or reduce frame rate in the app settings.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after installing the wallpaper correctly, Xiaomi users sometimes encounter bugs. TOP-5 problems and ways to correct them:

• 🖼️ Wallpaper stretched or cropped: Use an aspect ratio photo 9:20 (for example, 1080×2400). Hand-cut the image in the Gallery (Method) 3).
• ⚫ Black screen after wallpaper change: Reboot your phone. Reset the lock screen settings (see spoiler above).
• 🔄 Wallpaper resets after rebooting: Turn off Adaptive Wallpaper in Settings → Wallpaper. Set the wallpaper through the Gallery, not through the settings.
• 🔒 You can't change the wallpaper because of corporate policy: If the phone was issued by the employer, maybe the device mode of the organization is turned on. IT-division.
• 🎞️ Dynamic wallpaper brakes: Reduce the resolution of animation in the app settings. Turn off battery saving for wallpaper app.

If none of these methods worked, check if your Xiaomi has custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS) installed, in which case the algorithm for changing the wallpaper may differ.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions