How to change the picture on the lock screen Xiaomi: the complete guide

Personalizing your smartphone is the first step that a new owner takes after unpacking the device. The lock screen is the visual interface that users interact with most often, raising the gadget to check notifications or time. That is why choosing a quality and pleasing image becomes a priority for many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices.

Modern MIUI shells and the new HyperOS offer a wide range of customization options that go far beyond simply installing a single static photo from a gallery. You can set up automatic wallpaper changes, use live video backgrounds, or even download exclusive designs through the global T.T. app. However, despite the rich functionality, finding the right settings sometimes causes difficulties due to the deep nesting of the menu.

In this guide, we will take a look at all the ways to change your image in detail, from basic methods to advanced settings for enthusiasts, how to avoid common errors, why the image may not be displayed correctly, and what hidden features of the system should be activated for maximum visual pleasure.

Standard methods of installing wallpaper through the gallery

The most obvious and quick way to install the desired image is to use the built-in Gallery app, which is universal for all firmware versions and does not require an Internet connection if the photo is already stored in the device's memory. Just open the desired image, click on the three dots in the lower right corner and select the option "Install as wallpaper".

Once you have selected this feature, the system will ask you to define the scope: lock screen only, desktop only, or both screens at once. It is important to note that the proportions of the image may differ from the resolution of your display, so the system will suggest framing the picture. Move the image with your finger to select the most successful composition before confirming the action.

⚠️ Note: If you choose to set up on both screens, the system will apply the same framing, which can cause important photo details to be cropped on one of the screens due to the different geometry of the watch widgets.

For a more subtle setup, you can use the Settings menu, where the look and feel is controlled in a separate section. Go to Settings → Wallpaper to see pre-installed collections from the manufacturer. High-quality renders, specifically optimized for AMOLED matrixes, are often available here, which are used in Xiaomi’s flagship models.

Use of the Topics application for customization

Themes is the central hub for personalization in the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem. Unlike the standard gallery, here you get access not just to pictures, but to entire design concepts, which can include modified fonts, icons and, of course, unique lock screens with animations.

To find a specific image to lock, go to the Wallpaper tab at the bottom of the app screen, and here the content is divided into categories: "Video," "Static," "Supercovers." Video wallpaper is especially popular because it brings the screen to life when you turn it on, but it consumes more battery power.

• 🎨 Profile category: here are the works of independent designers, often with unique unlock animations.
• 📸 Section"HD": High-resolution photos ideal for screens with pixel density above 400 ppi.
• 🎥 Video wallpaper: short looping videos that play on the lock screen without sound.

It’s worth considering that some themes may be paid or subscription-based, but a huge amount of content is available for free. Once you download the theme, you can choose to set up theme where you can leave old icons but use a new lock screen.

Function "Carousel wallpaper" and slideshow

One of the most interesting features that is often overlooked is the Glance, which allows you to automatically change the image on the lock screen every time you wake up, eliminating the need to manually search for new images and creating a feeling of constantly updated interface.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen and find the wallpaper carousel. Here you can select the sources of images: it can be landscapes, cities, cars, animals or even motivational quotes. The system will download new images from the cloud when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

Users may find themselves in a situation where, along with beautiful pictures, advertising content from partners appears on the lock screen, which is the normal behavior of the free version of the service, but it can be partially controlled through the settings inside the Carousel application itself, selecting only certain categories of content.

Table of compatibility of wallpaper types

Not all image types look equally good across different smartphone models: The resolution of the array, the screen type (LCD or AMOLED), and the CPU version all affect how the image will be displayed and how much resources it will consume. Below is a table to help you choose the optimal format.

When choosing video wallpapers or heavy animated themes, you should keep energy consumption in mind. If maximum battery life is critical for you, it is better to prefer static images of dark colors, especially on the Internet. AMOLED-screens where black pixels are turned off.

Solving problems with display and quality

Often users are faced with the fact that the installed image looks blurry or has the wrong proportions. The main reason lies in the resolution of the original file: if you download an image of low quality (for example, downloaded from a messenger without sending it as a file), the system will stretch it, and compression artifacts will appear.

Another common problem is that the image is shifted because of a cutout under the camera or speaker. In new versions of HyperOS, framing algorithms have become smarter, but manual control is still necessary. Before installation, it is recommended to open the photo in the editor and crop it to the aspect ratio of your screen, leaving small fields at the top and bottom.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid using images with small details or text at the top of the screen, as it contains hours, dates and notification icons that will overshadow the images.

If you see strange color distortions or stripes after you install the wallpaper, try resetting the theme settings to the standard one and applying the picture again. Sometimes the theme app cache may conflict with new graphic elements.

💡

Save the original photos in the cloud or on PC in maximum quality. compression in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram by default) degrades the quality of the picture, making it unsuitable for use as wallpaper on high-resolution screens.

Hidden opportunities and advanced setting

For those who don’t have standard features, there are ways to install any video as live covers through third-party utilities like Video Live Wallpaper.These apps allow you to assign any video file from your smartphone’s memory to the lock screen, bypassing the limitations of the standard Tham app.

Also worth mentioning is the AOD (Always On Display) feature, which is closely related to the lock screen. Many Xiaomi models can customize the AOD style to harmoniously continue the design of the main wallpaper, creating the effect of a seamless, expensive interface where the screen is technically off but continues to display time and notifications.

• 🔋 Optimization: Enable "Smart Mode" for AOD, to be turned off in your pocket or at night.
• 🎨 Styles: Experiment with the watch, changing its position so that it does not overlap the key elements of the photo.
• ⚡ Gestures: set up double tapping to turn on the screen to see your new wallpaper faster.

Using third-party launchers can also change the look of the lock screen, but it requires more knowledge and access rights. Standard system tools can achieve great results if you combine static wallpaper, watch style and widgets correctly.

💡

Combination of dark static wallpaper with black pixels off AMOLED-The best way to save up to 15% of battery life in standby mode.