Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where when you turn on the screen instead of a static picture, an ever-changing image gallery appears. This phenomenon, known as the Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance), can annoy some users with its intrusiveness and advertising, while others, on the contrary, want to customize it to their taste. The problem is compounded by the fact that different versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, the paths to settings may differ, and the names of functions vary depending on the region of the firmware.
In this article, we will take a look at how to manage this functionality, from completely replacing the source of images with your own photos to completely disabling the service if you do not need one. Deeply configuring the system allows you to turn the lock screen into a personalized information center or, on the contrary, return it to a minimalist look. Understanding how this mechanism works is critical for comfortable use of the device.
Before we start to make changes, it’s worth noting that the carousel is not just a change of pictures, but a separate system service that consumes resources. Glance (formerly Lock Screen Magazine) can load up to 50 MB of traffic per month in the background, if not limit its operation only through Wi-Fi. So the competent configuration of this element of the interface is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also the optimization of the smartphone.
What is a wallpaper carousel and why it is needed
The wallpaper carousel, often referred to as Glance or Lock Screen Magazine in global firmware versions, is a dynamic system for displaying content on a locked screen. Unlike static wallpaper, the service automatically updates the background image at intervals or every time a device wakes up. The images are sourced from partner databases that can include photos of nature, celebrities, cars or abstract art.
The main purpose of this feature implementation by Xiaomi developers was to increase the visual appeal of the interface and retain the user’s attention. However, in practice, many perceive this as intrusive advertising, since among high-quality images often skip promotional materials of applications or games.
It is important to distinguish between two types of carousel: system (from Google or the manufacturer itself) and third-party. System integrated into the shell and has access to deep lock screen settings, while third-party apps from the Play Market work as overlays and can consume more battery power. For most users, the best solution is to configure the built-in mechanism, since it is better optimized for the hardware of a particular smartphone.
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If the wallpaper carousel is slow or the pictures are loaded for a long time, try clearing the cache of the Wallpaper application in the memory settings section.
How to Disable or Change the Source of Images in Glance
The most common request is to replace the standard stream of images with a custom or complete shutdown of the service. In modern versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the control process has become more flexible. To change the source, you need to go to the lock screen settings. Often users search for this item in the general settings, but it is included in a separate screen control menu.
The process of changing the source is to find the app that's in charge of the gallery, which can be called Wallpaper, Glance or Lock Screen Magazine, and inside this app, you have a switch that lets you choose between Recommended (online content) and My Photos (local gallery), and if you want to remove ads and random pictures, switching to a local gallery is the perfect solution.
- 📱 Open your smartphone settings and find the Lock Screen section.
- 🖼️ Select Wallpaper Carousel or Glance in the list of available options.
- 🔄 Click on the current source and select My Photos or Gallery from the list offered.
- ✅ Confirm the selection of albums to be used to form a carousel.
If you want to get rid of the service completely, because you don't need it, you can turn it off. In some regions, this is done by simply switching the wallpaper carousel toggle. In other cases, especially in the Indian or Chinese versions of firmware, you may need to remove system app updates or use special commands through ADB, but standard means of disabling are usually available.
☑️ Checking Glance's settings
Setting the frequency of change and image formats
After choosing the source of the images, many users wonder why images change too often or, conversely, rarely. Flexible setting allows you to adjust this setting. In standard mode, the carousel can be updated every time you turn on the screen, which creates a live interface effect, but can be distracting. Some firmware versions allow you to set a time interval, for example, change the picture once every hour or once a day.
Special attention should be paid to image formatting. Modern smartphone screens have different aspect ratios and camera cutouts. To make the carousel look presentable, the system uses crop algorithms. If you use your own photos, make sure they have sufficient resolution. The optimal format is the one corresponding to the screen resolution, for example, 1080×2400 pixels for most Redmi Note models.
⚠️ Note: When using your own photos in a carousel, the system can automatically apply zoom or edge trimming to fill the entire screen.
Also worth mentioning is support for formats. The system works standardly with JPG and PNG. Formats like HEIC (often used in iPhones) may not display correctly or require conversion before adding to the album for the carousel. Classic raster graphics formats are better used to ensure maximum compatibility and speed.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Permission | Native (e.g. 1080x2400) | Clear image, lack of blur |
| File format | JPG / PNG | Load speed, compatibility |
| Shift frequency | When the screen is turned on | Dynamic interface, battery consumption |
| Source | Local gallery | No advertising, traffic savings |
Resolving loading and display problems
Often, users are faced with the fact that the carousel stops updating, images freeze or display a black screen, this may be due to a lack of RAM, when the system forcibly closes background processes, including wallpaper service, and the problem may lie in the crowded cache of the application.
To do deep cleaning, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find Wallpaper or Glance. Click Memory and select Clear Cache and Clear Everything. This action will reset the carousel settings to factory settings, and you will have to re-select the source of the images, but often it returns functionality to work.
Another common cause of failure is energy savings: Aggressive MIUI algorithms can kill the wallpaper update process to save charge, so to prevent this, you need to find the wallpaper app on the list of programs, go to the Battery section and set the "No Limits" mode, which allows the service to function in the background without interruptions.
Hidden settings through ADB
Differences in settings for different versions of MIUI and HyperOS
The interface for setting up the carousel varies significantly depending on the operating system version. In older versions of MIUI 11-12, control was simpler and often hidden in the depths of the theme menu. With the release of MIUI 13-14, Glance functionality was brought to the forefront and received a separate application. In the newest HyperOS, there is a tendency to minimize intrusiveness, and in many global versions, the carousel can be disabled by default or replaced with a more static widget.
Owners of devices with Chinese firmware (CN ROM) should note that the carousel is often integrated with local services and can be entirely in Chinese. In such cases, it is recommended to either change the region in the settings (Settings → Additional settings → Region), installing, for example, India or Europe, or use third-party launchers that intercept control of the lock screen.
It's important to understand that the name of the feature can vary. Global versions are Glance, Indian versions are Lock Screen Magazine, Chinese versions are Super Wallpapers (partially). Regardless of the name, the logic of the work remains the same: it's a content service aggregator. If you upgrade to HyperOS and you're missing your custom settings, look for them in the new "Personalization" app or in the "Screen is always on and screen locking."
⚠️ Note: After a major firmware update (e.g., with a MIUI HyperOS) carousel settings may reset. Check them again to avoid unwanted content.
Alternative ways to personalize the lock screen
If you don't like a standard carousel even after all the settings, there are alternative ways to customize it. The most reliable way is to use static high-quality wallpaper in combination with widgets. Xiaomi's shell allows you to place widgets directly on the lock screen (in new versions), which gives more functionality than just changing pictures.
You can also consider installing third-party apps from Google Play, such as Widgetsmith or specialized launchers like Niagara Launcher, which offer their own lock mechanisms, but it is worth remembering that third-party solutions often require permanent permissions to access data and can consume more battery than an embedded system solution.
For minimalists, the best choice is to turn off any dynamic elements: pick one favorite photo, set it as a static wallpaper, and forget about constantly flashing images, which not only calms the nervous system, but also reduces the load on the processor a little every time you wake up your smartphone.
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The perfect setting for the carousel is to balance visual pleasure with functionality. If the service is annoying, turn it off, the smartphone will work faster.