Personalizing the smartphone interface is the first step to making the device feel truly your own. Owner Xiaomi is often faced with the desire to replace the standard picture with your favorite photo from the gallery. The process of installing a new background seems trivial, but the shell MIUI and its successor HyperOS have their own features and hidden nuances that can confuse the inexperienced user.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways to replace background images, learn how to properly prepare a file to look perfect on a high-resolution screen, and avoid common synchronization errors. A customized desktop design approach not only improves visual perception, but also improves the overall usability of the device.
Preparing the image for the perfect display
Before you start installing it directly, you need to make sure that the source file meets the technical requirements of your display.Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with screens with a resolution of FullHD+ and higher, and have various aspect ratios, including elongated formats of 20:9. If you take an old photo of low quality, it can look blurry or stretched.
For best results, it is recommended to choose images with a resolution of at least 1080x2400 pixels. It is important to consider that on the lock screen, time and date can overlap important parts of the photo.
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Use PNG images for maximum clarity, as JPG can deposit compression artifacts in monochromatic areas.
There are several sources from which you can download quality materials:
* 📸 Own gallery – photos taken on the main camera module of your Redmi or POCO.
* 🌐 Specialized applications – services like Unsplash or Pexels that offer photos in the Internet 4K.
* 🎨 Wallpaper generators – built-in themes in the GetThemes store, adapted to a specific model.
Special attention should be paid to the color profile. AMOLED screens, which are often found in flagship lines, are able to display deep black. If you set an image with a predominance of dark colors, this will not only improve aesthetics, but also help save battery power.
Installation of the photo on the lock screen through the Gallery
The fastest and most obvious way to replace the background is to use the built-in Gallery app, which requires no deep immersion in the system settings and is available immediately after unlocking the device, and the algorithm is extremely simple and intuitive, even for those who first picked up an Android smartphone.
Open the Gallery app and find the image you want in one of the folders, like Camera or Downloads. Click on the picture to open it up to the full screen. At the bottom of the interface, you'll see a toolbar where you want to find the More button (usually indicated by three dots or the word "More" on the menu).
☑️ Pre-installing check
When you click on the menu button, you'll see an action list, and you'll find "Set as Wallpaper" or "Wallpaper," and you'll be asked to choose whether to apply the image to the lock screen, desktop, or both screens at the same time, and you'll select "Lock screen" if you want to see the photo only when the screen is off.
When framing an image, the system will suggest you move the frame or zoom in. Don't ignore this step, because automatic cropping can cut off important parts of the frame. After scale, press the confirmation button, and the system will apply the changes instantly.
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Using a gallery is the quickest way, but it doesn’t give access to advanced features like live wallpaper or depth effect.
Set up through the Topics and Wallpaper section
The Themes system app provides more flexibility in customization, and this is where you can find settings for live wallpaper and depth effects that are not available in standard gallery installation, and this section allows you to create complex content display scenarios.
Run the Themes app (an icon with a brush or the name "Themes"). At the bottom of the screen, switch to the Profile tab or search the Wallpaper section in the top menu. Here you will see categories: Recommended, Categories, Local and HD. We are interested in the Local section where all images from the device's memory fall.
⚠️ Note: When you first run the application may request permission to access the storage and location. Without these rights, the functionality may be limited, and downloading new packets may not be possible.
In the Local section, select the photo you want, and unlike the gallery, there are additional effects available, such as Deep Effect, which automatically blurs the background around the clock on the lock screen, creating a professional look, and you can also set up a schedule or when you turn on the screen.
To install, click Apply. The target screen selection menu will open. If you want the image to be static, make sure the Live Wallpaper switch is off, otherwise the picture will be animated, which may consume more power.
Working with live wallpaper and video backgrounds
Owners of Xiaomi devices with powerful hardware are often interested in the possibility of installing video as a background. Dynamic wallpaper animates the interface, but requires more CPU resources. In the MIUI shell, this feature is implemented through the “Live Wallpaper” section within the the theme application.
To set a video background, go to the Live Wallpaper section of the theme app. You can choose standard animations or download your video files from memory. MP4 and GIF formats are supported. When choosing your own video, the system will suggest cropping it to the desired aspect ratio and duration (usually up to 15-30 seconds for a cycle).
Impact on the battery
The setup process includes several stages:
* 🎬 Selection of video file from local storage.
* ✂️ Frame the display area for fitting under the screen.
* 🔊 Disabling the sound (optional if the video has an audio track).
* ✅ Application and testing of animation smoothness.
It's worth noting that some models with a budget processor can slow down the animation, so it's better to go back to high-quality static images, and also remember that live wallpaper doesn't work in energy saving mode.
Features of installation on the desktop
Installing an image on the home screen (desktop) has its own nuances related to widgets and application icons. Unlike the lock screen, here the image is constantly under the interface layer, so contrast and detail play a key role.
Go to the desktop settings by holding the blank area on the screen for a long time, or through the Topics menu -> Wallpaper. Select an image. The system will suggest zooming in. It's important to position the image so that the key objects don't overlap with the application folders. These are usually the center and bottom of the screen.
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For desktop, it is better to choose images with a blurred background or monochromatic gradients to ensure that the application icons remain readable and contrasting.
If you use a third-party launcher, the process may be different. In the standard MIUI launcher, desktop wallpaper and lock can be set independently. Make sure you choose the Desktop in the application menu. The Wallpaper Rotate feature is also available, which allows you to change the picture every day from the selected album.
For users who appreciate minimalism, the option of darkening wallpaper is available, which makes the white text of widgets and icons more visible, and the setting is in the "Additional" section when choosing wallpaper.
⚠️ Attention: When you install very bright or colorful wallpaper on your desktop, white text can be less readable widgets. Use the dimming function or choose calmer tones.
Table of comparison of installation methods
For the convenience of personalization, we will give you a comparative table of basic methods, which will help you understand which option is right for you depending on the purpose and model of the device.
| Installation method | Flexibility of settings | Battery impact | Available effects | Difficulty |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |
| Through Gallery | Low | Minimum | No | Very Low |
| Through the Topics app | High | Average | Depth, live | Average |
| Third-party apps | Very High | High | Widgets, slideshow | High |
| Live wallpaper (video) | Average | High | Animation, sound | Average |
As you can see from the table, standard system tools provide enough functionality for most users. Third-party applications only make sense if you need specific features, such as automatically loading wallpaper from Bing every day.
The choice of method depends on priorities: if autonomy is important, choose statics through the gallery. If aesthetics are important and you are willing to put up with a little more charge, use live wallpaper through the application of themes.
Problem Solving and Frequent Errors
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the photo is not installed, cropped incorrectly or looks poor quality. One of the common reasons is the inappropriate resolution or file format. The system can automatically compress the image, which leads to a loss of quality.
If the wallpaper floats when you scroll through your desktops, check the parallax settings. In some versions of MIUI, it's on by default. You can turn it off in screen settings or when you select wallpapers by unchecking the appropriate tick, and the problem may be in the cache of the Themes app.
Resetting the Thames annex
Common problems and solutions:
* 📉 Low quality – the original photo has low resolution, try to find the original in the HD.
* 🔄 Photo does not change - check if the power saving mode is turned on, blocking the change of background.
* 📐 Incorrect cropping – use the built-in editor to manually crop before applying.
* 🚫 Application error – restart the device, system services may have failed UI.
In rare cases, the problem may lie in a device’s overcrowded memory. If the space is less than 1 GB, the system may not properly handle new graphics files.