Xiaomi smartphones are famous not only for their affordable price, but also for their powerful customization of the MIUI shell interface (or its new HyperOS analogue). One of the first things that a user sees when they wake up is the lock screen. The standard image preinstalled by the factory often seems boring or quickly boring. Fortunately, the system allows you to flexibly manage this aspect of the visual design, turning the gadget into a personalized accessory.
Modern firmware versions have made the background change even more advanced: you can now install not only static images, but also full-fledged videos, and activate the Wallpaper Carousel feature, which automatically changes images on schedule. However, beginners are often confused by the abundance of settings, promotional offers from the system itself, or the inability to immediately find the right menu item. In this article, we will discuss all available ways to replace the screensaver, including hidden functions and methods of combating intrusive advertising.
Before you start making changes, it is worth noting that the quality of the final picture depends on the resolution of the original file. If you want the screensaver to look juicy and clear, you need to use images with a resolution that corresponds to the screen of your smartphone. For most modern models, it is full. HD+ or WQHD+. The use of low-quality images will lead to the appearance of “grain” and compression artifacts, which is especially noticeable on the surface. AMOLED-display.
Basic change of static image through gallery
The easiest and fastest way to install a new screensaver is to do it directly from the Gallery app, which doesn't require any deep diving into the system settings, and is ideal if you've just downloaded a beautiful photo or taken a high-quality shot.
Once you open the picture, click on the "More" button (usually three dots in the bottom corner of the screen). In the menu that opens, select Set as Wallpaper. The system will suggest you choose whether to apply the image to the lock screen, desktop or both screens at the same time. Choose the desired option, and the system will automatically crop the image to the desired proportions.
Smartphone screens are elongated, so square or horizontal photos will be cropped. You can move your finger to choose the most important part of the composition that will be visible on the locked screen, which is especially true for portrait photos, where it is important not to cut off the face.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers or themes, the standard path through the gallery may not work properly, in which case the image may not apply or shift. If you encounter such a problem, use the system settings described below.
Another nuance is the theme of the design: If your device has a third-party theme from the MIUI Themes store active, it can force the lock image to change to its own, in which case installing through the gallery can give a temporary effect until the theme is updated or rebooted. For complete control of the appearance, you better use the standard theme first, and then change the wallpaper.
Setting up through the system menu "Wallpaper"
A more flexible visual management tool is in the system settings, and it's packed with all the options available, including access to online directories and setting up slideshows. To get there, open Settings and find the Wallpaper section. In some versions of the firmware, it can be hidden inside the Lock Screen subsection.
Within this menu, you'll see a few tabs. The first one usually has static images categorized (Nature, Abstraction, Cities). The second tab is "Wallpaper Carousel," which we'll talk about separately. The third tab is often set aside for live wallpaper (video). Select the "Static" category to see Xiaomi's built-in collection.
The system gallery offers high-resolution images optimized for Xiaomi's display arrays. Here you can find unique artworks that are not available on the regular Internet. When you click on a favorite image, you open a preview. The Apply button allows you to set the background instantly. The advantage of this method is that you see how the picture looks along with the watch and notification widgets.
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Use the preview function in the system menu to assess whether watches or notifications overshadow important image details.
If a standard collection isn't enough, the same menu often has a Download More button or access to an online Pexels service or similar one integrated into the shell, allowing you to download new backgrounds without accessing the browser, and the quality of these images is usually guaranteed, as they are moderated.
The function of “Wallpaper Carousel”: slideshow on the lock screen
One of the most popular features in MIUI is Lock Screen Magazine, which allows you to turn your lock screen into a constantly updated photo feed, so every time you wake up your phone, you see a new image, which eliminates the need to manually change the background every few days.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen. Find the wallpaper carousel switch and activate it. Once turned on, the system will prompt you to select categories of images that you are interested in (for example, technology, nature, animals, art).
The carousel works in the background and periodically uploads new images over the Internet. This can consume traffic, so it is recommended to configure the download only via Wi-Fi. To do this, in the carousel settings, find the item Use the mobile network and turn it off if you want to save gigabytes.
The carousel also allows you to view information about the current image, swipe left or right (depending on the MIUI version) right on the lock screen, you can see the name of the location where the picture was taken, or a brief reference about the object, which turns the lock screen into a source of cognitive content.
⚠️ Note: In some regions and firmware versions, wallpaper carousels may contain advertisements from Xiaomi partners. If you see brand logos or promotional texts on screensavers, this is the standard behavior of the feature. Disable advertising completely only through special scripts or disabling the function.
Installation of live wallpaper and video to lock
Modern. AMOLED-Xiaomi smartphone screens are perfect for displaying dynamic content. Live Wallpapers are animated backgrounds that respond to touch or just play video cycles. They add depth and premium to the interface.
To install a video saver in the Wallpaper menu, go to the Video or Live Wallpaper tab. Here are short clips that last from 5 to 15 seconds. It is important to consider the energy consumption when choosing this background. Although MIUI optimization minimizes the impact on the battery, active animation still requires CPU resources.
You can also set your own video from the gallery. To do this, click on the wallpaper selection menu on the plus icon or the Local Video button. The system will prompt you to select a file from the device memory. Note that the video will be cropped to the screen format, and the sound will most likely be turned off automatically by the system.
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Video wallpaper can significantly increase battery consumption, especially if you have a model with a high refresh rate of 120 Hz and above.
It’s worth mentioning third-party apps from the Google Play store, such as Video Live Wallpaper, which allows you to set any video files as a background, but on Xiaomi, such applications can run unstable due to an aggressive energy saving system that will constantly “kill” the playback process.
Removal of advertisements and logos on the screensaver
Many users are faced with a situation where the lock screen appears the words "Get more interesting images" or the GetApps logo. It is not a virus, but part of the marketing strategy of the company, embedded in the wallpaper carousel function. However, this can be disabled.
To remove advertising, you need to dig deep into the settings of the carousel. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Wallpaper Carousel. Find the subscription plan or Recommendations and disable all switches associated with receiving content from partners.
Another source of debris is widgets that can be superimposed over the screensaver. Some global firmware versions have weather or pedometer widgets on their lock screen by default, and can be removed by going to lock screen editing mode (usually a long tap over an empty space on a locked screen or through settings).
If you use a third-party theme, it may contain built-in ads that cannot be turned off by settings, in which case the only solution is to change the theme to the official Classic or Default from Xiaomi, which will return a standard, clean interface without unnecessary elements.
Table: Comparison of types of screensavers on Xiaomi
To make it easier for you to decide on the type of design, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you weigh the pros and cons of each method, taking into account your priorities: battery savings, aesthetics or diversity.
| Type of screensaver | Battery consumption | Demands the Internet. | Visual effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static photo | Minimum | No (after installation) | Standard. |
| Wallpaper carousel | Low. | Yes (for update) | High (diversity) |
| Live wallpaper (systemic) | Medium. | No. | Very tall. |
| Gallery video | High-pitched | No. | Maximum |
As you can see from the table, classic static image remains the leader in energy efficiency. If you are often in a bad network reception zone or on a trip where every percentage of charge is important, it is better to refrain from using carousel and video.
On the other hand, if your smartphone is connected to charging, or you're in an office with Wi-Fi, the functions of the carousel and the live wallpaper are completely revealed, making interaction with the device more enjoyable and modern, and the choice depends solely on your personal preferences and scenarios of using the gadget.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users may encounter difficulties. One of the common problems is that the image is set but appears blurred or stretched, because of an aspect ratio mismatch, and the solution is to use high-resolution source codes and crop them before installation.
The second problem is that the screensaver goes off after the reboot and the standard one comes back, which is often the case with third-party themes, see if you have a theme that has been forced to change the lock screen, and the problem can be in the crowded theme cache, and try to apply the theme by default, clear the cache, and then put your wallpaper.
☑️ Checklist if the wallpaper doesn't change
The third case is a black screen instead of a picture, which may indicate that the image file is damaged or the system process miuihome is malfunctioning. Try opening the picture in another viewer. If it is displayed normally, try clearing the theme and wallpaper app data in your phone settings.
⚠️ Note: Do not download "live wallpaper" from unverified sources in the format APK. They may contain malicious code, as they require extensive permissions to access the system to run the animation.