How to change the screensaver on Xiaomi Mi 9: all ways with photos and nuances

The screensaver on a smartphone is the first thing you see when you unlock the screen. On the Xiaomi Mi 9, it can both be pleasing to the eye and annoying over time. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to change it, from standard wallpaper from the gallery to dynamic screensavers with effects. But not all users know where to look for these settings and how to avoid typical errors (for example, when new wallpapers are not applied or reset after a reboot).

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of changing the screensaver on the Mi 9, including hidden MIUI features that allow you to customize lock animations or use live wallpaper. Particular attention will be paid to the nuances of working with themes from Xiaomi, they often cause bugs when changing the background. If you want to not just change the picture, but make the screen unique, here you will find instructions for working with third-party applications and even manually installing wallpaper through the file system.

⚠️ Important: On the Mi 9 with firmware MIUI 12 and above, the screensaver change algorithm is different from earlier versions. MIUI 10 or 11, some menu items may be called differently – we will specify alternative paths in the relevant sections.

1. Standard method: through phone settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are suitable for those who do not want to install additional applications and prefer formal solutions.

Open the Settings menu (the gear icon on your desktop) and go to Wallpaper. On some versions of MIUI, this item may be called Themes or Lock Screen. If you don't, use the search bar at the top of the settings and type in the "wallpaper" request.

In the menu you will see three tabs:

• 📱 Desktop - here the wallpaper of the main screen changes.
• 🔒 Lock screen – the necessary partition for changing the screensaver.
• 🎨 Topics – collections of wallpaper, icons and sounds from Xiaomi.

Select the Lock screen tab and scroll through the list of available wallpapers. There are both static images and dynamic screensavers (for example, with changing times or weather). To apply the option you like, just tap on it - the changes will take effect immediately.

⚠️ Note: If it resets to standard after rebooting after changing the screensaver, check the sync settings in your Mi Account. Sometimes the conflict arises due to the Restore Theme function, which automatically returns previous settings.

Backup current wallpaper | Check version MIUI | Disable theme synchronization in Mi Account | Close background applications-->

2.Use of the gallery: how to put your picture

If you're tired of the built-in wallpaper, you can upload your own image, any photo you're looking at from a gallery or downloaded from the Internet will do, and the key is to consider the resolution of the Mi 9 screen (2340×1080 pixels) so that it doesn't stretch or cut.

Step instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app and find the image you want.
2. Slip on it, then tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Set as.
3. In the menu that appears, select the Lock screen Wallpaper.
4. If necessary, adjust the framing area and press Ready.

If the item “Install as absent”, update the Gallery application through the Play Market or use an alternative method: press your finger on the free desktop space → Wallpaper → My wallpaper → select an image from the gallery.

💡 Tip: For the best result, use images with a resolution not lower 1920×1080. If it's smaller, it'll be stretched, which will make it worse, to create the perfect wallpaper for the Mi. 9 You can use online services like WallpapersCraft, where there are templates for specific models of smartphones.

Standard from Xiaomi|Own photographs|Live wallpaper (animation)|Dark wallpaper for AMOLED|Abstract drawings-->

3. Live wallpaper and dynamic screensavers

MIUI supports so-called "live wallpaper" - animated screensavers that respond to touch or change the appearance depending on the time of day. On the Mi 9, they work smoothly thanks to the Snapdragon 855 processor, but can drain the battery a little faster.

To set up a live wallpaper:

• 🌊 Go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → Lock screen.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Live Wallpaper section (on some firmware it is called Dynamic Wallpaper).
• 🎞️ Choose the animation you like (e.g. Ocean, Hours or Weather).
• ⚙️ Set up the settings (animation speed, color scheme) and apply the changes.

If there are few built-in options, you can install third-party live wallpaper through the Play Market.

• 🌌 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker – to create custom animated widgets.
• 🌅 WallpapersCraft – a collection of live wallpapers with minimalist design.
• 🕒 Muzei Live Wallpaper – automatically changes backgrounds depending on time.

⚠️ Warning: Some live wallpapers from Play Market may conflict with optimization MIUI, Before installing, check user reviews for compatibility with Xiaomi Mi 9.

4 MIUI Topics: How to Download and Use Ready-to-Dispose Packs

Xiaomi offers a huge library of themes that change not only wallpaper, but also icons, fonts, animations, many of them free, but there are premium options.

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on your desktop).
2. Go to the Online tab and select a category (such as Minimalism or AMOLED).
3. Slip on your favorite topic and click Apply.
4. In the list of changes, tick Wallpaper lock screen and confirm.

Note: Some themes only partially change the screensaver (e.g., leaving standard watches or notifications). To fix this, after applying the theme, go to Settings → Lock Screen → Watch Style and select the appropriate option.

📊 Below is a table with popular theme categories for the Mi 9 and their features:

Important: After installing a theme from the MIUI store, some elements (such as fonts) may not display correctly. This is due to firmware limitations. To return the standard look, reset the theme in the settings: Themes → My themes → By default.

5. Reset the screensaver to factory settings

If after experimenting with wallpaper, the lock screen starts to glitches (for example, notifications are not displayed or the background disappears), you can return the standard screensaver.

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → Lock screen.
• 📌 Select the Basic (or Standard) section on older versions MIUI).
• 🖼️ Slip on the first option (usually it is an abstract pattern or Mi logo).
• ✅ Confirm the changes with the button Apply.

If the reset didn’t help, try clearing the Topics app cache:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the topics in the list and tap on it.
3. Select Clear the cache and restart the phone.

🔧 Technical nuance: Some Mi 9 firmware (especially custom) wallpaper reset may not work due to modified system files. In this case, only a complete reset through Settings will help → The phone. → Resetting settings, but it's an extreme measure.

💡

If after changing the screensaver, the widgets disappeared from the lock screen (for example, weather or steps), go to Settings → Lock screen → Widgets and turn them on again.

6 Problems and Solutions: Why the Screensaver Has Not Changed

Sometimes users find that new wallpaper is not applied or reset. Consider the typical causes and ways to eliminate them:

Problem 1: The screensaver does not change after choosing a new background.

• 🔹 Check if the Automan Wallpaper feature is included in the theme settings.
• 🔹 Restart your phone – sometimes changes only take effect after a reboot.
• 🔹 Update the firmware: in older versions MIUI There were wallpaper bugs.

Problem 2: Wallpaper is reset after reset.

• 🔹 Turn off the synchronization of themes in Mi Account (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Synchronization → Topics).
• 🔹 Delete the Topic app cache (instruction above).
• 🔹 Check if the rights are established. ADB Resetting wallpaper (relevant for rooted devices).

Problem 3: The wallpaper is slowing down or not working.

• 🔹 Turn off energy saving mode in Settings → Battery.
• 🔹 Check if the animation function is blocking the optimization function MIUI (Settings → Special facilities → Optimization MIUI).
• 🔹 Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) that supports live wallpaper better than standard.

⚠️ Note: If none of these methods worked, the cause may be corrupted system files, in which case only flashing your phone through Fastboot or Recovery will help. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

💡

Before resetting or flashing, always check if the wallpaper behavior is related to a particular app, for example, some banking programs block changing the screensaver for security reasons.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the screensaver on Xiaomi Mi 9