Modern Xiaomi Mi TVs and Mi Box consoles are powered by Android TV, which offers a wide range of personalization options. One of the elements that create the mood when the screen is off is a screensaver or screensaver. Standard settings offer basic options, but many users want to see their own photos or specific artworks.
Changing a static image or dynamic slideshow requires understanding the Android TV menu structure, which may differ from the usual MIUI interface on smartphones. In this article, we’ll look at all the available ways to install new backgrounds, from Google’s built-in features to third-party apps.
In addition, owners of TVs with OLED arrays should pay special attention to the settings of the timer of the screen to prevent pixel burnout.
Standard screensaver settings in Android TV
The basic functionality of the operating system allows you to select the source of images without installing additional software. To access these parameters, you need to go to the main menu and find the settings section, which is usually indicated by the gear in the upper right corner.
Inside the menu, you'll find the Settings of the device or the System where you're controlling the display, and that's where the switch is, which activates the screensaver mode when you're down.
- 🖼️ Art Gallery – showcases artwork and high-resolution photos provided by Google.
- 🌍 Earth View – shows satellite images of different parts of the world with the names of locations.
- 📸 Google Photos – lets you stream albums from your personal cloud library.
Choosing a Google Photo source is the most popular option, as it gives you complete control over the content, but it requires pre-synchronization of your account to work properly.
⚠️ Note: When selecting dynamic screensavers with high detail, make sure that the TV is connected to the Wi-Fi network at a sufficient speed, otherwise images may load with delay or artifacts.
Not all Xiaomi TVs display these options the same way. In some firmware, the path may be slightly altered by the manufacturer, but the logic remains the same across the Android ecosystem.
Set up a personal slideshow from Google Photos
To implement the idea of personal photos, you need the images to be uploaded to Google's cloud storage, which can be done via a smartphone or web version of the service, and once the data is uploaded to the server, the TV can access it.
Go to the settings of the screensaver and select the source of Google Photos. The system will prompt you to log in to your account if you have not done this before when setting up your TV. Password entry is more convenient to perform through the pop-up keyboard on your smartphone, scanning QR-code.
Once authorized, the album selection menu will open, and you can note the specific folders that will be used to showcase them, and if the albums were not created, the system will offer random photos from the general library.
☑️ Setting up Google Photos on TV
The important parameter is the frame rate, and you can set the settings menu to allow the images to change, and you can create a live frame effect.
Keep in mind that when you turn on the TV, the screensaver may not be activated instantly, but after a while of downtime, and this option is also adjusted in the general display menu.
Use of third-party applications for screensavers
The functionality of the workload may seem limited, especially if you need specific visuals or support for formats that don’t work out of the box. The Google Play Store on your TV offers a variety of solutions.
One of the most powerful tools is the Fotoo app, which allows you to create complex slideshows with music, transition effects, and even display weather or time over images, and install them in a standard way through in-store searches.
Another popular option is Screensaver from various developers who specialize in data visualization or abstract graphics. Such applications often have their own timer and activation trigger settings.
- 🎨 Fotoo is a professional slideshow with support for many cloud services and local folders.
- ⏳ Aerial – a screensaver with videos of flights over cities, similar to the one on Apple TV.
- 🕰️ ClockScreensaver – a minimalist full-screen watch, useful for using TV as a desktop chronometer.
When installing third-party software, you must give permissions to access media files and the network, without which the application will not be able to display content or update data.
⚠️ Warning: Some heavy screensaver applications may consume significant processor resources, which leads to the heating of the Mi Box console during prolonged idle operation.
After installing a new application, it must be activated as the main screensaver, for this purpose, the system settings of the screen choose not the standard version, but the name of the installed application.
Comparison of installation methods
The choice of personalization depends on the user’s goals and technical equipment, and the following is a table comparing the main methods by key parameters.
| Method | Difficulty setting up | Flexibility | Resource intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Gallery (Google) | Low. | Low. | Minimum |
| Google Photo | Medium | Tall. | Low. |
| Fotoo (Annex) | Tall. | Maximum | Medium |
| Video files (USB) | Medium | Medium | Tall. |
As the comparison shows, Google’s standard tools balance simplicity with functionality, with apps like Fotoo providing maximum control but taking time to configure.
Use of video files with USB-The storage device is possible, but requires a player that supports cyclic playback and start at the start of the system, which is not implemented on all Xiaomi models.
How to run a USB video as a screensaver?
Features of settings for OLED matrices
Owners of Xiaomi TVs with OLED-A static image that is on the screen for a long time can lead to uneven wear of organic LEDs, known as burnout.
In such models, it is recommended to either completely disable the screensaver, or use dynamic options where the image is constantly shifting or changing.
The display settings often have a "Screen Protection" or similar setting, where you can set a minimum time before going to sleep, and an interval of 5-10 minutes is considered optimal.
- 🌑 Black screen is the best option for OLED, Because the pixels are turned off and do not degrade.
- 🔄 Pixel Shift – a feature that imperceptibly shifts the image, preventing burnout.
- ⏱️ Sleep timer – forced to turn off the screen after a given period of time.
If you use a TV as a photo frame, make sure that the screensaver app supports burnout prevention. Most modern programs have this mode.
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For OLED TVs, use screensavers with black backgrounds and bright elements that are constantly moving to distribute the load on the pixels evenly.
Removal and resetting of settings
Sometimes, after a firmware update or system failure, the settings of the screensavers may fly off or stop working correctly. Images may not load, or the screen may simply go out instead of showing a slideshow.
The first step in diagnosing is checking the Internet connection. Without access to the network, sync with Google Photos is impossible. Check the date and time settings, as desynchronizing the clock can block the secure connection.
If the problem persists, you can try to clear the cache of the Screensaver application. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Screensaver and select Clear Cache.
⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse cache cleaning with data deletion. Deletion of data will reset all settings of the screensaver to the factory, and you will have to re-choose albums and settings.
In extreme cases, rebooting the TV completely shuts off from the socket for 1-2 minutes helps, which allows you to reset temporary errors in the Android TV operating system.
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Resetting screensaver settings through the app menu often solves the problem of hanging slideshows without the need to completely reset the TV.