How to change the screensaver Xiaomi: from screensaver to living themes

Personalizing the interface of a smartphone is the first step to making the device truly yours. For owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco, the issue of visual design is especially acute, given the flexibility of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS. Users often confuse the concepts, calling the “savenger” and static desktop image, and the screensaver that turns on while charging.

In this article, we'll take a look at all the ways you can change your visuals, and you'll learn not just to pick out images from the gallery, but also to customize complex image scenarios, use live wallpaper, and even install third-party screensavers that were previously only available on tablets.

It's worth noting that the algorithms for the system may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and the specific firmware modification, but the basic principles remain the same for the entire ecosystem park of the Chinese manufacturer, and we will consider both standard tools and hidden opportunities for advanced users.

Differences between wallpaper and screen saver

Before you make any changes, you need to understand the terminology so you don't get confused. In Android, and in particular in the MIUI shell, Wallpaper refers to the static or dynamic image you see on your desktop and lock screen immediately after you unlock the device, which is the main background of the interface.

Screen saver, on the other hand, is a feature that only activates when the device is connected to the charger and is in downtime (not in use). The screen saver can show the time, weather, slideshows of photos or even interactive widgets. This is the mode that users who want to turn a smartphone into a smartwatch or desktop watch often look for.

Many users mistakenly believe that when you install beautiful wallpaper, it will automatically appear during charging. This is not true. To activate the mode during downtime requires a separate setting in the system menu. Without this step, the screen will simply go out or show a standard watch in Always On Display mode (if supported by the screen).

• 📱 Wallpaper - background image of the desktop and lock screen when actively using.
• ⏳ Screen saver – visual mode that works only during charging and idle device.
• 🖼️ Slideshow – the function of automatic change of images at a given time interval.

Understanding this difference is critical to the right setup, and if your goal is to make your phone look beautiful on the stand while you're working on your computer, what you need is the settings for the screensaver, and if you want to just change the picture on your desktop, you need a wallpaper section.

Installation of static and live wallpaper through settings

The easiest and most common way to change the visual design is to use a built-in settings menu, which requires no additional software installation and works consistently on all firmware versions, and you need to go to the main settings menu first.

Find Wallpaper or Wallpaper and personalization. Depending on the version of HyperOS or MIUI, this item may be directly on the main list or hidden inside the Display submenu. The system will offer several categories: recommended, live wallpaper, video wallpaper and classic images.

When choosing live wallpapers, resource consumption should be considered. Dynamic images such as Live Wallpapers can consume more battery power, especially on high refresh rate screens. However, on modern Snapdragon and Dimensity processors, the difference is almost invisible in everyday use.

To set your own image from the gallery, click the "Select Image" button or the plus icon in the upper corner. The system will prompt you to select a photo from the albums. After selecting a photo, you will be asked to apply it to the lock screen, desktop or both screens at the same time.

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Use images with a resolution of at least 1080x2400 pixels to avoid loss of quality on high-pixel density screens.

It's important to remember the proportions. If you upload a horizontal photo, the system automatically crops it, which can lead to the loss of important compositional details. Vertical shots taken on the smartphone camera fit perfectly.

Slideshow settings and wallpaper carousels

One of the most popular features in Xiaomi devices is the “Glance” (Wallpaper Carousel), which automatically changes the image on the lock screen every time you wake up the device, creating a sense of novelty and allowing you to see many beautiful photos without manual replacement.

To activate this feature, go to Settings → Wallpaper → Wallpaper Carousel. Here you can choose the subject of the images: nature, cities, art, sports or cars. The system will download new images over the Internet every time you turn on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Wallpaper carousel uses mobile traffic or Wi-Fi to upload new images. Make sure you have unlimited internet or enable Wi-Fi-only downloads in the service settings.

If you don’t need an automatic download, but you want your photos to change from your personal gallery, use the slideshow feature in the screensaver settings. Go to Settings → Screensaver (or Special Options → Screensaver on some versions). Select the source of Photos and specify the album.

You can also set the frame intervals in the same menu, and you can have 1 minute to 1 hour, which is especially useful if you're using your smartphone as a photo frame on your desktop while you're working.

It's worth noting that in the new versions of HyperOS, the algorithm for matching images has become smarter: it analyzes the time of day and can offer brighter images in the morning and calmer in the evening, which creates a more harmonious interaction with the device during the day.

Use of the Topics application for customization

Themes is a powerful tool that is often underrated, allowing you to change not only the wallpaper, but also the style of icons, fonts, notification sounds, and even charging animations. Access to full functionality sometimes requires a sign-in to your Mi Account.

In the app, go to the Wallpaper or Profile tab, and you'll find millions of images created by both the official designers and the community of users, and many of themes are complex: by setting up a single theme, you change the entire visual style of the interface.

Special attention should be paid to Super Wallpapers, which are complex animated scenes of planets (Mars, Saturn, Earth) that scale as they approach and have a detailed structure, and are not available on all models, but can be manually installed through a file manager if your model is not officially supported.

When downloading themes from third-party sources (not from the official store), be careful. Install files with the.mtz extension only from trusted forums, as they may contain malicious code.

Setting up the screen saver during charging

So back to the function that turns a smartphone into a desktop clock, and to activate a full screensaver that will burn while the phone is charging, you have to do a series of things. In newer versions of Android, the path may be hidden.

Go to Settings → Additional (or Special) → Screen saver. If you don't find this item, search by settings by typing the phrase "saversavers." In the menu that opens, switch the switch to "On".

You can choose what it will display. There are options available: "Clock" (different dial styles), "Colors" (abstract overflows), "Photo" (your gallery). Each option has its own settings. For example, for a watch you can choose the format of 12 or 24 hours, and also enable the display of seconds.

An important parameter is the time to go to sleep. If you want the screensaver to burn for a long time, increase the timer for going to sleep or select the option “Never” (carefully with burnout). AMOLED-To protect the matrix, it is better to use a screensaver with a frequently changing image or a black background.

⚠️ Warning: Long-term display of high-brightness static images on AMOLED-Use dark screensaver themes and avoid maximum brightness during prolonged downtime. Third-party applications for advanced screensavers of Standard Function are sometimes not enough. Google Play offers a variety of apps that extend screen saver capabilities, including popular apps like Fotoo or Dayframe that allow you to display photos from Google Photos, Dropbox or Yandex.Disk cloud storage, which work as a separate service. Once installed, you'll need to give them permission to display over other windows and access to the gallery. The advantage of third-party solutions is flexibility: you can set the schedule (turn on the screensaver only during the day), add a calendar display or news. However, the use of third-party software has its risks: background processes can consume a significant battery charge, even when the phone is simply charging. 🔋 Optimization – Third-party applications are often less optimized than system applications. ☁️ Cloud sync – the ability to pull photos directly from the cloud without downloading to the device. 🛡️ Security – read the permissions the app requests carefully. To install such software, simply search Screen Saver in the Play Market. After installation, do not forget to select the installed application as the source in the system settings of the screen saver, and not the standard watch or photo. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Why my Xiaomi does not have the “Screensaver” item in the settings? In some regions or versions of the firmware (MIUI Global vs China) this item may be hidden. Try searching inside the settings by entering the word "savenger". If the search does not give results, it is possible that your version of Android does not support this mode natively and you will need to install a third-party application. Can I put a video on the lock screen screen? Yes, it's possible through the Topics app. You can select an animated video from the Video Wallpaper section. However, it should be borne in mind that the video will only be played when unlocked or on the desktop, but not on the lock screen in sleep mode for reasons of energy saving. AMOLED-screens and processors of medium and high level the impact of live wallpaper on autonomy is minimal (1-3% day-to-day). However, on budgetary models with IPS-It can be more expensive to use screens and a weak processor. How do you turn off ads in the wallpaper carousel? It's hard to completely disable ads in the standard wallpaper carousel, because it's a promotion service. But you can limit the personalization of ads in your Mi Account settings, or you can just use third-party slideshow apps that don't have ad integrations. Can you use your photos to screensaver when you're charging? Absolutely. In the screensaver settings menu, select the source of Photos or Gallery, and the system will prompt you to select a specific album, which is the best way to personalize the device by turning it into a digital photo frame.