How to put your photo on the lock screen Xiaomi: 5 ways for all versions of MIUI

The lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone, and many Xiaomi users want to personalize it by setting a favorite photo. However, the standard MIUI settings are not always intuitive: somewhere the function is hidden in the depth of the menu, and somewhere requires additional manipulations with resolution or cropping. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to change the wallpaper on the lock, from the basic method through the gallery to manually editing system files for advanced users.

We will pay special attention to the nuances that are often missed in brief instructions: why some photos are not installed, how to avoid automatic cropping, and what to do if after updating MIUI or switching to HyperOS, the old methods stopped working.

If you've tried to change your lock wallpaper before and you've encountered errors like "Not using wallpaper" or "Not supported photo," there's a section in this article that addresses these issues, and for those who want to automate the process, we've prepared a shortcut for quickly changing wallpapers to one tap.

Method 1: Standard wallpaper change via MIUI settings

This is the simplest and most versatile method that works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices running MIUI 12-14 or HyperOS. It does not require superuser rights and is suitable even for beginners. The main disadvantage is the limited customization options: the system automatically crops the photo to the screen resolution, which can distort the composition.

To set the photo to lock through the standard settings:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to Wallpaper section (in some versions of MIUI it is called Lock Screen or Personalization).
3. Select the Lock Screen tab (not to be confused with the Home Screen!).
4. Click My Wallpaper or Gallery, then select the photo you want.
5. Adjust the framing area (if required) and confirm the selection.

If your MIUI version doesn’t have a separate tab for the lock screen, try an alternative path:

Settings → Display → Wallpaper → Lock screen

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To avoid auto-cutting, pre-slice it in any graphics editor to your screen resolution (e.g. 1080×2400 for most modern Xiaomi smartphones).

Note that HyperOS (starting with version 1.0) has changed the wallpaper menu interface.

Settings → Personalization → Wallpaper → Lock screen → My wallpaper

Method 2: Install photo through gallery (fast method)

If you need to change the lock wallpaper quickly without digging into the settings, you can do it directly from the Gallery app. This method works on all Xiaomi devices, but in some firmware you need to activate the function in the settings.

Instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app and find the photo you need.
2. Slip the image to open it in full screen mode.
3. Click on the icon. ⋮ (three points) in lower right corner.
4. In the menu, select Set as → Lock screen wallpaper.
5. If necessary, adjust the display area and save the changes.

If you don't have Wallpaper on the menu, it's disabled.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Permissions → Enable “Install Wallpaper”

Method 3: Use of third-party applications (for advanced features)

The standard MIUI tools limit the user to customizing the wallpaper: you can't set blur, dim or animation. If you need advanced features, you'll have to use third-party apps. We tested several popular utilities and selected those that work stably on Xiaomi without conflict with the system.

The best apps for customizing the lock screen:

• 📱 Wallpaper Changer – allows you to install live wallpaper (GIF) And they're automatically scheduled to change them. MIUI 12+ HyperOS.
• 🎨 Zedge – a huge wallpaper library with the possibility of previewing on the screen of your Xiaomi model.
• 🔄 Muzei Live Wallpaper – creates the effect of paralax and blur, automatically adjusts the wallpaper to the color scheme of the system.
• 🖼️ Backdrops – minimalist wallpaper with support for dark theme and adaptive color palette.

Before installing a third-party application, check its compatibility with your version of MIUI. Some utilities may conflict with system services, leading to the "System interface has stopped" error.

Make sure the settings allow installation from unknown sources | Back up the current wallpaper | Check app reviews on 4PDA or XDA | Turn off battery optimization for wallpaper apps-->

⚠️ Note: Apps like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher only change the wallpaper on the home screen, but do not affect the lock screen.

Method 4: Manual wallpaper replacement via file system (for advanced)

If standard methods do not work (for example, after resetting settings or updating firmware), you can manually replace the wallpaper file through the root file manager or ADB. This method is suitable for users who are not afraid to work with system folders.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and activate Debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap → Return to Additional → For Developers).
2. Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
3. Open the command line and execute: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system
4. Copy your photo to the system folder of wallpaper (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI): adb push /path/to/your/wallpaper.jpg /data/system/users/0/wallpaper
5. Reset the device.

An alternative way to lock wallpaper in HyperOS:

/data/system/users/0/wallpaper_lockscreen.jpg

⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly changing system files can lead to bootloop ( looped boot).Before experimenting, back up through TWRP Or Mi Flash Tool.

Method 5: Automatically change the wallpaper on a schedule

If you like variety, you can set up automatic wallpaper changes on lock time or when you unlock the screen, and Wallpaper Changer or Tapet apps are suitable for this, but MIUI also has built-in tools.

How to set up automatic shift in standard settings:

1. Go to Settings → Wallpaper → Lock screen.
2. Choose Dynamic Wallpaper or Automan (depending on the MIUI version).
3. Specify the folder with images in the gallery.
4. Set the shift interval (every hour, day or when unlocking).

For more flexible settings, use Tasker + Kustom Wallpaper plugin. Example of a problem to change wallpaper when connecting to Wi-Fi:

Profile: Connected to Wi-Fi "Home Network"


Task:




1.Plugin → Kustom Wallpaper → Install Wallpaper →




2. The path to the file: /storage/emulated/0/Download/wallpapers/%TIMES%10.jpg

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Automatic wallpaper change can increase battery consumption by 5-10%. Turn off the function if you notice a quick discharge.

Problem Solving: Why the photo is not set to lock

Even after you've completed all the steps of the instruction, you may encounter errors, and we've collected some of the most common problems and ways to solve them:

If none of the methods worked, check the integrity of the system files.

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Update Checker.
3. If you have an update, install it. It often solves the personalization problem.

Compatibility with different Xiaomi models

Not all of these things work equally well across devices, but here's the compatibility table for popular models, and if your smartphone isn't on the list, look for the MIUI/HyperOS version.

On devices with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi 10C or POCO M5), manually replacing wallpaper through the ADB can cause the graphics driver to crash. Before experimenting, check the chipset model in Settings → About Phone → Full Specifications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up wallpaper on lock