How to put your picture on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways

The lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on a smartphone, so many Xiaomi users want to personalize it by setting a favorite photo, a beautiful landscape or a meme. However, not everyone knows that there are several ways to change the background of the lock in MIUI, and they differ depending on the firmware version and device model. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from standard settings to workarounds for older versions.

It's important to understand that the lock screen and the desktop wallpaper are set up separately, and many users confuse these concepts and can't find the right section on the menu. We'll show you exactly where the lock background settings are hidden, how to avoid cropping images, and why sometimes new wallpapers don't apply immediately. You'll also learn what image formats are supported, and how to get around system limitations if your photo doesn't want to be installed.

If you’re using the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Pro or the flagship Xiaomi 13 series, the instructions below are suitable for all of these models — the only difference is the location of some menu items. And owners of devices with MIUI 12.5 and below will come in handy alternative methods, since the interface of settings is very different in older versions.

1. Standard method: through the theme settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 13/14 firmware and later. Here is a step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Wallpaper section in the lower menu.
3. Select the Lock Screen tab (sometimes called Lock).
4. Click My Wallpaper or Gallery to upload your own image.
5. Select the desired photo and confirm the choice with the Apply button.

If there is no lock tab, then your version of MIUI does not support separate wallpaper change, in which case try the following method.

Photo resolution of at least 1080×2340 (for Full HD+ screens)

File format: JPG, PNG or WEBP

Photos not in the folder Protected files (access may be restricted)

Free memory (minimum 50 MB)

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On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), after selecting a photo, the system will suggest cropping it to the screen size, and here's a caveat: if you want the image to occupy the entire screen without black bars, choose Fill mode, not Fit.

⚠️ Warning: If the lock screen is the same after using the wallpaper, restart the smartphone. Sometimes the changes take effect only after the reboot, especially on devices with a reboot. MIUI 12.5 and below.

2. Alternative method: through the gallery

Not everyone knows that you can change the background lock directly from the standard Gallery app, which works on most Xiaomi devices, including the POCO F4 and Redmi Note 11 Pro+.

1. Open the gallery and find the photo you need.
2. Slip it to open it in full screen mode.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Set as.
4. In the menu that appears, select Lock Screen Wallpaper.
5. If necessary, cut the image and confirm the choice.

This method is convenient because it doesn't require a search through the settings menu, but it has a limitation: if the photo has a non-standard aspect ratio (for example, a square one), the system can automatically add black fields to the sides. To avoid this, pre-short the image in any graphics editor to the resolution of your screen.

Favorite photo|Beautiful landscape|A meme or a joke|Brand logo|Abstraction/drawing|Other-->

On devices with MIUI 14, Set how a separate lock screen item may not be available in the menu, in which case select Wallpaper, and then in the next window indicate that you want to use the image only for locking, not for desktop.

3. For older versions of MIUI (12.5 and below)

If you have a Xiaomi Mi 10, Redmi Note 9 or other model with MIUI 12.5 or older, standard methods may not work. These versions often don't have the option of separate lock wallpaper and desktop wallpaper settings.

1. Download the Google Wallpapers app from Play Market (it is free).
2. Open the app and select any photo from the collection or upload your own.
3. Click Set Wallpaper and in the window that appears, select Only the lock screen.

This app bypasses the limitations of MIUI and allows you to install different wallpapers for locking and desktop even on older versions of the firmware. However, note that after upgrading to MIUI 13/14, this method may stop working - in new versions, Xiaomi blocks third-party applications to change wallpaper.

Another way to use older versions is to use ADB-This will require you to connect your smartphone to your computer and install Android Debug Bridge, but it will work:

adb shell cmd overlay enable-exclusive com.android.theme.icon_pack.fallback.systemui


adb shell cmd overlay set com.android.theme.icon_pack.fallback.systemui




adb reboot

Once you have completed these commands, restart the device and try to reset the wallpaper through Gallery or Themes, a method that resets the default theme restrictions, but can cause some visual interface elements to fail.

4. How to avoid cropping and stretching an image

One of the most common problems with installing wallpaper on a lock screen is that it zooms incorrectly, and the system can crop important parts of a photo or stretch it, making it blurry. To avoid this, follow these tips:

• 📏 Proper resolution: Find out your smartphone’s screen resolution (e.g, 2400×1080 Xiaomi 12) And you can crop it up to these settings. Use services like Canva or Photoshop Express.
• 🖼️ For most Xiaomi, the ratio is 20:9 or 19.5:9. If your photo is square (1:1), it will be cropped on the sides.
• 🎨 Central composition: Place the main object of the image in the center - so that when pruning it will not be cut off.
• 🔍 Check before installation: In the Gallery app, when selecting wallpaper, use the preview function to see how the photo will look on the screen.

If you install live wallpaper (animated), note that it may not be supported on the lock screen. Xiaomi limits animation to only the desktop to save battery power. AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra) where simple animations are available.

5. Problem Solving: Wallpaper is not installed

Sometimes users find that the new wallpaper is simply not used, or the lock screen remains black, and these are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

• 🔄 System cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Themes and clear the cache. Then restart the device.
• 📁 Access rights: If the photo is stored on SD-In a secure folder or card, move it to the internal memory in the folder. DCIM or Pictures.
• 🔋 Energy savings: In battery settings, turn off Ultra-Economic mode - it can block wallpaper change.
• 🛠️ Failure of theme: Try to change the theme to the standard (Settings) → Topics → My subjects. → Standard, then repeat the installation of wallpaper.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the Toms to the factory settings.

1. Open Settings → Themes.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset settings.
3. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Note: On some devices with MIUI 14 after resetting themes, you may not be able to install wallpaper on the lock screen, in which case only updating the firmware or rolling back to the previous version via Fastboot will help.

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If the wallpaper is set but resets to standard ones after a few days, check the theme sync settings. In Settings → Xiaomi Account → Sync, disable the Sync option so that the system does not reset your changes.

6. Additional chips: widgets and lock screen styles

In addition to changing the background, you can set up MIUI to display information on the lock screen, such as adding weather widgets, calendars or players.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select the Lock screen style.
3. Slip on Add widgets and select the right ones (weather, steps, music, etc. are available).
4. Drag the widgets to a convenient place on the screen.

On devices with Always-On Display (AOD) (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F4 GT), you can set a separate background for the always-on screen mode.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Always-On Display.
2. Select Style and click Set up.
3. Upload your photo or select from the suggested templates.

Note that AOD is very battery-consuming, and if you notice that your smartphone is running out faster, turn off this mode or reduce display time.

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On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) better use dark wallpaper for the lock screen, which will reduce power consumption and extend battery life.

7.Security: How to Hide Notifications on the Lock Screen

Personalizing your lock screen is not just about beauty, it's about privacy. If you're installing personal photos, make sure that outsiders don't see your notifications. Here's how to hide sensitive information:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Lock screen.
2. Choose Do Not Show Notifications or Hide Content.
3. For individual applications (such as instant messengers), set up the display manually.

You can also turn off notifications on the lock screen completely, but this is inconvenient if you check new messages often. Alternatively, use incognito mode for notifications:

• 🔒 B Settings → Lock screen enable Hide sensitive content.
• 📱 For WhatsApp, Telegram and other messengers in the application settings, disable preview text in notifications.

If you’re afraid that someone might unlock your smartphone from a photo on the screen (for example, if it’s your face or fingerprint), use neutral wallpaper without personal data.

1. In Settings → Lock screen, enable Application Blocking.
2. Add Gallery and Themes to the list so that you can’t change the wallpaper without a password.

FAQ: Frequent questions