Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often wonder about personalizing their device, wanting to see not just a static picture, but constantly updated content. AMOLED-screen (in some versions) or quality IPS, The wallpaper carousel feature allows you to turn the lock screen into a dynamic gallery that changes images every time you turn on your phone.
The process of activating this feature does not require complex technical knowledge, but has its own nuances in the shell of MIUI. The system offers built-in tools that work steadily and do not consume excessive amounts of battery power. However, users need to understand the difference between standard themes and specialized services for changing backgrounds to avoid confusion in settings.
Next, we will take a closer look at all the customization options available, and you will learn how to manage image sources and what to do if standard functions stop working correctly.
The mechanism of Glance and standard wallpaper
The image change functionality on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is based on Glance (formerly known as Lock Screen Magazine), a system application that is integrated into the MIUI shell and is responsible for displaying content on a locked screen. The principle of operation is simple: the application periodically requests new images from servers or from local memory, creating a “live” gallery effect.
It's important to understand that wallpaper is not just a set of images, but a complex mechanism that takes into account the time of day and geolocation, for example, in the morning you may be offered motivational quotes, and in the evening - calm landscapes, the system analyzes user behavior and tries to select content that will be relevant at a given time.
Technical details of the service
The mechanism requires a stable Internet connection to work properly, as the main stream of content comes from the cloud, and local images are also supported, but their functionality is limited to a static set of files selected by the user manually.
Installation and activation through the Topic Application
The most common way to adjust the background is to use the standard Themes app, which is pre-installed on all Redmi Note 9 devices and is the main tool for customizing the interface.
To get started, you have to open the app and go to the user profile, which is usually marked by the person icon in the lower right corner of the screen, and it hides settings that are not obvious when you first see the interface.
1. Click on the item "Wallpaper carousel" in the profile menu.
2.In the window that opens, you will see a service status switch.
3. Activate the function by moving the slider to the "On" position.
☑️ Checking the activation of the service
Once activated, the system can request permission to access the geolocation and gallery, which is necessary for the correct content selection and the ability to upload your personal photos, without these permissions, the functionality will be limited only to standard sets from the manufacturer.
It is worth noting that the interface may vary slightly from one region to another, and in global versions of MIUI, this section may be called Lock Screen Magazine, while in Chinese or Indian builds, the name Glance is used.
Configure content sources and categories
Once the feature is enabled, the user can have a wide range of categories, from nature and architecture to celebrities and abstract art, and manage these categories to make the lock screen truly personalized.
To select topics of interest, go to the carousel settings, where you will see a list of available headings, category filtering helps to remove unwanted content, such as images of animals or sports, if you are not interested in them.
* 🌿 Nature and landscapes are a classic choice for those who love peace of mind.
* 🏙 Architecture and cities – dynamic pictures of megacities from around the world.
* 🎨 Art and Design – Abstractions and Works of Famous Artists.
* 🐾 Animals – cute pets and wild fauna in high resolution.
Category choices affect which images will automatically arrive. It is recommended to leave 3-4 categories included to keep the variety in place, but the content remains within your interests. Excessive selection of topics can lead to images changing too often or not falling into the subject.
Adding personal photos to the rotation
One of the most useful features is the ability to add your own shots to the carousel, which allows you to see your favorite moments on the lock screen of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 every time you pick up the phone.
To upload personal photos, you need to go to the carousel settings and select My Wallpaper or Add a Photo. The system will suggest you select images from the gallery. You can upload either one photo or an entire album.
⚠️ Note: When you add a large number of high-resolution photos (more than 20 MB each), you may experience a slight slowdown when you switch images.
Once you select a photo, the system will suggest adjusting the frequency of the photo, so you can prioritize your personal shots or let them mix with content from the Internet, creating a unique mix where professional photos are combined with personal memories.
There's also a smart sort feature that analyzes the faces in the photo and tries to show the best quality shots. If the photo shows people, the system will try to fraternize the image so that the faces are not cropped by interface elements such as watches or notification widgets.
Solving problems with image updates
Sometimes users are faced with situations where images stop changing or are updated very rarely, this can be due to power saving settings or system services failures.
The first thing to check is the battery settings, and MIUI is known for its aggressive optimization, which can put the background to sleep, so you have to look up the wallpaper carousel or Glance app in the settings and let it run in the background.
| Problem | Possible cause | Method of solution |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Images are unchanged | Internet down | Check Wi-Fi or mobile data connection |
| Download slow | Weak network signal | Switch to stable Wi-Fi |
| Black screen appears | Cache Error | Clear the app cache in the settings |
| Personal photos are not working | No access to the gallery | Permissions menu |
💡
For a quick diagnosis, try switching the theme to standard, and then return yours. This often restarts the interface visualization services.
If simple methods don't work, you can try resetting the app settings. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find the carousel service, and click Clear Data. This will return the component to factory status without deleting personal files.
Disabling Advertising and Extra Notifications
In some firmware versions, wallpaper carousels may be accompanied by banner ads or recommendations to install additional apps, which annoys many users and reduces the aesthetics of the device.
To get rid of ads, you need to go to the carousel settings and find “Receive recommendations” or “Recommended content,” and disabling this option removes the ad blocks, leaving only clean images.
⚠️ Note: In some regions, disabling ad features may be hidden deep in the menu or require changing the region in the phone settings to “India” or “Singapore”, where content policies differ.
It’s also worth checking the notification settings, and the service may be trying to send news or notifications about new wallpaper collections, and disabling these notifications in the system menu will make using the phone more comfortable and less intrusive.
To fully control the process, it is recommended to periodically check updates to the Themes app itself through the Mi Store or Google Play. Developers often release patches that improve stability and remove bugs associated with the display of content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does the carousel of wallpaper affect battery consumption?
Can we use our own? GIF-animation?
Why did the carousel settings disappear after the MIUI update?
How to prevent the clock from overlaying important parts of the photo?
💡
Competent setting of the wallpaper carousel allows not only to personalize the device, but also to turn the lock screen into a source of inspiration and relevant information.