How to put a live wallpaper on Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Live wallpaper transforms the smartphone screen, adding dynamics and personality. On Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark), you can set the animated background in several ways, from built-in MIUI tools to third-party applications. However, not all methods are equally stable: some can drain the battery or conflict with the shell.

In this article, we’ll break down the working options for different firmware versions (including MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS), tell you how to avoid typical bugs, and share life hacks to optimize performance. If you want your Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12 or POCO F5 screen to play with new colors, read on.

1. Built-in live wallpaper in MIUI: where to look and how to turn on

Newer versions of MIUI (starting with MIUI 12) include a collection of live wallpapers from Xiaomi that don’t require additional apps to be installed.These background animations are optimized for power savings and are compatible with most models (except budget smartphones on Helio G-processors).

To find them:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Wallpaper (or long tap on the desktop) → «Wallpaper»).
• 🌄 Go to the tab "Live wallpaper" (in some firmwares called "Dynamic»).
• 🔍 Scroll down – there may be categories of “Nature,” “Abstraction,” or “Minimalism».
• 💡 Choose the option you like and click “Apply».

Note: Built-in wallpaper usually weighs 10–50 MB and stored in /system/media/theme/default_wallpapers. They can not be removed without root-rights, but you can disable in the theme settings.

2 Third-party apps: TOP-5 for Xiaomi in 2026

If standard wallpaper is not enough, Google Play apps come to the rescue. The main rule is: choose programs with a high rating (4.5+) and fresh updates (no older than 3 months).

Check the permissions of the app before installing, and if it requests access to the Camera or Microphone for no obvious reason (for example, for paralax wallpaper), it is a reason to be wary.

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To live wallpaper does not slow down, in the application settings, reduce FPS animations to 30 frames / s and turn off background activity.

3. How to install live wallpaper through APK: a safe way

Some unique wallpapers (such as official ones from Samsung or Google) are not available in the Play Market for Xiaomi. APK-file, but with caution:

Download files only from verified sources (APKMirror, XDA Developers)

Check the hash amount of the file (MD5) for viruses through VirusTotal

Include “Unknown Sources” in Settings → Applications → Special Access

Once installed, disable the Overlay Over Other Windows permission for unknown applications-->

Example: To put live wallpaper Google Earth on Xiaomi:

1. Download. EarthWallpapers_1.0.apk APKMirror.
2. Install the file through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager).
3. Launch the app and select wallpaper in the "Live backgrounds" section.
4. Apply through the Settings → Wallpaper → My Wallpaper.

⚠️ Attention: Some APK-The wallpaper may conflict with MIUI Optimization (com.miui.optimization) If artifacts appear on the screen after installation, clear the system cache in Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.

4. Live wallpaper via KLWP/KWGT: for advanced users

KLWP (Kustom Live Wallpaper Maker) and KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker) applications allow you to create custom animated wallpaper from scratch or use presets. It is a powerful tool, but requires customization.

Instructions for Xiaomi:

1. Install. KLWP from the Play Market (worth) ~300 ₽).
2. Download your favorite preset (for example, on kustom.rocks).
3. Import it to KLWP via Load Preset.
4. Set up the animation (speed, triggers) in the editor.
5. Use it as wallpaper through Set Wallpaper.

To work properly, disable battery optimization for KLWP in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Battery Optimization.

5 Problems and Solutions: Why Live Wallpaper Doesn't Work

Even after installation, the animation may not start, and here are the typical reasons and ways to fix them:

• 🔋 Fast battery discharge: Turn off wallpaper in power saving mode (Settings) → Battery → Performance mode).
• 🖥️ Wallpaper not animated: Check if the background is turned off in the accessibility settings (Settings) → Special opportunities → Simplified regime).
• 📱 Black screen after application: Reset the launcher settings (Settings) → Annexes → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data).
• 🔒 Unsupported Error: Update WebView in Play Market (required to render some wallpapers).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F4 GT) static elements of live wallpaper can cause burn-in. To avoid this, turn on the option "shift wallpaper" in the screen settings.

6 Performance Optimization: How Live Wallpaper Didn't Kill the Battery

Live wallpaper increases the load on the processor and graphics accelerator, which can reduce battery life by 20 to 30 percent to minimize the impact of:

• ⚡ Use low-wallpaper. FPS (24-30 fps instead of 60).
• 🌙 Turn off animations in the dark through Settings → Screen. → Wallpaper schedule.
• 🔄 Limit wallpaper updates to the home screen only (in launcher settings).
• 📊 Monitor battery consumption in Settings → Battery → If wallpaper eats more than 5% in an hour, remove it.

For Xiaomi owners with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3 processors (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), you can turn on the Game Turbo mode for wallpaper. This will distribute the load on the cores and reduce the lag:

Settings → Special features → Game Turbo → Add KLWP to the list of games

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On devices with MIUI 14+, live wallpaper automatically pauses when the phone is down (thanks to Adaptive Refresh Rate).

FAQ: Frequent questions about live wallpaper on Xiaomi