Personalizing the smartphone interface is the first step that makes a new gadget truly yours. Owners of Redmi and POCO devices often encounter a huge number of built-in design options that are hidden in different menus. The standard procedure for replacing a picture may seem simple, but the MIUI or HyperOS shell offers much more than just choosing a file from a gallery.
In this article, we will explore all the nuances of screen background settings, including hidden wallpaper carousel features, setting up live images, and solving typical problems when the system refuses to save changes. You will learn to manage themes professionally without overloading the device memory with unnecessary applications.
For starters, there are two basic levels of personalization in Xiaomi smartphones: desktop background and lock screen. These settings are independent, and changing one doesn't affect the other unless you explicitly state otherwise. Understanding this logic will allow you to create unique visual bundles.
Basic installation of the image from the gallery
The most common way to change the design is to use your own photo or downloaded image. The process is simple, but there are important nuances in the MIUI interface that beginners forget about. To install the picture, open the Gallery app and select the photo you want.
Once you open the image, click on the three dots in the bottom corner or swipe up to open the action menu. Here you will see Set as wallpaper. The system will suggest selecting the framing area, as the proportions of the photo may not match the screen.
The key point comes in the next window, where Xiaomi will ask you where to apply the image, and you will be offered options like “lock screen,” “desktop,” or “both screens.” Choose carefully to avoid getting the same picture everywhere if you were planning to share them visually.
If you want to install different images for different desktops (when the “Desktop Turn” function is enabled), the system may offer randomization, but with standard tools it is better to set a single background for all menu pages.
Use of the Themes and Wallpaper Store app
The Themes’ built-in app is a powerful tool that is often ignored, limited to changing icons, but it is here that Xiaomi’s official Wallpapers store is located, where high-quality images are collected, optimized for the resolution of their devices’ screens.
To access the catalog, open the Topic app and go to the Wallpaper tab at the bottom menu, where the content is divided into categories: nature, abstraction, space, animals, and others, and the advantage of this method is that the images are already in the right resolution and do not require framing.
In addition to static images, the store offers live wallpapers, which are animated backgrounds that respond to touch or just move. Note that active animation can consume more battery power, especially on the back of the camera. AMOLED-screens where black is not highlighted, but complex graphic elements require processor resources.
⚠️ Warning: When downloading themes and wallpapers from third-party sources or unofficial theme stores, always check the app's permissions.Some topics may request access to contacts or geolocation, which is suspicious behavior for a simple registration file.
The Themes app also has a My Pages feature, which stores all the wallpaper you previously uploaded, even if you deleted the theme from which it was taken, a handy way to keep your favorite background from being lost that you used a month ago.
Wallpaper Carousel function: dynamic change
One of the most popular features of the MIUI shell is the “Wallpaper Carousel” feature, which allows you to automatically change the image on the lock screen every time you turn on the smartphone screen, which creates a sense of novelty without the need for manual intervention.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen → Wallpaper carousel. Here you can enable automatic download of new images via Wi-Fi. The system will select images from different categories that you choose in the settings.
The carousel is flexible: you can like your favorite images, and the system will offer more similar content. If you don't like the picture, you can skip it by swipe. It's important to know that the carousel only works on the lock screen, on the desktop this feature is not natively implemented without third-party launchers.
For users who value minimalism, you can set the change rate, you can choose to update each time you turn on the screen or once at a certain time, and you can also display news or facts along with the image, which turns the lock screen into an information bar.
☑️ Setting up the wallpaper carousel
Live wallpaper and video backgrounds
The visual component of a smartphone can be not just static, but dynamic. Live wallpaper is short videos or interactive scenes that bring the interface to life. AMOLED-screens it looks especially spectacular due to the deep black color and rich color reproduction.
You can install a video background through the Themes app in the Live Wallpaper section, but if you want to upload your own video from the gallery, it is more difficult to do this with standard means, either downloading a special application from Google Play (for example, Video Live Wallpaper), or using the built-in theme editor if your version of MIUI allows you to create your own live wallpaper.
Consider the impact of these settings on autonomy. Constant rendering of animation requires resources graphics accelerator. If you notice that the phone has become discharged faster or warm in your pocket, try to turn off the live wallpaper and return to static.
How to create your own live wallpaper without third-party applications?
For owners of flagship models with high refresh rate screens (120 Hz), live wallpaper can work more smoothly, but also energy consumption will be higher.
Customization of depth and parallax effect
Many users don't know that Xiaomi's shell supports the parallax effect, which is when the wallpaper shifts slightly when you tilt your phone or jump between desktop pages, creating the illusion of depth, which makes the interface more "live" even without using video.
To control this effect, when installing wallpaper from the gallery or themes, pay attention to the Perspective switch or Enlarge at the time of preview. If you turn off this feature, the image will be fixed rigidly, which can be useful for preserving the composition of the frame if the photo has important details at the edges.
Also in screen settings (Settings → Wallpaper → Additional), sometimes there is the option “Discolor wallpaper” which is useful if the icons of the application merge with the background. A slight dimming will improve the readability of the icons, but can spoil the idea of the author of the photo.
The depth effect is particularly noticeable on high-pixel density screens. When choosing wallpaper, try to pick images where the main object is in the center, and the edges can be slightly blurred or trimmed when zooming.
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If you use a transparent background widget, choose wallpaper with a uniform texture or gradient. colorful photos will interfere with reading information on the watch or weather widgets.
Table: Comparison of wallpaper installation methods
To make it easier for you to choose the right way to personalize, we have prepared a basic method comparison table that will help you quickly navigate the system's capabilities.
| Method | Source | Impact on the battery | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| gallery | Personal photos | Minimum | Low. |
| Annex Topics | Minimum | Low. | |
| Live wallpaper | Video/Animation | High. | Medium |
| carousel | Average (traffic) | Low. |
As you can see from the table, classic methods are the safest for autonomy: using online directories requires an Internet connection, but gives access to a huge database of content.
Live wallpaper should be used with caution on devices with small amounts of RAM or old battery, otherwise it is a matter of personal preference and visual taste.
Problem Solving: Why Wallpaper Is Not Put
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when the system gives an error or the image is not applied after selecting the image. Often the reason lies in the file format. Android and MIUI work best with JPG and PNG formats. HEIC files (from the iPhone) or WebP can cause installation failures.
Another common problem is memory shortage: If your smartphone storage is critically filled, the system won’t be able to create a thumbnail or cache for new wallpaper. Check the space available in Settings → About Phone → Memory.
It’s also worth checking the access rights of the Gallery or Themes app. If they don’t have permission to change system settings or access storage, installation is not possible. Go to Settings → Applications → All apps, find the right one and check the Permissions section.
⚠️ Warning: If you downloaded a theme from an unverified source and after installing it, the phone began to behave strangely (desktop advertising, brakes), immediately delete the theme through the Topics app» → «Mine» → «Themes" and reset wallpaper to standard through screen settings.
In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Themes app helps. Go to App Management, select Topics, click Clear → Clear Cache. This won't delete your downloaded themes, but will reset temporary files that may have been corrupted.
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The most common cause of wallpaper installation problems is an unsupported file format (for example, a file format, HEIC) or a packed memory of the device. JPG usually solves the problem.
Creating your own style of design
For those who want to go beyond standard settings, Xiaomi offers the Theme Editor tool, which allows you to change not only wallpaper, but also icon style, fonts and sounds, which is already a level of advanced customization.
You can create your theme based on the standard one, replace it with your own wallpaper, and then export the.mtz file. You can install it on your phone or share it with friends. You'll need a PC to edit it and the official MIUI Theme Editor utility, but basic changes are available in the mobile app.
Don't forget the color combination. If you're putting a bright, rich picture on your desktop, you'd better use light widgets and transparent folders. For dark, dark wallpaper, monochrome icons and black background widgets are perfect.
Experiment with depth of field. Blurred photos (bokeh effect) look great as a background, as they do not distract attention from application icons. Clear, detailed shots are better left for the lock screen, where there are no unnecessary interface elements.