Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often seek to personalize their device, making its use more pleasant and unique. Standard static background, set by default, eventually ceases to please the eye and becomes just a familiar element of the interface. Many users do not even suspect that their gadget can independently update the image on the desktop and lock screen with a given frequency.
The automatic image change feature in the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS is flexible enough to keep the eye out, not only enjoying a variety of visual content, but also saving time by manually searching for new images on the Internet. In this article, we will explore all the available ways to adjust the dynamic background.
There are several ways to do this, from built-in system tools to specialized widgets. The native wallpaper carousel is the most energy-efficient way, because it's optimized by the system's developers and doesn't require any additional software to be installed. Let's look at each option in detail.
Use of the built-in function Carusol wallpaper
The most reliable and popular way to make images change automatically is to activate a system service called Wallpaper Carousel, which is built into every modern smartphone of the Chinese brand and works at the system level, ensuring stability and minimal battery consumption.
In the list of options that opens, you'll find a section that can be called "Always on screen and lock" or simply "Screen lock." Inside this menu is the "Wallpaper carousel" item. This is where the basic settings for frequency and image sources are hidden. Once the activation slider is turned on, the system will suggest selecting the categories of images that will be displayed.
The user can choose from the list of topics: nature, architecture, animals, art or abstractions. It is important to note that the function requires an active Internet connection when new images are uploaded, although the images themselves can be cached for offline mode. Switching frequency is usually available in the optional menu of carousel parameters.
⚠️ Note: When activating the Wallpaper Carousel, make sure that the settings allow access to mobile Internet or Wi-Fi, otherwise new images will stop loading and the background will remain static.
The flexibility of the settings allows you to adapt the function to your personal preferences, you can allow you to show pictures only on the lock screen or extend their action to the desktop. In addition, some versions of the shell allow you to exclude certain categories that you do not like, creating a personalized feed of content.
Automatic change through the Gallery
If a standard carousel doesn't suit you, or if you want to use your own photos from your personal archive, the standard Gallery app will come to your aid, and unlike the system service, this method allows you to create slideshows from your chosen albums, especially for those who store professional or family photos on the device.
To start, open the Gallery app and go to the Albums section. Create a new folder or select an existing one that you'll upload all the images you're planning to rotate to beforehand. Then click on the three dots in the top right corner or look for the Settings button in the album menu, which may include the "Install as Wallpaper" or "Slide Show" option.
However, in its pure form, the Gallery does not always have a built-in timer for automatic background change without third-party plugins. In such cases, users often use the Wallpaper widget on the desktop, which can be associated with the album. If there is no such widget, you can use the Themes feature, where the Wallpaper section often has a tab “Local”, allowing you to select several photos and set the change interval.
The advantage of using personal albums is that you have complete control over the content, you know exactly what's going to be on the screen in an hour or two, and that eliminates the risk of unwanted or low-quality images that can sometimes slip through the automatic feeds of online services.
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To create a quality slideshow, use photos of the same resolution and orientation (vertical) to avoid cropping or black fields on the screen.
Application of widgets and design themes
MIUI is famous for its deepest customization, and widgets play a key role here, and in the Themes app store you can find not only static designs, but also dynamic packages that include live wallpaper and widgets with image rotation, and installing such a package often solves the problem of one-click customization.
When searching for themes, pay attention to the description: if the package claims support for "Video Wallpapers" or "Auto-change", then the background change functionality is built in. After installing the theme, go to the lock screen settings and select the installed package. The system will itself suggest setting up refresh intervals, if provided by the the theme author.
There are also separate widgets from third-party developers available from the official GetApps store or Google Play that specialize in changing the background. They can take images from certain online sources, such as Unsplash or National Geographic, and apply them to the system. Installing such a widget on the desktop allows you to see previews and manage settings directly from the home screen.
| Method | Source of images | Battery consumption | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper carousel | Xiaomi Online Catalogue | Low. | Minimum |
| Gallery (Album) | Memory of the device | Medium. | Medium |
| Third-party widgets | Internet services | High-pitched | Tall. |
| Slider applications | Mixed | Medium. | Medium |
Use of third-party apps from Google Play
When built-in functionality is not enough, specialized applications from the Google Play store come into the arena, programs like Wallpaper Changer, Murals or Backdrops offer advanced background management capabilities, which allow you to create complex schedules, attach changes in images to the time of day or geolocation.
Once you install this app, you'll need to give it a number of permissions, first of all, access to the picture storage and permission to display on top of other windows. Without the last item, the app won't be able to physically replace the system wallpaper. Follow the instructions on the screen when you first start.
In the app settings, select the source of the images, which can be a folder in your phone's memory, a random picture from the Internet, or a specific album in the cloud, and then set a time interval: for example, change the background every 15 minutes, every hour, or every time you turn on the screen, and some programs can even analyze the colors of the image and adjust the colors of the interface to them.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party slider apps may conflict with Xiaomi’s system design theme, causing short-term screen flickers when switching images.
An important aspect of using third-party software is to optimize the work in the background. Android system on Xiaomi smartphones aggressively saves charge, so it can kill the process of changing the wallpaper. To avoid this, you need to go to the battery settings, find the installed application and set the mode of operation “No restrictions”.
☑️ Setting up a third-party slider
The subtleties of working with live wallpaper
Special attention should be paid to live wallpapers, which are not just images that change each other, but animated scenes. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in catalog of such wallpapers, accessible through the Themes app or screen settings, which can respond to touches, device tilts or the time of day.
Live wallpapers are technically short video cycles or real-time rendering, so they consume more CPU and battery power. If you're critical to autonomy, use them with caution. However, the visual effects of them far outweigh static images, creating a sense of depth and dynamics of the interface.
Some live wallpapers have a built-in script change function, such as a bright sunny landscape during the day and a starry sky at night, and these transitions are usually set up inside the wallpaper application itself, where you can set time zones or activation conditions.
To install live wallpaper, go to Settings → Wallpaper and select Live. After selecting your favorite option, click Apply. The system will warn you of a possible increase in charge consumption, which is standard procedure for this type of content.
Problem Solving and Optimization
Despite the ease of customization, users may face a number of challenges, and it often happens that the wallpaper stops changing after a while, almost always due to the MIUI Optimizer energy saving system, which forcibly closes the background processes to save charge.
To fix this, you need to lock the application in memory or remove restrictions. Go to the menu of running applications (swipe from the bottom up and hold), find the settings window or the wallpaper application, click on the lock to prevent it from being cleaned. Also in the "Applications" section, find the desired software and in the "Battery" option select "No restrictions".
Another problem is the poor quality of uploaded images. Wallpaper carousel sometimes compresses images for quick loading. If you notice artifacts or blur, try selecting the option “Download high quality” or “Download only over Wi-Fi” in the carousel settings (if available in your version of the software), so that the system does not save traffic at the expense of quality.
What to do if the carousel is hanging in one photo?
Also, consider that some global firmware versions may have the carousel’s functionality cut down compared to the Chinese versions, so setting India or China in your phone settings (without changing the language) will sometimes unlock additional categories of wallpaper, but you should do so with caution.
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The main reason for stopping wallpaper change is the aggressive energy saving of the system, requiring manual removal of restrictions for background processes.