Scrolling wallpaper on Xiaomi: how to set up automatic background change

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi and POCO lines) offer a handy automatic wallpaper change feature, such as scrolling background images by timer or event, which allows you to refresh the look of the device without manual intervention, using the user gallery, standard MIUI themes or third-party services, but not all owners know where this setting is and how to set it up correctly.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all ways to activate wallpaper scrolling: from standard tools MIUI 12/13/14 You'll learn how to choose the source of images, adjust the shift interval, avoid common errors, and even create personalized slideshows from your photos. 7, Mi 9 etc.) provide alternative solutions if the function is not in the firmware.

What is a scroll wallpaper and why it is needed

The wallpaper scrolling function (or "dynamic wallpaper") automatically changes the background image on the lock screen and/or desktop on a given schedule.

• 🔄 Time change – every 5 minutes, hour, day or week.
• 🌅 Adaptive wallpaper - change depending on the time of day (morning / day / evening / night).
• 📅 Thematic collections – automatic wallpaper for holidays, seasons or events (for example, “New Year”, “Summer").
• 🎨 Gallery slideshows - random photos from selected albums.

The benefits of the feature are clear: research shows that dynamic wallpaper reduces visual fatigue by 18% due to variable color gamut (data from Xiaomi User Experience Lab, 2023), and it is an easy way to personalize – for example, you can adjust the change of photos of a loved one or landscapes from travel.

But there are nuances: frequent wallpaper changes can increase battery consumption (by 2-5% per day) and take up additional RAM. On budget models (Redmi 10A, POCO M3), this sometimes leads to braking when unlocking.

Official ways to include wallpaper scrolling in MIUI

In MIUI 12 and later, the feature is built into the standard Themes app. Here's how to activate it:

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Wallpaper tab (bottom of the screen).
3. Select Dynamic Wallpaper or Live Wallpaper (name depends on MIUI version).
4. Click on your favorite selection (for example, "Nature", "Cities") and select the option of the Automan.
5. Set the interval: from 1 minute to 1 week.
6. Apply the settings to the Lock Screen, Desktop, or both at the same time.

On models with MIUI 14 (e.g. Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12), the wallpaper algorithm has become “smarter”: the system analyzes the color palette of the current theme and selects harmonious images.

Make a backup copy of the current wallpaper|Check the vacant space (minimum 200 MB)|Update the "Themes" app to the latest version|Close background applications to save RAM-->

Hidden functions and alternative sources of wallpaper

If standard dynamic wallpapers are boring you, MIUI has hidden options and third-party solutions:

• 🌄 Bing Wallpaper: Themes app has a Bing section with daily high-resolution photos (4K). You can set them to automatic change through Settings. → Bing wallpaper → Auto-update.
• 🖼️ Google Photos: If you have a gallery synced with Google Photos, you can use the album Dedicated or Notes for a slideshow).
• 🎨 Own collections: in the Gallery, create an album (for example, "My Wallpaper"), add a photo there and select it as a source in the settings of dynamic wallpaper.
• 🔍 Hidden mode "Screen Always On": on Xiaomi 12/13 s AMOLED-You can also use screens to scroll through wallpaper even in Always On Display mode (path: Settings) → Screen. → Always On → Dynamic wallpaper).

For models without official support for dynamic wallpaper (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO X3 NFC), the Wallpaper Changer app from Google Play will help.

• Set the shift interval from 30 seconds.
• Use wallpaper from Pinterest, Unsplash, 500px.
• Adjust blur and dimming to save charge.

Compatibility table for scrolling wallpaper on Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones support dynamic wallpaper out of the box. The table below shows the compatibility of features across models and versions of MIUI:

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for POCO (for example, POCO X3 Pro) the path to settings may be different.Look for the Wallpaper Carousel section in the additional screen settings.

Step-by-step: how to create your own wallpaper slideshow

If you don't like the standard collections, you can make a personalized slideshow out of your photos. Here's the detailed instructions:

1. Prepare images: 📏 Permission: not less 1080×2340 (full HD+ screen). 🎨 Format: JPG or PNG (transparently). 🗃️ Folder: Create an album in the Gallery (for example, "My Wallpaper").

Open the settings → Wallpaper → My wallpaper.

Select the created album and click Set up a slideshow.

Set the parameters:

• ⏱️ Interval: 1 hour to 1 week.
• 🔄 Order: Accidental or Consecutive.
• 📱 Apply to: Lock screen, Desktop or both.
• Save the settings and wait for the first automatic shift.

💡 Useful tip: If the wallpaper looks blurry, check the aspect ratio. For Xiaomi with a front-facing camera cutout, 20:9 is optimal. Use online tools like Canva or Photopea for cropping.

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To speed up the loading of wallpaper, before setting up the slideshow, clear the cache of the Themes app (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Topics → Clear the cache).

Common Problems and Their Solutions

Users often have difficulty configuring wallpaper scrolling, and here are the typical errors and ways to correct them:

• ❌ Wallpapers don't change: Check if the Automan option is enabled in the wallpaper settings. Make sure the device isn't in charge saving mode (disables background processes).Reboot your smartphone - sometimes resetting the system cache helps.
• ❌ "Not enough memory" error: Clear the space in the internal memory (need a minimum of 500 MB of free space). → Mine. → Delete.
• ❌ Wallpapers are cropped or stretched: Use images with the resolution corresponding to your screen (see table below).In wallpaper settings, select Fit instead of Stretching.
• ❌ Feature not in the menu: Update the firmware to the latest version MIUI. Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) with support for dynamic wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi 8, Mi) A3) post-update MIUI 13 missing the ability to customize a slideshow from the gallery. This is a firmware bug -- the solution is only a rollback. MIUI 12 or use of third-party applications.

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If after updating MIUI lost the function of scrolling wallpaper, try to reset the settings of the application "Themes" (Settings → Applications → Topics → Storage → Reset).

How to turn off the wallpaper scroll and return static

If dynamic wallpaper drains the battery or just tired, they are easy to turn off:

1. Open the Settings → Wallpaper.
2. Select the current dynamic theme and click Remove or Disable the Automan.
3. Install static wallpaper from gallery or standard themes.

Some devices (such as the Xiaomi 12S Ultra) may have an artifact of black screen when unlocked after the dynamic wallpaper is turned off.

• Go to Settings → Screen → Lock screen.
• Turn off the unlock animation option.
• Reset the device.

💡 Tip: If you often switch between static and dynamic wallpaper, create a shortcut for quick access to settings:

1. Long press on the desktop → Widgets.
2. Select Settings and drag the Wallpaper shortcut to the screen.

FAQ: Frequent questions about scrolling wallpaper on Xiaomi