Personalization of the interface is the first thing a new smartphone owner does after turning on. In devices of the Chinese brand Xiaomi, this process has its own features that distinguish them from stock Android. The user often finds that standard images quickly get bored, and the built-in theme store can be overloaded with unnecessary elements.
The process of replacing the screen background seems elementary, but the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS hide a lot of nuances that not everyone knows about. You can install both static high-resolution pictures and dynamic video wallpapers that bring the lock screen to life. It is important to understand the difference between the desktop and the lock screen, since the settings for them are often separated.
In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to visually transform your gadget, we will look not only at standard methods through the gallery, but also at advanced settings to avoid typical zooming errors, and also pay attention to live wallpaper, which can significantly affect the autonomy of the device.
Basic ways to replace static images
The simplest and most common method is to use an embedded gallery, which is suitable for 90% of users who want to install their own photo or downloaded from the Internet, and the system automatically prompts them to edit the picture to the screen resolution.
To start, open the Gallery app and select the photo you want. Click on the three dots in the bottom corner or the "More" button in the action menu. In the drop-down list, you need to find the "Install as wallpaper" item. The system will prompt you to select the image area if its proportions do not match the display matrix.
Next, you'll see a setup location menu, and you can only put it on the lock screen, on the desktop, or on both screens at the same time, and it's important to keep in mind that the desktop image will be slightly blurred and darkened to make the app icons read better.
⚠️ Note: When you install a photo with people’s faces or text on your desktop, the system can automatically apply strong blur, which makes details indistinguishable.
The alternative is through system settings. Go to Settings, find the Wallpaper section (often in the Personalization or Screen group), and you can find a catalog of standard images, sorted by category: nature, abstraction, engineering, which are optimized by developers and do not require additional framing.
Using the “Themes” application for customization
The theme app is the centerpiece of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, and it’s not just a picture catalog, it’s a powerful tool that allows you to change not only the background, but also the style of icons, fonts and system sounds.
Run the Topics app on the home screen. In the bottom navigation bar, select the Wallpaper tab. Here's a huge selection of content divided into categories: Popular, New», «4K». Many images are available in high resolution, which is critical for modern AMOLED-screen.
When you choose your favorite option, click Download and then Apply, and the thing about this method is that you can preview how the wallpaper will look along with your widgets and icons, and some wallpaper sets are part of the finished themes, but they can be used separately.
- 🎨 Online catalog: Daily updated database of images from designers from around the world.
- 📂 Local Files: The ability to upload your pictures directly from your phone’s memory through the Profile tab».
- 🔄 Wallpaper carousel: Function of automatic image change on the lock screen at specified intervals.
The Glance feature, which allows you to change the picture on a locked screen every time you pick up your phone, is set up in Settings → Lock screen → Wallpaper carousel, and it's a great way to continuously have a new visual experience without manual intervention.
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Use keyword searches within the Topics app to find wallpapers for a specific mood, such as “neon,” “space,” or “minimalism.”
Setting up live wallpaper and its effect on the battery
Live Wallpapers are animated backgrounds that respond to touch or simply play video in cycles. In Xiaomi smartphones, they are built into the system, but their use requires an understanding of how the GPU works and how it uses power.
To set up live wallpaper, go to Settings → Wallpaper and select Live Wallpaper. Here you will find standard animations such as flowing water, planets or abstract color gushings. When you click on the preview, the system will show the animation in full size.
But live wallpapers consume more energy than static ones. If you have complex animations with high frame rates, this can lead to accelerated battery discharge, especially on models with AMOLED arrays, where each pixel is individually illuminated. In energy saving mode, live wallpaper is often forced to shut down by the system.
| Wallpaper type | Impact on the battery | Processor load | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static (JPG/PNG) | Minimum | Absent. | For maximum autonomy |
| Super wallpaper (HyperOS) | Average. | Low/Mediocre | Balancing beauty and speed |
| Alive (Video) | High. | Permanent. | Only with connected charging |
| 3D Interactive | Very high. | Tall. | Not recommended for older models |
Newer versions of the HyperOS shell have so-called “super wallpapers,” which are an optimized version of live backgrounds that use fewer resources because they render more efficiently, but still retain depth and dynamics.
The secret of optimizing live wallpaper
Working with high resolution and 4K image
Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with displays up to 3200×1440 and above. To make the picture look clear, the original file must meet these parameters. Using low-quality images will lead to “grain” and compression artifacts.
When you download images from the Internet, you often automatically compress them. To avoid this, try to download files in PNG or the original JPG with the maximum bitrate. In the gallery, when you install wallpaper, the system will offer a framing tool. Use it carefully so that you do not lose important composition details.
There's a nuance to the aspect ratio. Most modern phones are 20:9 or 21:9, while many of the photos on the Internet are 16:9 or 4:3, and when you put them on your desktop, the top and bottom can be cut off.
- 📐 Panning: Some live wallpapers support the motion of the picture when the phone is tilted, creating a parallax effect.
- 🔍 Scaling: When installing a static photo, always check the desktop preview as it uses extra zoom.
- 🌑 Dark topic: Keep in mind that in dark interface mode, white wallpaper elements may look too contrasting and cut the eye.
For professional image work, you can use third-party editors before installation, for example, the Google Photos app or the built-in MIUI editor allows you to align the horizon and add filters that make the image more suitable for use as a background.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid installing wallpaper with fine details at the top of the screen (status bar), as the icons of the battery, time and network will block them, made the image unreadable.
☑️ Image quality check
Solving Display and Scaling Problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the wallpaper installed looks pale, blurred or offset.This can be due to the screen settings or features of a particular version of MIUI. Often the problem lies in the on mode "Read" or "Protect vision", which changes the color temperature.
If the wallpaper looks dull, check the display settings. Go to Settings → Screen and make sure Bright saturated colors (or similar depending on the model) are on. It's also worth turning off autobrightness at the time of installation to see the real picture.
Another common problem is that the background is black instead of the picture on the lock screen, which can happen if the file is corrupted or has an unsupported encoding format. Try to save the image in a standard format through any graphics editor.
In some cases, cleaning the cache of the Themes and Gallery system application helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, find what you want, click Clear and select Clear cache. This will not delete your data, but will reset temporary files that may have caused a display error.
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If after all the manipulations wallpaper is not installed, try to restart the device in safe mode to eliminate conflict with third-party launchers.
Third-party applications for advanced users
Standard functionality is sometimes not enough. There are specialty apps in the Google Play store that extend the personalization experience, which allow you to create slideshows from your albums, sync wallpaper with the weather or time of day.
A popular solution is the Wallpaper Engine, which allows you to stream live wallpaper from computer to phone, and it gives you access to thousands of animated backgrounds created by the community, but it requires you to install a client on a PC and pair over Wi-Fi.
Another option is Muzei Live Wallpaper, which is a smart service that changes wallpapers every day, choosing artwork or photos from the Internet. The app automatically blurs the background, making it perfect for the desktop, and returns clarity when unlocked.
When using third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher), wallpaper management can be intercepted by them. In this case, the settings of the Xiaomi system gallery will not apply.