How to change the lock screen on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: from wallpaper to animation

The lock screen on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is not just a touch protection, but a business card for your smartphone. It's the one you see hundreds of times a day, and how comfortable and aesthetic it is, depends on the overall experience of using the device. Fortunately, MIUI offers flexible customization tools, and third-party solutions expand the possibilities to the limit.

In this article, we will look at all the ways to change the lock screen, from basic wallpaper settings to dynamic themes and even system fonts. We will focus on security: how to change the appearance without violating data protection, and what to do if after experiments the phone stopped recognizing the fingerprint. And for fans, we will show you how to add a hidden unlock animation feature, which is officially not available in the firmware for the Redmi Note 8.

Method 1: Standard wallpaper change via MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI 12/13/14 tools, which does not require super-user rights and is suitable even for beginners, you can access static wallpaper, live wallpaper from Xiaomi and even personalized options based on your photos.

To change the background of the lock screen:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select the wallpaper of the lock screen.
3. Scroll down to the section My wallpaper or Live wallpaper.
4. Click on the option you like and confirm the choice with the Apply button.

If you want to use your own image:

• 📷 In the section My wallpaper tap Add wallpaper and select a photo from the gallery.
• 🎨 Adjust the scale and position of the picture with gestures.
• 🔒 Make sure the box is active on the lock screen.

💡

If the wallpaper on the lock screen looks blurry, turn on the option Blurr background in the wallpaper settings. This will hide the stretch artifacts at non-standard resolutions.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 No way to change the font of the watch or notifications.
• 🚫 The live wallpaper from Xiaomi consumes up to 5-7% Charge per hour with active use.
• 🚫 You can not add an unlock animation (only static elements).

Method 2: Install themes from MIUI Themes

MIUI Themes offers thousands of free and paid themes that change not only the lock screen, but also icons, fonts, transition animations. It's a deeper customization than just changing the wallpaper.

How to set the topic:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. In the search bar, type a query, such as lockscreen dark or aminated lock.
3. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
4. Confirm changes in the pop-up window (some topics require a reboot).

Advantages of this method:

• 🎭 Complete design change: fonts, notification color, watch style.
• 🔄 The ability to return a standard theme in one click.
• 🆓 Many themes are free (you only need to pay for premium options).

Important nuances:

⚠️ Attention: Some of the themes in the store contain ads or collect data. Before installing, check the reviews and ratings of the topic. Topics rated below 4.2★ avoid.

Method 3: Third-party applications for deep customization

If the built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, you can use third-party apps, which offer advanced features: changing fonts, adding widgets to the lock screen, customizing gestures, and even replacing system animations.

Top.-3 Proven applications for Redmi Note 8:

• 🛠️ Always On Display (AOD) — Adds the always-active screen (shows time, notifications and battery when off) and works even on devices without any AMOLED-screen.
• 🎨 KLWP Live Wallpaper Maker is a live wallpaper designer with dynamic elements (weather, battery, pedometer) that requires customization skills but offers unlimited options.
• 🔒 Lock Screen & AppLock – allows you to completely redesign the lock screen: change the location of the clock, add quick actions, hide notifications for individual applications.

Instructions for installation of KLWP:

Download KLWP Google Play|Allow access to notifications|Disable battery optimization for the application|Download additionally KLWP Presets (templates)-->

After installation:

1. Open the settings → Wallpaper → Live wallpaper.
2. Select KLWP Live Wallpaper.
3. In the KLWP editor, import your favorite preset (template) or create your own design.
4. Apply the wallpaper to the lock screen.

Warnings:

⚠️ Note: Apps like Lock Screen & AppLock may conflict with Xiaomi's system lock, if the fingerprint scanner stops working after installation, uninstall the app and restart the phone. MIUI Optimization in the developer settings, which can lead to unstable system operation.

Additional chips: animation, fonts, widgets

For those looking to make the most of customization, there are a few hidden MIUI options and workarounds.

1. Change the Unlocking Animation

The Redmi Note 8 does not have the option to change animations, but it can be activated via ADB:

adb shell settings put global lockscreen_animation_scale 1.5


adb shell settings put global window_animation_scale 1.2

This will increase the smoothness of standard animation. A complete replacement will require a patch through Magisk (root).

2. Adding widgets to the lock screen

With the help of the WidgetLocker app (old, but it works) or AcDisplay, you can display the following on the lock screen:

• 📊 Weather widget with detailed forecast.
• 🎵 Managing a music player.
• 📅 Calendar with upcoming events.
• 📈 Battery usage schedule.

3. Replacement of the system clock font

To change the font of the clock on the lock screen:

1. Download the font in.ttf format (for example, from fonts.google.com).
2. Place the file in /sdcard/MIUI/theme/fonts.
3. In the theme settings, select Fonts → Local fonts and apply a new one.

💡

Changing fonts through MIUI Themes only works for system applications, and in some third-party applications (such as Telegram), the font will remain standard.

Solving problems after changing the lock screen

Experiments with settings sometimes fail, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

1.The fingerprint scanner stopped working

Reason: conflict with locking apps or reset security settings.

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 📱 Remove newly installed customization apps.
• 🔧 Re-register the fingerprint in Settings → Passwords and security → Fingerprint.

2. The lock screen brakes or does not respond to touch

Guilty: live wallpaper, heavy themes or lack of RAM.

• 🛑 Bring back the standard theme.
• 🧹 Clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics.
• 🔋 Check the CPU loading in Settings → Battery → Battery utilization.

3. Disappeared notifications on the lock screen

You’ve probably turned them off in your privacy settings:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → Lock screen.
2. Turn on the Display Notifications switch.
3. For individual applications, set up visibility in Settings → Apps → [Select App] → Notifications.

Security: How to avoid losing data when customizing

Any changes to system files or installation of unverified themes may result in data loss or device lockdown.

1. Backup

Before any manipulations, create a backup:

• 📲 Use built-in backup Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• ☁️ Sync contacts and photos with Mi Cloud or Google Account.
• 💾 For full backup (including apps) use TWRP Or Orange Backup.

Verification of sources

Download themes and apps only from official sources:

• 🛡️ MIUI Themes – only topics with a rating above 4.5★.
• 📱 Google Play – Check the number of downloads (minimum) 100K+) reviews.
• 🚫 Avoid websites with hacked sites APK — They often contain malicious code.

3. Recoiling of changes

If after installing a theme or application, the phone started to glittle:

1. Boot in Safe Mode (hold the power button → Reboot in Safe Mode).
2. Remove the problem app.
3. If the lock screen does not work at all, reset via Fastboot:

fastboot erase userdata


fastboot reboot

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Resetting via Fastboot will delete all data from the device. Use it only as a last resort if other methods have not worked.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the lock screen on the Redmi Note 8