Personalization of the smartphone interface begins with the installation of a beautiful image on the main screen and lock screen. Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi devices often face intrusive advertising or difficulty in finding the desired feature due to the features of the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS. Standard galleries can be filled with stock pictures that do not reflect the individuality of the user, and automatic theme updates sometimes reset all the default settings.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to install static and dynamic images. You will learn how to turn off automatic change of images with advertising, how to use your own photos from the gallery and where to find quality free resources. Customization of the system is not just decoration, but a way to make interaction with a gadget more pleasant and intuitive.
Whether you have a budget Redmi Note or a flagship Xiaomi Pro, the algorithm will be similar, although menu item names may vary slightly. We'll look at the system's full-time tools, hidden theme capabilities, and third-party applications that extend the functionality of a standard blocker. Get ready to turn a boring black screen into a piece of digital art.
Installation of static wallpaper through standard settings
The easiest and most reliable way to change the design is to use the built-in functionality of the system. This does not require an Internet connection or installing additional software. You need to go to the Settings menu and find the Wallpaper section. In some versions of the firmware, this item can be hidden inside the Personalization tab or the Lock Screen.
Once you log in, the system will offer several categories: standard MIUI wallpaper, live wallpaper and your own images. Select Local Wallpaper or Gallery to download a photo from the device's memory. The system will automatically prompt you to fraternize the image so that it fits perfectly with your display matrix resolution.
It's important to choose the right scope of the image. When you confirm the choice, the system will ask you whether to place the image on the lock screen, on the desktop or on both screens at the same time. The lock screen is the first thing you see when you wake up the device, so this is where the best and most inspiring images are set.
If you want to use a high-resolution image, make sure the file format is supported by the system. The most versatile are the JPG and PNG formats. HEIC (iPhone standard) images can be displayed incorrectly without conversion, so it is better to save a copy in a compatible format before installation.
💡
Use images with a resolution of at least FullHD (1920x1080) to avoid loss of quality and the appearance of “grain” on modern Redmi displays.
Setting up the “Wallpaper Carousel” function and disabling advertising
One of the most annoying features for many users is the “Glance by Mi” service, which automatically changes images on a locked screen, often showing news feeds or banner ads, and to regain control of your device, you need to properly configure or completely disable this feature.
To control the carousel, go to Settings → Wallpaper → Wallpaper Carousel. Here you will see the service activation switch. If you want to completely remove ads and random pictures, just move the switch to the off position. After that, only the static image or widgets you install will remain on the lock screen.
⚠️ Warning: After the firmware update, the carousel settings may reset and the ad will reappear.Check this section periodically to make sure the feature remains disabled.
If you like the idea of constantly changing images, but you don't like the ads, you can set up filters. From the merry-go-round menu, select Settings → Interests and turn off categories related to news or promotions. Leave only the categories "Nature", "Technology" or "Art" so that the change of images is purely aesthetic.
You can also pay attention to the refresh rate settings, so you can set the interval between the changes of images, every time you turn on the screen, once an hour or once a day, and this allows you to balance the novelty of the experience with the traffic consumption if you don't have Wi-Fi.
☑️ Setting up wallpaper carousel
Use of live wallpaper and video backgrounds
The holders AMOLED-The screens that many Redmi Note and Xiaomi models have, can greatly improve the visual experience by installing live wallpapers, such as animated images that respond to touch or simply cycle the video sequence.
To install live wallpapers in the standard menu, select Live Wallpaper. The system will offer a set of pre-installed animations. However, the capabilities of the regular set are often limited. To expand the functionality, you can use the Super Wallpapers theme, which came from Android 12 and is available through the GetThemes store or third-party ports.
While modern Snapdragon and MediaTek processors are effective at decoding video, constant animation on the lock screen can increase power consumption in standby mode by 5-10%, optimizing in this case by choosing short, cyclical videos without sharp color transitions.
How to install your videos on wallpaper?
It's worth noting that some versions of HyperOS have changed the way the live wallpaper works, so they can consume less resources thanks to an improved frame compression algorithm. If you notice that the phone starts to heat up or discharge faster after you set up the video background, try lowering the screen brightness or going back to a static image.
Using themes from the Mi Store for deep customization
The MIUI theme store (or Themes) is a powerful tool that allows you to change not only wallpaper, but also the style of watches, icons and notifications on the lock screen. Thousands of designers create unique themes, many of which are distributed for free. This is the best way to radically change the appearance of a smartphone in a few minutes.
To find the theme with the right wallpaper, open the Themes app and search. Type in keywords like "Minimal," "Nature," "Cyberpunk" or "Anime." In search results, pay attention to the lock screen preview. Many themes allow you to use wallpaper separately from the rest of the design style.
When you use a theme, the system will suggest you select components. You can only tick the wallpaper box against the lock screen, leaving the icons and the font as standard, which allows you to combine elements of different themes to create a unique mix. After applying the theme, new wallpaper will immediately appear on the locked screen.
| Type of resource | Pluses | Cons | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static photo | No charge is consumed, high definition | Lack of dynamics | Absent. |
| Live wallpaper (LWP) | Beautiful animation, interactivity | Can heat the device | Average. |
| Carousel (Glance) | Constant change of content | Advertising, traffic consumption | Low. |
| Video wallpaper | Maximum detailing | High consumption of resources | High. |
Don’t forget to check for themes compatible with your Android version. Themes created for older versions of MIUI 11 or 12 may not display correctly on HyperOS, causing lock screen crashes or the clock widgets to disappear.
Third-party applications for advanced users
If standard tools aren't enough, apps from the Google Play Store come to the rescue, programs like the Wallpaper Engine (requires a PC purchase) or Video Live Wallpaper provide access to huge libraries of high-quality content, and they allow even interactive scenes from games to be used as backgrounds.
One popular solution is the Backdrops app or Wallpaper Hub, which offers exclusive wallpapers created by professional artists specifically for mobile devices, and by installing this app, you can access the Popular section, which collects the best works of the week.
⚠️ Warning: Third-party live wallpaper apps require permanent permits to work in the background.This may conflict with Xiaomi's aggressive energy saving system. be sure to add the selected app to the exclusion list ("No restrictions") in the battery settings.
There are also launchers that completely replace the lock screen. Niagara Launcher or Smart Launcher offer their lock widgets, which can be more informative and beautiful than standard ones. However, using third-party lock launchers can lead to unstable notifications from messengers.
💡
To check if the wallpaper app is not “eating” the battery, open Settings → Battery → Energy consumption and find the process on the list.-3, You should consider replacing the background.
Solving Display Problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when after installing new wallpapers they do not appear or look distorted. Often the problem lies in the aspect ratio. the screens of modern Redmi smartphones are elongated (20:9), while many photos are taken in 4:3 or 16:9. When stretching this picture, edges are lost or black stripes appear.
To avoid distortion, use preview before saving. In the standard gallery, when you select "Set as Wallpaper", a framing screen always appears. Don't ignore it, move the frame so that important details of the shot remain in the visible zone.
Another common problem is low brightness or unnatural colors, which may be due to the enabled mode "Vision Protection" or automatic brightness control.
If the wallpaper “flys” after a phone reboot, check if you have activated a theme that forcibly changes system files, in this case, resetting the theme to a standard (“Classic” or “Default”) through the Themes → Profile → Themes application will help.