How to Put Your Wallpaper on Xiaomi: All Ways for MIUI 12, 13 and 14

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on the MIUI shell offer users flexible personalization tools, but it is not always obvious how to download your own wallpaper instead of standard templates. If you are tired of the limited choice of topics in the gallery or want to install a unique photo as a background, this guide will help you understand all the nuances. We will look at both official methods through Settings → Wallpaper, and alternative solutions to bypass system restrictions (for example, when MIUI blocks the installation of low-resolution images).

It is important to understand that the process may differ depending on the version. MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and device models, such as on Xiaomi 13 Pro or flagships POCO F5 s AMOLED-Dynamic wallpaper with the effect of Always-On Display is available on screens, while on the budget Redmi Note 12 these functions may not be available. It is also worth considering that after updating the firmware, some settings are reset - so we will separately analyze how to save your favorite wallpaper when switching to a new version. MIUI.

If you’ve tried custom wallpaper before and have encountered errors like “Not using wallpaper: image not supported” or “Resolution too low,” in this article you’ll find solutions to these problems. We’ve tested all of these on current versions of MIUI (as of 2026) and taken into account the features of working with.jpg,.png and even animated.gif formats.

1. Standard method: through the wallpaper menu in MIUI

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools. It is suitable for most models, including the Xiaomi 12T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and POCO X5. The main advantage of this method is that there is no need to install third-party applications or obtain root access.

To set your wallpaper through the standard menu:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Wallpaper section (in some versions of MIUI it may be called Lock Screen and Wallpaper).
3. Select the My Wallpaper or Gallery tab (depending on the shell version).
4. Click Select from the gallery and specify the folder with your image.
5. Adjust the scale and position of the wallpaper with gestures (if the feature is available).
6. Confirm the choice with the button Apply or Install.

MIUI 14 adds Adaptive Wallpaper, which automatically adjusts colors to a dark/light theme, so if your image looks dull after installation, check if it is activated in the display settings.

2. Alternative method: through the "Themes" appendix

The Themes app (or Themes in global firmware) not only allows you to download ready-made themes, but also upload your own wallpaper, which is useful if the standard Wallpaper menu does not recognize your image due to resolution restrictions.

Instructions for installation through the Topics:

• 📱 Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
• 🖼️ Go to the Wallpaper tab (usually in the lower menu).
• 📁 Press the badge. + or my wallpaper → Add wallpaper.
• 🔍 Select an image from the gallery or file manager.
• ✅ Confirm installation on the main screen, lock screen or both at the same time.

If your version of MIUI doesn’t have a wallpaper button, try updating the Themes app via Google Play or Mi App Store. On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Pad 6), this functionality may be hidden – in this case, use the file manager method (described below).

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If the wallpaper is only applied to the main screen and the lock screen remains black, check the lock screen settings → Wallpaper style in the Settings menu.

3. Manual copying of wallpaper through file manager

For power users who want to have full control of wallpaper, manual file copying to the system folder is a good way to do it, even on restricted devices (without root), but requires care.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC or open a file manager (such as Mi File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/ If theme is not available, create it manually.
3. Inside the theme folder, create a subfolder with an arbitrary name (for example, my_wallpapers).
4. Copy your wallpaper into this folder. Images should be in.jpg or.png format with a resolution of at least 1080×2340 (for modern smartphones).
5. Reset the device.
6. After the reboot, open Settings → Wallpaper → My Wallpaper – your images should appear in the list.

This method is especially useful if you want to use.gif wallpaper (for animated backgrounds).However, note that MIUI may not support animation on the lock screen - only on the home screen.

Resolution not lower than 1080×2340 (Full HD+)

JPG/PNG format (without transparency for lock screen)

Optimized file size (up to 5 MB)

- 9:20 or 9:19 aspect ratio (for modern smartphones)

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4. Use of third-party applications (without root)

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, you can use third-party apps from Google Play, and we tested some of the most popular solutions and identified the most reliable ones:

To install wallpaper through third-party applications:

• 📲 Download and install the selected application from Google Play.
• 🔍 Choose your favorite wallpapers in the catalog or upload yours through the Import option.
• 🎨 Adjust the scale and position (some applications have additional effects, such as blurring or dimming).
• 📱 Apply wallpaper to the main screen and/or lock screen.

Important: Some applications (such as Wallpaper Engine) may conflict with energy-saving settings MIUI. If the wallpaper does not display correctly, add the app to the exception list in the Settings menu. → Battery → Optimizing the battery.

5. Problem Solving: Wallpapers are not installed or dropped

Xiaomi users often encounter common mistakes when installing custom wallpaper. Let’s consider the most common problems and ways to solve them:

Problem 1: “Impossible to use wallpaper” or “Image not supported”.

• 🔍 Check the image resolution – it should match your device’s screen resolution (e.g, 2400×1080 for POCO F4 GT).
• 🖼️ Convert the image to.jpg format (MIUI It works better with him than with.png).
• 📱 Restart the device and try again.

Problem 2: Wallpaper is reset after the MIUI update.

⚠️ Note: When updating your firmware through OTA or Mi Flash, custom wallpaper may reset to standard. To avoid this, copy your wallpaper to cloud storage (Mi Cloud or Google Drive) before upgrading and restore it after rebooting.

Problem 3: Wallpaper is displayed blurry or stretched.

• 📏 Make sure the aspect ratio of the image matches the screen (e.g. 20:9 for most modern smartphones).
• 🛠️ In the wallpaper settings (Settings) → Wallpaper. → Display settings) turn off the Auto-Pruning option.
• 🖌️ Use editors like Snapseed or Photoshop Express to fit the image under the screen.

Problem 4: Animated wallpaper doesn’t work on the lock screen.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) The animation on the lock screen can be turned off to save battery power. To enable it forcefully, activate Always-On Display mode in the screen settings.

6. Additional chips: dynamic wallpaper and themes

MIUI offers several hidden features for advanced wallpaper customization, such as dynamic wallpapers that change depending on the time of day or weather on devices with MIUI 14.

1. Open the settings → Wallpaper → Dynamic wallpaper.
2. Choose a template (such as the weather or the time of day).
3. Upload your images for each state (morning, afternoon, evening, night).
4. Set up the transitions between wallpapers (smoothness, speed of change).

Another useful feature is synchronizing the wallpaper with the weather.

• 🌦️ Install the Mi Weather app (unless preinstalled).
• 📱 Go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → Weather wallpaper.
• 🖼️ Choose a set of wallpaper that will change depending on weather conditions (sunshine, rain, snow, etc.).

On devices with Mi Account, you can sync wallpaper between several Xiaomi gadgets (for example, smartphone + tablet). To do this, activate the option to Sync themes in your account settings.

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Dynamic wallpaper and weather themes are only available on devices with MIUI 13 and later, and older versions (MIUI 12) may not have these features or may not work properly.

7. How to save wallpaper when resetting settings

If you plan to reset your smartphone to factory settings (for example, before a sale or after a major crash), save your wallpaper in advance. MIUI does not reserve user backgrounds when resetting through Settings → Additional → Reset.

Instructions for conservation:

• 📁 Copy all the wallpaper from the folder: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/ to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) or on PC.
• 📝 Save a list of used wallpaper (you can take a screenshot of the screen Settings). → Wallpaper).
• 🔄 After resetting, restore files back to theme folder and restart the device.

If you use third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher), the wallpaper can be stored in their own folders. For example, for Nova Launcher, the path will be:

/storage/emulated/0/Nova/wallpapers/

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper on Xiaomi