Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where beautiful but intrusive landscapes, portraits or advertising suddenly appear on a locked display. This is not a virus or a system failure, but a specially designed Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance) feature that is designed to diversify the visual experience of the user. However, for many people, the constant change of images becomes an annoying factor, especially if it distracts or consumes Internet traffic without the owner’s knowledge.
The process of deactivating this option may not be obvious, as the developers of MIUI and the new HyperOS shell periodically change the settings or hide them in the submenu. Sometimes the standard switching of static wallpaper does not work, and the images continue to change every time the screen is turned on. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible methods to get rid of automatic photo change once and for all.
There are several scenarios, from simply disabling the feature in standard settings to removing the system upholstery applications that are preinstalled in some regional versions of the firmware. It is important to understand that depending on the version of MIUI (Global, Chinese, Indian) menu items may differ slightly, but the logic of action remains the same for all devices. We will look at universal solutions that will suit both the budget models of Redmi and Xiaomi flagships.
Disabling the standard wallpaper carousel function
The most common and safe way to remove dynamic image change is to turn off the native function of the system, which is responsible for the appearance of new images in most cases, you need to go to the settings menu, select the Lock Screen section and find the item associated with the Wallpaper Carousel. In some versions of the firmware, this section may be called Wallpaper Carousel or simply Wallpaper.
Once you log in, you'll see a switch that activates or deactivates the function. If it's on, the system automatically downloads new images from the Internet. By turning it off, you'll return a static image that you manually selected earlier. It's worth noting that new versions of HyperOS may have slightly altered interfaces, and the switch may be in the "Carousel Settings" subsection.
Sometimes users confuse the system carousel with the functions of third-party applications, but if it is a question of the standard behavior of the phone after purchase, then the culprit is here. After turning off the switch, it is recommended to completely restart the device so that the changes take effect correctly and the cache of images is cleared.
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Disabling the wallpaper carousel in the screen settings is a standard method that does not require superuser rights and does not violate the device warranty.
If the photos continue to change after these steps, you may have an additional service from Google or a third-party on your device, which we will discuss in the following sections, and it is also worth checking whether the “Recommendations” option is included inside the carousel menu itself, which can work independently of the main switch in older versions of the software.
Removing or disabling the Glance app
In Indian and some other regional builds of MIUI firmware, a service called Glance is used instead of a standard carousel, and it is often embedded in the system as a system application and is not removed in the usual way through the application management menu, it is responsible for showing news feeds and advertising images on the lock screen, and its activity can persist even after trying to change the wallpaper.
To get rid of Glance, you need to go to Settings → Apps → All apps. You need to find “Glance for Mi” or simply “Glance” in the list. If the “Delete” button is inactive (gray), click on the “Disable” button. This action will stop the service and it will stop downloading content. In some cases, the system will require confirmation of the action, warning of possible consequences, but for the phone to work it is safe.
What happens after the Glance shutdown?
If the standard means of disabling the application is not possible, you can use a more advanced method through the computer and debugging over USB, but this requires caution. For most users, it is enough to simply find in the lock screen settings a switch associated with "Get content online" or "Recommendations" and turn it off, which is equivalent to turning off the application itself.
It is important to distinguish between system Glance and applications installed by the user himself. If you download any Launcher or screen app, it should be removed through the application management menu as a regular program.
Static wallpaper settings through the Gallery
Once you have disabled all dynamic functions, you need to set the desired static image to be sure of the result. The standard algorithm of actions involves using the built-in Gallery application. Open any photo you like, click on the three dots in the upper right corner (or the "More" button), and select Set as wallpaper.
The system will suggest you to choose whether to apply the image to the lock screen, the main screen or both. To ensure the result, select the lock screen option. This action will overwrite any temporary settings that may have been left from the carousel. In new versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the installation process may be accompanied by a proposal to apply depth or style effects, they can be skipped.
☑️ Verification of wallpaper installation
The alternative is through the theme settings. Go to the Themes app, go to profile (human icon) and select Wallpaper. Here you can select the system static images or download new ones from the device's memory, and the main advantage of this method is that it completely ignores the settings of the carousel and forcibly puts the selected photo.
Remember that the image quality on the lock screen depends on the resolution of your display. For models with AMOLED screens, it is better to choose images with deep black color to save battery power and avoid pixel burnout during prolonged use.
Solving the problem with advertising images
Sometimes users complain that instead of beautiful scenery, banner ads or suggestions to install games appear on the screen. This is often a consequence of enabling the "Recommendations" option in system applications. To remove ads, you need to go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Authorization and privacy (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
This section contains a list of system applications that are allowed to show personalized recommendations, search the list for Security, Cleanup or Explorer and turn off the Receive Recommendations slider, which will significantly reduce the amount of advertising noise throughout the system, including possible pop-ups on the lock screen.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling recommendations may make some tips in the system less useful, but it is a necessary step to make the device comfortable to use without intrusive advertising.
Also worth checking is the settings of the "Security" app itself, which is often hidden in the "Clean up" section, and disable all items related to displaying content from partners. This is a common practice for monetizing budget devices, and it requires manual adjustments to users.--
The customer immediately after the purchase.
If the ads continue to appear, malware may have hit your phone. Check the list of installed apps for suspicious programs with names like Flashlight, Clear Master, or unknown utilities. Deleting such programs often solves the problem of suddenly appearing banners.
Comparison of disabling methods
Different phone models and firmware versions may require different approaches to solving the problem. Below is a table that will help you navigate which method will be most effective in your case.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty | For which versions of MIUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabling the Carousel in the settings | Tall. | Low. | All versions (Global, Chinese) |
| Turning off the Glance app | Critical | Medium | Indian, some Global |
| Resetting theme settings | Medium | Low. | When display failures |
| Using ADB teams | Maximum | Tall. | For advanced users |
As you can see from the table, the first two methods are sufficient for most users: ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is only required in exceptional cases when the system application does not want to be disabled by standard means, this requires connecting the phone to the computer and having basic knowledge of working with the command line.
Don't be afraid to experiment with screen settings, because you can get it back at any time, but if you're not sure what you're doing, you'd better limit yourself to the standard switches in the settings menu, which ensures that the device is running smoothly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does the wallpaper change after the carousel is turned off?
Can the Carousel system application be completely removed?
Does the carousel of wallpaper affect battery consumption?
Where to find carousel settings in HyperOS?
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If you want to leave the carousel, but remove the ads, find in its settings the item "Get content over Wi-Fi" and disable "Recommendations", leaving only the download of images from the selected category.
To sum up, the lock screen is in the hands of the user, even if the default system offers aggressive content. Following the steps described, you can make your smartphone interface clean, minimalistic and convenient just for you. Remember that regular system updates can return some default settings, so check the personalization menu periodically.