How to permanently remove the wallpaper carousel on the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi 9: a step-by-step guide

The lock screen of Xiaomi Redmi 9 with the shell MIUI often annoys users with automatic change of wallpaper — the so-called “carousel”. This feature, designed to diversify the appearance of the smartphone, in practice interferes with the background images change without warning, knocking down the usual visual rhythm, and sometimes slowing down the system, especially on budget models like Redmi 9, where resources are limited.

Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi regularly updates the MIUI interface by moving or hiding settings. What worked in MIUI 12 may not work in MIUI 14. In this article, we will look at all the current ways to disable the wallpaper carousel on the lock screen for Redmi 9, including hidden options and workarounds for different versions of the firmware. No root rights or complex manipulations, only proven methods.

Why does the wallpaper carousel appear on Redmi 9 and can it be removed?

The dynamic wallpaper change feature on the lock screen is built into MIUI by default, and it activates automatically when:

• 📱 First turn on the smartphone (if not disable during the setup process).
• 🔄 Updating the system to a new version MIUI (settings can be reset).
• 🎨 Use standard themes from the Themes Store (many of them include animations).
• ☁️ Sync with Xiaomi account (if the carousel was enabled on another device).

On Redmi 9, this feature is implemented through the service com.miui.gallery, which is responsible for the background processes of the gallery. It not only changes the wallpaper, but also consumes additional resources: up to 5-10% of the CPU in the background and up to 150-200 MB of RAM, which is critical for a device with 3/4 GB of RAM. You can turn off the carousel, but the methods depend on the version of MIUI.

It's important to understand that you can't completely remove the carousel without root rights -- you can only turn it off or replace it with a static image -- but even that is enough to get rid of the intrusive changes.

Method 1: Disable the carousel via lock screen settings (MIUI 12/13/14)

The easiest method is to use built-in MIUI options. It works on all firmware versions, but the path to settings may be different. The following steps are relevant for Redmi 9:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Lock Screen section (in some versions – Lock and Protection → Lock screen).
3. Slip on the lock screen wallpaper.
4. In the window that opens, select Static Wallpaper or My Wallpaper (depending on the version).
5. Turn off the slider Automatic wallpaper change (may be called Carousel or Dynamic Wallpaper).
6. Select one image from the gallery and save the changes.

If there's no Autoshift, then the carousel is controlled through the Topic app.

Attention! Some firmwares may reset wallpaper after the carousel is turned off, and this is a MIUI bug that is solved by installing wallpaper through third-party applications (Mode 3).

Method 2: Deactivate via the Topics app (if the standard method doesn't work)

The Themes app in MIUI is responsible not only for the design, but also for dynamic interface elements, including wallpaper carousel. If there is no option to turn off in the lock screen settings, try:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Wallpaper tab (bottom of the screen).
3. Select the lock screen.
4. Scroll down and find the Carousel section or Random Wallpaper.
5. Turn off the slider next to this option.
6. Return to the main Theme menu and apply any static theme (e.g., by default).

If there is no Carousel section, try:

• 🔍 In the search bar at the top of the screen, enter "carousel" or "dynamic wallpaper".
• 🖼️ Select any static wallpaper from the proposed and install it manually.
• 📵 Delete the Application Topics Data via Settings → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the data. Attention! It will reset all the relevant topics.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 Global), the carousel is controlled via the Mi Wallpaper Carousel service to disable it:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three points (menu) → Show system → Find “Mi Wallpaper Carousel” → Disable

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If the wallpaper changes after the carousel is turned off, try installing wallpaper through Google Photos or another third-party app. MIUI sometimes ignores the settings for "native" wallpaper.

Method 3: Using third-party applications to fix wallpaper

If the built-in methods didn't work, you can fix the wallpaper with third-party tools.

Installation instructions via Wallpaper Changer:

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and select an image from the gallery.
3. Click Set on the lock screen.
4. In the application settings, turn off the automatic change option.
5. Reboot your phone (required!).

Attention! Some applications (such as Muzei) require permission to Overlay on top of other applications. To give it, go to Settings → Applications → Special Accesses → Overlay on top of other applications and turn on the slider for the selected application.

Method 4: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If the software methods did not help, you can turn off the carousel through ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This is a way that requires a computer and basic command line knowledge, but it's 100% effective. It's good for all versions. MIUI Redmi 9.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Included Debugging by USB phone-on.
• 📦 Installed drivers Xiaomi and ADB.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on USB Debugging: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times until you’re a developer) Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging by USB (enable)
2. Connect Redmi 9 to your computer and confirm your trusted device.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows) and type: adb devices Make sure the device is identified (serial number should appear).
4. Run the command to disable the carousel: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper If it doesn't work, try: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.gallery
5. Reboot the phone.

Once this command is executed, the carousel service will be completely disabled until the next reset or MIUI update. To return everything back, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper

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Disabling ADB is the most reliable way, but it requires caution. Wrong commands can disrupt the system. If you're not sure, use methods 1-3.

What if the carousel returned after the MIUI update?

MIUI updates often reset user settings, including the disabled carousel, to avoid this:

1. Create a backup of your settings before updating via Settings → About Phone → Backup.
2. Use third-party wallpaper (method 3) - they are less likely to be reset.
3. Turn off automatic themes download: Settings → Themes → Three dots (menu) → Settings → Auto-update themes (turn off)
4. Block the update of the Mi Wallpaper Carousel service through Settings → Applications → Mi Wallpaper Carousel → Three points → Disable updates.

If the carousel came back anyway,

• 🔄 Repeat steps from method 1 or 2.
• 📵 Clear the cache of the Themes and Gallery app.
• 🛠️ Use it. ADB (method (4) for forced shutdown.

Attention! Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for Redmi 9) may have a new version of the carousel called Super Wallpaper after the update, which must be disabled separately through Settings → Lock Screen → Super Wallpaper.

Alternative solutions: if nothing helps

If all of these methods fail, radical measures remain:

• 📥 Installing custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) will completely remove it. MIUI And all of its features, including the carousel, minus the loss of warranty and the risk of "bricking" the phone.
• 🔧 Reset to factory settings.Be sure to back up your data before doing so! After resetting, don't set up your Xiaomi account right away - turn off the carousel first.
• 🛡️ Using a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) doesn’t affect the lock screen, but avoids other annoying features. MIUI.

To install custom firmware on Redmi 9 you will need:

1. Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
2. Installed TWRP Recovery.
3. Suitable firmware (e.g. with XDA Developers).

⚠️ Warning! Unlocking the bootloader erases all data on the phone and can result in a 72-hour Mi Account lock, a technique only suitable for advanced users!

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper carousel on Redmi 9