How to permanently remove the wallpaper carousel on the lock screen Xiaomi in MIUI 9: 5 proven ways

The wallpaper carousel on the lock screen in MIUI 9 is one of the most annoying features for many Xiaomi users. Instead of a static image, the system constantly loads new images, eating traffic, battery power and creating visual chaos. This is especially worrying for smartphone owners with a limited Internet package or a weak battery. Unfortunately, Xiaomi has not added an obvious button to turn this feature off in the settings, so users have to look for workarounds.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, how to remove the wallpaper carousel on the lock screen MIUI 9, including hidden settings, system file editing (for advanced users) and alternative solutions. 4X, Mi 6, Mi A1 and other firmware devices MIUI 9 Global/China If you are tired of constantly changing background images, read more.

Why does the wallpaper carousel appear on the lock screen?

The Wallpaper Carousel feature was introduced into MIUI 8 as part of the Xiaomi ecosystem, but in MIUI 9 it became more intrusive.

• 🔄 Automatic cloud updates: The system loads new wallpapers from Xiaomi servers, even if you didn't consent to it.
• 📱 Sync with Mi Account. If you are logged in to Mi Account, the feature can be activated automatically when you update your firmware.
• 🔧 Hidden default settings. Some regional versions MIUI 9 (e.g. China) ROM) Carousel included "out of the box".
• 📡 Traffic savings are offline. The system ignores the limitations of mobile internet unless you manually configure it.

It’s important to understand that the wallpaper carousel is not just a visual element, but a separate system process that runs in the background, consumes up to 5-15 MB of traffic per month (depending on the frequency of updates), and can increase battery consumption by 2-5% per day on weak smartphones. If you notice that the phone has become discharged faster after upgrading to MIUI 9, this feature may be to blame.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Redmi 5 Plus) after turning off the wallpaper carousel, the user background of the lock may be reset!

Method 1: Disabling the carousel through theme settings (official method)

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in theme settings. It works on all devices with MIUI 9, but the path to the option may vary slightly depending on the model.

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to Wallpaper (or Wallpapers in English).
3. Slip on the tab Lock Screen.
4. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Settings.
5. Find the Wallpaper Carousel option and move the slider to the "Off" position.

If this item is not available, then your version of MIUI 9 does not support disabling through the menu, in which case move on to the following methods.

After turning off the carousel, the system may suggest setting a static background. Choose any wallpaper you like from the gallery or standard themes. If the image does not apply, restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 9 China Developer) after the carousel is turned off, the ability to install wallpaper from the gallery may be lost.

Method 2: Limiting background data for the "Themes" application

If the wallpaper carousel doesn't turn off through the settings, you can block her access to the Internet, which will stop new images from downloading, but won't delete those that have already been downloaded.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Themes app and tap it.
3. Select Data Use (Data Use).
4. Activate options: 🚫 Prohibit background use of data 🚫 Prohibit the use of mobile data

Auto-start

This method does not remove the carousel completely, but stops the loading of new wallpaper. already downloaded images will remain in the cache, but will not change. To completely remove them, clear the cache of the Themes app in the same menu.

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If the carousel still works after data restriction, try disabling sync with Mi Account in your account settings, which sometimes helps even without root rights.

Method 3: Remove the system APK carousel (root required)

For advanced users with unlocked bootloaders and root rights, there is a radical method: removing the system file responsible for the carousel, which is guaranteed to remove the feature forever, but requires caution.

Step-by-step:

1. Install any file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/WallpaperCarousel
3. Delete the WallpaperCarousel folder or rename it to WallpaperCarousel.bak (in case of recovery).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Deleting system files may cause unstable firmware or update errors.Before the procedure, back up through TWRP Mi Flash!

After deleting the file, the wallpaper carousel will disappear forever, but other features related to the theme may also disappear (for example, automatically changing the wallpaper on the home screen).

Method 4: Edit build.prop (for power users)

Another method for root-righted owners is to disable the carousel through the system file build.prop. This is less risky than removing the APK, but requires care.

Instructions:

1. Download any build.prop editor (e.g. BuildProp Editor from Play Market).
2. Open the file and add the following lines at the end: ro.miui.has_wallpaper_carousel=false persist.sys.wallpaper_carousel.enabled=0
3. Save the changes and restart the device.

If the carousel remains after the reboot, check:

• 🔍 Correctness of written lines (registrar is important!)
• 🔍 Duplicate parameters (remove old ones if any)
• 🔍 Rights to write to file (must be rw-r)--r--)

This method works on MIUI 9 Global and China Stable, but may not work on custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu). If you have problems connecting to the network after editing, delete the added lines.

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Editing build.prop is a reversible process, and if something goes wrong, you can always return the original file from the backup.

Method 5: Use ADB-commands without root)

If you don’t have root rights but have a computer, you can try turning off the carousel through the carousel. ADB-This method does not work on all devices, but does not require unlocking the bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB and Fastboot on PC (instructions are available on XDA Developers).
2. Enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then go back to Additional → For Developers).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute commands: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.wallpapercarousel pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.wallpapercarousel
4. Reset the device.

If the first command fails, try the alternative:

adb shell settings put global wallpaper_carousel_enabled 0

This method does not delete the carousel file, but only disables it for the current user. After resetting settings or updating the firmware, you may need to repeat the procedure.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Redmi Note 5 Pro) after execution ADB-In this case, you can return everything back by command: adb shell pm enable com.miui.wallpapercarousel

What if none of the methods worked?

If all of these methods fail, your version of MIUI 9 may have unique limitations, leaving you with radical measures:

• 🔄 Update firmware. MIUI 10 and later wallpaper carousel is disabled by standard means. Check for updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📱 Install custom firmware. firmware from Xiaomi.eu or LineageOS does not have a wallpaper carousel by default".
• 🛠️ Reset to factory settings. Sometimes it helps, but it deletes all data. TWRP.
• 🚫 Use third-party launchers.Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) and disable the standard launcher MIUI It's not going to take the carousel off the lock, but it's going to make it less visible.

If you decide to switch to custom firmware, consider:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader is required (the procedure takes up to 360 hours of waiting on the official Xiaomi website).
• 🔧 Possible bugs with camera, sensors or mobile network (depending on the model).
• 📡 Official updates "over the air" will not be possible to receive.

For Redmi 4X, Mi Max 2 and other popular devices on MIUI 9, there are ready-made patches on the 4PDA or XDA forums that remove the carousel without completely flashing.Look for a theme for your model with keywords to remove the MIUI 9 wallpaper carousel.

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off wallpaper carousel