How to remove wallpaper from the lock screen on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which are powered by MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, offer users ample personalization options, but often introduce elements that can be annoying. One of these features is the automatic wallpaper change on the lock screen, known as “Wallpaper Carousel” or “Stupid Screen,” and many device owners are faced with a situation where instead of the usual static image, the system offers banner ads or random photos from the Internet.

The need to remove these wallpapers arises not only for aesthetic reasons, but also to save traffic and battery power. Standard settings Android Wallpaper menu does not always allow you to completely disable the obsessive feature of changing images, as it is often hidden in the depths of system parameters or tied to the topic of design. In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to return to a classic static screen.

You will learn how to manage image sources, disable automatic content downloads, and return factory display settings. It is important to understand that the algorithms of the system may vary depending on the firmware version and region, so we will consider universal methods suitable for most current Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models.

Disabling the wallpaper carousel through settings

The most common way Xiaomi users can avoid constantly changing pictures is to configure the built-in wallpaper carousel service, which is responsible for loading and displaying content on a locked screen, and to access its management, you need to go to the Settings section, then select the Wallpaper item and find the corresponding option there.

In the menu that opens, you'll see a switch that activates or deactivates the function. Turning the wallpaper carousel off completely returns the default static image for your theme, but turning off the switch is not enough if you activate automatic rotation of images in the theme settings.

Sometimes the system requires additional confirmation of actions or reboot the interface. If after switching the settings, images continue to change, try clearing the cache of the Themes or Wallpaper Carousel application through the application management menu, which will help to reset erroneous cached data, which can force the slideshow to turn on.

• 📱 Open the settings and go to the "Wallpaper" section».
• 🔄 Find the item "Carousel wallpaper" and click on it.
• ❌ Transfer the switch to the "Off" position».
• 💾 Click on “Apply” to save the changes.

⚠️ Warning: After the system update, the carousels may reset and the function is activated again automatically. MIUI.

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If the standard path doesn’t work, try entering the phrase “Carousel” in the settings search to get to the desired menu immediately.

Managing Image Sources in Carousel

Even if you don't want to completely abandon the wallpaper-changing function, it often requires limiting the sources of the wallpaper, offering images from a variety of categories: nature, architecture, art, or even advertising affiliate materials, and managing these sources makes it less intrusive and more predictable to change the images.

Inside the wallpaper carousel menu, there's a "Sources" or "Subscriptions" section, where you can manually choose which categories of images you'll see, and turning off all the sources actually makes the carousel a static screen, because the system just won't have any new files to display, and it's an effective life hack for those who like the visual part of the carousel interface but don't want to see the advertising content.

Also worth noting is refresh rate, some versions of the shell offer a customization of the image swap interval, increasing this interval to a maximum or selecting the option "Do not change" allows you to fix the current image indefinitely, this is especially true for owners of Redmi Note and POCO models, where the aggression of content introduction is often higher.

• 🖼️ Go to the wallpaper carousel settings.
• 📂 Select the "Sources" or "Subscriptions" section».
• 🚫 Please remove the boxes from all categories, including “Recommended».
• ✅ Save the changes and check the result on the locked screen.

Changing the topic of design as a method of decision

One of the hidden reasons why you can't remove wallpaper from the lock screen is because of the active theme, and many users don't know that MIUI and HyperOS themes can have their own, hard-to-spec lock screen settings that prioritize the system. If you install a third-party theme from the Mi Themes store, it can force you to switch wallpapers regardless of your settings in the system menu.

To check this, you need to go to the Themes app, open a user profile, and select My Themes. Switch to the standard Classic or Defult theme. After applying the classic theme, all third-party lock screen settings are reset, and control returns to standard system settings, often solving the problem when the sliders in the settings were inactive.

If you don't want to give up your favorite theme, but you want to remove wallpaper change, try looking for features in the theme description. Some themes allow you to customize the lock screen separately. However, in most cases, returning to a stock theme is the fastest and most reliable way to deactivate intrusive third-party features.

It is worth noting that after changing the theme, you may need to restart the device to fully apply all the parameters. In rare cases, the cache of the old theme remains in memory, and the system continues to load the old settings.

• 🎨 Open the “Themes” app on your desktop.
• 👤 Go to the profile (human icon) and select “My topics».
• 🏠 Find the Classic Theme (or Default) and apply it.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to fix the changes.

⚠️ Warning: When you change the theme, you may reset your widget settings and the location of the icons on your desktop. Take a screenshot in advance to restore the usual structure.

Setting up static wallpaper instead of slideshow

Once you have disabled the automatic shift, it is important to correctly set the desired image.The system can still offer "recommended" wallpaper at each unlock, unless you manually fix the selection. → Wallpaper and select the section "Block screen».

You can choose from a gallery, pre-installed collections, or create your own collage, and the key is that when you select an image, the system will ask you whether you want to use it on the home screen, on the lock screen, or both. Make sure you choose the Lock screen or the two screens to block any remnants of the Carousel settings.

If you use live wallpaper, make sure it's optimized for your model. On budget Redmi series devices, complex live wallpaper can cause braking when unlocked, in which case it's better to use a high-resolution static image that doesn't consume CPU resources.

Remember that for AMOLED screens, black means off pixels, which saves a lot of charge. If your goal is maximum autonomy, setting up a completely black image will be the best solution after turning off the Carousel.

Resetting Personalization Settings Through Security

In some cases, standard methods fail due to software errors or system conflicts.The Security app, preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones, has advanced system cleanup tools that can help. Although there is no direct Wallpaper Reset button, cleaning associated services often solves the problem.

Open the Security app, scroll down to the Cleanup section and start the scan. After you finish the check, look at the Deep Cleanup or Apps section. Find the Topics and Wallpaper Carousel app on the list, and clearing their cache and data will bring these components back to factory status by removing all custom settings, including forced background changes.

Important: This method won't delete your personal photos or contacts, but it will reset your design settings. You'll have to re-choose theme and wallpaper. It's a radical but effective way to combat software glitches when sliders in the settings don't respond to clicks.

• 🛡️ Launch the Security App».
• 🧹 Click on “Cleaning” and wait for the analysis to be completed.
• 📱 Find the Application Management or Deep Cleaning section.
• 🗑️ Clear the data of the “Themes” and “Wallpaper” applications».

⚠️ Note: Cleaning up the Themes app data will remove all downloaded third-party themes.Make sure you remember the Mi Account password if you need to re-authorize.

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Cleaning up the data of system registration applications is the most effective way to correct errors when settings are not saved.

Frequently encountered problems and their solution

Even following the instructions, users may encounter nuanced behaviors, such as when the wallpaper carousel is turned off, the screen may still have a "Click to learn more" or a switch arrow, a residual interface element that disappears after a complete reboot of the device or after a new static background is installed.

Another problem is that the ads or wallpaper changes come back after a while, and this can happen if you have the theme settings synced in your Mi Account settings. Check Settings → Mi Account → Sync and make sure the theme and wallpaper are not synced to the cloud if you want to keep your local settings.

Also worth mentioning is third-party launchers, which, if you're using a Nova Launcher or a Microsoft Launcher, can have their own lock screen settings that override the system, so you'll need to look for the switch in the launcher settings, not in Android.

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Use Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode in screen settings to minimize display activity and hide possible interface elements when long-term downtime.