How to remove wallpaper from Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where the standard screen design ceases to please or, conversely, the installed theme causes discomfort. MIUI interface and the new HyperOS offer many ways to personalize, but sometimes there is a need to return everything to factory settings or completely clean the screen of graphics. This may be necessary when selling the device, eliminating visual bugs or simply if you want to change the style.

The process of “deleting” wallpaper does not always mean the complete disappearance of the image, since the Android operating system requires a background layer, most often it is a question of resetting the theme to a standard one or replacing a bright image with a neutral one. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of working with the gallery, themes and system limitations of the shell.

It is worth considering that the methods may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS. However, the general algorithm of actions remains the same for most models, whether it is a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi 14.

Differences between Removal and Replacement of Wallpaper

It's important to be clear right away: technically, you can remove the wallpaper completely, leaving the screen black or transparent without using third-party launchers, and it's not possible to use a standard shell. The operating system must always display some background. So, by "how to remove the wallpaper," we mean changing the current image to a standard or monochromatic one.

Users often confuse theme with wallpaper. A theme is a package that includes icons, sounds, fonts and background images. Wallpaper is a static or dynamic image of the desktop and lock screen. To get rid of intrusive design, it is often enough to simply change the theme to a classic one without manually deleting individual files.

There are several levels of personalization that affect how the background is displayed. You can change the picture only for the lock screen, leaving the desktop the same, or apply the changes globally. The system stores the cache of these images, so a simple replacement in the gallery does not always immediately give a visible result without rebooting the interface.

⚠️ Warning: Attempting to delete system wallpaper files through a root-righted file manager can result in a "black screen" or a cyclic smartphone reboot.

For most users, the best solution is to use built-in customization tools that are secure and do not require a deep knowledge of the Android architecture.

Resetting theme to standard settings

The most effective way to remove custom wallpaper is to return to the factory theme of the design, which automatically replaces all the changed elements, including background images, with those preinstalled by the manufacturer when the device was released.

To do this, you need to open the Themes app, and in the lower right corner is the user profile icon, and if you go to the user profile icon, you'll see "My Pages" or "My Topics," and it stores the history of all the uploaded and applied designs.

Find a theme on the list called Classic, Standard, or Untitled (usually labeled as current or factory) and click on it and select Apply, after which the system will force all visual elements, including desktop wallpaper and lock screen.

If a standard theme doesn’t appear in the list, it can be found in the theme store directory for “Classic” or “Stock.” It’s important to make sure the theme is compatible with your firmware version to avoid icon display conflicts.

How to change wallpaper through system settings

If your goal is to simply replace the current image with another, you don't have to reset the whole theme. System settings allow you to flexibly manage background images. To do this, go to the Settings menu and find the Wallpaper section.

In the menu that opens, you'll see a few tabs: Online, Video, and Gallery. To remove a bright or distracting image, select the Gallery or System tab, where you can choose a monochrome color or an abstract gradient that is less visible.

You should also pay special attention to the wallpaper carousel function. If you have images that are constantly changing and you want to stop it, you need to go to Settings. → Wallpaper. → The wallpaper carousel and disable this feature, which will remove the automatic change of images on the lock screen.

When you select a new image, the system will suggest applying it to the lock screen, desktop or both screens at once. Be careful when choosing to avoid getting an unexpected result on one of the screens.

Removing Third-Party Wallpaper Apps

Often users install third-party apps from Google Play, such as the Wallpaper Engine or various launchers, that completely intercept background control. To remove such wallpaper, it is not enough just to change the picture in the phone settings.

You need to find the offending app in the installed program list. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find the program responsible for the wallpaper (often they have names like “Live Wallpaper”, “3D Background”, etc.).

Inside the app menu, you need to click the "Delete" or "Stop" button and then "Delete." If the application is system or built into the launcher, the delete button may not be available, in which case the data cleaning will help.

After removing third-party software, the system will automatically return to using the standard launcher and system wallpaper. If this does not happen, restart the device.

Working with live and video wallpaper

Video wallpapers consume more battery life and can slow down the device. If you want to remove animations, you have to force the switch to a static image. MIUI and HyperOS have a separate section for video backgrounds.

Go to the Themes app, click on the profile icon and select Video, which displays all active dynamic wallpapers. To turn them off, just apply any static theme or image from the gallery as described in the previous sections.

It is also worth checking the energy saving settings. In some modes ("Energy Saving"), the system automatically turns off live wallpaper, replacing it with a black background or a static picture to extend battery life.

If the video wallpaper was installed through a third-party app, removing it is the only way guaranteed to get rid of the animation. System video wallpaper can be replaced through the standard background selection menu.

Cache cleanup and launcher reset

Sometimes software failures occur when the wallpaper sticks, does not change, or is displayed incorrectly even after replacement, in which case cleaning the cache of the system component responsible for the desktop helps.

Go to Settings → Applications → All Apps. Find System Launcher (or System Launcher) in the list. Click on it and select Clear → Clear Cache. Don’t confuse it with Clear All Data, as this will reset the location of the icons on your desktop.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing all launcher data will result in a reset of the desktop grid, all folders and widgets will be deleted, they will have to be re-arranged. Use this option only as a last resort.

After cleaning the cache, it is recommended to restart the smartphone, which will allow the system to re-index the media files and apply the standard display settings if there were any temporary errors.

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Before serious manipulation of the system settings of the launcher, take a screenshot of the desktop, which will help you quickly restore the usual structure of folders and widgets after reset.

If the problem persists, check for updates for the system launcher through the GetApps store or Google Play. Developers often release patches that fix graphics display bugs.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The fastest way to return standard wallpaper is to apply the theme "Classic" through the Theme app, which is guaranteed to remove any third-party changes and return the factory look.