Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often encounter an intrusive feature that automatically changes images on the lock screen, a system known as Wallpaper Carousel or Glance that is meant to entertain the user but often only annoys and wastes traffic. Many users are looking for a way to return a static image that was set by default or selected manually.
Disabling this feature is easy, but the paths to settings may vary depending on the version of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS. In some cases, standard shutdown does not help, and a deeper approach to the theme system is required. Below we will discuss all the current methods for solving this problem.
First, we can determine what causes the change of images, most often the built-in Wallpaper app or the Wallpaper Carousel service, and automatic background replacement can be activated after the system is updated without the user's knowledge, and it's important to understand the difference between live wallpaper and just changing static images.
What is a Wallpaper Carousel and Why It Turns On
A feature popularly called wallpaper change, officially called Wallpaper Carousel (or Glance on global firmware), is a service built into the MIUI shell that downloads new images from the Internet every time a smartphone screen is turned on, which developers market as a way to get news and inspiration, but in practice it often leads to unwanted battery consumption and mobile traffic.
This feature is often activated in disguise, for example, when you first set up a new Xiaomi device or after a major software update, the system can automatically turn on “recommendations.” Also, changing the background can be part of a selected theme from the Themes store. Some themes force their display conditions to ignore the standard settings of the gallery.
⚠️ Warning: Wallpaper carousel can consume a significant amount of RAM, which on budget models Redmi leads to more frequent unloading of background applications.
Understanding the nature of this service helps you choose the right way to turn it off, so if you just change the image in the gallery, after a while, the system algorithm can replace it with advertising or news, so you need to target the source of the shift, the aggregator application.
Disconnection through standard system settings
The easiest and safest way to stop the endless change of images is to use built-in switches in the settings menu, which works on most current versions of MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS firmware. You do not need third-party programs or superuser rights.
To start, open the main settings menu of your device. Find a section that could be called "Always on screen and lock" or simply "Lock screen." The path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same: we need to find the item responsible for automatic background replacement.
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If you can’t find the right item, use the search by settings, entering the word “carousel” or “lock screen”.
Inside the menu, find the wallpaper carousel (or "Glance") switch, which should be active if the images change themselves. Just move the switch to the "Off" position, and then the system will suggest that you select a static image for the lock screen, which action will completely stop the loading of new content.
Sometimes, after the function is turned off, you need to restart the device to make the changes take effect permanently. If the switch returns to an active state on its own, then the process is blocked by system restrictions or a third-party theme, and you will need to use the methods described below.
Management through the “Themes” app
If a standard shutdown didn’t work, the problem could be in the Themes app, which is where Xiaomi distributes visuals, many of which have a dynamic background change feature built in, and even if you’ve turned off the carousel in the settings, the active theme can overwrite those settings.
Go to the Themes app on your smartphone. Go to your user profile (usually the person icon in the lower right corner). Select the Topics section and find the one that is currently active (it will be marked with a blue tick).
In the description of the theme, pay attention to the “Default” or “Reset” button. Using a standard theme Classic or Default is guaranteed to remove any wallpaper change scripts. Also, in the settings of the Themes app itself (cog in the profile), it is worth checking the “Wallpaper Carousel” item and disabling it there if it is present.
It is worth noting that some third-party themes downloaded from unverified sources may contain malicious code that forcibly returns banner ads to the lock screen, in which case only a complete reset of the theme to the factory helps.
Setting up through the Wallpaper app
In MIUI-based Android, a separate system application called Wallpaper is responsible for managing the backgrounds, and that is the brain center for Carousel, and if previous methods have failed, you need to defuse the application.
Find an app on your desktop or in the Tools folder with an icon that depicts a landscape or brush. Run it. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see tabs, one of which will be called "Wallpaper Carousel" or have a corresponding logo. Go to this section.
Here you will see the current subscription or activation status of the service. Click on the "Disable" or "Delete" button (if the system allows), and in the settings of this application (three dots in the corner), you can find the "Automatic Replace" option and uncheck it, this action breaks the connection between the Xiaomi server and your lock screen.
⚠️ Note: When you delete or disable the Wallpaper system application, make sure you have the desired static image in the Gallery, as the standard selection of backgrounds may become unavailable.
After manipulating the application, it is recommended to clear its cache. To do this, press the application icon, select About the application and click Clear → Clear Everything. This will delete temporary files that could have saved the automatic download settings.
Verification of access rights and special opportunities
In rare cases, compulsive wallpaper changes are not the responsibility of Xiaomi system services, but of third-party applications that have received excessive rights, which is difficult to call viruses, rather it is the aggressive marketing of programs you install (for example, “memory cleaners” or “flashlights”).
Check the list of applications that have access to changing system interfaces. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications. Sort the list by installation date or carefully review the names of suspicious utilities. If you see applications with names like “HD Wallpapers”, “Super Locker” or “Clean Master”, check their settings.
Also worth a look at is the Special Features section. Path: Settings → Advanced Settings → Special Features. This shows a list of services that can control the screen. If you see an unknown service with lock screen access enabled, turn it off immediately.
For clarity, we give a table of common sources of wallpaper change and ways to neutralize them:
| Source of the problem | Symptoms. | Method of decision |
|---|---|---|
| System Carousel | The images change when the screen is turned on. | Disable in the Lock Screen Settings |
| Third-party Theme | Change of background + change of icons | Reset the theme to “Classic” in the Topics app |
| Wallpaper annex | The function is not turned off by the toggler | Clear the data and cache of the Wallpaper application |
| Third-party launcher | Strange Desktop Behavior | Check the settings of the installed launcher |
| Advertising virus | Full-screen pop-up ads | Remove a recently installed suspicious app |
Removal of system component updates
There are situations when after updating the firmware function of the wallpaper change starts to work incorrectly or becomes undeleteable by standard methods, in which case the effective solution is to roll back the wallpaper or Carousel component to the factory version.
To do this, go to the App Management menu. Find Wallpapers or Mi Glance in the list. Click on the name to enter the Control menu. If the Remove button is inactive (gray), click on the three dots in the top corner and select Remove Updates.
The system will warn that the application will be replaced by the factory version. Confirm the action. After that, the smart wallpaper change functionality will disappear, since the old version of the software does not contain modules to work with the new Xiaomi servers. This is a radical but effective method.
Can I remove the Wallpaper app completely?
After the version rolls back, be sure to restart the smartphone. When you first boot, the system may try to update the component again. If you want to save the result, at the time of the update, you can temporarily turn off the Internet or deny the Wallpaper app access to the network in the Access Control section.
Restricting network access for system services
If nothing helps and Carousel continues to live its life, it can be blocked from accessing its content source, the Internet, and without a network connection, the app will not be able to physically upload new images to change the background.
Go to your mobile traffic settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Apps → All apps → (menu) → Network access. In the list that opens, look for the Wallpaper or Glance app and uncheck the boxes for Wi-Fi and Mobile Internet.
Now, even if the feature is formally enabled, it will work idly, displaying the same picture that was uploaded last, or return to a static image, a great way to avoid intrusive functionality without deep interference with the system.
☑️ Checklist for switching off wallpaper change
But remember, this method can cause weather or news widgets, if they are tied to the same service, to stop updating, too.
Possible problems and solutions
Users may encounter various difficulties in setting up, such as the switch switch may be inactive (shadowed), or settings may be reset after rebooting, often due to device administrator rights or active work profiles.
If the settings don't work, try to enter Safe Mode, press the Turn Off button, and when the Turn Off icon appears on the screen, press and hold it. In Safe Mode, third-party apps don't work. If this mode stops changing the wallpaper, then one of the apps you installed is to blame.
⚠️ Note: When you reset your data to the factory (Hard Reset), all your data will be deleted. Use this method only as a last resort, having previously made a backup copy.
The problem may also be date and time: If your smartphone has a time setting, security certificates can block the system switches from working correctly, or they can bypass the restrictions.
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An integrated approach, including disabling the function, changing the theme and limiting access to the network, guarantees 100% results in getting rid of obsessive wallpaper changes.