How to remove the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi MIUI 13

Xiaomi’s MIUI 13 interface offers users many visual enhancements, but with updates, features that are often not widely available are often introduced. One such controversial element is Wallpaper Carousel, a service that automatically changes images on the lock screen, periodically showing banner ads or news bulletins. Many users are annoyed when their personalized screen turns into a showcase of content they did not choose.

Fortunately, the developers have made it possible to completely disable this feature, although the path to settings may not be obvious to beginners. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to deactivate an intrusive service, from standard settings menus to deeper methods of managing system applications, you can return your smartphone to the usual look and stop receiving unnecessary notifications.

Before we start making changes, it is worth noting that the process does not require root rights or installing third-party software. All the necessary tools are already built into the Android operating system with the MIUI shell. The main thing is to carefully follow the sequence of actions, since the names of menu items may vary slightly depending on the regional version of the firmware.

What is a wallpaper carousel and why turn it off

Wallpaper carousel is a system application that periodically uploads new background images from Xiaomi’s cloud storage and applies them to the lock screen. Formally, this feature is positioned as a way to personalize the device, allowing the user to enjoy high-quality photos of nature, architecture and art without unnecessary effort.

The main reason users are trying to remove this feature is aggressive monetization: In the free version of the service, along with beautiful images, banner ads, suggestions to install games or click on the link can enter the lock screen. In addition, constant synchronization with the server to download new images consumes mobile Internet traffic and battery power, albeit insignificantly, but on a day-to-day scale this is noticeable.

• 📉 Advertising: on the lock screen, advertisements may appear that cover part of the image.
• 📶 Traffic consumption: Automatic downloading of heavy high-resolution images consumes internet traffic in the background.
• 🔋 Autonomy: Constant activity of the network module and the content processing processor reduces battery life.
• 🔒 Privacy: Service requires collection of location and user preferences to target content.

Another important aspect is the stability of the system, which some users note is that once the carousel is turned on, the lock screen becomes less responsive, and in rare cases, there are bugs with display of time or notifications, disabling this feature returns the system to “cleanness” and predictability of behavior, which is especially important for those who value minimalism.

Disconnection through standard MIUI 13 settings

The easiest and safest way to get rid of automatic image change is to use the built-in theme settings menu, which requires no additional knowledge and takes literally a minute, and is suitable for the vast majority of users who just want to return a static image to their Xiaomi.

To start, you need to go to the main settings menu of your device, find the partition that is responsible for the appearance of the system, depending on the interface language, it can be called Wallpaper, Themes or Lock Screen, and this is where the switch that activates or deactivates the cloud service hides.

Once you log in to the menu, you'll see a large switch or button with the function name. If the service is active, the on-line indicator will be next to it. You need to tap it to change the state to "Off." The system can request confirmation of an action or suggest evaluating the service - just ignore these suggestions and agree to shut down.

It's important to understand the difference between simply changing static wallpaper and turning off the merry-go-round. You can choose any image from the gallery as the background, but if the merry-go-round switch is active, the system will eventually replace your image with its own, so it's critical to find the service control point, not just the picture gallery.

⚠️ Note: After disabling the function, the current image from the carousel can remain on the lock screen. To change it to your own, you need to additionally go to the lock screen settings and select a static photo from the gallery.

Management through the “Themes” app

If you can’t find the right item through the basic settings, the alternative is to use the Themes system application, which is the central hub for managing MIUI 13’s visual style, and this is often where more detailed carousel settings are located, including selecting image categories or completely disabling subscriptions.

Run the Themes app on your smartphone. In the lower right corner of the screen is a user profile icon — it usually looks like a human silhouette. Click on it to go to your personal account. Here, in the list of options available, you can find the item "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Wallpaper Carousel".

Inside this menu, you have extended service management, and you can not only turn it off, but you can also adjust the refresh rate if you decide to leave it on. But our goal is to deactivate completely. Find the wallpaper carousel switch and put it in an inactive position. The interface can tell you to choose the reason for the outage, which is a standard statistical collection procedure that doesn't affect anything.

It’s worth noting that the Themes app sometimes requires an update to properly display all menu items. If you don’t find the right option, check with the GetApps or Google Play app store if there are any available updates for Xiaomi system components.

Limitation of background activity and permissions

For those users who want to ensure that any processes associated with the carousel are stopped, there is a more radical method – limiting the rights of the application. Even if the visual switch for some reason “glues” or the function is turned on again after a reboot, the ban on network access and background work completely paralyzes the service.

So the method is to find the system application that's in charge of the carousel in the list of all the programs that are installed and to deny it access to the Internet, and without a network connection, it can't download new images and advertising modules, and it's an effective way to combat intrusive service at the system level.

The sequence of actions is as follows: go to Settings → Apps → All apps. In the list, you need to find an application called Wallpaper Carousel, Wallpaper Carousel or Miui Daemon (in some regions, functions are combined). Click on it, then select “Other permissions” or “Use of data”.

Once these constraints are applied, the system can issue a warning that the application will not work correctly, which is exactly what we need. Accept the warning. Now, even if the switch in the settings accidentally shifts, the carousel will not be able to show its activity.

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For maximum efficiency, it is also recommended to clear the data of the Wallpaper Carousel application through the Memory menu in the program properties, which will remove cached banner ads that have already fallen on the device.

Problems with removal and their solution

Despite the availability of standard disabling tools, users sometimes encounter situations where the carousel behaves unpredictably, such as a feature that can spontaneously turn on after a major system update or reset, and there may be cases when the menu item is missing or inactive (dark).

One common problem is regional binding, where if your smartphone is bought in China or Indonesia but used in Europe, some system applications may not work properly or block the ability to disable ad modules, and changing the region in your phone settings helps.

Try to follow the Settings → Additional Settings → Region and select a country different from your current one (e.g., the U.S. or Germany). After changing the region, the interface may change slightly, and the carousel settings will have additional options or, conversely, restrictions will disappear. Remember to return the region back after setting up, if this is necessary for the operation of other services.

⚠️ Warning: Region changes may affect some local services, holiday calendars, and XiaoAI or Google Assistant.Be prepared for some features to temporarily change behavior.

Another reason why you can’t turn it off is because you have malware or modified firmware installed by a previous owner or seller. If standard methods don’t work, it makes sense to check your phone with an antivirus or perform a full factory reset, saving important data beforehand.

Alternative ways to personalize the lock screen

Once you’ve successfully disposed of the carousel, the question is: how do you fill the space? The standard static picture may seem boring, but MIUI 13 offers many legal and safe ways to diversify the lock screen without intrusive advertising.

You can use live wallpapers that respond to touch or phone movement, creating a depth effect. There are third-party apps from Google Play that change wallpaper on a schedule, but do it transparently for the user and without advertising. It is important to choose proven high-ranking apps.

• 🖼️ Live wallpaper: built-in animated backgrounds that do not require the Internet.
• 🎨 Design topics: complex change of icons, fonts and sounds through the application "Themes».
• ⏰ Widgets: installing useful weather widgets or pedometers directly on the lock screen (depending on the Android version).
• 📸 Photos: Creating a slideshow from a personal gallery through standard system tools.

Using third-party launchers can also be a solution, although they more often affect the desktop rather than the lock screen.However, some launchers are able to intercept control of the lock screen by providing their own, more flexible customization tools.

When you experiment with customization, you'll find a balance between aesthetics and functionality, and the key is to remember that you own a device and it should work the way you want it to work, not the way the marketers intended it to work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)