How to permanently remove the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi Redmi Note 5: a step-by-step guide

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is still a popular smartphone due to its balanced performance and stable performance on MIUI. However, many users are faced with an annoying feature of the firmware — automatically changing wallpaper carousel on the home screen, this feature not only eats up battery power, but also prevents personalization of the device.

Unlike new Xiaomi models, where the carousel can be turned off in two clicks, on the Redmi Note 5 (codenamed Whyred), this process requires knowledge of hidden settings or even use of the device. ADB. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to remove wallpaper carousel, including methods without root rights and with minimal risk to the system. MIUI 9-12, where the interface settings are significantly different from modern.

Wallpaper carousel is a function MIUI-The launcher, which automatically loads and changes the background images on the home screen.On the Redmi Note 5, it is activated by default in several cases:

  • 📱 After updating the firmware to MIUI 10+ (Even if the carousel was previously disconnected).
  • 🔄 When resetting to factory or flashing through Fastboot.
  • 🌐 If theme synchronization is enabled in the Mi Account settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Synchronization → Topics).
  • 📦 When installing official themes from the Mi Theme Store, where the carousel is built into some wallpaper packages.

Technically, the carousel is part of the com.miui.miwallpaper system app, which is responsible for wallpaper and its rotation. On new Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 10 or POCO X3), it can be turned off via the wallpaper menu, but on the Redmi Note 5 there is no such option, due to the limitations of the old version of MIUI and the features of the launcher for devices based on Snapdragon 636.

Can the carousel be removed completely? Yes, but with reservations:

  • ✅ Partial shutdown: through launcher settings (not working on all versions) MIUI).
  • ✅ Complete removal: with the help of ADB or modification of system files (requires unlocking the bootloader).
  • ❌ Impossible: Remove the carousel forever without consequences on the blocked loader (will lead to a launcher failure).
📊 How often do you get annoyed by the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi?
Constantly.
Sometimes.
I used to worry, but I used to.
I don't notice her.
I don't have it.

This is the easiest method, but it doesn’t work on all versions of MIUI. If your Redmi Note 5 runs on MIUI 9–11 firmware, try the following steps:

  1. Open Settings and go to the Desktop (or Home Screen).
  2. Slip on the wallpaper item (or the background of the desktop).
  3. In the menu that opens, select the Wallpaper Carousel (may be called the Wallpaper Driver).
  4. Transfer the slider to the off position. or uncheck the box from the option Automatic change.

If there is no such item, try an alternative path:

  1. Press the empty space on the home screen until the wallpaper settings menu appears.
  2. Select Wallpaper → More (three dots in the upper right corner).
  3. If you have the option to set up a carousel, turn it off.

On MIUI 12 and later, this method may not work – in such cases, the carousel is controlled through the system application com.miui.miwallpaper, and its deactivation requires ADB.

USB Debugging enabled (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 Taps → For Developers → USB Debugging)

Installed ADB drivers on PC (download from [the official Android site](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools))

Smartphone connected to PC with original cable

Backup of data created (in case of failure)

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If standard settings don’t work, you’ll need to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which doesn’t require super-user rights, but requires connecting your smartphone to your computer.

Warning: Incorrect ADB commands may disrupt the launcher.Follow the instructions carefully!

⚠️ Attention: Before executing commands, make sure that the smartphone is enabled Debugging by USB If the launcher stops working after completing the commands, run adb shell pm clear com.miui.home to reset the settings.

Steps to turn off the carousel:

  1. Connect Redmi Note 5 to your PC and open the command prompt (cmd) in the folder with ADB.
  2. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices Wait for the serial number of the device to appear.
  3. Run the command to disable the carousel: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper/com.miui.miwallpaper.WallpaperCarouselActivity
  4. Reboot your smartphone: adb reboot

If after the reboot the carousel disappeared, but the wallpaper was reset to standard, install new ones manually through Settings → Wallpaper.

To return the carousel (if necessary), follow the command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper/com.miui.miwallpaper.WallpaperCarouselActivity

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If ADB does not recognize the device, try reinstalling drivers or using another USB-Often the problem lies in the unoriginal cables with damaged contacts for data transmission.

Method 3: Remove the system application (requires unlocking the bootloader)

This method is suitable for power users, as it requires unlocking the bootloader and can potentially lead to a device blink, and we recommend it only if the first two methods did not work.

To remove the carousel, you must always:

  1. Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool (instructions on the official Xiaomi website).
  2. Install Custom Recovery (TWRP)
  3. Download and flash modified miui.home or delete com.miui.miwallpaper via TWRP.

Detailed instructions:

  1. Download TWRP for Redmi Note 5 (the version should match your firmware).
  2. Fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.6.2-whyred.img fastboot boot twrp-3.6.2-whyred.img
  3. In TWRP, go to Mount and mark System.
  4. Use File Manager in TWRP to go to /system/priv-app/MiuiWallpaper.
  5. Delete the MiuiWallpaper folder or rename it to MiuiWallpaper.bak.
  6. Reboot to the system.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications may disrupt Mi Account and other Xiaomi services. Create a full backup before running your firmware TWRP!

MethodDifficultyPC requiredRisk to the systemReversibility
Through launcher settings⭐ (simple)❌ No.❌ No.✅ Yes.
ADB-team⭐⭐ (middle-of-the-road)✅ Yes.⚠️ Low.✅ Yes.
Removal via TWRP⭐⭐⭐ (difficult)✅ Yes.⚠️⚠️ High-pitched❌ No (no backup)

One of the most common problems is that the wallpaper carousel returns after a firmware update, which is because Xiaomi restores the standard launcher settings when installing new versions of MIUI.

Decisions:

  • 🔄 Repeat the shutdown through ADB (The teams remain the same).
  • 📵 Turn off automatic theme updates in Settings → Topics → Settings → Auto-update themes.
  • 🔒 Install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) where wallpaper carousels are not by default.
  • 🛡️ Block system applications updates through Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three points. → Special access → Updating system applications.

If you use MIUI 12.5+, try rolling back to an older firmware version where the carousel is easier to turn off, but remember that rollbacks can lead to problems with Mi Account and data encryption.

Why Xiaomi doesn’t let you just turn off the carousel?
Wallpaper carousel is part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem that integrates with Mi Account and Mi Theme Store, which encourages users to download new themes and wallpapers, which increases traffic in their store. On older devices like the Redmi Note 5, this feature is implemented at the system application level, so it can not be turned off with standard means without risking disrupting the launcher.

Alternative solutions: third-party launchers and wallpaper

If none of these methods worked, consider using alternative launchers, which not only remove the wallpaper carousel, but also offer additional interface customization features.

Best launchers for Redmi Note 5:

  • 🌟 Nova Launcher – flexible customization of icons, gestures and animations. Supports dark theme and adaptive wallpaper.
  • 📱 Lawnchair is an open source lightweight launcher that mimics the Pixel Launcher.
  • 🎨 Microsoft Launcher – Integration with Windows and Cloud Services.
  • ⚡ Hyperion Launcher – optimized for weak devices, supports dynamic wallpaper.

To install a third-party launcher:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Open it and follow the setup instructions.
  3. In the Redmi Note 5 settings, go to Settings → Applications → Default → Launcher and select a new launcher.

If you want to keep the standard MIUI-Launcher, but remove the carousel, try to install static wallpapers through applications like WallpapersCraft or Backdrops. They allow you to fix the background without automatically changing.

💡

The side launchers are the most reliable solution for carousel removal, but they can increase battery consumption by 5-10% due to background activity.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you try to turn off the wallpaper carousel, users often encounter typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to solve them.

Error 1: ADB does not see the device

Causes and solutions:

  • 🔌 Unoriginal cable – use the cable from the Redmi Note 5 kit.
  • 🖥️ Not installed drivers - download Mi PC Suite or drivers ADB Android.
  • 🔄 Not included debugging – check the settings → For developers → Debugging by USB.
  • 🛡️ Antivirus Block – temporarily disable protection on PC.

Mistake 2: After the carousel was turned off, all the wallpaper was lost.

This is normal behavior -- the system app com.miui.miwallpaper resets the wallpaper settings.

  • 🖼️ Install new wallpaper manually through Settings → Wallpaper.
  • 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes the wallpaper is restored after a reboot.

Error 3: The launcher stopped working after deleting system files

If you removed MiuiWallpaper via TWRP and the launcher crashes, do:

  • 🔧 Sweep back the original miui.home through TWRP.
  • 📦 Restore the backup from TWRP (If you did it before the change).
  • 🔄 Reset the launcher settings through ADB: adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

Mistake 4: Carousel is back after resetting settings

When you factory reset, all system applications return to their original state.

  • 📝 Save it. ADB-commands to a text file and execute them again after resetting.
  • 🔒 Use it. TWRP to create a backup system before resetting and restore it after.
Can I turn off the wallpaper carousel without a computer?
On the Redmi Note 5 without ADB, this is unlikely. The only way without a PC is to install a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher) that ignores the system merry-go-round, but it won't remove it completely, it will only hide it.
Will the ADB work on MIUI 13?
Yes, ADB commands to disable com.miui.miwallpaper work on MIUI 13, but the path to activity may change. If the standard command doesn't work, try: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper This will disable the entire wallpaper app, but you can set the background through the gallery.
Can I return the carousel after removal via TWRP?
Yes, but it would require: Restore the remote folder MiuiWallpaper from the backup, or flash the original miui.home through TWRP, or reset the settings (but that would bring back all system applications), without the backup, it would be difficult to return the carousel, you would have to reflash the device.
Will the carousel shutdown affect productivity?
Yes, but positively, the wallpaper carousel consumes up to 5 to 15 MB of RAM and periodically accesses the network to upload new images: 🔋 Reduced battery consumption (1-3% per day). ⚡ Reduced load on the processor when changing wallpaper. 📶 Traffic will decrease (if the carousel downloaded wallpaper from the Internet), but the effect will be noticeable only on weak devices. On the Redmi Note 5 with the Snapdragon 636, the difference is noticeable.
Is there a risk of blocking your Mi Account after modifications?
Not unless you delete system applications associated with Mi Account (e.g. com.xiaomi.account). disabling com.miui.miwallpaper is secure for the account: ⚠️ Unlocking the bootloader will reset all data and may require re-authorization. ⚠️ Removal of system appas through TWRP It can disrupt Find Device and other services. Always backup before major changes!