Xiaomi’s modern smartphones are not only famous for their affordable price, but also for aggressive monetization, which users often call “advertising junk.” One of the most annoying features has become the so-called wallpaper carousel, or Glance, which automatically replaces images on a locked screen, broadcasting news and promotional materials. For many device owners, this becomes a real problem, since standard disconnection methods are often hidden deep in the menu or do not work at all without special knowledge.
In this article, we will explore proven ways to permanently get rid of an intrusive carousel, regaining a clean and functional lock screen, learn which system services are responsible for this process, how to safely disable them and whether it is worth using third-party tools to solve the problem.
Before we start radical measures like ADB-commands or flashing, you need to try standard methods of disconnection provided by the developers of the shell MIUI This will avoid potential system errors and maintain a warranty on the device. Below is a detailed algorithm of actions for various versions of firmware.
Anatomy of the carousel: what it is and why it is needed
Wallpaper carousel is a service integrated into the system shell of a smartphone that automatically uploads and changes background images on the lock screen. Technically, this process is performed by the Wallpaper Carousel app or its regional counterparts like Glance, the main purpose of implementing this feature is to increase user engagement and monetization through the display of banner ads and news reports.
Developers have positioned the carousel as a way to personalize, allowing users to see fresh content without unlocking the phone, but in practice, this often leads to increased traffic consumption, increased battery load and, most importantly, reduced performance due to background activity.
It's important to understand that a carousel is not just a static image, but a full-fledged service that has its own access rights and permissions, and can request geolocation access to show local news, or use the Internet to upload high-quality images, which is why completely removing or deep disabling this component is a priority for many advanced users.
- 📉 Resource consumption: Background image loading consumes traffic and battery power.
- 📢 Advertising: A significant portion of the content is commercial or news.
- ⚙️ System integration: the component is deeply embedded in the shell and requires careful handling when removed.
⚠️ Warning: Complete removal of system components may cause the interface to work in an unstable manner. It is recommended to first try disabling the function through settings before resorting to deleting the function. APK-file.
Disabling the carousel through standard settings
The safest and most appropriate way to remove the carousel is to use the built-in theme settings, which in most cases allows you to fully deactivate the functionality without losing system stability. The process may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but the general principle remains unchanged.
To start, you need to go to the device settings menu, find the visual section, and select Wallpaper. This is where you hide the control of the carousel. If you use the global version of the firmware, this item can be called Wallpaper Carousel or Glance.
In the menu that opens, find the switch that activates the wallpaper change, and you need to move it to the "Off" position, and then the system will prompt you to select a static image for the lock screen, agree to the action, and the carousel will stop working.
☑️ Checklist for carousel shutdown
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where after a reboot the settings are reset and the carousel is turned on again. This may be due to the work of Xiaomi services, which forcibly restore the state, in which case it is worth checking the settings of the Themes application itself.
Go to the Themes app, go to the user profile (human icon) and select Settings. Find Wallpaper Carousel and make sure that there is also a no-activation option. Double check ensures that the service does not start again.
Removal of Wallpaper Carousel System App
If a regular shutdown doesn't help or there's no menu item, you can try to remove the app itself, which is responsible for the carousel. In Xiaomi shells, this is a system component, so you can't remove it through the Application Manager in the usual way - the "Delete" button will be inactive.
Removal requires access to advanced system features. On some firmware versions (especially Chinese or early MIUI versions), you can turn off the app via the Apps menu → All Apps → Wallpaper Carousel → Disable. This will freeze the process and it will stop running.
A more radical method involves the use of ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to control your smartphone from your computer and remove system packages, and you will need to enable USB debugging in the Developer menu and install drivers on your PC.
List of deletion packages
After connecting your smartphone to your PC and running your ADB console, you need to enter a command to delete the packet. Be extremely careful when entering packet names, as an error can lead to the removal of important system components.
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.wallpaper.carouselThis command will remove the carousel only for the current user without affecting the system partition, which means that when reset to factory settings, the app will return, but in everyday use it will no longer bother.
Using ADB for Advanced Users
The ADB method is the most effective way to combat system “garbage” on Xiaomi, not only removing the carousel, but also disabling other intrusive services such as MSA (Miui System Ads) or Mi Video.
Before you start, make sure that your computer has ADB drivers installed. Connect your smartphone with a cable, allow debugging on your phone screen. Enter adb devices in the command line to make sure the device is visible to the system.
There are a number of commands that help to clean the system of excess software. However, unlike simple removal, ADB allows you to also freeze processes, which is sometimes safer. If after removing the carousel, the interface begins to work incorrectly, the frozen application can be easily defrosted.
- 🔍 Diagnostics: Adb shell pm list packages will show all installed packages.
- 🧊 Freeze: Adb shell pm disable-user temporarily disables the app.
- ❌ Delete: Adb shell pm uninstall command removes the application for the user.
⚠️ Warning: Do not delete packets that you do not know the purpose of. Deleting critical system services (such as those associated with a phone or message) can cause a device to “brick.
The system will recover deleted user data, but the system packages will remain deleted for the current user until you complete a full reset (Wipe Data).
Alternative methods and third-party launchers
If you don’t want to mess with system settings and ADB, you can go another way – replace the standard lock screen and launcher with third-party solutions. This radically changes the appearance of the smartphone and completely ignores the system limitations of Xiaomi.
There are many Google Play apps that offer their own lock screens with advanced functionality, and if you install such a launcher, you will block access to the standard carousel, but it is worth considering that third-party launchers can consume more battery life.
Another option is to use specialized systems cleaning applications, such as Universal Android Debloater.This is a graphical shell for ADB that allows you to remove system debris in one click, having a knowledge base about safe to remove packages.
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Before installing a third-party launcher, set up all gestures and navigation buttons in it, as after installation, the standard settings may stop working.
When using alternative methods, it's important to keep an eye on the permissions you give new apps.Some launchers require access to contacts or a microphone, which may not be secure.Always check the reviews and reputation of the developer.
Comparison of methods of turning off the carousel
To choose the best way to combat intrusive advertising, it is worth comparing the available methods by key parameters: complexity, security and effectiveness. Below is a table that helps to determine the choice.
| Method | Difficulty | Security | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| System settings | Low. | Tall. | Medium |
| Disconnection in the annex Topics | Low. | Tall. | Medium |
| ADB (packet removal) | Tall. | Medium | Tall. |
| Third-party launcher | Medium | Depends on the software. | Tall. |
As you can see from the table, standard settings are the safest, but not always the most reliable method. ADB gives the maximum result, but requires caution. Third-party launchers are a compromise between functionality and resource consumption.
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The combined approach (settings + ADB) gives the best result, completely clearing the system of the carousel and preventing its reappearance.