How to permanently remove pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi Redmi: from system settings to radical methods

The pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is one of the most annoying features of MIUI firmware, which the manufacturer is pushing hard to implement in new versions. These automatically changing background images not only distract from work, but also load the operating system, reducing battery life. Especially annoying feature users Redmi Note 11, Redmi 10 and POCO X3, where wallpaper can fire when the screen is unlocked, connected to Wi-Fi or even when the battery is low.

Compounding the problem, Xiaomi doesn’t always provide an obvious way to turn off this feature. In some versions of MIUI 12-14, the option is hidden in the depths of the menu, and in others it is not at all — you have to resort to workarounds. In this article, we will examine all the current methods, from basic settings to radical solutions like changing the launcher or disabling system applications, and you will learn why wallpapers continue to pop up even after “disabling” and how to fix it once and for all.

Why do Redmi have pop-up wallpapers?

The dynamic wallpaper feature in MIUI was originally conceived as a marketing ploy: Xiaomi collaborates with services like Xiaomi Wallpapers and Themes that upload content from the cloud, and here are the main reasons for their emergence:

• 🔄 Auto-Update: The system downloads new wallpaper through background processes, even if you didn’t give permission to do so.
• 📱 Pre-installed apps: Mi Wallpaper Carousel or Mi Themes are activated when you first start your smartphone.
• 🔋 Traffic savings: Wallpaper loads in low resolution, but their frequent change consumes battery power.
• 🎯 Targeted advertising: In some regions (for example, India, China) wallpapers contain promotional content of Xiaomi partners.

Interestingly, Redmi with Global ROM is less likely to have a problem than China ROM, which is due to differences in privacy policies: in China, Xiaomi has the right to collect more user data, including screen design preferences.

Method 1: Disable theme settings (official method)

The easiest way to do this is to use the built-in MIUI options. However, there is a catch: the path to settings may vary depending on the firmware version. For most modern Redmi (starting with MIUI 12), the instructions are as follows:

1. Open the settings → design (or themes).
2. Choose Wallpaper. → Dynamic wallpaper.
3. Turn off the wallpaper driver slider (or recommended wallpaper).
4. Return to the Wallpaper section and manually set a static image.

If there is no dynamic wallpaper, try an alternative path:

1. Hold your finger to the free space on the main screen.
2. Then, put the snare on the wallpaper (or theme) icon.
3. At the bottom of the screen, find the Settings → Automan tab.

Make sure you have the latest version of MIUI| Check for Dynamic Wallpaper | Turn off mobile internet before changing your settings (to avoid automatic synchronization) |Reboot your phone after changes

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⚠️ Note: Some Redmis with MIUI 13+ After the autoshift is disabled, the wallpaper may still appear when connected to Wi-Fi. This is due to background activity of the Mi Wallpaper Carousel application.

Method 2: Remove the Wallpaper app (for advanced users)

If the system settings don't work, you can go the radical way of disabling or removing the standard Mi Wallpaper Carousel app, which won't hurt the system, but requires superuser rights or ADB.

No root:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version).
2. Download ADB Tools and run the command: adb shell pm uninstall --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper
3. Reset the device.

From root:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiWallpaper.
3. Rename the file MiWallpaper.apk to MiWallpaper.bak.
4. Clear the app cache in Settings → Apps → Wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: Removing system applications may lead to update errors MIUI. Before the procedure, create a backup copy through Settings → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 3: Blocking Internet access for the “Themes” application

If you don't want to delete anything, you can simply block access to the network for the applications responsible for loading the wallpaper, which will stop automatic content updates.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Themes (com.android.themes) and Wallpaper (com.miui.miwallpaper).
3. In each of them, select Mobile Data and Wi-Fi → Disable.
4. Clear the cache and application data.

For reliability, also disable auto-run of these applications:

1. In the same application settings, tap AutoRun.
2. Find themes and wallpaper, turn off the sliders.

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If the wallpaper continues to change after blocking the Internet, check for updates for the Themes app in Google Play. Sometimes bugs are fixed in new versions.

Method 4: Using a third-party launcher

If you're tired of not only pop-up wallpaper, but also the overall design of MIUI, the best solution is to install an alternative launcher.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher: Flexible customization, no advertising, gesture support.
• 📱 Lawnchair: Lightweight Open Source Launcher.
• 🎨 Microsoft Launcher: Windows integration, minimalist design.
• ⚡ Hyperion Launcher: Optimized for gaming smartphones (suitable for gaming) POCO).

After the launcher is installed:

1. Click the free space on the screen → choose a new launcher as the main one.
2. In the launcher settings, turn off the Dynamic Wallpaper option (if any).
3. Set a static image through the launcher menu.

Important: On some Redmi models (such as the Note 10 Pro) after installing a third-party launcher, system wallpaper may still appear on the lock screen. To fix this, install a separate lock-screen application (such as Always On AMOLED).

Method 5: Reset theme settings to factory

If the wallpaper appeared after updating MIUI or installing a custom theme, resetting the design settings will help, this will return the standard wallpaper and remove all downloaded user themes.

How to do this:

1. Open the settings → design → Themes.
2. Stick to three points (⋮) top-right.
3. Select Reset theme settings.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After discharge:

• ✅ The pop-up wallpaper will disappear (if it was part of a custom theme).
• ❌ All the themes and wallpaper you upload will be deleted.
• ⚠️ Xiaomi system wallpaper can return in 1-2 days (requires a re-disconnection of the changeover).

Additional tips: how to prevent the return of wallpaper

Even after a successful shutdown, pop-up wallpaper can return after a MIUI update or reset.

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → ⋮ → Settings → Auto-update → Off.
• 📵 Block the ads in MIUI: Use Blokada or AdGuard with the domain lock rule api.ad.xiaomi.com.
• 🛡️ Install custom firmware: For example, Xiaomi.EU or LineageOS – they do not have built-in advertising and dynamic wallpaper.
• 🔍 Check out new apps: Some games and utilities (such as Mi Video) can install their own wallpapers.

For Redmi owners with MIUI 14, there is another life hack: put the phone in developer mode and turn off the Automatic Optimization option (Settings → Additional → Developers) to prevent background activity of system applications.

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If none of these methods worked, the problem could be regional firmware, and installing a global version of MIUI (e.g., through the Mi Flash Tool) solves the problem 99 percent of the time.

FAQ: Frequent questions about pop-up wallpaper on Xiaomi Redmi