Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the desire to personalize their device beyond the standard static image. Redmi 7, despite its age, remains popular due to the availability and ability to fine-tune the MIUI interface. One of the most popular features is the automatic change of pictures on the lock screen, which creates a novelty effect every time you pick up the phone.
The process of activating this feature does not require obtaining superuser rights or complex system reflashing. The MIUI shell already contains the necessary tools that just need to be activated correctly. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods, from standard settings to using third-party themes to make your Redmi 7 look as modern as possible.
It's worth noting that the display quality and availability of certain sets of images may depend on the region set in the phone's settings. If you want to access a full catalog of wallpaper, you may need to change region to India or Singapore. Let's get to the practical part and customize your screen.
The regular function of "Wallpaper Carousel" in MIUI
The first and most reliable way is to use an embedded mechanism, which in different versions of the firmware can be called "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Glance", which automatically downloads new images from the Internet and shows them when the screen is turned on, and requires a stable connection to the Wi-Fi network or mobile Internet to work.
To activate the mode, you need to go to the settings menu and find the section that deals with the appearance. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and the shell, but the logic remains the same. Once turned on, the system will start offering you different categories of images: nature, architecture, animals or abstraction.
⚠️ Note: When you activate the function "Glance" or "Wallpaper Carousel" on the lock screen, banner ads from the content provider may appear.
It's important to understand the difference between live wallpaper (animated) and just changing static pictures. The carousel works with statics, changing it by timer or every time you turn on the screen, which saves the battery power of the Redmi 7 compared to full animation.
Step-by-step activation instruction through settings
To get started, you'll need to open the main settings menu on your smartphone, and find a item called "Lock Screen" or "Always Screen and Lock," which is where the basic visual controls are hidden.
☑️ Checking before setting up
Inside the menu, find a switch called Wallpaper Carousel or Slideshow. Once the slider is activated, the system can request permission to use data and geolocation to match relevant content. Accept the terms if you want the images to change automatically.
Next, you’ll be asked to choose your image sources. You can subscribe to specific categories, such as Travel or Technology. The system will download packets of images in the background, so make sure that there’s enough free space on your Xiaomi device.
If you find the standard set boring, you can expand the functionality by clicking on the gear icon or the three-dot menu in the corner of the carousel settings screen, which often hides additional options, such as the frame rate or the display of the sponsor logo.
Using the “Themes” application for enhanced features
Xiaomi's official Theme Store offers far more features than standard settings, and you can find thousands of works in the catalog, where changing wallpapers are just part of the overall design of the system, but you can only install the right component.
Open the Themes app on your desktop. Search for Lockscreen or Change Wallpaper, and you'll see a variety of options, from minimalist watches to complex weather compositions, and select your favorite and click Download.
How to install only the lock screen?
Once you apply the theme, the lock screen will change, and to adjust the behavior of the changing images within the theme, you often need to go to the settings of the theme itself, press your finger on the free desktop space, or go to the theme profile in the application.
Some themes may require additional permissions or plugin installation, in which case the system itself will suggest clicking on the link and installing the desired component. For Redmi 7, it is better to choose themes marked “Lite” or “Optimized” so as not to overload the processor.
Third-party apps from Google Play
If the built-in MIUI tools don't work well or are not working well, you can always turn to third-party developers. There are many Google Play apps that specialize exclusively in wallpaper change, and they often have more flexible settings.
Popular solutions are apps like Wallpaper Changer or Lock Screen & Wallpaper HD, and they work very simply: you pick a folder with photos in your phone's memory, you set a time interval, and the app changes the image itself, and that gives you complete control over the content.
However, this approach has its drawbacks: Third-party applications can consume more battery resources and sometimes conflict with Xiaomi’s security system. Android can periodically “kill” the background process of changing wallpaper to save energy.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party launchers or screen lock apps, be sure to give them all the permissions you ask for, otherwise the feature won't work.Otherwise, you may get a black screen instead of a screensaver.
For stable third-party software, it is recommended to add the application to the battery exception list. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Application Selection, find your wallpaper installer and select No Limits mode. This will prevent forced process stoppage.
Table of comparison of installation methods
To make it easier for you to choose the right option, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you assess the pros and cons of each method in relation to the Redmi 7.
| Method | Difficulty | Battery consumption | Diversity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper Carousel (MIUI) | Low. | Minimum | Average (depending on region) |
| Annex “Themes” | Medium | Medium. | High (thousands of options) |
| Third-party APKs | Tall. | High-pitched | Maximum (my photos) |
| Live wallpaper (Live) | Medium | Very tall. | Animation and video |
As you can see from the table, for everyday use on Redmi 7, the best fit is regular tools or themes from the official store, they are better optimized for hardware devices, and the use of heavy third-party applications can lead to slowing down the interface.
Solving problems and mistakes
Users often find themselves in a situation where, after installation, the theme goes off in a few hours, and the standard Xiaomi screensaver returns, because of the system's aggressive energy saving policy, and to fix this, you need to fix the theme in your memory.
Another common problem is that there is no application button or empty directory in the carousel section. This is treated by changing the region. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Region and select India or Singapore. After the restart, the directory should update.
💡
If the images stop changing, try clearing the theme app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Topics → Clear the cache. No data need to be deleted.
Also worth mentioning is the black screen problem when using third-party lock launchers. If you installed such an app and the phone stopped responding to swipes, try restarting the device by holding the power button for 10 seconds. In Safe Mode, remove the conflicting application.
Sometimes the system may block the installation of themes due to the expired license of the Mi Account. log out of the account in the Themes app and log in again, or use guest mode if it is available in your firmware version.
Optimization and Impact on Productivity
The Redmi 7 is equipped with a Snapdragon 632 processor, which is a reliable, but not the most powerful solution. Constant loading of high-resolution images can put a strain on RAM. It is recommended to use pictures with a resolution that does not exceed the native screen resolution (1520×720).
If you notice that your phone is getting slower to unlock or you're having delays when you swipe, you can drop the complicated live wallpaper. Static image change affects your performance much less. Optimization is a key factor in comfort.
💡
For maximum autonomy, use static wallpaper from the standard MIUI gallery and turn off automatic download via the mobile network, leaving only Wi-Fi.
Remember to clean the theme cache periodically. During use, the miui/theme folder can accumulate gigabytes of temporary files from old wallpaper, and regular cleaning will make room and speed up the system.
In conclusion, Redmi 7 personalization is a great way to refresh the experience of the device. Experiment with different styles, but keep the balance between beauty and functionality. A properly tuned lock screen is not only pleasing to the eye, but can also be a convenient tool for quick access to information.