How to install changing wallpaper on Xiaomi Redmi

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face the desire to revitalize the device’s interface by making it more dynamic and personalized. Standard static images that are pre-installed in the factory quickly become boring and cease to please the eye. Fortunately, the MIUI shell offers many hidden features for customization, including the feature of automatically changing background images at intervals.

There are several ways to make wallpaper work: using built-in system tools, special themes from the store or third-party apps from Google Play. In this article, we will take a look at all the methods available so you can choose the most suitable for your model. The flexibility of customization allows you to turn a boring screen into a constantly updated gallery of favorite photos or quality art.

It’s worth noting that the procedure may vary slightly depending on the version of the firmware installed, whether it’s MIUI 12, 13, 14 or the new HyperOS. However, the overall algorithm of actions remains similar for most devices in the Redmi Note line, Redmi K and the base series. We will look at both standard solutions and advanced options for those who want complete control over the visual.

Use of the built-in function "Carousel wallpaper"

The easiest and most energy-efficient way to get a changing background is to activate a system function, which in different regions is called "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Glance" - this tool is built directly into the MIUI shell and does not require additional software installation. It automatically downloads new images from the Xiaomi directory every time you wake up the screen.

To activate, you need to go to lock settings. Open Settings → Lock screen (or Settings → Wallpaper and Personalization → Wallpaper Carousel). Here you will see a switch that you need to turn into active state. The system will prompt you to select categories of images that you are interested in: nature, architecture, animals or abstractions.

• 🖼️ Automatic Update: Images change with each screen turn on, creating a novelty effect.
• 📂 Category selection: You can filter content, leaving only the topics you like, such as cars or space.
• 🔒 Integration with lock: the function works precisely on the lock screen, without affecting the desktop without additional settings.
• 📉 Resource savings: Unlike video wallpapers, this method has little or no effect on battery consumption.

⚠️ Note: In some global firmware versions, the feature may be called "Glance" and broadcast the news feed along with the pictures. If that bothers you, look for the "Wallpaper Only" option in the feature settings.

Once you turn on the carousel, you can adjust the refresh rate, some versions allow you to choose whether to change the picture every time you turn on the screen or every few hours, which is a basic level of personalization that is available to everyone without root rights.

Setting up a slideshow from a personal gallery

If the manufacturer's finished images don't suit you, Xiaomi lets you create a carousel from your own photos, which is ideal for those who want to see family, pets or their own work on the lock screen, and the mechanism is similar to the system carousel, but the source of the data is your local gallery.

To set up this mode, go to the Gallery app and select the album you want to use. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the More button, then select Set as Wallpaper or Slideshow on the Lock screen. The system will suggest setting the image change interval.

• 📸 Local Albums: Use any folders where you save pictures from instant messengers or download from the Internet.
• ⏱️ Time interval: adjust the frame rate, for example, every 15 minutes or every time you turn on.
• 🔄 Reproduction order: you can choose random order or sequential display.

It is important to understand that for this mechanism to work properly, the Gallery application will need permission to work in the background. Without this, the system optimizer can close the process and the slideshow will stop working. Check the battery settings for the Gallery application and set the No Restrictions mode.

Using personal photos creates a unique atmosphere, but requires prior preparation. Upload high-resolution images to make them look good on your Redmi display. Low resolution can lead to compression artifacts.

Use of live wallpaper and themes from the store

MIUI Theme Store is a storehouse of visual content where you can find not just static pictures, but full-fledged animated scenes. Live Wallpapers respond to touch, gyroscope or time of day, creating a deep and immersive smartphone experience.

To access them, open the Themes app (an icon with a brush). In the bottom menu, select the Wallpaper tab, then filter by Video or Live. Both free and paid options are available. The theme is automatically applied after download.

When installing heavy video wallpapers, consider the battery load. If you have an old Redmi model with a small battery capacity, you'd better limit yourself to a static carousel. AMOLED-Black areas in live wallpaper can, on the contrary, save energy.

Use of third-party apps for slideshows

Staffing is sometimes not enough, especially if you need the complex logic of changing images on your desktop, not just on the lock screen, in which case Google Play apps like Wallpaper Changer, Murphy's Wallpaper or Background Changer come to the rescue.

These programs allow you to create schedules, for example, in the morning you can automatically turn on bright landscapes, and in the evening you can turn on calm night views, installing such applications requires you to be careful about the permissions you request, the application must have access to the storage and the right to display on top of other windows.

• 📅 Flexible schedule: adjust the wallpaper change by time of day or days of the week.
• 🌐 Online sources: many apps can download pictures from Unsplash, Reddit or Google Photos.
• 🎨 Editing: Built-in filters allow you to adapt any photo to the screen format.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party launchers and wallpaper change apps may conflict with system memory optimization MIUI. Make sure to add the selected application to the exclusion list (“No Limits”) in the battery settings, otherwise it will stop working in a couple of hours.

One of the popular solutions is to have a widget and an app bundle, and you put a widget on your desktop, which is basically a preview window, and the background service changes the image, and that allows you to change the wallpaper on your desktop, which is harder to do with standard MIUI tools.

Configuring widgets for dynamic background

The newer versions of MIUI and HyperOS have the ability to use widgets to display content that can serve as a background, and although these are not classic wallpapers, this approach allows you to place constantly updated information or a gallery on the home screen.

Click on the empty area on your desktop and select "Widgets." Find the "Gallery" or "Photo" widget. Stretching it to the entire screen or most of it. In the widget settings, specify the album that will be broadcast, which will create a dynamic background effect, on top of which are the application icons.

The good thing about this method is that it doesn't require third-party software and is deeply integrated into the system, but it can visually clutter the interface if you don't get the right transparency of the icons, and it's recommended that you use minimalist icon sets for better perception.

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For better visual effect when using the full screen widget gallery, set the transparency of the application icons in the theme settings at 0% or use the icons without background (PNG).

Solutions and optimization of work

Even with the right setup, users can face problems: wallpapers don’t change, reset to standard ones after a reboot, or heavily plant the battery, most often because of Xiaomi’s aggressive energy saving policies.

If the slideshow has stopped, check the following points: First, make sure that the application responsible for the shift (whether it is the Gallery or third-party software) has not been killed by the system. Second, check for free space in memory; the image cache can grow and block the function.

• 🔋 Energy saving: Turn off Ultra energy saving mode, it often blocks background changes.
• 💾 Memory: Clear the Themes and Gallery app cache through the storage menu.
• 🔄 Updates: Make sure the Wallpaper Carousel version is up to date through the GetApps store.

Also worth mentioning is the impact of dark theme: some dynamic wallpapers may not display correctly when dark mode is on, losing contrast. Try switching the theme of the design if you notice visual glitches.

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The main reason why Xiaomi stops changing wallpaper is because it's aggressively optimizing the battery, so you can put the source app in "No Limits" mode and lock it in memory.

Comparison of methods and final recommendations

The choice of method depends on your priorities: autonomy or visual appeal. Built-in carousel is the middle ground for most users. It doesn't require customization and works stable. Third-party applications give more freedom, but require manual adjustment of exceptions.

For older devices with a small amount of RAM (3-4 GB), it is better to limit yourself to static high-quality wallpaper or a rare change through the system merry-go-round. Heavy live wallpaper can cause twitching interfaces and lags when unlocked.

To sum up, Xiaomi provides enough customization tools. Experiment with combinations like a system carousel on the lock screen and a calm static background on the desktop that will provide a balance between aesthetics and performance.