Personalizing the look of a smartphone is the first step that makes a new gadget truly yours. Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi devices often face a huge number of features of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, which allows you to change not only the whole theme, but also its individual elements. Lock Screen is the hallmark of your device, because it is that you see whenever you turn on the display.
Changing a standard boring image to a high-quality photo or dynamic animation can dramatically change the perception of the interface. Modern versions of firmware from the Chinese manufacturer offer flexible tools to manage the lock gallery, allowing you to download content from your own files or draw inspiration from online directories. A key difference in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the separation of lock screen settings and desktop, which gives independent control over each of them.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to set images, from standard methods to hidden features that are not obvious at first glance. You will learn how to adjust automatic image change, use live wallpaper without sacrificing the battery and solve typical problems when the system refuses to apply new settings. Understanding these nuances will allow you to fully unlock the potential of your Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi.
The most reliable and versatile way to change the background of locking is to use the built-in system configuration menu. This method works on all current versions of shells, whether it is the good old MIUI 12 or the latest HyperOS. The algorithm of actions here is predictable and does not require the installation of third-party software, which guarantees the stability of the system. First, you need to unlock the device and find the Settings icon on the desktop or in the notification curtain. In the opened menu, you should scroll down to the section Always on the screen and lock (in some of the entry it can simply call the visual locking point in the screen). Clicking on it will open a gallery of preset images that were uploaded by the developers, but we're interested in setting up our own photo, so you can choose Local or click on the plus/gallery icon at the bottom of the screen. The system will offer to select an image from internal memory or cloud storage Mi Cloud. ⚠️ Note: When choosing a photo, the system will prompt you to crop the image. Remember that the proportions of the screen may differ from the proportions of the photo, so it is important to frame correctly so that important details are not cropped by the edges of the display. Once you have selected and cropped the image, the system will show a preview. You will be asked to apply the wallpaper either for the lock screen only, or for the desktop, or for both. This method is ideal for those who appreciate minimalism and do not want to load the processor with unnecessary processes. 📊 What type of wallpaper do you prefer on the lock?Static photo live wallpaper (video)Slideshow from the gallery I like standard MIUI
The official Themes app on Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones is a powerful tool that goes far beyond just changing icons. Inside this app, there's a huge library of user-generated content where you can find not only whole themes, but also individual high-resolution wallpaper packages that are specifically optimized for lock screens. Run the Tools app or search it. At the bottom of the screen, switch to the Wallpaper tab. Here, the content is divided into categories: "Recommended," "Page" and "interactive," which are not possible to install in the "time" section, or "intouch as "in" or "intouch as "intouched" is simply to be used." A preview page will open where you can see how the wallpaper will look in dynamics. If you get the result, click Download and then Apply. Unlike the system gallery, the theme app allows you to apply complex blur effects and special time fonts integrated into the wallpaper design. Why are some themes paid? Theme and wallpaper developers invest time in creating quality content. Paid themes in the Mi Store often contain exclusive effects, high-quality graphics and unique animation that can not be obtained in free versions. Purchasing supports the author and ensures no advertising within the the the the topic. It is important that the themes can be rewritten through the application, or re-recorded themes can be rewritten. If you want to keep your unique configuration, back up your current theme in Profile → Topics before experimenting, which will allow you to return to your previous state in a single click if you don’t like the new wallpaper or don’t read well.
The wallpaper-carousel function (known as Glance in some regions) is one of the most discussed shell chips MIUI. It automatically changes the images on the lock screen, showing news, beautiful scenery or promotional offers every time you wake up your smartphone. For many users, this is a great way to keep up with events, but for others, it is an annoying factor that can be flexibly configured or disabled. → Lock screen → Carousel wallpaper: You can not only turn on or off the automatic shift, but also adjust the frequency of updates. The system allows you to choose how often images will change: each time the screen is turned on or at certain intervals. Images only, news only or mixed mode. You can set your preferences by category in the carousel settings, and if you're only interested in nature photos, you can turn off news headlines and banner ads. This turns the feature from a source of information noise into an elegant gallery of high-quality natural photos that will delight the eye. ⚠️ Warning: Wallpaper-carousel uses mobile internet or Wi-Fi to download new content. If you have every megabyte of traffic charged, make sure that the download is only via Wi-Fi to avoid unforeseen costs. ☑️ Setting up the wallpapers Go to the Settings → Lock screen→Select "Wallpaper-carousel"→Switch on.→Set up content categories→Select the frequency of the update: 0 / 1 It’s worth mentioning that in the latest updates to HyperOS, image selection algorithms have become smarter. The system analyzes your preferences and time of day: in the morning, you can show motivational quotes and news, and in the evening - relaxing landscapes. If you want to have full control of the process, but do not want to abandon the idea of a slide show, you should use the standard gallery, which will be discussed later.
If automatic selection of pictures from the Internet does not suit you, and one static photo is tired, the ideal solution is to create your own slideshow from personal photos. This feature is built into the standard Gallery app and does not require third-party launchers or complex manipulations.You can collect the best moments from travel, photos pets or abstract textures into one collection for the lock screen. To start, open the Gallery app and navigate to the album you want to use, or create a new album specifically for wallpaper. Select all the necessary photos. After highlighting, click on the menu button (three dots or "More" icon) and find Set as the wallpaper of the lock screen. In some versions MIUI This item may be called a "Slide Show on the Lock Screen". The system will suggest adjusting the display parameters: the order of the photos (random or in order) and the time interval after which the images will change, you can set the change of the picture every 15 minutes, every hour or every time you turn on the screen. This creates the effect of a living, ever-changing device that stores your personal memories. 💡Use high resolution photos (minimum) 1080p) For a slideshow, low-quality images on a big screen will look blurry and grainy, which will ruin the overall experience of the device, and the advantage of this method is complete privacy and no advertising, you decide what to see on the screen. In addition, the slideshow from the gallery works locally and does not consume traffic, unlike the carousel. The only caveat is that you need to periodically update the album yourself, adding new pictures to the album so that the “picture” does not get bored.
Live Wallpaper and Its Impact on Autonomy AMOLED-Redmi and Xiaomi often want to use live wallpapers to maximize visual impact. Deep black and bright accents look amazing. However, installing video wallpapers or complex animations has its own technical features and consequences for the operation of the device, which you need to know in advance. You can install live wallpaper through the Themes app or download a special.mtz file or using third-party apps from Google Play, such as Video Live Wallpaper. Once you set the animated background, the system will alert you to a possible increase in battery consumption. This is not just a formality: the constant rendering of frames requires the resources of the processor and the processor. GPU. On modern Snapdragon and MediaTek processors, the impact of live wallpaper is minimal unless you use complex processors. 3D-But on older models or devices with a worn-out battery, this can be a notable factor, especially when the phone is on the table in Always On Display mode with active animation. RAM Recommendation Static photo Minimum Low for maximum autonomy Slideshow (Gallery) Low Average Optimum balance of beauty and energy Live wallpaper (Video) Medium / High For powerful devices with high energy AMOLED For fans of news content If you notice that the smartphone began to discharge or heat up faster after installing a video background, try to lower the resolution of the video or choose a more static animation. Also in the battery settings (Settings) → Battery can be tested which process consumes the most energy and make sure it is a truly systemic wallpaper process, not an optimization error. 💡The living wallpaper looks best on AMOLED-screens where black is not illuminated, which saves energy compared to the IPS-matrix.
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when after all the manipulations, the wallpaper does not change, is applied to the wrong screen or is reset to standard after rebooting. This can be caused by conflicting themes, system cache errors, or access restrictions, and we can look at the basic scenarios and how to fix them, and the first common problem is the conflict between the set theme and the hand-selected wallpaper. Some third-party themes are rigidly anchored to their lock images. If you're trying to put your photo up and the system returns the old one, try first to reset the theme to the standard (Themes) → Profile → Topics → Classic, and then apply your wallpaper. After that, you can try to reuse the theme, but in the theme settings, select the option "Do not change the wallpaper". The second problem is the access rights of the Gallery or Themes app. If the app doesn't have permission to change system settings or access the storage, it won't be able to use the file. → Annexes → All apps, find the app you're putting wallpaper through, and check the Permissions section. Make sure file and media access is allowed. ⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party launcher (Nova, Microsoft Launcher, etc.), it does not control the lock screen. Android/MIUI. Wallpaper problems in third-party launchers are solved only in their own settings, but not through the system menu. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Memory and press Clear cache (not data to avoid losing downloaded themes, although in difficult cases, data cleaning may be required). After rebooting the device, try setting the wallpaper again. In rare cases, switching the region in settings helps (Additional) → Region) as content may be geographically restricted. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Can I install a video from TikTok or Instagram on the lock screen? Yes, it is possible, but not directly. You need to first download the video from the social network (preferably in high quality and without watermarks, if possible). Then use the “Video Wallpaper” app from Google Play or built-in functionality. MIUI (if available in your area) to assign this video file as live wallpaper. MIUI My beautiful wallpaper is gone? Major system updates (e.g. transition from the MIUI 13 on 14) Resetting personalization settings is a routine behavior. The system goes back to factory settings to ensure stability. You have to reset the desired wallpaper. You are advised to take screenshots of settings before major updates. AMOLED-- Yes, it's a lot. AMOLED-In matrices, each pixel is individually lit, the black pixel on these screens is simply off and does not consume energy. Using a fully black wallpaper with bright accents can extend the life of a smartphone on a smartphone. 5-10% How do you make the time on the lock screen overlap important details of the photo? You can't completely turn off the time display because it's a security feature. However, in the Themes app, you can find watch styles that fit better in your photo, or you can choose a photo with an "empty" space at the top (where the clock is usually), you can also try to shift the wallpaper down when you frame. 4K The best sources are specialized sites like Unsplash, Pexels or the Wallpaper section of Google Play (like the Backdrops app). Xiaomi's built-in theme store also contains a lot of content. 4K-Images, but their quality is sometimes compressed when you download them.