Personalizing the look of a smartphone is the first thing that many users start with after buying a new device. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 offers ample opportunities to customize the interface, allowing you to turn a standard screen into a unique space that reflects your style.
The MIUI background image replacement procedure is intuitive, but hidden features and additional settings often go unnoticed. In this article, we will take a look at all the ways wallpaper can be installed, from using a built-in theme gallery to creating your own slideshows from personal photos, and learn how to control the lock screen and the desktop independently.
It is important to understand that the right choice of resolution and file format affects not only the quality of the image, but also the speed of the interface. We will consider the technical nuances that will help to avoid blurring images or excessive battery consumption when using animated backgrounds.
Standard ways to change the background through settings
The most obvious and quick way to change the visual style of the device is through the system menu. The MIUI shell is based on Android, but has its own controls that allow you to flexibly adjust the appearance.
In the menu that opens, you need to scroll down to the Wallpaper section, and here the system will offer several categories: Recommended, Static, Wallpaper Carousel and Local. The choice of the Static category will give you access to the built-in collection of high-resolution images optimized specifically for the Redmi Note 9 display.
When choosing an image, the system will always offer two applications: a lock screen or a desktop, which is critically important because it allows you to create a contrast between a protected screen and the main work area, for example, a neutral photo can be left on the lock, and a bright abstraction on the desktop.
⚠️ Note: When installing too dark or, conversely, excessively bright static wallpaper on AMOLED-screens (if the modification supports) or IPS-In the matrix, the perception of application icons can be visually distorted. It is recommended to select the contrast of the background so that the icons remain readable.
Once the selection is confirmed, the image will be applied instantly to the selected area, and if you don't like the result, you can repeat the procedure an infinite number of times without any system restrictions, a basic method that doesn't require an Internet connection if you use preset images.
- 📱 Open the Settings menu through the notification curtain or icon on the table.
- 🖼️ Go to the Wallpaper section and select the category "Static».
- ✅ Click “Apply” and select the target screen (blocks or desktop).
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The system menu allows you to quickly change static wallpaper without an Internet connection, using the built-in MIUI library.
Using the “Themes” application for advanced customization
For those who don't have enough standard images, Xiaomi has developed a powerful Themes app, a central hub where millions of custom and official designs are concentrated, and you can find not just pictures, but entire design concepts that include fonts, icons and, of course, wallpaper.
To use this tool, look for the Themes app on your desktop, and at the bottom of the screen is a navigation bar where you can select the Wallpaper tab, and the selection algorithms will give you popular categories: nature, city, minimalism, games and abstraction, and the search bar at the top allows you to find specific images by keyword.
A feature of this method is the ability to preview. Before downloading, you can see how the image will look on the lock screen and desktop. Many of the wallpapers in the theme store are high resolution, up to 2340×1080 and above, which is ideal for a Redmi Note 9 display.
Once you download the selected package, the system will suggest using only the wallpaper or the whole theme set. This is convenient if you like a particular picture, but you do not want to change the application icons. The application process takes a few seconds and requires a stable connection to Wi-Fi for fast download of heavy files.
- 🎨 Launch the “Themes” app and go to the “Wallpaper” tab».
- 🔍 Use search or categories to find the right image.
- ⬇️ Download and use wallpaper by selecting the “Wallpaper Only” option so as not to change the icons.
It's worth noting that some themes may be paid or subscription-based.However, free content in the MIUI store is more than enough for any user.Regularly update the Themes app via GetApps or Google Play to have access to the newest features and library.
Installation of your own photos from the gallery
Personal shots taken with a smartphone camera or uploaded from social media are often the best choice for the background. Redmi Note 9 features a quality camera and your photos can look stunning as wallpaper. There are several proven ways to set your own image.
The first method is through the Gallery app, open the photo, click the three dots in the top right corner (or the "More" button), and select "Establish as wallpaper," and the system will automatically trim the image to the desired proportions, suggesting that the frame be moved to select the optimal area.
The second method is more flexible and allows you to adjust the display settings. Go to Settings → Wallpaper → Local. This will show all the images stored in the device memory. By choosing a photo, you will have access to additional editing tools, including filters and blur effect (for desktop).
⚠️ Attention: Vertical photos (portrait orientation) may be cropped on the desktop as it scrolls horizontally. For best results, use horizontal or neutral center images.
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Use the background blur effect in the installation settings if the photo has a lot of small details that interfere with reading time and notifications.
The important thing is the aspect ratio. The Redmi Note 9 display is 20:9. If your photo has a standard ratio of 4:3 or 16:9, you will see black bars or a strong framing occurs when you install it.
- 📂 Open the photo in the gallery and select “Install as wallpaper” for quick customization.
- ✂️ Use the Local section in the wallpaper menu to access the advanced framing settings.
- 📐 Consider the 20:9 aspect ratio to avoid unwanted trimming of important details.
Live wallpaper and animated backgrounds
Dynamic images add life and interactivity to the smartphone. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, you can use both built-in live wallpaper and download video backgrounds from third-party apps, which turns the lock screen into a mini-presentation.
Built-in live wallpapers typically depict natural phenomena, abstract shapes, or cosmic objects. They respond to touches or tilts of the device, creating a depth effect. You can find them in the standard wallpaper menu in the category "Live" or "Dynamic." The resource consumption of such backgrounds is minimal thanks to the optimization of MIUI.
For more advanced users, there are apps like Video Live Wallpaper that allow you to set any video from the gallery as a background, but be careful: constantly playing a video file can significantly increase battery consumption and processor heat.
| Wallpaper type | Impact on the battery | Memory requirements | Visual effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static | Minimum | Low. | Static image |
| Systemic live. | Average. | Average. | Touch animation |
| Third-party video | High. | Tall. | Continuous video |
| carousel | Medium (on shift) | Depends on the cache. | Timer photo change |
If you decide to use heavy video wallpaper, make sure that the video resolution corresponds to the screen resolution of 1080p. Using 4K video on a mobile device does not make sense, since the screen will not physically display extra pixels, and the load on the system will increase many times.
How to turn off the wallpaper to save energy?
The function of "Wallpaper Carousel" (Glance)
One of the most powerful but functional features of the MIUI shell is the Wallpaper Carousel (formerly known as Glance), which automatically changes the image on the lock screen every time a smartphone wakes up, from news feeds or thematic collections.
To activate, go to Settings → Lock screen and find wallpaper carousel, where you can choose nature, cities, art or sports, images are uploaded over the Internet, so the function requires an active connection.
The main advantage of the carousel is that it's always new. You don't have to manually search and install new images, it does this automatically, and it also often has information widgets in it, such as the weather or news headlines, which makes the lock screen more utilitarian.
⚠️ Warning: Wallpaper carousels can consume mobile traffic. If you have a limited plan, configure the upload of images only via Wi-Fi in the feature settings.
Many users mistakenly think of this feature as a virus, but it's a regular component of the system, and if you don't need it, you can completely disable it with a single switch on the same menu, returning a static image, which gives you complete control over what you see when you unlock it.
- 🔄 Automatic background change with each screen switch.
- 📰 Ability to display news headlines and widgets in the picture.
- ⚙️ Flexible setting of topics and image sources in the menu "Block screen».
Technical nuances and image optimization
The quality of the result depends on the original file. Redmi Note 9 has an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 2340×1080 pixels. loading an image with a lower resolution will lead to stretching and the appearance of “grain” (compression artifacts).
The file format also matters. Standard JPEG is suitable for most photos, but when compressed strongly artifacts can appear. PNG format provides better quality and maintains transparency (although this is rarely used for wallpaper), but takes up more space in memory. Live wallpaper uses video formats such as MP4.
There is a myth that black wallpaper saves a lot of charge on any screen. This is only true for AMOLED arrays, where each pixel glows independently. On IPS screens, like in Redmi Note 9, backlighting works all the time throughout the area, so the color of the wallpaper has little to no effect on autonomy, unlike the type of content (statics versus video).
☑️ Image quality check
When using third-party launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Niagara), wallpaper settings can be intercepted by them, in which case you need to change the background through the launcher settings, rather than through the Android system menu, which allows you to maintain a single interface style.