Why Your Photo Is Not Showing on the Lock Screen – and How to Fix It
Xiaomi’s lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone, and the personalization of this element makes it unique. However, many users face the problem: the uploaded photo either does not appear, is cropped incorrectly, or is reset after an update. The reason lies in the features of the MIUI shell, which imposes restrictions on the resolution, format and even the source of the image.
In this article, we will discuss three working methods for installing personal photos on the lock screen for all current versions of MIUI (12 to 14), including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and others. You will learn how to bypass standard system restrictions, what formats are supported, and why you sometimes have to use third-party applications.
Before proceeding to the instructions, check if your image meets the technical requirements:
- 📏 Permission: minimum 1080×1920 (full HD-displays, optimally — 1440×3200 for AMOLED-screen.
- 🖼️ Format:.jpg,.png or.webp (without transparency).
- 🎨 Color gamut: avoid dark backgrounds – proximity sensor may not work.
- 📂 Source: Photos should be stored in a folder DCIM or Pictures (not in the cloud!).
Method 1: Standard settings with Themes (works on 80% of devices)
The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI functionality. It is suitable for most models, but has limitations: the system automatically crops the image under the aspect ratio of the screen, and animations (for example, hours or notifications) can cover part of the photo.
To install the photo through the “Subjects”, follow the steps:
- Open the “Themes” app** (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
- Go to My Lock Screen (or Lockscreen in English).
- Click Add a photo and select an image from the gallery.
- Adjust the pruning area (pull over the corners of the frame) and confirm the choice.
- Turn on the option Apply to the lock screen and save the changes.
⚠️ Warning: If the photo doesn't show after use, check if the battery settings are power-saving mode on, and in some firmware, it turns off background processes, including wallpaper updates.
Check the resolution (minimum 1080×1920)
Make sure that the photo is in JPG/PNG format
Save the image to the DCIM or Pictures folder
Turn off energy saving in battery settings
Reboot your smartphone after the changes are applied
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This doesn't work on MIUI devices for POCO (like the POCO F4 GT), where the Them interface is simplified, so move on to the second method.
Method 2: Manually copying a file through a file manager (for power users)
If the standard method didn't work, you can manually replace the lock screen system image, which requires access to the file system and is suitable for root-free firmware. Importantly, the wrong actions can cause the interface to crash, so follow the instructions carefully.
Algorithm of action:
- Download a file manager with access to system folders (e.g., FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
- Go to /data/system/users/0/ or /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/ (depending on the MIUI version).
- Find the file. lockscreen_wallpaper.jpg (or.png) and back it up.
- Rename your photo in lockscreen_wallpaper.jpg Copy it to the same folder, replacing the original.
- Change the access rights to 644 (read for all, write for owner only).
- Reset the device.
| Xiaomi model | Path to wallpaper file | Is root required? |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11 | /data/system/users/0/ | No. |
| POCO X3/X4 | /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/ | No. |
| Xiaomi 12/13 | /data/system/theme/ | Yeah (Magisk needed) |
| Black Shark 5 | /vendor/overlay/ | Yes. |
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and later system folders can be protected by SELinux. If the lock screen turns black after you replace the file, restore the original file and use the third method.
What if the lock screen does not work after replacing the file?
Method 3: Using third-party applications (without root)
If the first two methods didn't work, third-party utilities will come to the rescue, and we tested 5 apps and selected the two most reliable ones:
- 📱 «Wallpaper Changer (Play Market) – automatically adjusts the photo to the screen resolution and bypasses the restrictions MIUI. Supports animation and live wallpaper.
- 🔧 «Lockscreen Wallpaper Changer* – a special solution for Xiaomi, works even on the Internet MIUI 14 without root. Allows you to adjust the position of the image.
Instructions for Wallpaper Changer**:
- Install the application and give access to the storage.
- Select the Lockscreen section in the main menu.
- Upload your photo and adjust the display area (you can zoom and move).
- Activate the Apply to Lockscreen option and confirm.
- If the image is not used, restart the smartphone.
💡 Useful tip: In the app settings, enable the Auto-apply after reboot option so that the photo is saved after a system reboot or update.
💡
If you reset your photo through a third-party app when you lock the screen, try turning off the "Double tap to wake up" feature in the display settings, which in some firmware fixes the problem.
How to save a photo on the lock screen after updating MIUI
One of the most common problems is resetting wallpaper after a firmware update, which is because MIUI overwrites the system files of the themes, including the background of the lock screen.
- 🔄 Create a theme backup: Go to Settings → The phone. → Backup. Select Local Backup and mark Topics. After the update, restore backup.
MIUI/theme/backup
Copy your photo into this folder with your name lockscreen_custom.jpg. The system will automatically restore it after the update.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13+ Backup theme may not work due to changes in security policy, in which case use third-party apps (such as Swift Backup**) to save settings.
💡
To prevent the photo on the lock screen from being reset after the update, turn off the automatic installation of system themes in the settings of the Themes application (section "Settings → Update of the themes").
Frequent mistakes and their solutions
Even after a successful photo installation, users are faced with bugs, and we have collected the TOP-5 problems and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Photo clipped around the edges | Inconsistency of the parties | Use the image with a resolution of 1080×2340 (for 20:9) |
| Wallpaper is reset after resetting | Limitations on energy conservation | Add the "Themes" app to battery exclusions |
| Photo is displayed blurry | System compression | Convert your image to.webp with 90% quality |
| Doesn't work for POCO. | A stripped-down version of MIUI | Use the method with a third-party application |
| Watches/notifications block photos | Setting up indentations | Manually adjust the display area in "Themes" |
If your problem is not included in the table, check:
- 🔍 Is the theme installed from a third-party developer (it can override settings).
- 🛠️ Is the mode for children or guest mode (they drop the wallpaper) turned on).
- 📱 Is Second Space not used (second space has its lock screen settings).
Additional chips: animation, live wallpaper and hidden features
Xiaomi's lock screen supports not only static images, but also dynamic effects.
- 🌊 Live wallpaper: In Settings → Lock screen → Live wallpaper available animations with 3D-effects (e.g. ocean waves or cosmic landscapes).
- ⏱️ Dynamic clock: In topics → You can choose the style of displaying time on top of your photo.
- 🎨 Gradient filter: Some firmwares have background dimming settings available for better readability of notifications.
- 🔒 Hidden Album: If you use a photo from the gallery, it can be hidden from prying eyes through the Gallery → Albums. → Hidden.