How to install live wallpaper on Xiaomi smartphone: all ways of 2026

Live wallpaper transforms the screen of Xiaomi smartphone, adding dynamic effects – from smoothly changing landscapes to interactive 3D-But the standard settings are the animations. MIUI Often, the choice is limited to static images, and the search for working solutions for animated backgrounds turns into a quest. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to install live wallpaper on Redmi devices, POCO, Black Shark and other brand lines – from official tools to workarounds for older models.

It’s important to understand that not all methods are universal. For example, smartphones on MIUI 14/15 support native installation through Themes, whereas devices with Android 10 and below may require manual configuration via ADB or third-party launchers. We tested each method on current firmware and collected unique data on compatibility with specific models (see table in section 3).

1.The official way: live wallpaper through the app “Themes”

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in Themes app.It works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12 and newer, but there are nuances: not all live wallpaper is available for free, and some require a Mi Account subscription.

To find animated backgrounds:

• 📱 Open the Topics app (brush icon on desktop).
• 🔍 In the search box, enter “live wallpaper” or “live wallpaper».
• 🎨 Choose your favorite option and click Apply. Some themes will require you to download an additional package (weight up to 50 MB).
• ⚙️ If wallpaper does not apply, check the battery saving settings: go to Settings → Battery → Performance mode and select Balanced.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 13 and below live wallpaper from the app Themes can slow down when scrolling the desktop. This is due to system optimization. The solution is to use alternative launchers (see section 4).

The advantage of the official method is automatic adaptation of wallpaper to screen resolution (including Full HD+ and 2K) and integration with system animations MIUI. However, the choice is limited: in 2026, only ~150 live themes are available in the catalog, of which ~30 are free.

2. Third-party apps: top-5 Working Options for Xiaomi

If there are few built-in live wallpapers, third-party apps come to the rescue, we selected 5 proven solutions that are compatible with Xiaomi and do not cause conflicts with MIUI:

For the installation of third-party live wallpaper:

1. Download the app from Google Play (links above).
2. Open it and select the wallpaper.
3. Click Install Live Wallpaper → The system will redirect you to the background selection menu.
4. If wallpaper doesn’t apply, check permissions: Settings → Apps → Permissions Management → [Application Name] → Display on top of other windows.

Download APK only from official sources (Google Play, APKMirror)

Check the Android version in Settings → About the phone

Disable the power saving mode for the application of wallpaper

Restart the phone after installation-->

3. Compatibility of live wallpaper with Xiaomi models (data 2026)

Not all Xiaomi smartphones work equally well with animated backgrounds, and we tested 20 popular models and compiled a compatibility table:

For devices older than 2020 (Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi 9, etc.), official live wallpaper is often not supported due to the limitations of the Snapdragon 7xx/Helio Gxx processor.

• 🔄 Use light animations (e.g. from Wallpapers Craft in Lite mode).
• 🛠️ Installation of custom launcher (Nova Launcher, Hyperion).
• ⚡ Disabling the background for the main screen (leave only on the lock screen).

Alternative method: installation via ADB (for experienced)

If your device doesn't support live wallpaper at the system level, you can force it to turn on via ADB (Android Debug Bridge).The method works on MIUI 12-15, but requires a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux).
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb devices adb shell settings put global live_wallpaper_enabled 1
4. Reset the device.

After that, the wallpaper settings will be set to Live Wallpaper, but there are risks:

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Redmi Note 11, POCO X3) forced inclusion of live wallpaper through ADB This causes the system launcher to crash. Before experimenting, back up through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

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If you don’t see any live wallpaper after ADB commands, try manually installing the APK of live wallpapers (like Google Wallpapers) and applying them through the Style and Wallpaper menu.

5. Problem Solving: Why doesn't live wallpaper work?

Even after successful installation, users face typical problems.-5 mistakes and their solutions:

• ❌ Wallpaper not animated: Check whether Power Saving or Ultra mode is on in the battery settings. These modes turn off background animations. Also make sure that the wallpaper is installed on both screens (lock and main screen).
• ❌ Black screen instead of wallpaper: This is a typical problem for the MIUI 13 when using third-party apps Solution: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Title of the wallpaper annex] → Permissions and enable Display on top of other windows.
• ❌ Brakes and hangs: On devices with 4GB of RAM or less (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) The wallpaper can load the processor: 🔧 Reduce wallpaper resolution in the application settings. 🔄 Disable animation for desktop (leave only on the lock screen). 🗑️ Clear the app's cache Topics.

If the problem is not solved, check the logs of the system:

1. Install the Logcat Extreme app from Google Play.
2. Turn on log recording and try using wallpaper.
3. Look for errors with WallpaperManager or LiveWallpaper tags.

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On devices with MIUI 14/15 and 120Hz screen, live wallpaper can conflict with high refresh rates, the solution is to limit the frequency to 90Hz in the display settings.

6.How to create your own live wallpaper for Xiaomi?

You want unique wallpaper? With apps. KLWP Or the Wallpaper Engine, you can create your own animations and transfer them to your smartphone. KLWP:

Steps to create custom wallpaper:

1. Install KLWP Live Wallpaper Maker and KLWP Live Wallpaper (two separate apps).
2. Open KLWP Editor and select a new project.
3. Add elements: 🖼️ Image - upload your picture. ⏱️ Animation – adjust movement (for example, paralax when tilted). 🌡️ Sensors – Add time, weather or battery display.

Set as wallpaper

For porting wallpaper from PC (e.g. from Wallpaper Engine):

• 💻 Export animation to the format.mp4 or.gif.
• 📲 Move the file to the phone.
• 🔧 Use the Video Live Wallpaper app to convert videos to live wallpaper.

⚠️ Note: Too complex animations in the KLWP Can cause processor overheating on Snapdragon devices 6xx. Monitor the temperature through the app CPU Monitor.

7. battery saving with live wallpaper

Live wallpaper increases battery consumption by 5-20% depending on the complexity of the animation, to minimize the impact of:

• 🔋 Use the dark wallpaper on AMOLED-Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi (screen) K60) — That cuts the cost by 30%.
• ⏸️ Turn off animations at low charge: some apps (like Wallpapers Craft) have a battery saving option in their settings.
• 🕒 Set up a schedule: use live wallpaper only in the daytime, and at night switch to static.
• 🔄 Use adaptive brightness – this reduces the load on the processor when processing animations.

To verify the actual flow rate:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use.
2. Find the wallpaper app in the list and see the percentage of the expense.
3. If the consumption exceeds 5% per hour, replace the wallpaper with lighter ones.

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On devices with MIUI 15, there is a hidden feature for optimizing live wallpaper. Enter the code ##4636## in the Themes app, then select Battery Information → Optimize animations.

FAQ: Frequent questions about live wallpaper on Xiaomi