What is a carousel on Xiaomi and why you need it
The carousel on Xiaomi devices is a dynamic interface element that displays recommended content, latest apps, news or media at the top of the home screen. On Mi TVs, it is a horizontal tape with previews of movies, TV series and broadcasts, and on smartphones running MIUI, it is a widget with quick access to frequently used functions.
The main advantage of the carousel is the ease of navigation. Instead of looking for the desired app on the menu, you get personalized selections right on the home screen. For example, on Xiaomi TV, the carousel can show continued Netflix viewing, fresh YouTube videos or recommendations from Mi Video. On smartphones, it is often integrated with Xiaomi Cloud services and displays the weather, calendar or recent photos.
However, not all users know that the carousel can be customized, disabled or even completely changed its appearance. In this article, we will discuss how to activate this element on different Xiaomi devices, which models support it, and what to do if the carousel is Suddenly disappeared or does not work properly.
What Xiaomi devices support carousel
The carousel feature is not available on all of the brand’s gadgets, depending on the type of device, firmware version and regional settings, and here are the main categories of Xiaomi equipment where you can find this element:
- 📺 The Mi TV and Redmi TV TVs are all models starting with the Mi TV 4 (2018) and later. The carousel here is called Mi Home Screen or Content Recommendations.
- 📱 Smartphones on MIUI 12 and above — starting with the Redmi Note 9 and Xiaomi Mi 10. In older versions (MIUI 11 and below), the carousel is either missing or running in a stripped-down form.
- 🖥️ Xiaomi Pad tablets are all models, including the Xiaomi Pad 5 and Pad 6. Here the carousel is similar to the smartphone version, but adapted to the big screen.
- ❌ Smart watches and fitness bracelets – the carousel in the classical sense is not here, although some models (for example, Xiaomi Watch S3) have horizontal scrolling widgets.
It is important to consider that on Xiaomi TVs, the carousel can be turned off by default in some regions (for example, in Europe due to GDPR), on smartphones, its work depends on the version of MIUI – in global firmware (for example, MIUI Global), it is often cut down compared to Chinese (MIUI China).
How to turn on a carousel on a Xiaomi TV (Mi TV / Redmi TV)
On Xiaomi TVs, the carousel is usually activated by default, but if it is missing after an update or reset, it can be returned manually. The instruction is suitable for all models, including the Mi TV Q2, Redmi Smart TV X and Mi TV A Pro.
Step 1. Open Settings (the gear in the upper right corner of the home screen) and go to Accounts and Security.
Step 2. Select Personalization or Content Recommendations (the title may vary depending on the PatchWall version).
Step 3: Activate the switch Show recommendations on the home screen. If you don't have an option, upgrade your TV firmware to the latest version.
If the carousel does not appear even after turning on, check the following points:
- 🔄 Update your firmware: go to Settings → About TV → System Update.
- 🌍 Regional settings: The carousel may be blocked in some countries. Try switching to India or China (but note that this may affect other services).
- 🔧 Reset: If the problem persists, reset to factory settings in Settings → Preferences → Reset and Restore.
Connected to the Internet (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
The latest version of PatchWall is installed
In the account settings is tied Mi Account
Restrictions for children are disabled (if any)-->
On some models (e.g. Mi TV P1), the carousel may be hidden due to guest mode activated. To return it, go to Settings → Accounts → Guest Mode and turn off this option.
What to do if the carousel brakes?
Activation of the carousel on Xiaomi smartphones (MIUI 12/13/14)
On Xiaomi smartphones, the carousel is implemented as a widget Mi Smart Assistant or App Vault (depending on the version of MIUI), which is displayed when swiping to the left of the main screen and shows the weather, calendar, latest photos and recommendations of applications.
To turn it on:
- Press and hold the empty space on the home screen, then tap the home screen Settings icon (cog at the bottom).
- Go to the widgets or app vault section.
- Activate the App Vault Switch.
- To customize the contents of the carousel, click Setup and select the desired items (e.g. Weather, Steps, Recent Contacts).
If the carousel does not appear after turning on, check:
- 📱 Version MIUI: Old firmware (below MIUI 12) may not have a function. Update system in Settings → About Phone → Update MIUI.
- 🔒 Startup Limitations: Some "optimizers" (e.g., Security or Battery Saver) can block the widget. Add App Vault to the exceptions.
- 🌐 Regional restrictions: The carousel can be trimmed in global firmware. For full functionality, install MIUI China (but this will require unlocking the bootloader).
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If the carousel on your smartphone shows unnecessary content (such as ads), turn off personalized recommendations in Settings → Privacy → Personalization and data.
Why the carousel may not work: common problems and solutions
Sometimes the carousel on Xiaomi devices refuses to turn on or fails, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Carousel does not appear after the update | Reset PatchWall or MIUI settings | Reboot the device and turn the carousel back on in the settings |
| Carousel is empty (no content) | No Internet connection or blocked services Xiaomi | Check the network and permissions for Mi Video/App Vault in the application settings |
| Carousel brakes or hangs | Cache overload or conflict with other widgets | Clear PatchWall/App Vault cache and disable unnecessary widgets |
| Carousel shows irrelevant content | Personalization settings have gone wrong | Reset recommendations to Settings → Accounts → Personalization |
| Carousel disappeared after resetting settings | Sync with Mi Account is disabled | Log in to Xiaomi account and enable data synchronization |
If none of these things worked, try resetting your launcher settings. On TVs, it's done through Settings → Apps → PatchWall → Reset, and on smartphones, through Settings → Apps → Launcher → Storage → Reset.
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On Xiaomi TVs, the carousel is closely linked to PatchWall. If it doesn't work properly, try reinstalling it through Settings → Apps → PatchWall → Remove updates.
Customization of the contents of the carousel: what can be changed
The carousel on Xiaomi devices is not just a static element, it can be flexibly customized to your needs. On TVs, you can:
- 🎬 Change content sources: Add or remove services like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube.
- 🔄 Sort recommendations: prioritize movies, TV shows, or broadcasts.
- 👤 Disable personalization: show manual bookmarks only without algorithmic selections.
On smartphones, the settings are even wider:
- Add or remove widgets (e.g. Weather, Calendar, Steps) through App Vault Settings.
- Change the order of display of elements by holding the widget icon and dragging it.
- Turn off unnecessary notifications in the carousel (such as news or advertising) in Settings → Notifications → App Vault.
On the Xiaomi Pad, the carousel can be adjusted to the horizontal orientation of the screen. To do this, go to Settings → Home Screen → Tablet Mode and activate the Adaptive Carousel option.
On Xiaomi TVs with PatchWall 4.0 firmware and higher, the carousel supports voice control. To activate this feature, say "Hi, Xiao AI" and say a command like "Show Movie Guidelines."
How to completely turn off the carousel if it is not needed
Not everyone likes the carousel — some people find it intrusive or useless — and you can turn it off on TVs and smartphones, but the ways are different.
On Mi TV/Redmi TV:
- Go to Settings → Accounts and Security → Personalization.
- Turn off the option to show recommendations on the main screen.
- If the carousel still appears, reset the PatchWall settings (see the previous section).
On Xiaomi smartphones:
- Press and hold the main screen, then select Home Screen Settings.
- Go to App Vault and turn off the Show App Vault switch.
- For complete removal, swipe to the left of the main screen, tap the gear in the upper right corner and select Remove.
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On some TV models (e.g. Mi TV Q1E), the carousel can only be turned off via Developer Mode. To do this, click on the PatchWall version 7 times in the settings, then turn off Show Recommendations from the developer menu.
Additional chips: hidden possibilities of the carousel
The carousel on Xiaomi devices has several hidden features that not all users know about:
- 🔍 Carousel search: On TVs, you can use voice search (mic button on the remote) or text input to quickly find content in recommendations.
- 📌 Element fastening: On smartphones, hold your finger on any item of the carousel (like the weather) to pin it at the top of the list.
- 🔄 Device-to-device sync: If you are logged in to the same Mi Account on your TV and smartphone, the carousel can show you continuing to watch movies or the latest photos from your phone.
- 🎮 Game Mode: On the Mi TV, the carousel automatically hides when you connect a gamepad or start games (for example, through Google Stadia).
On PatchWall 5.0 TVs (e.g. Xiaomi TV A2 2023), the carousel supports dynamic wallpaper.
- Open the settings → Screen and sound → Wallpaper.
- Select Dynamic Wallpaper and enable the option to Sync with the carousel.
- The background of the home screen will change depending on the content you recommend (e.g., showing a frame from the movie you watched last).