Xiaomi’s MIUI 11 has brought a lot of new features to users, including a wallpaper carousel feature that allows you to automatically change the background of your desktop on a given schedule or depending on the time of day, adding speakers to your everyday smartphone use. However, not all owners of Redmi, Poco or Mi devices know how to activate and configure this feature — especially if it is hidden or disabled by default.
In this article, we will explore how to turn on the wallpaper carousel in MIUI 11 on any supported device, consider possible problems (for example, when the option is not displayed in the menu), and give recommendations for optimizing the function. We will pay special attention to hidden settings that allow you to expand the carousel’s capabilities due to system tweaks. If you want your smartphone to choose the wallpaper for your mood or time of day, read on.
What is a wallpaper carousel in MIUI 11 and why you need it?
The wallpaper carousel is a built-in MIUI feature that automatically cycles background images on the home screen and/or lock screen. Unlike static wallpaper, it adds visual diversity, allowing:
- 🌅 Adjust to the time of day – morning, afternoon and evening wallpaper to create an atmosphere.
- 📅 Change the background on a schedule – for example, every 30 minutes or once a day.
- 🎨 Use thematic collections – landscapes, abstractions, minimalism and other styles.
- 🔄 Random order – wallpaper changes in an arbitrary sequence.
MIUI 11 features an updated interface and additional options compared to previous versions, such as weather synchronization (both wallpapers vary depending on sun/rain) and integration with Xiaomi Wallpapers, where you can download new collections directly from the settings.
It is important to understand that the carousel works only with system wallpaper from the gallery. MIUI or uploaded through an official application. User images (hand-stuffed into a folder) DCIM/Wallpapers) It can not be maintained without additional manipulation.
Supported devices and versions of MIUI
The wallpaper carousel feature is not available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 11.
- ✅ Official support: devices with MIUI 11 Global/China Stable or MIUI 11 Developer (e.g. Redmi Note) 8 Pro, Mi 9, Poco F1 newer).
- ⚠️ Limitations: on some budget models (e.g. Redmi) 7A Redmi 8: The function can be stripped down or hidden.
- ❌ Not supported: Devices with custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS) or older versions MIUI (below 10.3).
| Model of the device | Carousel support in MIUI 11 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi 9/9T/9T Pro | ✅ Yes. | Full support, including weather synchronization. |
| Redmi Note 8/8 Pro | ✅ Yes. | Upgrade to the latest version of MIUI 11 is required. |
| Poco X3 NFC | ✅ Yes. | The function is available in global and European firmware. |
| Redmi 7/7A | ⚠️ Partially. | The carousel may not be in the settings menu. |
| Mi A3 (Android One) | ❌ No. | Devices on pure Android are devoid of MIUI features. |
The wallpaper carousel in MIUI 11 only works on devices with official firmware from Xiaomi. If you use custom software (for example, Pixel Experience or Havoc OS), the feature will not be available without manual porting of system applications.
⚠️ Note: On some regional versions MIUI 11 (for example, for India or China) carousel can be called otherwise - "Dynamic Wallpapers" or "Smart Wallpapers". If you do not find the option according to the instructions, check for system updates.
Step-by-step instructions: how to turn on the wallpaper carousel
Activation of the function takes no more than 2-3 minutes.
- Open the Settings (⚙️) mainscreen.
- Go to Wallpaper (or Wallpaper in English).
- Select Wallpaper Carousel. If you don't have one, see What to do if the carousel isn't displayed.
- Activate the switch in the upper right corner.
- Set up the parameters: 🔄 Shift interval: 10 minutes to 24 hours. 🌍 Source of wallpaper: system collections or downloaded. 🎨 Style: random or in order.
Click Save or Apply.
Update MIUI to the latest version
Check the space in memory (minimum 200 MB)
Download additional wallpaper in the "Themes" app
Disable battery optimization for the Wallpaper system application-->
Once activated, the carousel will start to work in the background. To check its operation, lock the screen and unlock in 10-15 minutes - the wallpaper should change. If the change does not occur, restart the device or check the energy saving settings (sometimes the system pauses the background processes).
What to do if the wallpaper carousel is not displayed in the settings
If there is no Carousel item in the Wallpaper menu, the problem may be due to one of the following reasons:
- 📱 An outdated version MIUI — Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
- 🌐 Regional restrictions – some firmware for China/India uses a different name for the function (see table above).
- 🔧 System applications disabled – check if com.android.wallpaper is removed.
- 🛠️ Castomic modifications – if you used Magisk or Xposed, modules could block the function.
If the update didn’t help, try turning on the carousel through hidden settings:
- Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
- Go to the Phone Information section and find the MIUI version.
- Click on it 7-10 times until the notification “You became a developer!” appears.
- Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate “Enable wallpaper carousel” (if there is a paragraph).
Alternative methods through ADB
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 7 with a MIUI 11.0.3) The carousel may conflict with Super Wallpapers. If you activate super wallpapers, turn them off in the theme settings first.
Setting up the source of wallpaper and the change schedule
Once the carousel is activated, it is important to adjust the image source and the shift interval correctly, depending on how diverse and relevant your backgrounds will be.
To add new wallpaper to the carousel:
- Open the Settings. → Wallpaper. → Wallpaper carousel.
- Click Add Wallpaper or Select Collection.
- Choose one of the proposed categories: 🌄 Nature - landscapes, sunsets, mountains. 🏙️ Cities are urban wallpapers. 🎨 Abstraction - geometric patterns. 📱 Minimalism – simple monotonous backgrounds.
Click Save and return to the merry-go-round menu.
To set the schedule:
- 🕒 Interval: Choose from 10 minutes to 24 hours, the best option is 1 hour or every 6 hours.
- 🌗 Time of day: activate the option "Tune in time of day" to automatically change the morning / evening wallpaper.
- 🔀 Order: “Accidental” or “In order".
💡
If you don’t have enough built-in wallpaper, install the official Xiaomi Wallpapers app from Google Play.It automatically integrates with the carousel and offers hundreds of additional collections.
Note: if you choose too short a time interval (e.g. 10 minutes), this can increase battery consumption by 3-5%, as the system will more often turn to the GPU to render new wallpaper.
Solving common problems with wallpaper carousel
Even after setting the carousel correctly, it may not work properly. Consider typical problems and ways to solve them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper doesn't change. | The function is blocked by the battery optimizer | Open Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization, find the Wallpaper app and select “No Limits”. |
| Carousel disappeared after update | Resetting theme settings | Go to Settings → Themes and apply the theme again. |
| Wallpaper is falling to standard | Conflict with running launchers (Nova, Apex) | In the launcher settings, turn off the option "Fix wallpaper". |
| Super wallpaper doesn't work. | Carousel and super wallpaper activated simultaneously | Turn off one of the functions in Settings → Wallpaper. |
If the wallpaper changes but the image quality has deteriorated, check the screen settings:
- Go to Settings → Display.
- Activate the option "Colors and contrast" → "Saturated".
- Turn off Adaptive Brightness if it affects the display.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Mi 10 or Redmi) K30 Pro) frequent wallpaper changes can accelerate pixel burnout, recommend using a minimum of 6 hours interval or preferring dark themes.
Additional chips: how to make the wallpaper carousel even more convenient
The carousel feature in MIUI 11 supports several hidden features that can be activated for enhanced control:
- 🌦️ Weather sync: In some firmware (e.g. Mi 9), the carousel can adjust wallpaper to the current weather. To do this, activate geolocation. In the carousel settings, turn on "Weather wallpaper".
- 📂 Adding your wallpaper: To use personal images: Put files in a folder DCIM/Wallpapers/Carousel. Reset the device. In the carousel settings, select "My wallpaper".
Export of settings
With ADB, you can save the current carousel configuration:
adb pull /data/system/wallpaper_carousel_config.xml💡
If you want the carousel to work only on the lock screen (not the home screen), activate the option “Separate wallpaper” in the theme settings.
For users who want to automate changing wallpapers on a schedule (for example, work wallpaper on weekdays and personal on weekends), you can use the Tasker app with the AutoInput plugin, which will allow you to create complex rules for changing backgrounds depending on time, location or connected devices (for example, headphones).