How to turn off the wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi Redmi 9: 5 proven ways

The wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is one of the most controversial features of MIUI, which automatically changes the background of the desktop without your involvement. For some users, it is a convenient way to diversify the appearance of the smartphone, and for others it is a real headache. If you are in the second category and want to permanently disable automatic wallpaper change, this article will help you understand all the nuances.

Compounding the problem, the path to customization may be different across MIUI versions, and some methods may not work on all firmware, we tested all current methods on Redmi 9 (M2003J15SC, M2004J19C) with MIUI 12-14 and put them together in a single guide, and here you will find both official solutions through the phone menu and alternatives for power users.

Important: Before making changes to your system settings, make sure you have enough battery power (at least 30%) and a backup of important data. Some methods require superuser rights (root), which can affect the warranty.

Why does the wallpaper carousel turn on on itself?

Automatic background image change is part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem to personalize the user experience, but it is often activated without the owner’s explicit consent.

• 📱 Update MIUI: After installing the new firmware version, the settings can be reset to default values, including the carousel.
• ☁️ Sync with Mi Account: If you previously enabled a feature on another Xiaomi device, it can automatically migrate to Redmi 9.
• 🎨 Xiaomi themes and wallpapers: some system themes contain built-in wallpaper rotation mechanisms.
• 🤖 Optimization MIUI: The firmware can independently activate the "recommended" functions to "improve" the work.

Interesting fact: in the Chinese versions of MIUI, the wallpaper carousel is often associated with the Mi Wallpaper Carousel service, which in global firmware may be called differently or partially disabled, which explains why some Redmi 9s do not work standard methods.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), the methods described below may not work.

Method 1: Disconnect via theme settings (official method)

The easiest and safest way is to use the built-in MIUI settings, which are suitable for most users and do not require additional knowledge.

1. Open the Themes app (the icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the wallpaper section (in the lower menu).
3. Slip on the current wallpaper on the preview screen.
4. In the window that opens, find the Automatic Wallpaper Change switch and turn it off.
5. Confirm the changes by clicking Apply.

If there is no automatic change of wallpaper, try:

• 🔍 Click on three dots in the upper right corner and select Settings.
• 🔄 Scroll down to the Additional or Advanced Settings section.
• 📵 Make sure that Recommended Wallpaper and Cloud Wallpaper Options are disabled.

Settings → Topics → Wallpaper → Automatic change (off)

Settings → Display → Desktop → Dynamic wallpaper (off)

Settings → Accounts → Mi Account → Synchronization of topics (ref.)

Check in 24 hours (both wallpaper unchanged)

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On some MIUI 13+ firmware, the option is hidden under Dynamic Wallpaper in the display settings. If you don't see it right away, search for settings (the magnifying glass icon in the top menu) and enter the "wallpaper" request.

Method 2: Disconnection through launcher settings

The MIUI launcher has its own settings, where the carousel options are sometimes hidden, and it works even if the standard way failed.

Instructions:

1. Press and hold your finger in the free space of the desktop.
2. In the menu that appears, select Desktop Settings (or Launcher Settings).
3. Go to the Wallpaper or Background of the desktop.
4. Find the option Autoshift, Wallpaper Carousel or Dynamic Wallpaper and turn it off.
5. Save the changes and restart the phone (optional).

If your launcher does not have these options, a third-party launcher (such as a Nova Launcher or POCO Launcher) may be used, in which case the carousel is controlled through the settings of a particular launcher.

Standard MIUI Launcher|Nova Launcher|POCO Launcher|Other |I don't know-->

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If system settings don't work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a tool for debugging Android devices, which requires connecting the phone to a computer, but is guaranteed to turn off the carousel at the system level.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Go to Settings → About Phone. 7 times click on the MIUI Version until the notification "You're a developer" appears. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Activate Debugging on USB.

Redmi 9

ADB Tools

Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.

adb devices

(Your device should appear)

adb shell settings put global wallpaper_carousel_enabled 0

Reboot the phone.

If the team doesn’t work, try an alternative:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.wallpaper

This command will completely disable the system wallpaper application, but can cause failures when manually changing the backgrounds.

adb shell pm enable com.miui.wallpaper

⚠️ Note: Disabling system applications through ADB It may disrupt some functions MIUI, including weather and calendar widgets, back up your data before you execute commands.

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If ADB does not recognize the device, try to change the mode USB-Connections on your phone: swipe down the notification panel → press "Charge through" USB" → select "File Transfer" (MTP).

Method 4: Using Third-Party Applications

If you don't want to dig into settings or use ADB, you can use third-party apps from Google Play that block wallpaper change at the software level without affecting system files.

Top.-3 tested applications:

• 🛡️ Wallpaper Changer Stopper is a specialized tool to disable automatic wallpaper change. Works without root, but requires permission to access notifications.
• 🔧 MacroDroid is a versatile automaton that can intercept wallpaper changing commands. Suitable for advanced users.
• 🖼️ Muzei Live Wallpaper – an alternative wallpaper launcher that completely replaces the standard Xiaomi system.

Instructions for Wallpaper Changer Stopper:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and provide all the permissions requested.
3. Enable the Block Wallpaper Changes option.
4. Add the app to boot (in phone settings: Battery → Autostart).

The advantage of this method is that it doesn't need root rights or PC connectivity, but it can conflict with some MIUI features, such as the weather widget.

Method 5: Manually delete system files (root only)

It's an extreme method that should only be used if all other methods have failed, and it requires root rights and can lead to unstable system performance if executed incorrectly.

Instructions:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiuiWallpaper/ or /system/app/WallpaperCarousel/
3. Find files with names: WallpaperCarousel.apk MiuiWallpaper.apk com.miui.wallpaper.odex

.bak

WallpaperCarousel.apk.bak

Reboot the phone.

An alternative is to delete files completely, but this is less secure as it can disrupt other wallpaper-related features.

⚠️ Attention: after removal of the system APK-Files will not be able to install updates MIUI You'll need to refashion your phone to restore functionality.

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Deleting system files is an irreversible process without backup. Always save original files (e.g., copy them to a PC) before renaming or deleting them.

What if the carousel returned after the update?

One of the most common frustrations of Redmi 9 users is that the carousel returns after installing the MIUI update, which is because the firmware resets some settings to factory settings, to avoid re-activation:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic updates: Go to Settings → The phone. → Update system. Click on three dots in the top right corner and select Settings. Turn off Auto Boot via Wi-Fi and Auto Installation.
• 📵 Block the update of specific applications: C Settings → Annexes → App management find themes and wallpapers. turn off automatic updates for them via Google Play.
• 🔒 Create a rule in MacroDroid: Set the trigger for the System Update event. Add the action: run ADB-Settings put global wallpaper_carousel_enabled 0.

If the carousel does return, repeat the steps from Method 1 or Method 3 (ADB). Also check if new options have appeared in the settings after the update - Xiaomi sometimes moves them to other sections.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper carousel on Redmi 9