Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a situation where when they turn on the screen they see not their favorite photo, but an intrusive carousel of images with news and advertising, a feature known as Glance or Wallpaper Carousel that automatically downloads content from the Internet, which can annoy users who value minimalism and privacy. The standard procedure for changing a picture through the gallery in this case does not work, since the system settings are overridetermined by the service Mi Lock Screen.
To regain control of your device, you need to perform several sequential actions in the system settings menu. The process can vary slightly depending on the version of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, as well as the region for which the smartphone is released. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to completely disable automatic background change, remove banner ads and install a static image of your choice.
It is important to understand that turning off this feature will not only eliminate visual noise, but can also positively affect the autonomy of the device. background loading of heavy images and the work of analytics services consume Internet traffic and battery power, so for many users, abandoning the carousel becomes a priority immediately after buying a new gadget.
What is Wallpaper Carousel and Why is it On
Wallpaper carousel is a built-in service from Xiaomi that aims to deliver quality visual content, news and app recommendations every time you pick up your phone, which is technically positioned as a way to personalize, but in practice it often turns into a channel for distributing advertising and affiliate content. By default in many regions, especially global firmware versions, this service is activated immediately after the first turn on the smartphone.
Technically, this mechanism is run by the system app miui.systemui.plugin or a separate Glance service in newer builds. It has a high priority in the system and overrides the standard wallpaper installation function. When you try to put your picture through a standard gallery, the system can ignore this action or return the carousel after a while, as priority is given to dynamic content.
⚠️ Warning: Complete shutdown of system components through ADB Use only the standard methods of disabling through the settings described in this article to avoid system errors.
Users often confuse the usual wallpaper change with the carousel setting, and if you have the wallpaper carousel feature enabled, a simple image replacement will not work, you first have to force the lock screen mode to switch from Online Service to Static Image, and then the standard personalization tools will be available.
Disabling the function through lock screen settings
The most reliable and safe way to remove intrusive image change is to use the built-in settings menu, which does not require root rights or a computer connection and works on the vast majority of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. The algorithm is simple enough, but requires care, since the desired items can be hidden in the submenu.
To start, unlock your smartphone and go to the main settings menu. Find a section that could be called Always on Screen and Lock Screen or simply Lock Screen. Depending on the operating system version, the path might look like Settings → Lock Screen, and that's where all the settings that control the look of the locked state of the device are concentrated.
Inside this section, look for a item called "Wallpaper Carousel" or "Glance." If you have a Russified global firmware installed, it can be called "Wallpaper Carousel." Click on this item to enter the service management menu. Here you will see a switch that is active by default. It needs to be put into an inactive state.
☑️ Checklist for carousel shutdown
Once the switch is turned off, the system will immediately stop downloading new images from the network, but the old carousel image may remain on the screen. To fix this, you will need to additionally click on the "Replace Wallpaper" or "Install Wallpaper" button, which will appear or become active after the service is disabled, this action will return you to the standard choice of static picture.
Removing Advertising and Configuring Glance Settings
Even if you don't want to completely disable the carousel, but you just want to clear it of banner ads and app recommendations, standard settings allow you to do this. Glance has hidden parameters that regulate the frequency of promotional materials, but you rarely get rid of them completely without turning off the function, because this is contrary to the business model of distributing free devices.
To fine-tune the options, go to the carousel control menu as described in the previous section, and you can see "Receive recommendations," "Show notifications" or "Advertising materials." Disabling these options will make the tape cleaner, but will not remove the mechanics of changing pictures. Some versions of MIUI include the ability to select content categories, such as "Nature", "Technique" or "Art", which allows you to at least control the subject of images.
| Setup parameter | Impact on the system | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper carousel | Turns on/off the entire service | Off. |
| Recommendations | Shows advice and advertising | Off. |
| Notifications for the carousel | Pop-ups | Off. |
| Wi-Fi download | Traffic for new pictures | Never mind. |
It's worth noting that after major MIUI updates or a switch to HyperOS, menu item names may change. If you don't find the switches described above, try searching by settings. Type the word "Carousel" or "Glance" into the search bar, and the system will redirect you to the desired configuration section.
Hidden codes for resetting settings
Installation of your own static wallpaper
Once you have successfully deactivated the dynamic background service, you need to set the desired image. The standard procedure may not be obvious to beginners, since the wallpaper installation interface in Xiaomi has its own features. You can use both the built-in gallery and third-party applications.
Open the Gallery app and select the photo you want to see on the lock screen. Click on the three dots in the corner of the screen or the More button, then select Set as Wallpaper. The system will suggest you choose whether to apply the image to the lock screen, the main screen, or both. Select Lock screen.
Important: If you still change the image when you turn on the next screen, the carousel service has been disabled or the system cache has failed, in which case it is recommended to restart the device, and also make sure that you do not use the "Themes" of third-party authors who can force their slideshows back. Go back to the standard theme in the "Themes" app.
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Tip: For better image quality on the lock screen, choose photos with a resolution of at least your screen resolution, for example 1080x2400 pixels for modern models.
Solving problems if the carousel returns
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where after all the actions performed, the wallpaper carousel returns itself after a while, this can be due to synchronization with the Mi Account, the operation of background updating services, or conflicts in the system cache, this is especially true for devices purchased in China with a reflash to the global version.
The first step in solving this problem is to clean the data of the Themes and Wallpaper Carousel application. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, find the Wallpaper Carousel (or Mi Lock Screen), click Memory and select Clear and Clear All Data, which will reset the service settings to the factory, after which you will need to re-disable it.
If the problem persists, check the Security app. In some regions, Xiaomi is implementing a Memory Cleanup feature that can automatically optimize the system by returning standard settings, including the carousel. It's also worth checking if the system app has updated in the background. Go to Google Play or GetApps, find updates for Xiaomi system components and make sure you have the latest stable version where the reset bug can already be fixed.
⚠️ Note: If the carousel returns after each system update, this may be a feature of a particular firmware version, in which case only waiting for a patch or installing a custom theme that does not contain background scripts helps.
Using third-party applications to block
For those who don’t want to put up with the limitations of the standard system, there are alternative solutions in the form of applications from Google Play, programs like Hi Locker or Lock Screen & Notifications allow you to completely replace the standard lock screen Xiaomi customized, which provides a huge opportunity to customize the appearance, widgets and unlock ways.
However, using these apps has drawbacks: They require permanent permits to work in the background and access data, which can negatively affect battery life, and third-party lock screens can conflict with security features such as a fingerprint scanner or face unlock, making them less responsive or not working at all.
If you choose to use third-party software, make sure that the battery settings set a "No Limits" value to it, which will prevent the Android system from forcing the process to stop in an attempt to save energy, but for most users, it is still preferable to set up a regular lock screen, since it works more stable and is integrated into the system deeper.
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Using third-party lock screen launchers is a last resort, and first exhaust all the options for customizing MIUI/HyperOS to keep scanners and notifications stable.
In conclusion, the user has full control of the lock screen despite aggressive marketing by the company. The right sequence of actions allows you to get rid of the advertising carousel forever and enjoy a personalized interface. Check system updates regularly as Xiaomi gradually introduces more flexible settings in new versions of the shells.