How to permanently remove wallpaper carousel from the lock screen Xiaomi: a step-by-step guide

The wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi’s lock screen is one of the most controversial features of MIUI. On the one hand, it automatically updates background images, offering fresh options from the Mi Wallpaper Carousel collections. On the other hand, many users find it intrusive: it eats up traffic, drains the battery and prevents quick access to basic functions. If you also want to remove the wallpaper carousel from the lock screen on your Redmi, POCO or Black Shark, this article will help you understand all the nuances of the nuances.

Complicating the problem is that different versions of MIUI (12, 13, 14 and HyperOS) have different paths to customization, and some methods don’t work on all models. We tested all the current methods on devices from 2020 to 2026 and put them together in one guide, and here you will find both standard solutions through the phone menu and hidden tricks for stubborn firmware.

Before you start, consider that some methods require developer rights or ADB-If you're a beginner, start with the first two sections, which are the easiest and safest.

Why the wallpaper carousel appears on the lock screen

Mi Wallpaper Carousel is built into MIUI by default, and it activates in three cases:

• 🔄 Automatic update: the system periodically downloads new wallpapers from Xiaomi cloud collections (for example, Landscapes, Abstraction, Art, etc").
• 📱 Manual installation: you could accidentally select wallpaper from the "Carousel" section in the gallery or screen settings.
• 🔧 Resetting settings: after updating MIUI or reset to factory parameters, the carousel can turn on itself.

The main problem is that the carousel consumes up to 150 MB of traffic per month and increases battery consumption by 3-5% (according to the tests on the Redmi Note 11 and POCO X5 Pro), and it slows down the unlocking of the phone by 0.5-1 seconds due to the loading of new images.

In MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the developers added a shutdown option, but hid it deep in the settings, and older versions (such as MIUI 12 on Redmi 9A) will have to use workarounds.

Method 1: Disconnect via lock screen settings (MIUI 13/14/HyperOS)

This is the easiest and most secure method that works on most modern Xiaomi devices. Suitable for models Released after 2021:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Slip on the lock screen wallpaper (or lock screen style in HyperOS).
3. Choose Static Wallpaper or My Wallpaper (not "Carousel").
4. Confirm the choice and wait for the changes to be implemented.

If there is no “Block screen wallpaper” option, try an alternative path:

• 🖼️ Put your finger on the empty spot on the main screen. → Wallpaper. → Lock screen.
• 🔍 In the search for settings, enter "carousel" and select the appropriate section.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (POCO F4, Xiaomi 12T) After the carousel is turned off, the wallpaper is dropped on the standard wallpaper.

Method 2: Remove the carousel via "Themes" (for all versions of MIUI)

If the first method didn’t work, try turning off the carousel through the Themes app, which is universal and works even on older smartphones like the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Wallpaper section → Lock screen.
3. In the top menu, select My Wallpaper or Gallery.
4. Install any wallpaper manually (not from the "Carousel" section).
5. Return to the main Topics menu and check that the "Auto-Update Wallpaper" option is disabled in the "Recommended" section.

If the Theme app is missing (e.g., on POCO M5 with lightweight firmware), install it from Google Play or through GetApps.

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If the wallpaper doesn't change after the carousel is turned off, reboot your phone. Sometimes the changes only apply after the reboot.

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don't work, you'll have to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is a universal tool for deep customization by Xiaomi, but requires a PC connection.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included Developer Rights and Debugging by USB phone-on.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Run the command to shut down the carousel: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper
5. Reboot the phone.

To return the carousel back, use the command:

adb shell pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Black Shark 5, Xiaomi Mix 4), disabling com.miui.miwallpaper may cause the Themes app to crash.

Method 4: Edit system files (root only)

This method is suitable for users with unlocked bootloader and root rights. It allows you to permanently remove the wallpaper carousel, but requires caution - wrong actions can lead to a "brick" of the device.

Procedure:

1. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Mixplorer).
2. Go to /system/priv-app/MiWallpaper/ or (for newer MIUI versions): /system/product/priv-app/MiWallpaper/
3. Find the MiWallpaper.apk and MiWallpaper.odex files (may be called differently).
4. Rename them by adding.bak at the end (e.g. MiWallpaper.apk.bak).
5. Reboot the phone.

After that, the wallpaper carousel will be completely removed from the system. To return it back, just rename the files back (remove.bak).

💡

Editing system files without a backup can cause your phone to fail. Always save the original files before making changes!

Method 5: Reset the lock screen settings (extreme case)

If none of these things work, you're left with a lock screen reset, which is a radical method that will bring all the settings back to factory settings, but not personal data.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Lock screen Reset (or HyperOS Security Setting Reset).
3. Confirm the action with a password / pattern lock.
4. After rebooting, adjust the lock screen wallpaper manually.

This method is guaranteed to remove the carousel, but resets:

• 🔐 Password/pattern lock (you will need to reset).
• 📱 Facial fingerprint and facial recognition settings.
• 🎨 All custom wallpaper and lock screen styles.

⚠️ Note: On some devices (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi) K50 Ultra) resetting the lock screen settings may cause a temporary lock on the Mi Account. To avoid this, unplug the account in Settings before resetting. → Xiaomi account.

What to do if the carousel returns after the MIUI update

Many users complain that after the MIUI update, the wallpaper carousel reappears, because the system resets some settings to default, to prevent the carousel from returning:

1. Turn off automatic theme updates: 📱 Go to Settings. → Topics. 🔄 Turn off the option "Auto-Update Themes".

Block background processes

• 🛑 B Settings → Annexes → App management find themes and Mi Wallpaper Carousel.
• 🔋 Turn off Auto Start and limit the use of data in the background.
• Use third-party launchers: Install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) that allows you to customize wallpaper regardless of the MIUI system settings.