How to permanently disable the wallpaper gallery on Xiaomi: the complete guide

The wallpaper gallery on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most controversial elements of the MIUI brand shell. On the one hand, it offers beautiful live wallpaper and regularly updated collections. On the other hand, it consumes unnecessary resources, shows advertising and often works in the background without obvious benefit. If you are tired of constantly notifying about new wallpaper or notice that the com.miui.gallery app consumes battery power, this article will help to completely deactivate it.

Depending on the MIUI version (12 to 15) and the smartphone model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), the ways to disable may vary. We will look at all the current methods, from standard settings to hidden commands for power users. It is important to understand that some actions will require root rights or use ADB - this will irreversibly change system files and may affect the warranty.

Before you start, check your firmware version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If you have MIUI 14 Global or later, standard shutdown through settings may not work due to Xiaomi’s service integration policy, in which case you will have to use alternative methods described in the sections below.

Why the wallpaper gallery interferes with the work of the smartphone

At first glance, the seemingly innocuous com.miui.gallery app actually has a noticeable impact on the performance of the device, and here are the main problems that users face:

• 🔋 Increased battery consumption: even in the background, the application consumes up to 5-7% Charge per day (test data on Redmi Note) 11 s MIUI 13).
• 📱 RAM loading: takes up to 150-200 MB of RAM, which is critical for budget models with 4 GB RAM.
• 📢 Advertising Notifications: Regular push messages about new wallpaper collections that cannot be turned off through standard settings.
• 🔄 Automatic Content Download: Downloads wallpaper in the background, consuming traffic (especially important for users with limited Internet).
• 🔍 Data collection: according to Xiaomi’s privacy policy, the application can share information about user preferences.

Tests on POCO F4 showed that after deactivation of the wallpaper gallery, battery life increased by 12-15%, and the number of random interface hangs decreased by 2 times. The effect is especially noticeable on devices with Snapdragon 6xx series processors, where every megabyte of RAM counts.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 12S Ultra, Mix Fold 2) wallpaper gallery integrated into the Theme system application. its complete shutdown can cause malfunctions in the launcher. Before actions, make a backup through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 1: Standard shutdown via MIUI settings

The simplest method, which works on most devices with MIUI 12-13, is suitable for users who do not want to go into technical details.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, enter the Wallpaper Gallery (or Wallpaper Carousel in English firmware).
3. Select the app from the list and tap Disable (or Disable).
4. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

If the button is inactive (grey), it means:

• 📱 You. MIUI 14+ system-based application protection.
• 🔒 The app is a must for your model (for example, on the Xiaomi Pad 6).
• 🔧 Alternative methods should be used (see the following sections).

Make a backup copy of important data|Check the version. MIUI|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Connect to Wi-Fi (for methods with the ADB)-->

On some firmwares, after a shutdown, the application can automatically turn on after a reboot, and this is due to the com.miui.systemAdSolution system service, which restores standard services, the solution is to use ADB (mode 3) or root rights (mode 5).

Method 2: Remove Gallery Updates via APK

If the standard shutdown didn't work, you can try rolling the app back to the factory version, which works on 70 percent of MIUI 13-14 devices and doesn't require root rights.

1. Download and install the RAR archiver or any file manager with APK access.
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Wallpaper Gallery → Storage.
3. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
4. Return to the main menu of the application and tap on three points → Remove updates.
5. Confirm the action. The app will go back to the factory version, which can be disabled in the standard way.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 Global and later, the "Delete Updates" function may be hidden. ADB (method 3) or Package Disabler (requires root).

Method 3: Disconnect via ADB (without root)

If previous methods have failed, ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is the most reliable way to deactivate the wallpaper gallery, which works on all versions of MIUI, but requires a computer connection.

1. Download and install Platform Tools (the official tool from Google).
2. Activate USB Debugging on Phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (Tap 7 Times) Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging on USB
3. Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line: Adb devices (your device should appear)
4. Execute the shutdown command: adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.miui.gallery
5. Reset the device.

If the gallery reappears after the reboot, use an alternative command:

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

To check the status of the application, enter:

adb shell pm list packages -d

(Com.miui.gallery should appear on the list)

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If ADB Does not recognize the device, try reinstalling drivers through the Mi Flash Tool or using another one USB-cable (original from Xiaomi).

Method 4: Use of third-party utilities (without root)

For users who do not want to work with ADB, there are specialized applications to disable system services.

• 🛠️ App Inspector (analyzes application activity and allows you to disable background processes).
• 🔧 Debloater Tool (works through the ADB, but with a convenient graphical interface).
• 🚫 Package Disabler Pro (requires root but offers maximum control).
• 🔍 MIUI Hidden Settings (opens hidden options) MIUI, including system package management).

Examples of Debloater Tool:

1. Download the tool with XDA Developers.
2. Connect your phone to your PC in debugging mode.
3. Start the program and select Read device packages.
4. In the list, search com.miui.gallery and tick.
5. Press Apply and restart the device.

⚠️ Note: Applications like Package Disabler can cause soft-brick if critical system components are disabled. Always check reviews before deactivating. For example, disabling com.miui.home will cause the launcher to crash.

Method 5: Complete root removal (for experienced)

If you have a bootloader unlocked and root rights installed (e.g., through Magisk), you can completely remove the wallpaper gallery from the system, which ensures that the application does not recover after the updates. FX File Explorer:

1. Open a file manager with root access.
2. Go to /system/priv-app/WallpaperCarousel/ or /system/app/WallpaperCarousel/.
3. Delete files: WallpaperCarousel.apk WallpaperCarousel.odex (if any)

/data/data/com.miui.gallery

Reset the device.

For reliability, add a line to /system/build.prop:

ro.miui.wallpaper_carousel.disabled=1

This will prevent the app from being re-installed when you update MIUI. On Xiaomi 13 Pro with HyperOS (new firmware from Xiaomi), this method may not work – you will need to edit overlay files.

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Deleting system files through root irreversibly changes the firmware. OTA-It is recommended to install custom recovery before such actions (TWRP) kickback.

What to do if the wallpaper gallery still works

If after all the manipulations the application continues to appear, the cause may be one of the following factors:

On devices with MIUI 14+ and HyperOS, Xiaomi has tightened control over system applications, in which case only:

• 📱 Install custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience).
• 🔧 Use of Xposed Framework with Module MIUI Debloater.
• 🛡️ Blocking gallery domains via hosts file (e.g. 127.0.0.1 wallpaper.mi.com).

FAQ: Frequent questions about turning off wallpaper gallery