Removed wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi: how to return a standard widget in 5 minutes

The wallpaper carousel on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a desktop decoration, but a full-fledged widget that automatically updates background images, offers themed collections and syncs with the weather. Many users accidentally delete it, trying to make room on the screen or after unsuccessful experiments with launchers. If you find yourself in this situation, do not panic: you can restore the carousel without resetting your phone to factory settings.

In this article, we will discuss three proven ways to return the wallpaper carousel: through standard MIUI settings, using a launcher reset and manually through ADB (for advanced users), and you will learn why the widget can disappear on its own and how to prevent its re-deletion. All instructions are relevant for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

Before you start, check if the widget is hidden by accident. Flick the desktop to the left, sometimes the carousel will "hide" behind the main screens. If it's not there, read on.

Why is the wallpaper carousel disappearing on Xiaomi?

There are several reasons for the widget's disappearance, and not all of them are related to the user's actions.

• 🧹 Manual removal: long-term pressing on the widget → «Delete" or "Delete" is the most common reason.
• 🔄 Resetting the launcher: after the update MIUI or clear cache app com.miui.home desktop settings reset.
• 📱 Change of launcher: Installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex) automatically disables system widgets.
• 🐞 System failure: rare, but it happens that after updating or restarting the widget disappears for no apparent reason.
• 🔒 Profile restrictions: If a child profile or a restricted work account is set up on the phone, some widgets may be blocked.

If the carousel is missing after the update MIUI, First, check if it appears in the “Widgets” section (long-term press on the desktop). → «Widgets. Sometimes the system automatically transfers it there.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using POCO Launcher or other alternative launcher, Xiaomi's standard wallpaper carousel may not show up.In this case, return the system launcher through the application settings.

Method 1: Recovery through theme settings

The easiest method is to return the carousel through standard MIUI settings, which works on most devices without having to connect the phone to a computer.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush and palette).
2. Go to Wallpaper section. → carousel.
3. Click on the icon. ⚙️ (settings) in upper right corner.
4. Select Add to Desktop or Restore widget (depending on the MIUI version).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the carousel to appear on the left of the main screen.

If there is no Add to the desktop, try an alternative path:

• 📱 Long-term pressing on the free place of the desktop → Widgets.
• 🔍 Find the wallpaper carousel widget (could be called Wallpaper Carousel) in the list).
• 🖱️ Drag it to the left edge of the screen.

If the widget doesn't appear in the list, it may have been disabled at the system level, and the following method will help.

Method 2: Resetting the settings of the MIUI launcher

The MIUI launcher (com.miui.home) is responsible for displaying the desktop, including widgets. If the carousel is missing after a crash or update, resetting its settings often solves the problem.

How to drop the launcher:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type com.miui.home or find the application “Luncher” (MIUI Launcher).
3. Select Warehouse → Clear data and Clear cache.
4. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot, and the desktop settings will return to factory settings.

After the reboot:

• 🔄 The wallpaper carousel should appear to the left of the main screen.
• 📲 If it is not, repeat the steps from Method 1 (via the Topics app»).
• ⚙️ Customize the widget again: Select the source of the wallpaper (such as Bing or Xiaomi Cloud) and the refresh rate.

⚠️ Warning: Launcher reset will remove all your desktop settings - the location of icons, folders and other widgets. Take screenshots before cleaning to quickly restore order.

💡

If after resetting the launcher carousel did not appear, try to restart the phone in safe mode (press the power button → “Safe mode”). If the widget appears – a problem in one of the third-party applications (most often in optimizers or launchers).

Method 3: Manual recovery through ADB (for advanced)

If the first two methods didn’t work, you can try to return the carousel via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to a computer and basic command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press the assembly number → Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to your computer and allow debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
2. Open the command line (Win + R → enter cmd) and execute commands in order:

adb shell


pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper




pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper.earth




pm enable com.miui.miwallpaper.wallpapercarousel

After the commands are executed:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone (adb reboot).
• 📱 Check if the carousel has appeared on the desktop.
• 🛠️ If not, try adding it manually through Settings. → Desktop → Widgets.

If the commands don’t work, the widget may be disabled at the system level, in which case only a complete reset will help (but this is an extreme case!).

Table: Comparison of ways to restore the carousel

If none of these things work, check if the widget is off at the regional setting level, and some firmware for the EU or India markets has the wallpaper carousel hidden by default.

How to prevent the carousel from disappearing again?

To avoid the wallpaper carousel disappearing again, follow these tips:

• 🔒 Do not remove the widget manually: long press on the carousel → Settings for the widget, not “Delete».
• 📵 Careful with SEOs: Apps like Clean Master or CCleaner can clear the launcher cache, leading to crashes.
• 🔄 Update. MIUI: In new versions, bugs with the disappearance of widgets have been fixed.
• 📱 Don’t change the launcher: Third-party launchers (like Nova or Action Launcher) don’t support the Xiaomi carousel.
• 🔄 Backup: Before resetting or updating, save your desktop settings via Settings → System system → Backup.

If you often experiment with phone settings, create a restore point in MIUI:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset.
2. Select Local Backup → Create a backup.
3. Check the System Settings and Applications.
4. Click Create and wait until it is completed.

💡

If the carousel disappears after each MIUI update, turn off automatic system optimization in the battery settings (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → Select applications → MIUI Launcher → Disable Optimization).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When restoring a carousel, users often face typical problems, and here's how to solve them:

• 🚫 «The widget does not appear in the list": check if it is disabled in the application settings (Settings) → Annexes → Management → Show it all. → Wallpaper carousel. If the application is disabled, click Enable.
• 🔄 «After resetting the launcher, the carousel did not appear: try reinstalling the update for the Themes app via Google Play or the App Store.
• 📵 «ADB Does not see the device": make sure that the developer settings include the Debugging item USB (security parameters) and installed Xiaomi drivers.
• 🔒 «There is no room for a widget on the desktop: remove extra screens or widgets by freeing up space on the left.

If you use a POCO Launcher, the standard Xiaomi carousel will not work.

1. Install System Launcher: Settings → Applications → Management → POCO Launcher → Disable.
2. Confirm the launcher change to the standard MIUI Launcher.
3. Reboot your phone and add a carousel through the theme settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions