Where Xiaomi Stores Live Wallpaper: A Complete Guide to Finding and Managing Animated Backgrounds

Live wallpaper on Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones POCO They add dynamism to the interface, but storing and managing them often raises questions. Unlike static images, animated background drawings take up more space, are cached in system folders, and can disappear after resetting. Whether you want to save your favorite live wallpaper, transfer them to another phone or just understand how they work – this article will help you understand all the nuances of the game.

We will take a detailed look at where the files of live wallpaper are physically stored in different versions. MIUI, How to access them without root rights, and what to do if the animation backgrounds are gone after the update, and you will learn how to reserve and restore live wallpaper so you do not lose them when you flash or change your device.

Why Xiaomi’s live wallpaper isn’t stored like normal pictures

Unlike static wallpapers that are stored in a folder DCIM/Wallpapers Or Pictures, live wallpapers on Xiaomi are complex objects:

• 🎨 Animation files (formats.mp4,.gif,.webp or proprietary.awg for MIUI)
• 📄 Configuration files (XML or JSON with speed, effects and triggers settings)
• 🔄 Cache and Temporary Data (to speed up loading and smooth animation)

Because of this, live wallpapers are not stored in one place, but their components are scattered across multiple system directories, and some files can be encrypted or hidden from the user without superuser rights (root).

For example, wallpaper from the Mi Themes theme store is often downloaded to a secure folder. /data/system/theme/, While the user's live wallpaper can lie in /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper/. Let's get this straight.

Main folders with live wallpaper on Xiaomi (without root)

If you don't have root rights, you can still find some of the live wallpaper files in the folders that you can find.

The most useful folder for backup — /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper/carousel/. It stores standard live wallpaper that can be copied to a PC or other phone, but custom wallpaper installed through Mi Themes or third-party apps often end up in secure directories.

⚠️ Attention: Not all files in these folders are full-fledged live wallpaper. Some of them are previews (.jpg or.png) for the selection gallery. To find the original animation file, look for extensions.mp4,.gif or.awg.

How to find live wallpaper through the file manager

To manually find live wallpaper files, follow the following steps:

1. Open a file manager (e.g. Files by Google or standard MI File Manager).
2. Turn on the display of hidden folders in the manager settings.
3. Cross the path. /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper/ Check the carousel subfolders and live_wallpaper.
4. If you are looking for wallpaper from Mi Themes, try the way /sdcard/Android/data/com.android.themes/files/ (access may be required through ADB).

If the folders are empty or the files are not, this could mean:

• 🔍 Wallpaper is stored in system memory and is not available without root.
• 🗑️ Files were deleted after the update MIUI.
• 📱 Wallpaper is part of the theme and loads dynamically (not stored locally).

Enable the display of hidden files in the manager

Check the folder. /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper/

Search for files with extensions.mp4,.gif,.awg

Try it. ADB, file-free

Make a backup copy of the found files-->

If you don't find the files you want, try exporting the live wallpaper through the settings.

1. Click the empty space on the main screen → Wallpaper.
2. Choose current live wallpaper → press three points (⋮) → Export (if the option is available).
3. The file will be saved in /sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots/ or /sdcard/Download/.

Where live wallpaper from Mi Themes (theme store) is stored

Wallpapers downloaded from Mi Themes are stored in secure system folders, and without root rights, they can only be found through the system. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: Here's the manual:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → Additional settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Open the command line on the PC and type: adb shell ls /data/data/com.android.themes/files/wallpaper/
3. If the folder exists, copy the files to the PC: adb pull /data/data/com.android.themes/files/wallpaper/ C:\Xiaomi_Wallpapers\

The alternative is to use applications like FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer with root access support, which allows you to view system folders without any system folders. ADB.

⚠️ Note: Copying files from /data/data/ Do not delete or modify files in this folder if you are not sure of your actions.

If you don't want to mess with ADB, You can try to save live wallpaper through screen recording:

• 🎥 Enable screen recording (Notification Panel) → Screen recording).
• 🔄 Switch to a desktop with live wallpaper and record 10-15 seconds.
• 📹 Cut the video in any editor (such as CapCut or InShot).
• 🔄 Install the resulting video as live wallpaper via the Video Live Wallpaper app.

💡

If the live wallpaper from Mi Themes disappeared after the update MIUI, Try resetting the topic. Go to Topics to do that. → My subjects. → Click on the wallpaper theme. → Reinstall.

How to Reserve and Restore Live Wallpaper on Xiaomi

To avoid losing your favorite live wallpaper when resetting or flashing, back it up. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Method 1: Manual copying of files

1. Find the wallpaper files (see section above).
2. Copy them to your PC or cloud (like Google Drive).
3. Return files to the same folders (may require root or ADB).

Method 2: Exporting through the Applications

Use tools like Live Wallpaper Picker or Wallpaper Backup & Restore:

• 📱 Install the app from Google Play.
• 🔄 Select the Backup Live Wallpapers option.
• 💾 Keep the archives in a safe place.
• 🔄 Use Restore in the same application to restore.

Method 3: Preservation through APK (wallpaper)

Some live wallpapers are set as separate.apk files to save:

1. Find the wallpaper in Settings → Apps (see by name, for example Earth & Moon Live Wallpaper).
2. Copy.apk through APK Extractor or App Cloner.
3. Save the file and install it on the new device.

💡

The most reliable way to keep wallpaper alive is to use a combination of manual copying (for standard backgrounds) and specialized applications (for custom ones).

What to do if the live wallpaper disappeared after the update MIUI

After updating MIUI The stained wallpaper may disappear for several reasons:

• 🗑️ Clearing the launcher cache (com.miui.home).
• 🔄 Resetting theme settings.
• 📁 Change of storage paths in the new firmware version.
• 🚫 Removal of incompatible wallpaper (for example, if it was for the MIUI 12, and you upgraded to MIUI 14).

Here's how to get the wallpaper back:

1. Reset the topic: Go to the topics → Find the theme that had the wallpaper in it and click Apply.
2. Clear the launcher cache: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear the cache
3. Restore from the backup: If you made a backup, return the files to /sdcard/MIUI/wallpaper/. Reboot the phone.

Set the wallpaper manually:

• Download the live wallpaper again from Mi Themes or Play Market.
• Use apps like Live Wallpapers to re-install.

3. wallpaper from Mi Themes (root or required) ADB)

If you have copied files from /data/data/com.android.themes/, bring them back:

adb push C:\Xiaomi_Wallpapers\ /data/data/com.android.themes/files/wallpaper/


adb shell chmod 644 /data/data/com.android.themes/files/wallpaper/*




adb shell reboot

After the reboot, the wallpaper should appear on the list of available ones. If not, try reinstalling the theme.

💡

If live wallpaper does not apply, check their compatibility with your version. MIUI. For example, wallpaper for MIUI 12 may not work in the MIUI 14 due to changes in animation engine.

Frequent problems with live wallpaper on Xiaomi and their solutions

Live wallpaper on Xiaomi sometimes doesn’t work properly. Let’s look at the typical problems and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the launcher settings:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear data

This will remove all desktop settings, including widgets and folders, but often resolves wallpaper issues.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Live Wallpaper on Xiaomi