Have you ever wanted to return your favorite wallpaper after resetting or migrate it to a new Xiaomi smartphone, but couldn’t find where it is stored? System and user background images on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices are scattered across different folders — some are open access, others are hidden in protected sections. In this article, we will not only show the exact paths to the wallpaper, but also explain how to access them without root rights, why some files may be missing, and how to properly reserve them.
The manufacturer doesn't advertise the location of these files, so users often face problems: after updating MIUI, the wallpaper disappears, and downloaded themes are not stored in the gallery. We analyzed the structure of the file system on different versions of the firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and found patterns. It turns out that even on one device, wallpaper can be duplicated in 3-4 places — and this is not a bug, but a feature of the shell.
Standard Ways to Xiaomi Wallpaper
On most Xiaomi smartphones, wallpaper is stored in several standard folders, but its content depends on the version of MIUI and how the background is set.
- 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/wallpaper/ — Here are the wallpapers that the user has set up through the standard settings.
- 🔒 /system/media/wallpaper/ — wallpaper MIUI (Root rights are required to access new versions, which can be ported to /vendor/overlay/.
- 🌐 /data/system/users/0/wallpaper/ — current desktop and lock screen wallpaper (hidden folder, available only from root).
- ☁️ /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/ — Temporary wallpaper files downloaded from Mi Themes themes.
It's important to understand that /MIUI/wallpaper/ may not contain all wallpapers. For example, if you set the background through the Themes app, the file may be stored in the gallery cache or not publicly available. System wallpapers (those coming out of the box) are almost always hidden in protected partitions, and can only be extracted through ADB or root rights.
How to find custom wallpaper without root
If you installed wallpaper through the standard Settings menu → Screen → Wallpaper, copies of them must be in the /MIUI/wallpaper/ folder to get there:
- Open any file manager (e.g., Mi File Explorer or Total Commander).
- Go on the path of internal memory → MIUI → wallpaper.
- Look for files with.jpg,.png or.webp extensions.
Note that there may be no wallpaper installed through the Mi Themes app, which is often stored in cache and deleted after rebooting to save:
Download the topic again through the Topics app
Open Settings → Applications → Application Management → Topics → Memory
Click Clear Cache (this will make the app download files again)
Use a file manager with access to root folders (such as FX Explorer) to search by file change date
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If the wallpaper was downloaded from the Internet or installed through third-party applications (such as Zedge or WallpapersCraft), look for it in the Download, Pictures folders or in the cache of the corresponding application. MIUI They don’t always copy these files into /MIUI/wallpaper/.
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To quickly find wallpaper by installation date, sort files in the manager by the "Date of change" option - new wallpaper usually appears in the top lines.
Where the MIUI system wallpaper is stored
The standard wallpaper that comes with the firmware is in the protected areas of the system, and its paths depend on the version of Android and MIUI:
| MIUI version | The path to system wallpaper | Do you need root rights? |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 and below | /system/media/wallpaper/ | Yes. |
| MIUI 13–14 | /vendor/overlay/wallpaper/ or /product/media/wallpaper///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// | Yes. |
| MIUI 15 (HyperOS) | /apex/com.android.wallpaper/res/wallpaper/ | Yes. |
| All versions. | /data/system/users/0/wallpaper/ (simlinks to current wallpaper) | Yes. |
Without root rights, you can only extract these files through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), for example, to copy the system wallpaper to a computer, follow the commands:
adb pull /system/media/wallpaper/ ~/Desktop/xiaomi_wallpapers/
adb pull /vendor/overlay/wallpaper/ ~/Desktop/xiaomi_wallpapers/If ADB issues a Permission denied error, it means the partition is set to read-only, which can be done by temporarily obtaining root rights through Magisk or using specialized utilities like MiXplorer with superuser mode enabled.
How to get around restrictions without root?
Why the wallpaper disappears after the MIUI update
Many users complain that their favorite wallpapers have disappeared after the firmware update, for several reasons:
- 🔄 Resetting theme cache: When updating MIUI Themes app cache is cleared where temporary copies of wallpaper are stored.
- 🗑️ Change folder structure: New versions may change the paths to wallpaper (e.g., transfer from the wallpaper to the wallpaper). /system into /vendor).
- 🔒 Access blocking: Xiaomi tightens security policies, and some folders become inaccessible even for system applications.
- 📱 Memory optimization: The system can automatically delete unused wallpaper files when space is scarce.
V MIUI 14 and newer wallpaper from themes are stored in encrypted form in a folder /data/app/~~miui-theme~~/ — You can't just copy them, because the files are tied to your Xiaomi account. If you want to save a unique wallpaper before you upgrade, do the following:
⚠️ Note: Do not copy the wallpaper directly from the folder /data/system/users/0/wallpaper/ — These are symbolic links, not real files, and if you try to transfer them, they turn into broken shortcuts.
The best way to back up:
1. Set the wallpaper on the desktop.
2. Take a screenshot of the screen (keep Volume down + Power).
3. crop the screenshot in any graphics editor by removing icons and widgets.
This will ensure that the background is kept in its original quality.
How to transfer wallpaper to another Xiaomi smartphone
If you want to use the same wallpaper on a new device, follow this algorithm:
- Export from old phone: Find wallpaper in /MIUI/wallpaper/ or take screenshots of it. Copy files to your computer or to the cloud (e.g. Google Drive).
- Import to a new phone: Place files in /MIUI/wallpaper/ folder on a new device. Or upload them to a gallery and install them through Settings → Wallpaper.
For system wallpaper, the process is more complicated:
1. Extract files with root rights or through ADB (as described above).
2. Move them to the new phone in the same folder (e.g. /vendor/overlay/wallpaper/).
3. Reboot the device and select wallpaper in the settings.
⚠️ Note: When transferring system wallpaper to a device with a different version MIUI They may not show up in the background list available, and that's because they're checking for signatures.
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The most reliable way to transfer wallpaper is to save it to the cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) or to the cloud. SD-Map, system files MIUI Often tied to a particular firmware and may not work on another device.
Hidden Wallpaper and Easter Eggs in MIUI
Xiaomi's firmware sometimes hides undocumented wallpaper that doesn't show up in the standard list.
- 🎨 Hidden folders: B /system/media/wallpaper/hidden/ or /vendor/overlay/wallpaper/secret/ Exclusive background images can be found (available only from root).
- 🖼️ Wallpaper for AOD: The backgrounds for the "Always On Display" mode are stored in /system/media/aod/wallpaper/.
- 🎮 Game wallpaper: In a folder /system/media/game_wallpaper/ The background images for the Game Turbo mode.
- 📱 Wallpaper for multitasking: In /system/media/multitasking_wallpaper/ stored background images for split screen mode.
Some devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or MIX Fold 3) have unique wallpapers that are not duplicated in other models. They can only be extracted through a full firmware dump. If you like collecting rare background images, pay attention to the following models:
- Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra – wallpaper with textures under the skin and marble.
- Redmi K50 Gaming is a game-themed background image.
- POCO F5 Pro – wallpaper with the effect of neon and cyberpunk.
- Xiaomi 12S Ultra is an exclusive Leica wallpaper.
To see all available wallpaper (including hidden ones), you can use the ADB command:
adb shell ls /system/media/wallpaper/ /vendor/overlay/wallpaper/ /product/media/wallpaper/ 2>/dev/nullFrequent problems and their solutions
When working with wallpaper on Xiaomi, users encounter typical mistakes, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Wallpaper is not displayed in the settings after copying | Incorrect file permissions or format | Check that the files are.jpg/.png and have 644 (rw-r----) resolutions. |
| Folder /MIUI/wallpaper/ empty | Wallpaper installed through theme or third-party applications | Search for files in /Android/data/com.miui.gallery/cache/ or take a screenshot of the screen |
| System wallpapers are not copied through ADB | The section is mounted in "read-only" mode. | Use the adb remount command before copying or get a temporary root |
| Wallpaper shrinks when installed | MIUI automatically scales the background to screen resolution | Use wallpaper with a resolution multiple of your screen (e.g. 2400×1080 for Full HD+) |
If you encounter Failed to copy: Operation not allowed when trying to copy wallpaper through ADB, it means that you do not have the rights to read system partitions. In this case, only unlocking the bootloader and installing Magisk to obtain root rights will help. On devices with HyperOS (MIUI 15), the process is complicated due to the enhanced protection - this may require a kernel patch.