Where Xiaomi Stores Desktop Wallpaper: A Complete Search and Management Guide

Have you downloaded a beautiful desktop image but can't find it in the gallery? Or want to transfer your favorite wallpaper from one Xiaomi to another but don't know where it lies in your device's memory? The problem is that MIUI distributes wallpaper files across multiple hidden folders, but the standard file manager doesn't always show them. In this article, we'll look at all the possible ways to store wallpaper on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, from standard locations to system directories that are only available through ADB.

It's important to understand that the location of the files depends on the version of MIUI and how the wallpaper is installed. For example, images downloaded through the Themes are stored in one place, and wallpaper from the gallery is stored in another. We will also tell you how to remove wallpaper from the system app if it is not displayed in memory, and how to avoid loss of quality during transfer.

Standard folders with wallpaper in memory Xiaomi

Most of the wallpapers you install manually (from gallery or downloads) are stored in accessible internal memory folders, and here are the main directories where you should look for them:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Wallpapers — It's a standard folder for wallpapers that you set up through your screen settings, and it's got both the images you downloaded and the images you cropped.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Screenshots — If you have taken a screenshot of the wallpaper (for example, through a long screenshot in the MIUI), He can stay here.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Download — Wallpapers downloaded from a browser or messengers (for example, Telegram) often fall into Downloads.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Wallpaper — System folder for wallpaper installed through the Themes app (not available on all versions) MIUI).

To see these folders, open any file manager (like Standard Files or Solid Explorer) and enable the display of hidden files in the settings. Note: if the wallpaper was installed through the Themes, they may not be in the gallery - they are stored in encrypted form in the system folders.

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If you don’t see the MIUI/Wallpaper folder, try updating the Themes app through the Play Market – newer versions may change the path.

Where are the wallpaper installed through the “Themes” app stored

Wallpaper from the official Themes app is a separate story. Xiaomi encrypts them and saves them in system folders that are not available without root rights or ADB. Here are the main ways:

• 🔒 /data/system/users/0/wallpaper — here the current wallpaper of the desktop and lock screen are stored in encrypted form (wallpaper and wallpaper files) wallpaper_lock expansion).
• 🔒 /data/data/com.android.themes/module — cache folder of themes, including wallpaper (root required to access).
• 🔒 /system/priv-app/MiuiHome/MiuiHome.apk — Some standard wallpapers are sewn directly into APK-launcher.

To get the wallpaper out of here, you'll need:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enable debugging over USB (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode).
2. Use it. ADB-File Copy Commands: Adb pull /data/system/users/0/wallpaper C:\wallpapers\ (switch the path).
3. Convert files without extension to.jpg or.png using online services (e.g. AConvert).

How to find wallpaper installed through third-party applications

If you have installed wallpapers through Zedge, WallpapersCraft or other applications, they may be stored in the following locations:

If you don't have a folder, check your application settings - some programs (like Zedge) allow you to select a save location. Also, pay attention to the application cache: sometimes the wallpaper remains in /Android/data/[application packet]/cache, but is deleted after cleaning the cache.

Standard wallpaper MIUI|Zedge|WallpapersCraft|Google Wallpaper.|Other-->

How to transfer wallpaper from one Xiaomi to another

If you want to save your favorite wallpaper when changing your phone, follow this instruction:

Copy wallpaper from folders /Pictures/Wallpapers or /DCIM PC-only|Use it. ADB Removal of system wallpaper (if necessary)|Transfer files to the new smartphone to the same folder|Set wallpaper through Settings → Screen. → Wallpaper.-->

For wallpaper from the Topics app, the process is more complicated:

1. Retrieve files via ADB (as described above).
2. Copy them to your new smartphone in /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Wallpapers.
3. Install wallpaper manually through the gallery - system wallpaper from the Tomes will not transfer as a "theme", but the picture can be used as regular wallpaper.

If the wallpaper was installed through Google Wallpaper, it can be synced through your Google account:

1. Open the Google Wallpaper app on your old phone.
2. Press the wallpaper. → Keep it in the collection.
3. On the new phone, log in to the same Google account and download wallpaper from the collection.

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Wallpapers from the Theme app cannot be moved as a "theme" - only as separate pictures. Full themes porting will require a backup via Mi Account (available on not all devices).

Why the wallpaper disappears after the MIUI update

After major MIUI updates (e.g. 12 to 13), users often experience loss of wallpaper.

• 🔄 Resetting launcher settings: the system resets wallpaper to standard when updating.
• 🗑️ Cache cleaning: Folders with wallpaper from Tops can be removed.
• 🔒 Changing the ways: in new versions MIUI The wallpaper is transferred to other system folders.

To get back the wallpaper:

1. Check /Pictures/Wallpapers and /MIUI/Wallpaper folders – sometimes files stay in place but display settings are reset.
2. If the wallpaper was from Themes, try reinstalling the theme through Settings → Themes → My Themes.
3. Use backup via Mi Cloud (if enabled in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Cloud).

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Before updating MIUI, back up /Pictures/Wallpapers on PC or cloud, and this will save your wallpaper even when you reset.

V MIUI 14 and newer wallpaper from the application Themes can be stored in encrypted form in a folder /data/app/~~random~/com.android.themes/, where ~~random~ — It's a random set of symbols, and you can only access it through a random set of symbols. ADB superuser.

How to save wallpaper from the lock screen

If you want to remove wallpaper from the lock screen (for example, standard MIUI wallpaper or a picture from Themes), do the following:

1. Take a screenshot of the lock screen (click Volume Down + Power).
2. Cut the screenshot in any graphics editor (such as Snapseed or Photoshop Express) by removing the time, notifications, and icons.
3. Save the result to /Pictures/Wallpapers.

For standard MIUI wallpapers (for example, mountains or abstractions), you can download the original versions in high resolution:

• 🌄 Wallpaper. MIUI 12/13/14 Available on Xiaomi Themes (Share Stock Wallpapers).
• 🎨 Wallpaper. POCO Redmi is often posted in Telegram channels (for example, in the Internet, @MIUIUpdates).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with wallpaper on Xiaomi, users often face the following problems:

⚠️ Note: If you delete the folder /MIUI/Wallpaper manually, the Themes app may stop working correctly. Instead, clear the cache through Settings → Annexes → Topics → Warehouse.

• 🚫 Error: Wallpaper doesn't show up in the gallery after download.Solution: Check the folder /Download or settings of the application from where the wallpaper swung (for example, in Zedge there is an option "Save to the gallery").
• 🚫 Error: After transferring the wallpaper is stretched or cropped.Solution: Use pictures with the resolution corresponding to your screen (for example, use pictures with the resolution corresponding to your screen, 2400×1080 For the Redmi Note 10 Pro).
• 🚫 Error: System wallpaper is not copied through ADB. Solution: Make sure you have debugging enabled on USB You have permission to access the data (adb shell). → su → Allow root on your phone).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for POCO (for example, POCO F3) The path to the wallpaper may be different. /storage/emulated/0/.poco/wallpaper — Here are stored custom wallpaper settings.

If you use custom firmware (like Pixel Experience or LineageOS), wallpaper can be stored in standard Android folders:

• /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Wallpapers for custom wallpapers.
• /data/data/com.android.wallpaper/files – for system (root required).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions