Where on Xiaomi store desktop photos: a full guide MIUI

Have you ever wanted to save your favorite wallpaper from the lock screen Xiaomi, but did not know where exactly the system stores these files? or tried to manually replace the standard wallpaper with your own, but lost in the maze of folders MIUI? This problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones Redmi, POCO or Mi, interface MIUI hides paths to system wallpaper files as bad as secret documents.

In this article, we will not only show where the desktop photos on Xiaomi are located, but also reveal all the nuances of working with them: from simple copying to replacing through the Internet. ADB. You will learn why the wallpaper can disappear after the update MIUI, How to recover deleted background images, even how to extract wallpaper from firmware in other regions, and for those who like experimentation, a bonus section on how to get them to do it. MIUI show hidden wallpaper from Chinese versions of firmware that are not in global builds.

Why wallpaper? MIUI It is so hard to find: Storage architecture

Unlike “pure” Android, where desktop wallpaper is usually in a folder. /data/system/users/0/, Xiaomi uses its own storage system. MIUI Actively caches and optimizes background images for different modes (dark theme, Always-on Display, lock). Wallpaper files can be duplicated in several places, and not all of them are available without root rights.

The main reasons why users can not find wallpaper:

• 🔒 System protection: MIUI Hiding a part of the folders from the file manager by default
• 🗂️ Types of separation: Lock screen and desktop wallpaper are stored in different directories
• 🔄 Dynamic wallpaper: for "live" wallpaper MIUI Creates temporary files in the cache
• 📱 Multiplayer mode: paths depend on your current profile (if enabled)

Interesting fact: in Chinese versions MIUI (For example, for Xiaomi 13 Ultra, there is an additional folder with exclusive wallpapers that are not found in global firmware. These files are stored in encrypted form and require special tools to extract.

Where standard wallpaper is stored MIUI: formality

If you're looking for wallpapers that came out of the box with your smartphone, you can find them in the system folders. MIUI:

It's important to understand that the paths may vary slightly depending on the model of the smartphone. POCO F5 wallpaper file can be called wallpaper_poco, on the Redmi. K60 — wallpaper_redmi. To determine the exact path for your model, you can use a root-access fileym manager (such as Root Explorer) or a command. ADB:

adb shell ls /system/media/theme/

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If you do not have root rights, but you need to copy wallpaper, use the command ADB: adb pull /system/media/theme/default/wallpaper/ ~/Downloads/ — This will copy the wallpaper folder to your computer.

Where MIUI Stores custom wallpaper (your photo)

When you set your wallpaper through a gallery or settings MIUI, It creates copies of them in special folders, and these files are usually available without root permissions, but their location depends on how you install the wallpaper:

• 📷 Through the gallery: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ or /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera/ (if the wallpaper was made by a camera)
• 🎨 Through "Themes": /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Theme/ — Here are stored downloaded themes along with their wallpaper.
• ⚙️ Through settings: /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/ — here XML-files with paths to current wallpaper (requires root)
• 🔄 Cash wallpaper: /data/data/com.android.wallpapercache/ — temporary files to speed up loading

The easiest way to find your wallpaper is to use the built-in fileym manager. MIUI:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to the Images section.
3. Enable the display of hidden files (three dots in the upper right corner) → "Show hidden files")
4. Look for Wallpapers folders, MIUI Theme

⚠️ Note: If you delete wallpaper files from the folder /data/data/com.miui.home/, This can cause the wallpaper to reset to standard after rebooting. MIUI Does not back up user wallpaper automatically.

How to remove wallpaper from MIUI without root: step-by-step instructions

If you don’t have root rights but need to copy your current wallpaper (for example, to transfer it to another phone), follow this instruction:

Use it. ADB system folders|

Copy files via pull command|

Convert the format if the wallpaper is.dat|

Checking the integrity of copied files-->

Method 1: Through ADB (It works on all versions. MIUI)

1. Install ADB Tools on your computer
2. Turn on "Debugging by" USB" in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Return to "Additional" → For developers)
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the commands: Adb devices adb shell su -c "cp /data/system/users/0/wallpaper* /sdcard/Download/" exit adb pull /sdcard/Download/wallpaper* ~/Desktop/
4. Wallpaper files and wallpaper_lock will appear on the desktop PC (they can be in.dat format – they need to be converted)

Method 2: Through backup (only for wallpapers from "Tem")

1. Open the Topics app.
2. Go to "My Subjects" → Choose a theme with the right wallpaper
3. Click Export (the gear icon in the upper right corner)
4. The theme file (.mtz) will be saved in /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/theme/. It can be unpacked like ZIP-file-and-paper

Hidden wallpaper MIUI: How to Get Exclusive Background Images

Many people don’t know that the Chinese version MIUI There are unique wallpapers that are not found in global firmware. These wallpapers are often created specifically for flagship models (for example, Xiaomi). 13T Pro or Mix Fold 3) and stored in encrypted form. Here's how you can extract them:

Method 1: Through firmware (requires an unlocked bootloader)

1. Download Chinese firmware for your model from the site Xiaomi Firmware Updater
2. Unpack the file. update.zip and find the folder. /system/media/theme/miui_extra/
3. Wallpaper will be in.jpg or.png format, but some may be in.miuiwallpaper (rename.zip and unpack)

Method 2: Through APK Theme without root)

1. Install the Chinese version of the "Themes" app" (APK You can find it on APKPure)
2. In the application settings, select the region "China"
3. Download any free theme – in its archive (.mtz) will be exclusive wallpaper

Method 3: Through Magisk modules

For advanced users, there are modules for Magisk that add hidden wallpaper to the system menu.

• 🎭 MIUI Extra Wallpapers – adds wallpaper from Chinese firmware
• 🖼️ Global Wallpapers Unlocker – Unlocks all regional wallpapers
• 🔓 MIUI Hidden Features – Includes hidden theme settings

⚠️ Warning: Installation of themes or wallpapers from Chinese firmware can lead to conflicts with the global version MIUI. Before experimenting, make a backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

Problems with wallpaper in MIUI And how to solve them.

Xiaomi users often face typical wallpaper problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

A special problem is the disappearance of wallpaper after resetting to factory settings. MIUI It doesn't include custom wallpaper in backups, so you have to save it manually to avoid loss:

1. Copy all the wallpaper from /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/Theme/ PC-only
2. Export the current wallpaper through ADB (see section above)
3. Save paths to wallpaper from the file /data/data/com.miui.home/shared_prefs/com.miui.home.preferences.xml (root)

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After the update MIUI If you have lost wallpaper, don't try to restore it through system settings, this can lead to a reboot cycle.

Alternative ways to manage wallpaper on Xiaomi

If the standard methods MIUI You don't like it, you can use third-party wallpaper solutions, which give you more options, but you need to be careful:

1. Wallpaper applications with extended functions

• 🌄 Zedge – a large base of wallpaper and sounds, integration with MIUI
• 🖼️ WallpapersCraft - wallpaper with automatic selection for screen resolution
• 🎨 Backdrops – unique art wallpaper with support for dark theme
• 🔄 Muzei – live wallpaper with automatic update (requires customization)

2 Automation through Tasker

With Tasker, you can create rules for automatic wallpaper change:

• 🕒 Change the wallpaper according to the schedule (morning / evening)
• 📍 Set wallpaper depending on location
• 🔋 Change of wallpaper with low battery charge

Example of a problem for changing wallpaper:

Profile: Time = 07:00


Task:




1. Install Wallpaper (Plugin → Wallpaper → Set Wallpaper)




2.The path: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Morning.jpg




Type: Desktop + Lock

3.Use of Nova Launcher

If you use Nova Launcher, wallpaper can be controlled regardless of the MIUI:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Play Market
2. Hold your finger on the desktop → "Wallpaper"
3. Select the source: "Nova", "Gallery" or "Applications"
4. Nova keeps the wallpaper in /storage/emulated/0/Nova/, Which makes it easier to back up.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper on Xiaomi