Xiaomi smartphones based on firmware MIUI Not only are they known for their performance, but they also have a lot of built-in features for personalization, and one of them is the Wallpaper Carousel app, which many users notice on the menu, but not everyone understands what it's for. If you were also wondering what kind of software it is, how to use it and whether it should be removed, you have come to the right place.
This article will cover all the nuances of working with the Wallpaper Carousel, from basic principles to hidden features. MIUI, What wallpaper offers, how to install and update them, and also answer frequent questions of users. POCO — The functionality may be significantly different.
If you like to change the background pattern on your lock screen or desktop often, but are tired of downloading wallpaper manually, the wallpaper carousel can be your salvation. And for those who prefer minimalism, we will tell you how to turn off automatic background change or remove the application altogether without harming the system.
What is “carousel wallpaper” on Xiaomi and why it is needed
«Wallpaper Carousel is a standard application from Xiaomi, built into the firmware MIUI (starting with MIUI Its main task is to automatically update the background images on the lock screen and desktop, offering the user fresh wallpaper from collections created by the company or partners.
Unlike the classic wallpaper galleries, where you choose one static image, the Carousel works on the principle of a slide show: it cyclically changes the backgrounds at specified intervals (by default, once a day), and the wallpaper is selected taking into account:
- 📅 Current date (for example, winter landscapes in December or autumn leaves in October).
- 🌍 Your region (some collections include geolocation).
- 🎨 Design trends (wallpaper from famous artists or photographers).
- 📱 Smartphone models (resolution and aspect ratio of the screen).
It's important to understand that the Wallpaper Carousel is not just a set of images, but a full-fledged cloud-sync service, which loads new wallpaper over the Internet, so it requires a network connection (Wi-Fi or mobile traffic) to work, and the application is optimized so that it does not waste a lot of data: the average weight of one wallpaper is about 1-3 MB.
On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi 11 or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) The carousel is integrated with Super Wallpapers, which are animated when the screen is unlocked, which adds visual dynamics but can slightly increase battery consumption.
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If you notice that the wallpaper carousel is heavily loading the system, check the auto-update settings. By default, the application downloads new wallpaper even in roaming - this can be turned off in the Settings menu. → Wallpaper carousel → Use only over Wi-Fi.
How the application works: technical details
From a technical point of view, the Wallpaper Carousel is a background service that interacts with several components. MIUI:
- Xiaomi Cloud Server – Stores a database of wallpaper and sends them to the device on request.
When it first runs, the app creates a unique device identifier that is used to make recommendations, for example, if you frequently put wallpaper with space, the algorithm will offer more of these options, but unlike many other Xiaomi services, Wallpaper Carousel does not collect data about your activities outside the application (for example, it does not analyze which sites you visit).
The default wallpaper change interval is 24 hours, but it can be changed by 1 hour, 6 hours or a week, and there is also the option "Random Order", in which the wallpaper changes not in order, but in an arbitrary sequence.
Note that if you use third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher), the wallpaper carousel may not work properly, because third-party shells block access to the system settings of background images.
How to check how much traffic is spent by the carousel wallpaper?
Where to find and how to turn on “carousel wallpaper” on Xiaomi
Most of the devices Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO The app is pre-installed, but its icon can be hidden:
Method 1: Through the Application Menu
- 🔍 Open a list of all applications (swipe up the desktop).
- 📁 Find the Tools or Utilities folder (some firmwares call it “Xiaomi»).
- 🖼️ Inside should be a badge “Wallpaper Carousel” (icon with mountain landscape or abstract drawing).
Method 2: Through the settings of the themes
- Go to the settings → design → Wallpaper.
- At the bottom of the screen, tap the "Carousel" tab.
- Click "Enable" and follow the prompts.
Method 3: Searching the system
- Swipe down the desktop to open the search bar.
- Type “Wallpaper Carousel” or “Wallpaper Carousel”.
- Select the desired application from the results.
If the app is missing, it could mean one of three:
- Your Xiaomi model is too old (until now) MIUI 10).
- The application was removed by the previous owner (for example, after root access).
- You use custom firmware (like LineageOS) where Xiaomi services are disabled.
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In some models (for example, POCO F3 or Redmi K50) The wallpaper carousel can be called Dynamic Wallpapers or Live Wallpapers.
How to use the "Carousel of wallpaper": step-by-step instructions
When you start the app, you'll see the main screen with a few tabs, and we'll take a look at the basic functions.
1. Selection of wallpaper collection
- 🌄 «Recommended Wallpapers selected by an algorithm based on your preferences.
- 🎨 «Popular" - trending collections (for example, wallpaper from National Geographic or NASA).
- 📅 «Seasonal" - thematic wallpaper (New Year, Halloween, etc.).
- 🖼️ «My Wallpaper – The options you saved.
2. set up automatic shifting
Select a collection|Set Update Settings|Insert the option “Random order»|Activate “Only via Wi-Fi” (optional)
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Manual installation of wallpaper
- Slap it on your favorite wallpaper.
- Select “Install Lock on the screen”, “Install on the desktop” or “Install on both”.
- If necessary, trim the image to the size of the screen.
4. Additional settings
- 🔄 «Update automatically" - turns on/off background loading of new wallpaper.
- 📶 «Wi-Fi Only – restricts mobile traffic loading.
- 🗑️ «Clear the cache" - removes the loaded wallpaper (frees up space).
If you want the wallpaper to change only on the lock screen and the desktop to remain static (or vice versa), this too can be customized.
- Open "Settings» → «Registration» → «Wallpaper».
- Select “lock screen” or “desktop” separately.
- Specify the source of the wallpaper (for example, "Gallery" for static background and "Carousel" for dynamic).
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If you have the wallpapers on the Carousel that look blurry, try to cut the image in the editor by hand, and sometimes the automatic cropping algorithm will pick up the suboptimal resolution for your screen.
Problems with the "carousel wallpaper" and how to solve them
Despite the convenience, users sometimes encounter errors in the application, and consider the most common and ways to fix them:
1. Wallpaper does not change automatically
- ⚙️ Check if the Auto Update option is enabled in the Carousel settings.
- 📶 Make sure your device is connected to the internet (especially if Wi-Fi Only is turned off»).
- 🔄 Restart the application or restart the smartphone.
2.The application crashes or does not open
- 🗑️ Clear the app's cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Wallpaper carousel → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
- 🔄 Update the app via Google Play or Mi App Store.
- 📥 If the problem persists, try reinstalling it. APK-File (you can download from the official website of Xiaomi).
3. Wallpaper is loaded too long or not loaded
- 🌐 Check your internet connection (possibly blocked by the DNS or VPN).
- 📡 Try connecting to another Wi-Fi network or disconnect VPN.
- 📦 Delete the application data (in the storage settings) to reset the cache.
4.The wallpaper looks blurry or cropped incorrectly
- 🖼️ Try to manually crop the image when installing.
- 📏 Check the screen resolution of your device (for example, FHD+ or QHD+) and select the wallpaper with the appropriate resolution.
- 🔄 If the problem in all wallpapers may have gone wrong, the zoom settings in Settings → Screen. → Font size and display.
What to do if the wallpaper carousel disappeared after the update MIUI?
If none of these things worked, maybe the problem is the firmware itself, and then you'll have to wait for the next update. MIUI Or to support Xiaomi.
How to remove or disable the “carousel wallpaper”
Not everyone likes to automatically change the wallpaper, and if you want to disable or remove the app altogether, here's how to do it:
Option 1: Turn off auto-update
- Open the wallpaper carousel.
- Go to Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
- Turn off the Auto Update option.
Option 2: Remove updates (if the application is system-based)
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the wallpaper carousel and tap it.
- Click on “Delete Updates” (if the button is active).
- Confirm the action.
Option 3: Complete removal (requires root rights)
⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications without root access can lead to unstable work MIUI. If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to just turn off auto-update.
- 📱 Install a file manager with root support (e.g., Root Explorer).
- 🔍 Cross the path. /system/app/MiWallpaper or /system/priv-app/MiWallpaper.
- 🗑️ Delete the folder with the application or rename it (for example, in the MiWallpaper_bak).
- 🔄 Reset the device.
Option 4: Disconnection through ADB (rootless)
⚠️ Warning: This method requires connecting the smartphone to the PC and installing it ADB-Incorrect commands can disrupt the system.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer and turn on “Debugging by” USB» (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version, then return to "More» → «For developers» → «Debugging by USB»).
- Open the command line (or Terminal) Mac/Linux) and type in adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.miwallpaper
- Reset the device.
To return the application, use the command:
adb shell pm enable com.miui.miwallpaperOnce you have disabled or removed the Wallpaper Carousel, you will only be able to install wallpaper through a standard gallery or third-party apps (such as Zedge or Backdrops).
Comparison of wallpaper carousels with alternative applications
If you don't have the functionality of the standard Carousel, you can consider alternatives, and in the table below we compare it with popular analogues:
| Function | Wallpaper carousel (Xiaomi) | Zedge | Backdrops | Muzei |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic wallpaper change | ✅ (adjustable) | ❌ | ✅ (Only for premium users) | ✅ (supportive API downloadable) |
| Support for live wallpaper | ✅ (on some models) | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Collections from well-known brands | ✅ (NASA, National Geographic, etc.) | ✅ (Lots of licensed content) | ✅ (curatorial) | ❌ |
| Traffic consumption | Low (~10–50 MB/mos) | Medium (~50–100 MB/mos) | Low (~20-60 MB/mos) | Depends on the source. |
| Integration with MIUI | ✅ (Optimized for Xiaomi) | ❌ (may conflict with the launcher) | ❌ | ❌ |
Advantages of wallpaper carousel from Xiaomi:
- 🔹 Full integration with MIUI (No conflicts with system wallpaper).
- 🔹 Minimum battery and traffic consumption.
- 🔹 Exclusive collections (e.g. Mars Rover or Hubble Telescope wallpaper).
Disadvantages:
- 🔸 Limited choice of categories (compared to Zedge).
- 🔸 No way to upload your wallpaper to the cloud.
- 🔸 Some models are not stable.
If you want to maximize customization, you can combine wallpaper carousel with other applications, such as using it for the lock screen and setting wallpaper for the desktop using Backdrops.