Why Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is constantly flying wallpaper — and how to fix it forever

Why your Redmi Note 5 “forgets” wallpaper

You install beautiful wallpaper on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 home screen, but after a few hours (or after rebooting) they suddenly reset to standard? This problem is familiar to many owners of the 2018 model – and it is associated not only with user errors, but also with the features of the MIUI firmware for this device.

Unlike Xiaomi’s new smartphones, where wallpaper bugs are rare, Redmi Note 5 (codenamed whyred) suffers from systemic conflicts between launcher cache, themes settings and app permissions. 80% of the time, the problem is solved without flashing it right enough to clean the data or adjust the system parameters, but there are deeper reasons that most users do not even know.

In this article, we will analyze all possible causes - from the banal launcher failure to hardware failures of the drive, as well as give step-by-step instructions with widget checklists that will help restore stability to wallpaper once and for all.

1. Launcher cache failure is the most common cause

In 60 percent of cases, the system launcher cache (com.miui.home) is responsible for displaying the desktop, including wallpaper, icons and widgets, and if the cache is damaged or crowded, the launcher starts to “glutch”: wallpaper is reset to default, folders disappear, and sometimes even a black screen appears.

This is especially often the case after:

• 📱 Updates MIUI (minor)
• 🔄 Setting new topics from the topic → Online topics
• 🗑️ Memory cleansing through “Security” or third-party cleaners
• 🔋 Battery discharge up to 0% and forced shutdown

How to fix:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In search, type com.miui.home (or find “Luncher”).
3. Open the Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Don't click "Clear Data" for launcher - it will reset the location of all icons and widgets on the desktop! cache and data are different things.

2. Conflict with the application "Themes" (MIUI Themes)

The Themes app (com.android.themes) in MIUI not only changes the wallpaper, but also manages system styles, fonts and animations, and if it crashes or conflicts with loaded themes, the wallpaper can fly off every time you lock the screen or use the camera.

Check it out.

• 🎨 Are informal topics from third-party sources (not from the topic) established? → Online topics).
• 🔄 Has the Themes app been updated recently (check Google Play).
• 📁 Is it in the file? MIUI/theme/.data corrupted files (can be checked through file manager).

Decision:

1. Open Topics → My themes and reset the current theme to standard.
2. Remove all downloaded themes (long press) → «Delete»).
3. Clear the cache and data of the “Themes” application in Settings → Applications.
4. Restart your phone and reset the wallpaper.

💡

If the wallpaper stopped flying after resetting themes, the problem was precisely the conflict of styles. In the future, avoid those with custom wallpaper - use individual images through the gallery.

3. File system errors: corrupted /data/system

On the Redmi Note. 5 firmware MIUI 10–12 There is a bug in which the wallpaper settings files (wallpaper_info.xml and wallpaper_thumb) damaged by:

• 🛠️ Incorrect installation of the section /data manual intervention (for example, after rooting).
• 🔌 Disconnect power during file recording.
• 📉 Internal memory overflow (less than 1 GB of free space).

How to diagnose:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and check logs through adb logcat for errors such as: E/WallpaperManager: Failed to read wallpaper file
2. Use a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer) and check file integrity in /data/system/users/0.

Solution without root:

1. Make a backup copy of the data.
2. Perform reset settings through Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset → Reset settings.
3. Don't restore the settings from the backup! Install the wallpaper again manually.

4. permission bug for "Gallery" and "Files"

One of the things about MIUI for Redmi Note 5 is that if Gallery or Files applications have their permissions revoked, the system can't use the wallpaper from the user folders correctly, and the standard wallpaper from the Theme works fine.

How to check:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Storage.
2. Find the Gallery and Files – they must have the status of “Allowed”.
3. If permissions are disabled, turn them on and restart the phone.

Additional nuance:

• 📂 If the wallpaper is kept on SD-Check the map, check what is in the settings → Warehouse → Settings SD-The card has enabled the option “Use as internal memory” (if the card is formatted as portable, access to files can be blocked).
• 🔒 If you use App Lock, make sure that the Gallery is not blocked – this can interrupt the process of using wallpaper.

5. Conflict with battery optimization

Aggressive battery optimization in MIUI can kill the background processes responsible for preserving wallpaper settings, especially for MIUI 11+ firmware, where energy saving algorithms have become more stringent.

Signs of a problem:

• 🔋 The wallpaper flies after a long downtime (for example, at night).
• ⚡ B Settings → Battery → Battery use shows that "Luncher" or "Themes" have been forcibly stopped.

How to fix it:

1. Open Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization
2. Find the listings for "Luncher" (com.miui.home) and "Themes" (com.android.themes).
3. Choose a “No Limits” mode for them.
4. Reboot the phone.

Hardware problems: wear of memory or controller

If none of the software methods worked, the reason may lie in the physical wear of the drive. Redmi Note 5 is equipped with eMMC 5.1 memory, which after 3-4 years of heavy use begins to deteriorate.

• 🐢 Slow recording/reading of files.
• 🔄 Self-involved reboots.
• 📱 Not only the lights, but also the lights).

How to diagnose:

1. Install AIDA64 and check the Storage section:

adb logcat | grep -i "mmc"

mmc0: error -110

Decisions:

• 🔧 If the wear is critical, replace the eMMC module (cost) ~2000–3000 ₽ service-centre).
• 📱 If the wear is moderate, try reflashing your phone on custom firmware (like Pixel Experience), which is less memory-intensive.

💡

If the wallpaper flies with other settings (e.g., resetting sound or brightness), the problem is almost certainly hardware wear and tear, in which case software methods won't help - repairs are needed.

7.Firmware and Updates: When MIUI Is to Blame

Some versions of MIUI for Redmi Note 5 contain critical wallpaper bugs, such as:

• 📌 MIUI 10.2.2.0 – Wallpaper resetting when using Double Annexes.
• 📌 MIUI 11.0.4.0 – a conflict with Google Wallpapers.
• 📌 MIUI 12.0.1.0 – Wallpapers fly off after Dark Theme is turned on.

How to check your version:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Compare this with the table of known bugs below.

If your version is on the list:

1. Make a backup copy of the data.
2. Update MIUI to the latest stable version via Settings → System Update.
3. If the update is not available, download the firmware from the official website and install through System Update → Three dots → Select a firmware file.

⚠️ Warning: Do not install firmware for other models (for example, for the Redmi Note 5 Pro) – this will lead to a device blink! Redmi Note 5 is codenamed whyred, and Note 5 Pro – vince.

FAQ: Frequent questions about wallpaper on Redmi Note 5