If you own a Xiaomi smartphone and you notice the mysterious AL Camera mode in your camera settings, don't be quick to ignore it. This feature is one of the hidden gems of MIUI firmware that can dramatically improve the quality of your shots in certain conditions. But what exactly is behind this acronym, and why is it not on the camera menu of all Xiaomi models?
In this article, we will take a closer look at what AL Camera is, how it differs from standard shooting mode, and what scenarios it should be used in, and what Xiaomi devices are available for this feature, how to activate it (including hidden methods), and what pitfalls beginners can expect, and compare the AL Camera with similar technologies from Samsung and Google to see how competitive it is.
What AL Camera means: decoding and working principle
abbreviation AL The name of the mode stands for Artificial Light, an image processing technology that optimizes shooting in low light or flash conditions, as opposed to the standard night mode), AL Camera focuses not on lengthening shutter speed, but on color balance correction and noise reduction in real time when the light source is artificial (e.g. incandescent lamps, LED-smartphone-light).
Technically, the AL Camera works like this:
- 🔍 Analyzes the lighting spectrum in the frame (determines the type of lamps, their color temperature and intensity).
- 🎛️ Automatically adjusts white balance to avoid yellowness or cold hue.
- 📸 Optimizes exposure for the foreground without over-lighting the background.
- 🔄 Applys multilayer noise reduction, retaining details (as opposed to aggressive blurring in night mode).
It’s important to understand that the AL Camera is not just a filter, but a complex algorithm that uses both the software processing and hardware of the camera (for example, the Dual Pixel autofocus in Xiaomi flagships), and is especially useful when taking portraits indoors, where a conventional camera often gives unrealistic skin colors.
Which Xiaomi smartphones have an AL Camera?
The AL Camera feature was introduced in MIUI 12 firmware and was initially only available on flagship models, and has since been introduced into the mid-range, but with reservations, and here is the current list of devices where the mode works exactly (tested on MIUI 14/15):
| Series | Models with AL Camera | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 13 | 13, 13 Pro, 13 Ultra, 13 Lite | Full implementation with support for 8K video |
| Redmi K60 | K60, K60 Pro, K60 Ultra | It only works on the main camera. |
| POCO F5 | F5, F5 Pro | Not available in Chinese versions of the firmware |
| Xiaomi 12 | 12, 12 Pro, 12X | Requires manual inclusion in camera settings → |
| Redmi Note 12 | Note 12 Pro+, Note 12 Turbo | A stripped-down version without manually adjusting white balance |
If your model is not listed, it doesn't mean that there's no mode at all. In some cases, the AL Camera is hidden in the engineering menu or requires activation via ADB. For example, on the Xiaomi 11T Pro, you can turn it on by command:
adb shell setprop persist.camera.al.enable 1But beware: unofficially turning on can cause the camera to run unstable or the processor to overheat.
💡
To check if your smartphone supports AL Camera, open the camera app, go to Additional → Modes and look for Artificial Light or AL Mode. If it doesn't, try upgrading to the latest version.
AL Camera vs Night Mode: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better?
Many users confuse AL Camera with Night Mode, but these technologies solve different problems.
- 🌃 Night Mode: Optimized for dark scenes (street at night, dusk). Uses long exposure (up to 6 seconds), which requires a steady hand or tripod.
- 💡 AL Camera: Designed for artificial lighting (rooms, restaurants, concerts) and works with short exposure (1/30–1/60 c), so suitable for dynamic scenes, retains natural skin colours and textures.
To make a visual difference, take two pictures of one frame: the first one in Night Mode, the second one in AL Camera, for example, a portrait of a person in front of a desk lamp.
- Night Mode: the face will be too bright, the background will be dark, artifacts from prolonged exposure are possible.
- AL Camera: uniform exposure, natural shadows, no blurring from movement.
However, the AL Camera has a limitation: it does not cope well with contrasting scenes (for example, a person in the background of a window during the day), in such cases it is better to use HDR or manual settings.
💡
AL Camera is perfect for shooting indoors with lamps, and Night Mode is perfect for shooting in the dark. Don't confuse these modes!
How to turn on and configure AL Camera: step-by-step instructions
If your smartphone supports AL Camera, you can activate it in two ways: through the standard menu or hidden settings.
Method 1: Standard incorporation
- Open the Camera app.
- Fly through the shooting modes to the left to the item Additional (or More).
- Choose AL Camera (or Artificial Light).
- Click on the icon. ⚙️ upper right corner for fine tuning: 🔄 Autobalance: Turn on for automatic color correction. 📏 Noise reduction level: choose High for dark scenes or Low for bright ones. 💡 Light temperature: manually adjust to the type of lamps (from the 2700K warm-to 6500K cold-light).
Method 2: Activate through an engineering menu (for hidden AL Camera)
If there is no mode in the main menu, try this method (works on MIUI 13+):
Enter the dialer number ##4636##
Go to the Testing tab. → Camera
Find AL Mode and set the Enabled value
Reboot your smartphone
Check for mode in the camera app-->
⚠️ Attention: Changes to hidden settings can cause camera malfunctions. If artifacts appear in the photo (green stripes, blur) after activation, reset the camera to factory settings via Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data.
Common mistakes when using AL Camera and how to avoid them
Even experienced users sometimes experience problems shooting in AL Camera mode, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:
- 📵 Photos are too dark: Reason: Automatic exposure is understated because of a bright light source in the frame (e.g., an incandescent lamp). Solution: manually enlarge EV (on +0.7–+1.3 or shift focus from the lamp to the object.
- 🟢 Green hue on the faces: Reason: incorrectly defined color temperature (often under the color of the color) LED-Solution: in settings AL Camera set the temperature of light on 4000K–4500K.
- 🔥 Overheating of the smartphone: the reason: long shooting in AL Camera loads the processor (especially on budget models) Solution: pause between shots or use an external battery.
- 🚫 Mode does not save settings: Reason: reset the camera cache or update the firmware.Solution: reset the settings or reset the camera app via Settings → Annexes.
If the image quality is not good after all the manipulations, check if the AL Camera is in conflict with other modes (e.g. AI Scene Detection).
How to reset the AL Camera settings to factory settings?
AL Camera compared to similar technologies of other brands
Xiaomi is not the first company to implement optimizing shooting under artificial light, and Samsung, Google and Apple have similar solutions, but with different approaches.
| Brand | Technology | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi | AL Camera | Fast processing, natural skin colors, works without a tripod | A limited list of supported models, sometimes understates exposure |
| Samsung | Scene Optimizer (artificial light) | Automatically recognizes 30+ scene types, including lamp light | Excessively saturated colors, requires the flagship processor Exynos/Snapdragon 8 |
| Night Sight (with the option of "artificial lighting") | The best noise reduction, even on the budget Pixel | Long exposure (up to 4 seconds), blurs moving objects | |
| Apple | Deep Fusion + Smart HDR | Instant processing, perfect detailing | Only works on iPhone 11 and newer, closed ecosystem |
Xiaomi’s AL Camera has a great deal of value in balancing speed and quality. While Google and Apple are betting on complex algorithms with long processing, Xiaomi is offering a solution that works almost instantly and doesn’t require perfect conditions (station, fixed objects), making it more versatile for everyday shooting.
However, tests on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro show that Apple is better at contrasting scenes (for example, a face against a bright lamp), and the AL Camera loses in detail shadows, while Xiaomi does not have a problem with overcooked colors, like Samsung.
How to Use AL Camera for the Best Photos
To maximize the potential of AL Camera, follow these guidelines:
- 📸 Portraits in the room: Use AL Camera for shooting people in lamp light. AI-beauty to avoid excessive smoothing of the skin. for best results, keep the camera at eye level of the model.
- 🍽️ Food Photography: When Shooting Food in Restaurants, Turn on AL Camera and manually set white balance to 3,500–4000K (This neutralizes the yellowness from candles or lamps. Use Macro mode for details.
- 🎭 Concerts and events: In halls with colored lighting (for example, at concerts) AL Camera will help you avoid purple or green shades. Turn off the flash and shoot with exposure -0.3 EV, so as not to overlight the scene.
- 🛍️ Shooting Products for Sale: When Photographing Clothing or Accessories Under Lamps AL Camera retains real colors (important for Avito or Wildberries) and use an additional light source (like another smartphone’s screen) to illuminate shadows.
⚠️ Attention: Do not use AL Camera for shooting documents or text under artificial light - due to color correction, ink shades can be distorted (for example, holograms on bank cards will become indistinguishable.
If you’re shooting video in artificial lighting, AL Camera can also help, but with caveats: it only works at resolutions up to 1080p 30fps. For 4K or 60fps, you’ll have to use manual settings or external filters (for example, in CapCut or Adobe Premiere Rush).