Where to find a panorama on Xiaomi: detailed instructions for all models

You're trying to take a panoramic shot on your Xiaomi, but you can't find it in the camera menu? Don't be surprised -- the panoramic mode location depends on the smartphone model, the MIUI firmware version, and even regional settings. Some devices have the option hidden in the submenu, and others have to manually activate it through additional settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can enable panoramic photography on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, from budget models to flagships, where to look for the Panorama button, how to capture wide frames correctly without distortion, and what to do if the mode is not in the standard interface, and we’ll also talk about hidden features that will help improve the quality of panoramic photos.

1. Standard location of panorama mode in MIUI

On most modern Xiaomi smartphones (2020-2026), the panorama mode is located in the main camera menu.

• 📱 Open the Camera app (the camera icon on the home screen).
• 🔍 Scroll horizontally through the list of shooting modes (usually located under the shutter button).
• 🌄 Find an icon that says Panorama (or Panorama on English firmware) that looks like an elongated rectangle with a mountain scenery.

If you don't see this mode, try swiping your finger to the left or right on the screen — sometimes the list of modes is hidden behind a swipe. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), the panorama can be hidden in the More menu (three dots or arrows down).

Importantly, on devices with MIUI 14 and later, the camera interface may differ. If you have custom firmware installed (for example, Pixel Experience or LineageOS), panorama mode may not be available at all – you will have to install it through Google Camera (we will discuss this below).

2.Where to look for a panorama on older Xiaomi models (until 2020)

On Xiaomi smartphones released before 2020 (e.g. Redmi 4X, Mi A1, Mi 8), the camera interface was different.

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the icons ⋮ (three points; or ⚙ (gear) in upper right corner.
3. Select Mode or Additional option.
4. In the list, find the Panorama and activate it by dragging it to the main menu (if possible).

On some devices (like the Redmi Note 5), the panorama may be called Wide or Panorama Mode. If you didn't find it in the settings, try updating the camera app through Google Play - sometimes it returns hidden features.

💡

On older Xiaomi with MIUI 9-11, the panorama can “hide” after resetting. To return it, go to Settings → Apps → Camera → Reset and restart the application.

3. Why there is no panorama mode: possible reasons

If you’ve tried all the ways but still don’t have the panoramas in the camera menu, the problem may be one of the following:

Critical detail: on some budget models (for example, Redmi 9A or POCO C31), panorama mode is disabled at the firmware level due to a weak processor, in which case only third-party software can help.

4. How to shoot a panorama on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

Finding panorama mode is half the battle, and to get a high-quality image without distortion, follow this instruction:

Make sure the lighting is uniform (without sharp shadows)

Charge your phone at least 30% (shooting consumes a lot of energy)

Clean the lens of prints and dust

Enable the grid in the camera settings for a level frame

-->

Now we're going to shoot:

1. Run the Panorama mode in the camera app.
2. Point the camera at the starting point (better start from left to right).
3. Press the shutter button and slowly turn the phone horizontally. Watch the guide arrow on the screen.
4. Keep your hand on the same level – do not raise or lower your smartphone.
5. Upon completion, press the Stop button (or automatically terminate when the limit is reached).

Tip: for better results, use a tripod or a stop (for example, put your elbows on the table). On flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 3), the panorama supports shooting in RAW format - turn it on in the settings for post-processing.

5. Alternative ways: Google Camera and third-party apps

If Xiaomi’s standard camera doesn’t support panorama, alternative solutions are available, with the most popular option being the Google Camera (GCam) with modified ports for Xiaomi.

Here's how it works:

• 🔗 Download the appropriate version of GCam for your model (for example, from celsoazevedo.com or GCam Mods Telegram channel).
• 📱 Install. APK-file (permission to install from unknown sources may be required).
• 🎯 In the GCam interface, find Panorama mode (usually in the swipe menu next to Photo and Video).
• 🔧 In GCam settings, enable the Auto option HDR+ for better shadowwork.

The advantages of the GCam over the standard Xiaomi camera:

• More smoothly gluing the frames.
• Support for HDR+ in panoramas.
• Fewer artifacts at the joints.

Other applications for panoramic photography:

• 📸 Open Camera (free, open source).
• 🌄 Panorama 360 (supports spherical panoramas).
• 🎨 Focos (for creative processing).

💡

Google Camera often gives better results on Xiaomi than the standard app, but requires the right configuration file (XML) setup for your model.

6.How to save and share a panorama

The finished panorama is saved in the gallery in the Camera or Panorama folder, however, due to the high resolution (sometimes up to the previous one). 10000×2000 pixels) such files weigh a lot - from 5 before 20 MB. Make it easy to share:

• 📤 Use cloud services: Google Photos (compresses without loss of quality), Yandex.Disk or Telegram (without size restrictions).
• 🗜 Compress the file through applications like Photo & Picture Resizer (reduce the width to 4000-6000 pixels).
• 🌐 Download to dedicated platforms: Kuula.co (for interactive 360)° Panoramas or Panoramio (for geo-reference).

If the panorama turns out to be a curve or with joints, edit it to Snapseed or Lightroom before sending it:

1. Cut the edges with the Crop tool.
2. Fix perspective with Transform → Vertical/Horizontal.
3. Increase sharpness with the Sharpening filter.

💡

To make the panorama look professional, shoot it in DNG format (if supported) and process it in Darktable or RawTherapee.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes have problems shooting panoramas, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:

⚠️ Warning: If you're shooting panoramas, your phone is starting to warm up and brake, it's a sign of overload. Close all background apps and lower the camera resolution in the settings.

Another common problem is that the panorama doesn't persist.

• 🚫 Lack of space on the device (check in Settings) → Warehouse).
• 🔄 Application malfunction (reset the camera or phone).
• 📁 Access rights errors (allow the camera to save files in Settings) → Annexes → Camera. → Permits).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions