Xiaomi Photo Editing: A Complete Guide from Basic Editing to Advanced Effects

Xiaomi's modern smartphones are not just phone calls, but full-fledged tools for taking and processing photos. POCO They have powerful cameras and embedded editors that allow you to turn a picture into a piece of art, but how do you use these capabilities? Many Xiaomi owners are limited to basic filters, unaware that their phone is hidden professional tools for color correction, retouching and even working with layers.

In this article, we will analyze all available ways to edit photos on Xiaomi devices – from the standard Gallery app to third-party programs like Lightroom or Snapseed. You will learn how to fix exposure, remove noise, add background blur, and even create collages without installing additional software. And if you are taking pictures on flagship models like Xiaomi 14 Ultra or Mix Fold 3, you will find here tips for working with the new model. RAW-file AI-tool.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned user, after reading this article, you will be able to process photos on Xiaomi as well as on a professional PC.

1. Standard editor in the appendix "Gallery"

Each Xiaomi smartphone has a Gallery app preinstalled, which hides a powerful but often underrated editor, and to open it, you just tap on any photo and click the Edit button (pencil icon), and the interface is divided into several tabs, each of which is responsible for a certain type of editing.

The correction tab allows you to configure the main parameters of the picture:

• 🔄 Brightness/Contrast – regulates the overall illumination and the difference between light and dark areas.
• 🎨 Saturation – enhance or mute the colors (caution: brute force will make the photo unnatural).
• 🌡️ Temperature – shifts the shades towards warm (yellow) or cold (blue) tones.
• 🔍 Sharpness – adds clarity, but if you increase too much noise will appear.

But the Effects tab offers ready-made filters that mimic the styles of popular photographers or movies. For example, the Monroe filter adds a vintage shade, and Live enhances contrast for portraits. Importantly, filters in Xiaomi are not destructive — they can be canceled or changed intensity at any time.

You can quickly process the filter and adjust the force with a slider, but if you need to control the results more accurately, go manually.

⚠️ Note: When editing in the Gallery, the original file is not overwritten - the changes are saved in the new copy. However, if you delete the source, it will not be possible to restore it. Always check the Edited folder in the gallery where the processed versions are stored.

2. AI-tools: background blur, retouching and stylization

Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI 14+ They've got advanced AI editing features, and they automatically analyze the image and suggest the best edits. AI-blur (available in the editing menu) can mimic the bokeh effect even in photos taken without portrait mode.

How it works:

1. Open the photo in the Gallery and click Edit → AI.
2. Select background blur – the system will automatically highlight the object in the foreground.
3. Adjust the intensity of the blur with a slider (values from 1 to 10).
4. If AI If you miss the highlight, use the brush tool to manually add or remove blur areas.

Another useful function — AI-It automatically smooths the skin, removes pimples and wrinkles, brightens the teeth and even corrects the shape of the face, but it is important not to overdo it: too aggressive retouch will make the portrait unnatural — 30-50%.

For creative experiments, try it. AI-This tool transforms photos into the style of famous artists (for example, Van Gogh or Picasso) or imitates painting techniques (watercolor, pencil sketch), the result is not always predictable, but sometimes you get amazing effects.

3.Working with RAW-files on flagship models

If you are taking photos on Xiaomi 13 Pro, 14 Ultra or other flagships with support RAW, You have the opportunity to edit the photos in the highest quality. RAW-files store all the information from the camera matrix, which allows you to flexibly adjust the white balance, restore overlit areas and adjust colors more accurately.

To turn the footage on RAW:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Go to Settings. → Photo format.
3. Choose. RAW or RAW + JPEG (The second version retains both versions).

For editing RAW You can use the Lightroom Mobile app (free version with limited features) or Snapseed:

• 📊 Adjust tone curves to fine-tune contrast.
• 🎯 Use masks to selectively edit individual areas.
• 🔧 Apply color profiles (e.g. Adobe Landscape for landscapes).

If you prefer standard tools, the Xiaomi Gallery also has basic support. RAW. However, the functionality there is limited – it is better to use specialized applications.

⚠️ Attention: RAW-file-in 3-5 more space than JPEG. Clean the folder regularly DCIM/Camera/RAW, To transfer to the PC, use cable or cloud services, sending via messengers will compress the file and destroy the advantages of the format.

Make a backup copy of the originals|Install Lightroom or Snapseed|Connect the phone to charging (processing) RAW battery-expends)|Use a stylus for accurate correction-->

4. Collages and story-making

Creating collages is one of the easiest ways to combine multiple photos into a single composition. MIUI There is a built-in tool for this, which allows you to select templates, add frames and even animate transitions.

How to make a collage in the Xiaomi Gallery:

1. Select a few photos with a long tap.
2. Click on the collage icon (grid icon).
3. Choose a template (from 2 to 9 photos in one collage).
4. Adjust the boundaries, add background or stickers.
5. Save the result to the Collage folder.

For more creativity, use the Google Photos app. It offers:

• 🖼️ Automatic collages – the algorithm itself selects the best combinations from your pictures.
• 🎬 Animations – Creates short videos from a sequence of photos.
• 📖 Photobooks – generates albums with ready-made layouts.

If you need professional tools, look for Canva or PicsArt. These apps allow you to add text, apply complex effects, and even design for social networks with the right proportions (for example, for example, for the right social networks, 1080×1350 For Instagram Stories).

5. Advanced applications: Lightroom, Snapseed, VSCO

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools aren’t enough, install one of the specialized apps that offer professional features that were previously only available in desktop editors.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile is the best choice for serious processing.

• 📱 Presets – ready-made settings for one click (you can download free or buy premium options).
• 🎯 Selective correction – the Mask tool allows you to edit individual sections of the photo.
• 📊 Histogram charts – help to adjust the exposure more accurately.

Snapseed (from Google) is free and doesn't require registration.

• ✨ Double exposure – superimposing two photos on top of each other with transparency adjustment.
• 🔄 Perspective – corrects curvatures (useful for architectural shots).
• 🖌️ Brush – allows you to apply effects locally (for example, lighten only the face).

VSCO It's popular with bloggers because of its minimalist design and unique filters, with 10 presets available for free, over 200 for paid. VSCO — emphasis on natural colours and textures, ideal for film photography landscapes and portraits.

Tip: If you often edit photos on the go, create your own presets for typical scenarios in Lightroom or Snapseed (for example, “Portrait in the afternoon”, “Sunset”, “Food”), which will save time and provide a uniform style for your shots.

💡

To speed up your Lightroom experience, sync your presets between your phone and your PC through your Adobe account, so you can start editing on your smartphone and finish on the big screen.

6. Video editing and Live Photos

Xiaomi smartphones can not only take pictures, but also shoot video in resolution before 8K (The built-in video editor in the Gallery allows you to crop clips, add music and apply filters, but for serious editing, you better use CapCut or KineMaster.

And the highlight of this is Live Photos, which are short animations that capture a few seconds before and after the shooting, and can be edited right in the gallery.

1. Open Live Photo and tap Edit.
2. Select Trimming to change the duration of the animation.
3. Use a filter or correction – they will affect all frames.
4. Click Save as Video to Export to Format MP4.

To create a video from a series of photos (for example, timelapses), use the Google Photos app:

• Select the photo in chronological order.
• Press Create. → Animation.
• Select the speed of playback (from 0.5x before 8x).

If you need to overlay text or subtitles, try InShot.This app is optimized for content creation in TikTok and Instagram Reels, supports 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9 formats.

⚠️ Note: When exporting high-resolution video (4K) To avoid hanging, close all background apps and connect your phone to charging. If the problem persists, reduce the resolution to 1080p.

7.Photo optimization for social networks and messengers

Each social network has its own requirements for photo sizes and formats, such as Instagram cropping images with an aspect ratio other than 1:1 or 4:5, and VK It compresses the photo when you upload, which degrades the quality:

Instagram:

• 📸 feed: 1080×1080 (square 1080×1350 (portrait).
• 🎥 Stories: 1080×1920 (vertical).
• 📽️ Reels: 1080×1920, length 90 seconds.

VK Telegram:

• 🖼️ Maximum permission for downloading — 2048×2048 (then compression).
• 📩 In Telegram, photos are sent in original quality, if you choose File instead of Photos.

TikTok:

• 🎵 Video: 1080×1920, length 15 before 10 minute.
• 📸 Photo in the slideshow: 1080×1920, before 35 single-roller.

To avoid loss of quality, use Image Size to change resolution without losing proportions. And if you want to compress photos without visible artifacts, try Photo & Picture Resizer with a quality setting at the level of the image. 80-90%.

For Instagram, it’s helpful to know the trick with invisible frames:

8. Backup and restoration of edited photos

Losing edited photos is one of the most frustrating situations. To avoid this, set up automatic backups. MIUI There is a built-in sync function with Mi Cloud, but its capabilities are often not enough.

Methods of backup:

• ☁️ Google Photos – Freely stores photos in compressed quality or in the original (if you subscribe to Google One).
• 💾 Local storage – regularly copy the photo to a PC or external drive.
• 🔗 Cloud services – Yandex Drive, Dropbox or Mega with encryption.

If you accidentally delete the photos, try to restore them:

1. Check the recently Deleted folder in the Gallery (files are stored there for 30 days).
2. Use applications like DiskDigger (require root rights for deep scanning).
3. If the photos have been synced with Google Photos, check the cart in the web version of the service.

For professionals working with a large volume of photos, we recommend setting up automatic sorting:

• Create albums on the subject in Google Photos (for example, “Portraits”, “Landscapes”, “Documents”).
• Use tags and descriptions for quick search.
• Set up Lightroom to export photos directly to the cloud.

⚠️ Note: When using Mi Cloud, keep in mind that the free rate is limited to 5 GB. RAW or you're filming a video in 4K, This place will last a while. Keep track of vault occupancy in Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.

💡

The most reliable way to save a photo is to combine cloud storage (Google Photos) and local backup to an external drive, so you protect the photos from loss even if the phone breaks.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo editing on Xiaomi