How to set up white balance on Xiaomi phone: from camera to system settings

Color reproduction in photos is one of the key characteristics that distinguishes professional from amateur. Even the most advanced Xiaomi smartphone (whether it is the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra or the budget Redmi Note 12) can produce a frame with unnatural shades if the white balance is not set correctly.

Many users mistakenly believe that the camera module or the cheap matrix is to blame, but 90% of color distortions are due to incorrect white balance settings (WB — The good news is that you can fix this as standard means. MIUI, And through hidden engineering menus, without having to install third-party apps, we'll look at all the available methods, including manual calibration for advanced users.

It's important to understand that white balance affects not only photos, but also the display of colors on the screen of your smartphone. If you notice that Xiaomi displays blue or yellow even under standard settings, the problem may lie in the system parameters of the color profile, and we will touch on this aspect - to make your phone show colors as intended by the manufacturer.

What is white balance and why is it important for photos

White balance (WB) — It's a parameter that determines how the camera perceives and reproduces colors depending on the source of the light. The person adapts to different types of light automatically: for example, an incandescent lamp appears to us "warm" (yellowish), and daylight appears to us "cold" (blueish). The camera doesn’t have that flexibility – it needs a clear indication of what shade is considered “neutral white".

If the white balance is not set correctly, the photos are color-shifted:

• 🔆 Warm light (light bulbs, sunset) – pictures turn yellow or red.
• ☀️ Daylight – a bluish or greenish shade may appear.
• 💡 Fluorescent lamps – often give a greenish filling.
• 🌙 Shooting at night – the colors “go” to blue or purple.

On Xiaomi smartphones, both the software algorithm (in the standard Camera app) and the hardware settings of the Qualcomm Snapdragon or Mediatek processor are responsible for processing the white balance. 10A) automatic WB It often works worse than flagships (Xiaomi). 13T Pro, due to simplified image processing algorithms.

Interesting fact: some users deliberately knock down the white balance to achieve a "vintage" effect on photos. However, for most tasks (portraits, landscapes, documents) the correct calibration is required. WB critically.

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If you're shooting in format RAW (On supported Xiaomi models, white balance can be adjusted later in Lightroom or Photoshop without loss of quality.

Method 1: Automatically adjust white balance in a standard camera

The easiest way to do this is to trust the built-in algorithm. MIUI Camera. It's a scene-based system that works for 80 percent of everyday situations. Here's how to turn it on and check it out:

1. Open the Camera app on your Xiaomi.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
3. Select the white balance item (or WB firmware).
4. Set the value of the Auto (or AWB — Auto White Balance).

Automatic mode analyzes the lighting in the frame and adjusts the color temperature in the range of 2000K (before 10000K (It has limitations, however:

• 📸 Mixed lighting (e.g. daylight) + lamp) often knocks the algorithm.
• 🌄 Sunsets and sunrises can be too cold".
• 💡 Fluorescent lamps sometimes give a greenish tint.

If automatic WB You are not satisfied, try the presets (presets) in the same menu:

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) presets WB You can use a long screen hold in shooting mode. Try tapping and holding your finger on the white balance area in the camera interface.

Method 2: Manually adjusting white balance on a gray card

For those who want accurate color rendering (such as for product, document, or professional portraits), hand calibration using a gray card (or neutral grey object) is a method that photographers use to calibrate SLR cameras, but it works great on Xiaomi smartphones as well.

You'll need:

• 📱 Xiaomi smartphone with the camera app (version not lower than 5.0).
• 🎨 Gray card (you can buy for 200-500 rubles or use a white sheet of paper in extreme cases).
• ☀️ Lighting in which you plan to shoot (do not change it during calibration!).

Step-by-step:

1. Place the gray card in the frame so that it occupies at least 30% of the area.
2. Open the camera. → Settings → White balance.
3. Select the Manual (or Custom) option WB).
4. Hover the camera over the gray card and tap the screen to capture the balance.
5. Corresponding icon (usually) 🎯) will appear in the interface, which means that the calibration is saved.

On Xiaomi models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) manual tuning is available. WB It is stored separately for the main, wide-angle and telephoto cameras. If you use multiple modules, recalibrate each one.

Check the version of the Camera app (update if necessary)

Use a gray card, not a white sheet (more precisely the result)

Fix your smartphone on a tripod or stable surface

Take it down. RAW, if you plan to post-process

Save the preset. WB reuseable-->

Method 3: Adjust white balance through the engineering menu (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use the Engineer Mode, which hides the camera’s low-level settings, which is suitable for Qualcomm models (e.g. Xiaomi). 12T, POCO F5) and requires caution - incorrect parameters can worsen the quality of the shooting.

How to open the engineering menu:

1. Please enter the code #36446337##
2. Choose. CIT (or Camera in some firmware).
3. Go to section. WB Calibration.

In the engineering menu you will see the following parameters:

• 🔘 R_Gain and B_Gain — Red and Blue Channel Gaining Coefficients.
• 🔘 Color Temperature – manual temperature setting in Kelvins.
• 🔘 Save to NVRAM — saving settings in permanent memory.

⚠️ Attention: Change of parameters R_Gain/B_Gain more ±20 You can write down the initial values before the experiments, and you can return the factory settings via Reset. WB same-menu.

For precise calibration:

1. Take a test frame of the gray card in RAW.
2. Analyze the histogram in Lightroom – the ideal balance gives a uniform distribution over the RGB-channel.
3. Adjust. R_Gain and B_Gain In the engineering menu, taking test pictures.

Setting up the color profile of the screen (affects the camera’s preview)

Few people know, but the white screen balance of a smartphone directly affects how you see an image in the camera viewfinder. If the display is calibrated incorrectly (for example, too "warm"), your photos can turn out with a cold tint, even if you are not able to see the image in the camera viewfinder. WB camera-wise.

To check and adjust the color profile of the screen:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Color mode.
2. Choose one of the presets: 🌈 Standard (sRGB) – the most natural color reproduction. 🎨 Saturated – enhanced colors (can distort) WB). 👁️ Sparing for the eyes – reduces blue light (affects temperature).

Autobrightness

On the flagship models (Xiaomi 14, Mix Fold 3) manual screen calibration is available:

1. In the same Color Mode menu, select User Mode.
2. Adjust the color temperature (from cold to warm).
3. Use test images (such as a gray scale) to check.

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If the colors in the photos and in the preview of the camera are different, first check the settings of the screen. Often the problem lies in the too "warm" or "cold" profile of the display, and not in the camera itself.

White Balance Problems on Specific Xiaomi Models

Some Xiaomi smartphones have typical problems with the WB, These are the most common cases and solutions:

If your model is not listed in the table, but you are seeing systemic color distortions, try the following steps:

1. Update the firmware through Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Reset the camera settings: Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the data.
3. Install an alternative app for shooting (e.g. Google Camera with Xiaomi support).

To photograph products or objects under artificial light:

1. Use two lamps with the same color temperature (for example, the same color temperature, 5500K).
2. Place the light sources at an angle of 45° to the object to avoid glare.
3. Check it out. WB White background – it should remain neutral.

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Google Camera (GCam) for Xiaomi has a function “Auto” WB Face priority – it is ideal for portraits, retaining natural skin tones even in difficult lighting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about white balance on Xiaomi