How to Cut Videos on Xiaomi Phone: Step-by-step Instructions for All Models

Cutting video on Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every second user faces, whether it’s removing excess frames at the beginning of a video, cutting a snippet for stories or preparing content for TikTok/YouTube Shorts — standard MIUI tools and third-party apps allow you to do this in minutes. However, not everyone knows that Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi flagships have built-in cropping features without installing additional software that work faster than analogues and maintain original quality.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways: from the basic editor in the gallery to professional tools like CapCut or KineMaster. We will pay special attention to the nuances that arise on different versions of MIUI (from 12 to 14), and also tell you how to avoid common errors - for example, loss of quality when exporting or failures when working with.MOV and.MKV files. If you need not just shorten the video, but also add transitions, music or text - here you will find solutions.

1.Shopping video through the standard Xiaomi gallery

The easiest way is to use the built-in editor in the Gallery app (or Photos on some firmware), which is suitable for 90% of tasks: removing unnecessary fragments at the beginning/end of the video or the middle clipping. The main advantage is that you do not need to install third-party programs, and the video quality is maintained at the initial level (if you set up the right settings).

How it works:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app and select the video you want (supported formats.MP4,.3GP,.MKV).
• ✂️ Click on the edit icon (pencil or scissors in the bottom menu).
• 🎬 In the editor that opens, go to the Trip tab (or Edit → Cut on MIUI 14).
• 📏 Drag the sliders on the timeline to highlight the desired snippet. Use the 🔍 (magnifying glass) button to fine-tune the scaling up of the timeline.
• 💾 Press Save and select the resolution: Original (recommended) or Save Place (reduces quality).

Selected the correct fragment (see preview)

Original permission stated

The file format is compatible with the target platform (e.g. TikTok does not support.MKV)

Free space on the device (video takes up 2 times more space during processing)-->

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 There is no option to add transitions or overlay music.
• 🚫 Some models (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro with MIUI 13) may see a green artifact appear when they crop files.MOV This is a firmware bug that is patched by the update.
• 🚫 The maximum length of the original video is 30 minutes (for files larger than 2 GB, third-party software will be required).

⚠️ Warning: If video is saved without sound after clipping, check the audio track format. Xiaomi does not support editing files with the AC3 codec - convert them to AAC via VLC or HandBrake.

2.Use of the Video app (Mi Video)

Many Xiaomi devices have a Video (or Mi Video) app pre-installed, which offers advanced editing features compared to the gallery. Here you can not only crop the video, but also apply filters, add text or music from the library. The interface is intuitive, and processing algorithms are optimized for Qualcomm Snapdragon and MediaTek processors, which reduces the lags.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the video and select the file.
2. Slip on the icon ✏️ Edit in the lower right corner.
3. Go to the Pruning tab (in some versions called Trimmer).
4. Set the starting and ending points of the trimming using sliders or manually entering time (e.g. 00:15 – 00:45).
5. Click Ready and select Save as a new file to avoid overwriting the original.

💡

If you need to crop your Instagram Reels video, set the 9:16 aspect ratio in your export settings (Format button before saving).

Advantages of Mi Video:

• 🎵 Built-in library of free music (without copyright).
• 📸 Ability to add stickers and effects in real time.
• 🔄 Automatic optimization for social networks (TikTok, YouTube, Facebook).

3. Professional cropping in CapCut (free)

If built-in tools aren’t enough, CapCut, a free app from TikTok developers optimized for mobile editing, supports multitrack editing, keyframes, and even chromakey (replacement of the background). It’s important for Xiaomi that CapCut works correctly with files shot on Redmi and POCO cameras, including HDR10+ and LOG formats.

How to crop video in CapCut:

• 📥 Install the app from Google Play (weight ~100MB).
• 🖥️ Create a new project and import videos (files up to 4K are supported).
• 📏 On the timeline, highlight the clip and drag the edge markers for pruning. Use zoom with a gesture (two fingers) for accuracy.
• ⚡ Apply effects (optional): transitions, playback speed, stabilization.
• 📤 Export with settings: Resolution: 1080p or 4K (if the source supports). Frame rate: 30 FPS or 60 FPS (select the source value). Bitrate: 25 Mbps for Full HD (optimum for social networks).

CapCut is particularly useful for:

• 🎬 Video installation for TikTok/YouTube Shorts (patterns for format).
• 🎵 Synchronize cropping with bit music (Beat Match function).
• 📱 Weak Device Optimization: Redmi 9A renders 2 times faster than KineMaster.

⚠️ Warning: When cropping high-bitrate videos (e.g., those shot on Xiaomi 13 Ultra in 8K), CapCut can automatically reduce quality. To avoid this, manually set the bitrate to 50 Mbps in the export settings.

Standard gallery

Mi Video

CapCut

KineMaster

Other-->

4.Pruning through Google Photos (for cloud videos)

If your video is uploaded to Google Photos, it can be clipped directly in your browser or mobile app, which is convenient for users who store media files in the cloud and want to save space on the device. However, there is a limitation: the maximum video length is 15 minutes, and the quality after cropping can decrease (especially for files at a resolution above 1080p).

Instructions:

1. Open Google Photos and find the video.
2. Slip on the editing icon (✏️).
3. Select the Cutting Tool (Scissors).
4. Set the starting and ending points using sliders or time entry.
5. Save the changes – the video will replace the original in the cloud (to avoid this, make a copy of the original).

Pros of the method:

• ☁️ Doesn't take up space on the phone.
• 🔄 Syncs with all devices where you are logged in.
• 📱 Works even on weak smartphones (e.g. Redmi 8A).

Cons:

• 🚫 No advanced functions (filters, transitions)
• 🚫 The quality may deteriorate when clipping video in 4K.
• 🚫 Length limit (15 minutes)

💡

Google Photos automatically compresses video when downloading if the High Quality option is enabled (not the Original option).

5. Alternative pruning applications

If you need advanced features – for example, cropping with saving several snippets, frame-by-frame editing or working with 360°-video – consider specialized programs. Below is a comparison of top-3 solutions for Xiaomi:

For Xiaomi devices with low iron (for example, Redmi 7 or POCO C3), we recommend InShot – it consumes less resources than KineMaster, but offers enough tools for basic editing. If you want accurate trimming with quality preservation, pay attention to PowerDirector – this application supports.MLV and.RAW files, which is relevant for videographers.

6. Cutting video through file manager (for power users)

For those who prefer to work with files directly, there is a way to trim through a file manager with support for FFmpeg (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer), this method requires knowledge of commands, but allows you to crop video without loss of quality and with an accuracy of milliseconds.

Instructions for Solid Explorer:

1. Install Solid Explorer and FFmpeg plugin (available in the application settings).
2. Find the video in the file manager and hold your finger on it to open the context menu.
3. Select FFmpeg → Cut the video.
4. Enter commands in the format: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -ss 00:00:10 -to 00:00:30 -c copy output.mp4 Where: -ss - start time (for example, 00:00:10). -to - end time (00:00:30). -c copy - copy streams without recoding (keeps quality).

Start the process and wait until the video is completed (the video will be saved to the same folder).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔧 Complete process control (codec, bitrate, FPS can be specified).
• 📦 There are no restrictions on the length or format of the video.
• ⚡ Faster than graphics editors (no rendering).

⚠️ Warning: When using FFmpeg on Xiaomi with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi Note 11), there may be a "Permission denied" error. Solution: transfer the video to internal memory or give the manager permission to access the SD- card through Settings → Apps → Permissions.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even with simple tools, Xiaomi users face typical problems, and consider the most common and ways to solve them:

• 🔴 Video saved without sound: Reason: Incompatible audio codec (AC3, DTS).Solution: Convert sound to AAC via VLC or HandBrake.
• 🔴 App crashes when cropped: Reason: RAM shortage (relevant for Redmi 9 with 3GB of storage).Solution: Close background apps or use Mi Video instead of CapCut.
• 🔴 Quality deteriorated after saving: Reason: Automatic compression in export settings Solution: Choose the "Original Quality" option or manually set the bitrate.
• 🔴 You can't cut video longer than 30 minutes: Reason: Limitation of standard tools MIUI Solution: Use KineMaster or FFmpeg.

If video is not playing on other devices after clipping, check its codec with the MediaInfo app. Often the problem lies in the non-standard formats that Xiaomi cameras generate in Pro mode (such as H.265). For universal compatibility, convert the file to H.264.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions