Introduction: Why editing on Xiaomi is different from the competition
Xiaomi smartphones have long ceased to be just a budget alternative to flagships – their cameras in shooting quality are comparable to the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone, and built-in photo editing tools often exceed the standard capabilities of Google Photos. MIUI — This is deep integration with iron: Snapdragon and MediaTek processors paired with optimized software allow you to process RAW-files weighing up to 100 MB without brakes, which is not true of many Android smartphones.
But most users only use 20% of the built-in editor’s capabilities, and Xiaomi has hidden the features that are typically searched for in paid apps: artificial portrait bokeh, perspective correction, single-tape removal, and even the Magic of Light mode to simulate studio lighting (available on Mi 13 Ultra and later), and in this article, we’ll look at everything from basic edits to professional life hacks that you won’t find in the official instructions.
Important: All screenshots and examples are taken on current versions of MIUI 14/15 (2026). If you have old firmware, some features may not be available - update via Settings → About Phone → System Update.
Basic editing tools: what can be done in 30 seconds
Even if you've never edited a photo, Xiaomi's built-in editor will make it possible to improve your shot in just a few taps. Open any photo in the gallery, click Edit (pencil icon) and you'll see a panel with 12 basic tools. Here's what they do:
- 🎨 Filters: 24 pre-installed styles (from Bright to Cinema), plus the ability to adjust the filter intensity with a slider. On models with Leica optics (Mi 13 Pro, 14 Ultra), branded filters with natural color reproduction are available.
- ✂️ Cutting: not only standard framing, but also automatic horizon alignment (activated by the Level button), as well as changing the aspect ratio under stories (9:16), square (1:1) or print (3:2).
- 🔄 Correction: here are hidden the most useful functions - autoimprovement (one tap corrects exposure and contrast), manual adjustment of Brightness, Contrast, Saturation and Warmth.
- 🖌️ Retouch: Removing spots, wrinkles, and even small objects (works through AI algorithms) and the new models have the "Perfect Face" option with 10 levels of smoothing.
Beginners' advice: always start with the "Auto" button in the "Corretion" section - the MIUI algorithm analyzes the picture and applies the optimal settings in 1-2 seconds. In 80% of cases, this is enough to post on social networks. If the result does not suit, cancel the action and go to manual edits.
Advanced Features: What's Hidden Behind the "More" Button
Few people know, but under the three dots (More) in the top right corner of the editor are the tools you would normally look for in Lightroom or Snapseed.
| Function | What do you need? | Available on models |
|---|---|---|
| Double exposure | Overlaying two photos on top of each other with transparency adjustments, suitable for creative collages. | All smartphones on MIUI 12+ |
| Effects of movement | It's a long exposure simulation (water blur, light trails) that only works with RAW photos. | Mi 11/12/13 series, POCO F4/F5 |
| Cloning | Duplication of objects in a photo (for example, to "double" a person or object). | All models with Snapdragon 7xx/8xx chip |
| 3D LUT | Professional color correction through loading external LUT-files (for example, for the cinematic view). | Only Mi 13 Ultra, 14 Pro |
The Magic of Light feature (available on flagships from 2023-2026) allows you to add virtual light sources to the photo, simulating studio lighting, for example, you can brighten the dark side of the face in a portrait or add "sun highlights" to the landscape. The algorithm analyzes the depth of the scene (thanks to the ToF sensor or several cameras) and applies light realistically.
⚠️ Attention: The effects of movement and 3D LUT require a photo format RAW. If you're filming in JPEG, These options will be inactive to enable the shooting in the RAW, Go to the camera settings → Format → RAW (Available on models with Pro Mode support).
How to save an edited photo without losing quality?
Portrait Editing: How to Make a Photo Like a Professional
Xiaomi's portrait mode is one of the strongest on the market, thanks to dual-pixel autofocus and background splitting algorithms, but even the perfect shot can be improved. Here's a step-by-step guide to how to process portraits:
- Bokeh: Open the photo in the editor, select Portrait (silhouette icon). Adjust the intensity of the blur with the slider Effect. On models with Leica optics, blur styles are available: "Soft", "Classic", "Artistic".
- Facial correction: Go to Retouch → Face. Use sliders to smooth the skin, lighten the shadows under the eyes, enlarge the eyes (but don’t overdo it – naturalness is more important!). On new models, there is the option Microlifting – pulls up the oval of the face without distortion.
Skin color correction:
- In the Correction section, reduce saturation by 10-15% for natural tone.
- Add a warm hue (Warm +5) for a "healthy" look.
The technology works best in a photo with a uniform background (sky, wall, grass), complex textures (such as tree foliage or crowds of people) can recover imperfectly.
- 🔍 Use a mask with a smaller radius for accurate trimming.
- 🎨 After removal, apply the Blurr filter to the problem area (hiding artifacts).
- 🔄 If the result is not satisfied, try to circle the object from different sides - the AI analyzes the direction of the wiring.
⚠️ Note: Object Removal does not work with photo format HEIC (This is the default version on some models. Before editing, convert the image to JPEG through gallery settings → Format of conservation.
Hidden Opportunity: On models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip (Mi 13, POCO F5 Pro), the option is available to replace the background of the portrait with another image from the gallery, while the AI automatically adjusts the lighting and shadows to the new environment.
Editing RAW-Files: Professional tools on a smartphone
If you're shooting in format RAW (Available in manual Pro Mode, Xiaomi's built-in editor is transformed into a near-complete Lightroom. RAW:
- 📊 Histogram: displayed in real time when editing, helps to avoid overlight or underlight.
- 🎛️ Curves: Manually adjusting the tone curve (as in Photoshop) to accurately correct shadows, mid tones and lights.
- 🔍 Noise reduction: a separate slider to reduce digital noise without losing detail (especially useful for night shots).
- 🎨 Color profiles: choice between Standard, Portrait, Landscape and Leica Authentic (on the appropriate models).