How to mirror photos on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions for all models

Why you might need to mirror your photos on Xiaomi

Did you take a great selfie on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5 Pro, but notice that the text on the T-shirt is displayed backwards? Or maybe you need to prepare a photo for a document that requires the correct orientation of the reflection? Mirror display of images is a common task that smartphone users face. Unlike computers where you have Photoshop or Paint, on mobile devices the process may seem less obvious.

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer several built-in ways to mirror photos without installing additional software. However, not everyone knows where to look for these features. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the available methods, from standard gallery tools to hidden system editor capabilities, and look at third-party apps for those who need advanced options.

It's important to understand that mirror reflection can be horizontal (left to right) or vertical (top to bottom). Most tasks require horizontal reflection, such as adjusting a selfie or text. Vertical mirror is less commonly used, but is also available in some tools.

Method 1: Using the Xiaomi Integrated Gallery

The easiest method is to use the standard Xiaomi Gallery, which is pre-installed on all devices with MIUI. This method does not require installing additional programs and works even on budget models like the Redmi 10A or POCO M5.

Instructions:

1. Open the Gallery app (a icon with multi-colored squares).
2. Find the right photo and tap it to open in full screen mode.
3. In the bottom panel, click on the "Edit" icon** (pencil).
4. In the tool menu, select More → Reflect.
5. You'll see two options: Horizontally (left to right) or Vertically (top to bottom).
6. Click Save** (floppy disk) and select Save as a copy so you don’t lose the original.

Note that on some versions of MIUI 14+, the Reflect option may be in the Tools or Effects section. If you don't find it right away, scroll through the menu to the left.

New photo saved as a copy (not re-recorded original)|

The resolution and quality have not deteriorated.|

Text/objects are correctly reflected (no distortion)|

The file is saved to a convenient folder (not in the default Downloads)-->

Method 2: Google Photo Editor (if Xiaomi Gallery is not suitable)

If the standard gallery doesn’t offer a reflection option for some reason (as is the case with older versions of MIUI 11-12), you can use the Google Photos app, which is pre-installed on many Xiaomi models and offers more flexible editing tools.

Step-by-step:

• 📱 Open Google Photos and select the image you want.
• 🖌️ Slip on the icon "Edit"** (three strips with circles).
• 🔄 Go to the Tools tab (bottom of the screen).
• 🔀 Select Turn, then click on the Reflect icon** (two arrows pointing in different directions).
• 💾 Save the changes by selecting Save a copy.

The advantage of Google Photos is that you can immediately apply other edits: cropping, color correction or adding filters. However, keep in mind that if you save high quality photos will be compressed to a resolution of 16 MP (if the original is larger).

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If Google Photos doesn’t have a “Reflect” button, upgrade to the latest version in the Play Market, a feature that appeared in the 2022-2023 updates.

Method 3: Third-party applications for advanced reflection

The built-in tools Xiaomi and Google Photos are suitable for basic tasks, but if you need to mirror photos with additional effects (for example, partial reflection or perspective correction), you should pay attention to specialized applications.-3 tested:

When choosing a third-party app, pay attention to user reviews and ratings in the Play Market. Avoid programs with suspiciously high ratings (4.8+ with a small number of reviews) - this can be a sign of cheating.

Built-in gallery |

Google Photo |

Third-party annexes (specify which)|

I'm not editing.-->

Method 4: Mirroring through the file manager (for power users)

This method is suitable for those who prefer to work with files directly or need to automate the process (for example, for batch reflection of several photos), we will use MI File Manager (pre-installed on all Xiaomi) and a simple application for image processing.

Algorithm of action:

1. Install Image Tools from Play Market (or similar, such as Photo & Picture Resizer).
2. Open the MI File Manager and go to the photo folder (usually DCIM/Camera).
3. Select the files you need with a long tap, then click Share → Image Tools.
4. In the menu that opens, select Mirror and specify the direction (horizontal/vertical).
5. Save the processed files to a new folder (for example, Mirrored_Photos).

This is a great way to process a lot of photos at a time, for example, if you had to mirror 50 selfies for a presentation, it would take too long to do it manually in a gallery.

Method 5: Mirroring through PC (maximum quality)

If you need to reflect a photo without loss of quality (for example, for printing or professional processing), it is better to do it on a computer. This is true for owners of Xiaomi with high-resolution cameras (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra with a 200 MP sensor), where every compression on the phone degrades the detail.

Instructions for Windows/macOS:

• 🖥️ Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode on Xiaomi screen).
• 📁 Copy the photo to your computer (for example, to your desktop).
• 🖼️ Open the image in Paint (Windows) or View (macOS):
• 💾 Save the file in format PNG (free of loss of quality; or JPEG (quality-tuning 90-100%).
• 📲 Transfer the processed photo back to your smartphone.

For advanced users, we recommend using GIMP (a free analogue of Photoshop) or Lightroom. These programs allow you not only to reflect the image, but also to adjust lighting, contrast and other parameters.

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Reflection on the PC ensures the preservation of original quality, especially important for photos with a resolution above 48 MP (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra or POCO F5 Pro).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even in a simple process like mirroring a photo, Xiaomi users often face problems, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to solve them:

⚠️ Warning: If the photo becomes blurred or loses details after the reflection, check the save settings in the editor. Compression can be enabled in Google Photos by default - turn it off in the application settings (Save copies) → High quality).

Problem 1: There is no “reflect” option in the gallery.

• 🔍 Reason: An outdated version MIUI (before 12) or system limitations on some models (e.g. Redmi Go).
• 🛠️ Solution: Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Update the system or use Google Photos.

Problem 2: After reflection, the text is read backwards.

• 🔍 Reason: You applied horizontal reflection to a photo where the text was already mirrored (e.g. a selfie with a T-shirt on it).
• 🛠️ Solution: Apply reflection twice (horizontal) + horizontal) or use vertical reflection.

Problem 3: The image is stored with a watermark.

• 🔍 Reason: You are using a pirated or modified version of a third-party editor.
• 🛠️ Solution: Remove the app and install the official version from the Play Market or use the built-in tools.

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If you often have to mirror your photos, create a shortcut for quick access: add a Google Photos or Gallery widget to the home screen and set it to open immediately in editing mode.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions