How to mirror photos on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: all ways with explanations

Why to mirror photos on your smartphone and when it will be useful

Mirroring photos on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is a useful feature that many users do not even know about, and it is most often demanded in three situations: when you need to correct the wrong orientation of the text in the picture (for example, a reflection in the mirror), create a symmetrical collage or prepare the image for printing on T-shirts / circles. Unlike computer editors, on a smartphone, this operation takes literally 10-20 seconds if you know the right tools.

Itโ€™s worth noting that the Redmi Note 9 Pro runs on MIUIโ€™s proprietary shell, which offers both built-in mirroring capabilities and integration with Google Photos and Xiaomi Gallery apps. However, not all methods are equally convenient: some retain original quality, others compress the image. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, including the hidden MIUI 12+ feature for panoramic shots, which is not even written in the official documentation.

It's important to understand the difference between horizontal and vertical reflection, the former being used more often to correct mirror selfies (when the text on the T-shirt is displayed backwards), and the latter to create artistic effects. On the Redmi Note 9 Pro, both options are available, but the paths to them are different.

๐Ÿ“Š Why do you most often need to mirror your photo?
Correct text to selfie
Prepare images for printing
Create collages
Experiments with design
Other

The most obvious and quick method is to use the built-in editor of the Xiaomi Gallery, which requires no additional software installation and saves the original resolution of the image (if you have the right settings).

  1. Open the Gallery app** on the Redmi Note 9 Pro.

โš ๏ธ Note: If you choose Save instead of Save as a copy, the original photo will be irrevocably overwritten and can only be restored from the Mi Cloud backup if it was enabled in advance.

Check the free space on the device (minimum 100 MB)

Close background applications for smooth operation

Connect the charger at the battery level < 20%

Backup important photos in Mi Cloud-->

The advantage of this method is the preservation of EXIF-Data (meta-information about the image: date, camera model, shooting settings) but it has a limitation: some versions MIUI 12.5+ The reflection buttons can be hidden behind an extra menu. If you don't see them right away, try it:

  1. In the editor, click on three dots. โ‹ฎ top-right.
  2. Select Additional โ†’ Reflection.

Method 2: Google Photos is a universal tool

Google Photos offers more flexible editing tools than the standard Xiaomi Gallery, which automatically syncs photos to the cloud (if enabled) and allows you to mirror photos even on older versions of MIUI.

  1. Install Google Photos from Play Market if it is not already installed.
  2. Open the application and find the desired photo.
  3. Slip it, then click Edit (the slider icon).
  4. Go to the Tools tab โ†’ Pruning.
  5. In the lower menu, select Reflect (the icon with two arrows).
  6. Confirm the changes and keep a copy.

โš ๏ธ Note: Google Photos by default compresses images when editing if they exceed 16 MP:

  1. Before editing, go to Settings โ†’ Backup and Synchronization.
  2. Choose High Quality over Original (if it is important to keep maximum resolution).

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If the image is dim after mirroring in Google Photos, try manually increasing the Brightness (+10%) and Contrast (+5%) settings in the Correction tab.

The main advantage of this is cross-platform, and mirror image will be immediately available on all devices associated with your Google account, but there is a downside: if you have slow Internet, sync can take several minutes.

Method 3: Secret MIUI feature for panoramic shots

Few people know, but the Redmi Note 9 Pro has a hidden feature that mirrors panoramic photos that is not available through a standard editor, which works only for panorama shots, but allows them to be reflected without loss of quality.

  1. Take a panoramic shot in the Camera app (select Panorama mode and follow the on-screen prompts).
  2. Open the photo in the Xiaomi Gallery.
  3. Hold your finger on the screen for 2 seconds until the context menu appears.
  4. Choose Edit Panorama (this item only appears for panoramic shots!).
  5. In the top menu, tap on the Reflect icon (mirror with arrow).
  6. Confirm the changes and save the result.

This is unique in that it only allows you to mirror panoramas, but without compression and with all the details, and is especially useful for wide urban landscapes or group photos, where symmetry is important.

Why is the function hidden?
This feature was originally intended for internal MIUI testing and has remained in the firmware as an "Easter egg" and is not mentioned in Xiaomi's official manuals, but it works on all devices with MIUI 11 and newer, including the Redmi Note 9 Pro.

Method 4: Third-Party Applications for Advanced Editing

If the built-in Redmi Note tools 9 You don't like the Pro, you can use third-party editors. 5 popular applications and selected the top-3 in the ratio of functionality and convenience:

AnnexSupport for MIUIMax, permission.Additional functionsCons
SnapseedYes (optimized)Not limited.Selective correction, masks, HDRA complex interface for beginners
PicsArtYes.4KCollages, stickers, effectsAdvertising in the free version
Photo MirrorYes.Full HDAutomatic alignment, patternsPaid filters

For mirroring in Snapseed (recommended for professionals):

  1. Open the photo in the app.
  2. Put it on the Tools. โ†’ Transform.
  3. Choose Reflect and specify the axis (horizontal/vertical).
  4. Save the project without losing quality.

โš ๏ธ Note: Apps like PicsArt often request access to Contacts and Locations. Refuse these permissions because they are not needed for basic photo editing.

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The side of the app is useful if you need to not only mirror the photo, but also apply additional effects (for example, add a frame or text), but for a one-time task it is easier to use the built-in MIUI tools.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

To help you determine, we have compiled a comparative table on the key criteria:

CriteriaXiaomi GalleryGoogle PhotoPanoramic editorThird-party annexes
Speed.โญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญโญ
Quality.No loss.Compression at >16 MPNo loss.Depends on the app.
Additional functionsBasicCloud synchronizationOnly for panoramas.Extended.
Suitable forQuick editsCross-platform usePanoramic imagesAdvanced editing

For most Redmi Note 9 Pro users, the best solution is the built-in Gallery, which does not require any additional software installation and maintains the original quality. If you need synchronization between devices, choose Google Photos. For panoramic shots, be sure to try the hidden MIUI feature, which gives a better result than third-party editors.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When mirroring photos on the Redmi Note 9 Pro, users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

  • ๐Ÿ”„ Photo is saved in low quality: Check the compression settings in Google Photos or disable storage optimization in Settings โ†’ Memory.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ No Reflect button in Gallery: Update Gallery app via Play Market or clear its cache in Settings โ†’ Annexes.
  • ๐Ÿ” Distorted proportions after reflection: Before saving, check that the editor has disabled the Auto-Pruning option.
  • ๐ŸŒ Changes to Google Photos are not synced: Make sure backup is enabled in Settings โ†’ Backup.

Another common mistake is trying to mirror. RAW-Photo (.dng format) Built-in tools MIUI not support editing RAW, This means that you will need to use Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile.

๐Ÿ’ก

If the color is gone after mirroring, try resetting the white balance settings to Auto in the editor, which often solves the problem of unnatural shades.

Can I mirror the photo while shooting on the Redmi Note 9 Pro?
No, the standard Redmi Note 9 Pro camera doesn't have real-time mirroring, but you can use apps like the Camera MX or the Open Camera from the Play Market that support image reflection in the viewfinder, and note that this increases the delay by 0.5-1 second.
Why Google Photos Are Missing After Mirror EXIF-data?
This is a feature of the Google Photos compression algorithm: When selecting the option High Quality (not Original), the metadata is partially deleted to save space. To save EXIF, edit the photo in the Xiaomi Gallery or use Snapseed with the Save Metadata setting.
How to mirror several photos at once?
The built-in MIUI tools do not support batch editing. Photo Mirror (Bacht Mode is available) or FastStone Image Viewer (PC) will do this. Alternatively, copy the photo to your computer. Use IrfanView with Batch Conversion plugin. Apply Flip Horizontal/Vertical to all selected files.
Can I return the original after mirroring?
If you saved the changes over the original (without creating a copy), you can restore the original photo: from the backup of the Mi Cloud (if sync was enabled); through the Gallery Recycle Bin (files are stored there for 30 days); using data recovery software (DiskDigger, Recuva), but this only works if the space on the phone was not overwritten.
Why do you see black stripes on the Redmi Note 9 Pro when you mirror the panorama?
This is due to the panorama gluing algorithm in MIUI. When reflecting, the program tries to keep the original proportions, but because of distortions at the edges adds black fields. To remove them: After mirroring, click the crop in the editor. Choose the Free format and manually trim the black areas. Use the option to fill (if available) to stretch the image.