How to turn (reflect) a photo on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: instructions for MIUI

You took a great shot on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, but it turned out “upside down” or do you need to reflect the image horizontally? In this article, we will analyze all the ways to turn the photo directly on your smartphone – from built-in MIUI tools to third-party applications.

The Redmi Note 8 (codenamed ginkgo) was released in 2019, but still remains one of the most common in the Xiaomi lineup. Its 48 MP camera (the main module of Samsung GM1) often requires post-processing — especially if you take pictures in uncomfortable angles or scan documents. We tested all methods on MIUI 12.5, 13 and 14 firmware (including global and Chinese versions) so you can choose the best option.

Important: If you’re looking for a way to rotate a video or correct your WhatsApp/Telegram orientation, this is a separate topic – it’s only about static images in.jpg,.png and.heic formats.

1. Method: Xiaomi's standard "Gallery"

The fastest method is to use the built-in Gallery app (a flower icon on a white background) pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and supports basic editing features, including rotation and reflection.

How it works:

Open the gallery and find the photo you need.
Slip the image, then click the “Edit” button** (the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen).
In the lower menu, select the Trimming tab (frame icon).
The buttons will appear on the right: 🔄 Turn 90.° (clockwise) 🔙 Turn 90.° (counterclockwise) ↔️ Reflect horizontally (mirror reflection) ↕️ Reflect vertically (upside down»)

Save.

Changes apply to the entire photo, not the clipped fragment|The quality has not deteriorated (compare the file size)|Orientation is correct when viewed in other apps|A copy is saved if the original is important-->

⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI 12 reflection buttons (↔️/↕️) This is a firmware bug — update the Gallery through Google Play or use alternative methods from this article.

If you need to flip a few photos at once, the standard Gallery does not support batch editing. №3 with Snapseed app.

2. Method: Google Photos (for cloud users)

Google Photos offers more flexible editing tools than the standard gallery, which is free and syncs photos to the cloud, which is convenient for backup.

Instructions:

Install Google Photos from Play Market if it is not on your smartphone.
Open the photo and tap the icon "Edit"** (three strips with circles).
Select the Tools tab → Turn.
Use the buttons: 🔄 Turn 90.° right-hand 🔙 Turn 90.° left ↔️ Reflect horizontally (hidden under the button "More» → «Reflect»)

Ready.

Keep a copy

Function	Xiaomi Gallery	Google Photo
Turn 90.°	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.
horizontal reflection	✅ Yes (not in all versions). MIUI)	✅ Yes.
vertical reflection	✅ Yes.	❌ No.
Save to the cloud	❌ No.	✅ Yes (automatically)
Package editing	❌ No.	❌ No.

⚠️ Note: If you edited a photo in Google Photos and deleted it from the gallery, the original can only remain in the cloud./Edited file-manager.

Standard Gallery Xiaomi|Google Photo|Snapseed/Lightroom|Other-->

3. Method: Snapseed (for advanced editing)

If you need to not only flip a photo, but also adjust colors, sharpness, or add effects, Google's Snapseed app is the best choice. It's free, ad-free, and supports layers.

Step-by-step:

Download Snapseed from Play Market.
Open the photo in the application (stick to any place on the screen).
In the lower menu, select Tools → Turn.
Use gestures: 👆 Swipe up/down - turn 90° 👉 Swipe left/right – free turn (the angle is indicated at the bottom of the screen) 🔄 Double tap - reflection horizontally

Exports

Save.

Snapseed saves edit history — you can go back to the original even after you close the app. It's the only app in this review that supports a free angle of rotation (like 45° or 180°) rather than just a fixed 90° angle.

How to return the original after saving it to Snapseed?

Open the photo in Snapseed → tap on the three dots in the top right corner → select View edit → click Back to the original.

4. Method: File Manager (for technical users)

If the photo is left in the wrong orientation due to a camera failure (for example, after updating the firmware), the problem may be in the EXIF metadata.

Instructions for FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer:

Install a file manager with EXIF support (e.g. FX File Explorer).
Find the photo in the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder.
Hold your finger on the file → select Properties → EXIF data.
Find the Orientation field and change the value: 1 – normal 3 – inverted 180° 6 – turned 90° to the right 8 – turned 90° to the left

Save the changes and check the photo in the gallery.

⚠️ Note: Not all file managers support editing EXIF. If after the changes the photo is not updated in the gallery, restart your smartphone or use the QuickPic application to force the thumbnails to update.

5. Frequent problems and solutions

Sometimes, after a turn, the photo is displayed correctly in the gallery, but "missing" when sent in messengers or uploaded to a PC.

Problem 1: The photo was only turned over in the gallery, not on WhatsApp.

Solution: Apps like WhatsApp or VK ignore EXIF-tags and focus on the physical position of the pixels. Use Snapseed to physically rotate (not just change metadata).

Problem 2: After the turn, the quality deteriorated.

Solution: This is due to recompression. In the save settings (e.g. Google Photos), select Original Quality rather than High Quality.

Problem 3: Reflection buttons are missing from the Xiaomi Gallery.

Solution: Update the app through Play Market or clear its cache in Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage. If it doesn't work, use Google Photos.

Go to Camera Settings → Additionally. → Keep your orientation (if the option is available in your version) MIUI).-->

6. Alternative applications for turning photos

If none of the above methods worked, try specialized editors:

📱 Photo & Picture Resizer – Supports batch rotation and resize.
🎨 PicsArt – convenient for creative editing (there are templates for collages).
🔄 Rotate & Flip Image – a minimalist application for turn/reflection only.
🖼️ Lightroom Mobile – for professionals (supports) RAW-files from Redmi Note 8).

When choosing an application, pay attention to:

Support for.heic formats (if you are taking pictures in this format)
Advertising (in free versions it can interfere with editing)
The ability to save in the original resolution (4608×3456 pixels for the Redmi Note 8).

💡

For most tasks, the built-in Xiaomi Gallery or Google Photos is enough. Snapseed is only needed for accurate angle correction or additional effects.

FAQ: Questions and answers

Can I flip a photo on Redmi Note 8 without installing apps?

Use the standard gallery (method) №1) or Google Photo (method) №2) if pre-installed, both options do not require additional programs.

Why did the photo become blurry after the turn?

This is due to recompression when saving. In the editor settings, select Save in original quality or Export without loss. In Snapseed, you click three points when exporting and select Export as a 100% copy.

How to turn a photo taken in Panorama mode?

Panoramic images with Redmi Note 8 are saved in.jpg format with high resolution (up to 10000×2000 pixels). To turn them, Snapseed or Lightroom will suit - the standard Gallery may not cope with a large file. When saving, select the JPEG format with a quality of 90-100%.

Can I automatically turn all the new photos?

No, Redmi Note 8 does not have automatic rotating function EXIF-But you can use the AutoRotate Images app (available on the Play Market) that scans new photos in a folder. DCIM and corrects the orientation of metadata.

Why do some messengers display the photo inverted?

The reasons may be different: the messenger ignores EXIF-tags (typical for Telegram or VK). Solution: physically rotate the photo to Snapseed. The photo was edited in a third-party application, but not saved correctly. Check the source file in the file manager. Chat the messenger cache. Clear the application data in Settings. → Annexes.