How to take a full screen photo on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face a situation where the image does not occupy the entire display area, but is displayed with black stripes or in a reduced square. This is not a matrix defect, but only a feature of the software interpretation of frame proportions. The standard aspect ratio in modern large-screen screens is different from the classic 4:3 photographic standard, which is installed by default in many camera applications.

To get full-screen shots, you need to change the aspect ratio settings in the viewfinder interface. Depending on the version of the MIUI or HyperOS shell, the location of this element may vary slightly, but the logic of the work remains the same for all devices of the brand. Understanding the difference between digital zoom and framing will help you avoid loss of quality when trying to stretch the image.

In some cases, users confuse the viewfinder mode with the result: the camera can show an image with cropped edges for the convenience of the composition, but save the full frame in the gallery. It is important to distinguish these concepts and know where to look for a format switch to make the camera control as efficient and predictable as possible.

Difference between 4:3 and 16:9 formats

A fundamental understanding of sensor physics is essential to fine-tune the sensor. Most Xiaomi smartphones have a 4:3 physical ratio. This means that when you choose this format, you use the maximum resolution and sensor area without software clippings, and it is in this mode that the image quality will be highest, since each pixel of the matrix is involved in the formation of the image.

When you switch to 16:9 or 18:9 (full screen), the camera doesn't stretch the picture magically. It's digital framing: software cuts the top and bottom of the frame to fit the display proportions, which causes you to see exactly what you get on the screen, but you lose some of the shooting area.

There is a common misconception that Full Screen makes your shots better or wider, which is actually just a way of framing. If your goal is to capture as much space as possible (like landscape or interior), the standard 4:3 mode will be preferable, as it retains frame angles that will be cropped in widescreen mode.

Where to find the aspect ratio switch

Finding the right setting is the first step to getting the desired result. In modern versions of the MIUI shell and HyperOS, the developers have put the format control in the most prominent place, you don't have to dig into the depth of the settings menu, just open the standard Camera application and carefully examine the top toolbar.

Usually, the switch is located in the upper right corner of the screen, next to the flash buttons, HDR and filters. The icon can look like a rectangle with a signature of 4:3, 16:9 or Full. If you see a 4:3 value there, it means that maximum resolution mode with black fields on the sides on widescreen devices is now activated.

In some budget models or older firmware versions, this switch may be hidden. If it's not on top, click on the three horizontal bars in the upper right corner to open the additional menu. There may be aspect ratio or frame format. The absence of an explicit button often indicates that the system automatically adapts the image, but manual control is always more reliable.

Configure via the camera settings menu

If you don't have a quick switch on the viewfinder's home screen, you need to go deep into the basic settings. To do this, click on the three bars in the corner of the screen and select the Settings gear icon, and that's where all the parameters that affect the quality and appearance of your photos are concentrated.

In the options list, look for the section that is related to photo quality or directly to aspect ratio. In the Xiaomi interface, this item is often called "Entertainment ratio." When you click on it, you will see the available options: usually 4:3, 16:9 and sometimes 18:9 or "Full screen."

⚠️ Warning: Full screen (18:9 or 19.5:9) results in the most framing of the image, and you lose a significant portion of the frame from above and below, which can be critical when shooting group portraits or high objects.

Once you have selected the desired value, just go back to the shooting. The changes take effect instantly. that in Pro mode, the aspect ratio settings may work differently or not be available, since this mode is designed to manually adjust exposure and focus, while retaining the native matrix format.

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Save the originals at 4:3 even for social media. Better to take a picture at maximum resolution of 4:3, and then crop it in the gallery to the size of stories or posts, than to permanently lose part of the image when shooting at 16:9.

Use of the Full Screen mode

The mode, which Xiaomi menus may call "Full screen" or 18:9/20:9 ratios, is designed to fill the entire display without black fields.It's convenient to watch a slideshow on your phone, but has its own technical features that are worth knowing.

When this mode is activated, the viewfinder shows a picture without fields, and the final file is saved in this form. This means that the composition of the frame changes: objects at the edges (top and bottom) will be cut off. If you shoot a document or text, make sure that important parts do not fall into the cropping area.

It is worth noting that on devices with bangs or a camera cutout in the screen, the full screen mode can further mask these interface elements, creating the illusion of perfect immersion.

Solving the black stripes problem

Sometimes users complain that even after setting up, black bars remain, which may be due to the fact that the gallery has a viewing mode that retains the original proportions. Check the display settings in the Gallery app.

Another reason is the use of third-party camera apps, and if you have installed Google Camera (GCam) or another app from the Play Market, its settings are independent of Xiaomi's system camera, and in these applications you need to look for aspect settings in your own menu, often hidden under a swipe up or down the viewfinder.

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The black bars on the sides in 4:3 mode are not a defect, but the preservation of the full area of the frame. By removing them by going to 16:9, you sacrifice part of the image to fill the screen.

The problem may also be the design theme: some third-party themes for MIUI can change the camera interface by hiding important buttons or changing their location. If you can't find the switch, try temporarily turning on a standard theme in the system settings.

The effect of zoom on screen filling

Often, users try to take a full-screen photo simply by zooming in with their fingers, which activates digital zoom, which is essentially a simple magnification of the center of the picture. Unlike changing the aspect ratio, zoom always leads to a loss of detail.

Optical zoom (if you have one in your model, like a telephoto lens) changes focal length and doesn't lose quality, but it doesn't change the aspect ratio either. The combination of optical zoom and the right 16:9 format choice will give you the best result for portrait photography, where you need to zoom in a little bit and remove the extra from above and below.

Using Full Screen is equivalent to a lightweight digital zoom (crop) on about the same time 10-15%. So if you want to get a full screen effect, but leave the option to fraternize the photo later, it is better to shoot in the image. 4:3 And you cut it in the editor, and it gives you control of the composition after the fact.

⚠️ Warning: When using Night Mode, the camera is always forced to switch to 4:3 and takes a series of images with different exposures. In this mode, it is technically impossible to take a photo immediately in 16:9 or Full Screen.

Features of work in the mode of Profi

For advanced users using Pro mode, it is important to know that there are different rules in this mode, the camera seeks to save the maximum amount of data, so the aspect ratio switch is often locked or hidden.

If you want to get a large-format image in manual mode, you have to rely on subsequent processing, shoot in RAW (if supported), which is also 4:3, and do the framing in editors like Lightroom or the built-in editor Xiaomi, which will ensure the best quality of the final image.

However, even in Pro Pro mode, you can visually evaluate the composition for 16:9 by turning on the framing grid. In the camera settings, find the Grid item and select the 3x3 option or the Golden Ratio, which will help you position the object so that it looks harmonious in future cropping.