How to take high-quality photos on a Xiaomi smartphone: the full guide 2026

Xiaomi smartphones have long ceased to be just a budget alternative to flagships – their cameras in shooting quality confidently compete with the top models of Samsung and Apple. But even the most advanced sensor at 200 MP will not save a photo if you do not know the basic rules of composition, lighting and settings. In this article, we will analyze the unique chips of Xiaomi cameras (including hidden modes MIUI 15), which the manufacturer does not advertise in the official instructions, but which will dramatically improve your shots.

You’ll learn how to get around the limitations of software processing (such as excessive skin smoothing in portrait mode), what Pro mode settings give you the most detail, and why photos on the Xiaomi 14 Ultra and the budget Redmi Note 13 can be made equally impressive with the right approach, and also reveal the secrets of post-processing in the standard Gallery app, which 90% of users do not even know.

1. Preparation of the smartphone: cleaning the lenses and software update

Before we talk about creativity, we need to eliminate technical hindrances. Dirty lenses cause 70 percent of blurry photos on smartphones. Even microscopic dust particles on a wide-angle module create glare, and fingerprints on the main camera reduce contrast.

• 🧴 Use a microfiber wipe (as for glasses) with a drop of distilled water. Alcohol wipes destroy the anti-reflective coating.
• 🔍 Check the flash – its contamination changes the color temperature of the images.
• 📱 To remove fat spots from the body around the camera isopropyl alcohol 70% suitable (apply on a napkin, not on the phone!).

The second critical aspect is the firmware version, where MIUI 14/15 has significantly redesigned photo processing algorithms, especially for night photography. For example, Xiaomi 13T Pro, after upgrading to MIUI 15.1.2, has Dolby Vision HDR mode, which was previously only in flagships. How to check the relevance of the software:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Compare the version with the latest releases on the official Xiaomi website.
3. If the update is available, install it via Wi-Fi (not mobile internet!).

⚠️ Note: After major updates MIUI Custom camera settings are reset. Be sure to check the settings Photo resolution and aspect ratio in the Camera app menu!

2. Basic camera settings: what to turn on and what to turn off

Xiaomi's standard camera settings are optimized for the average user, but often this means over-processing. AI-Improvement that aggressively increases saturation and contrast, making the sky unnaturally blue and the skin plastic. Open the Camera app, touch the gear (⚙️) and make those changes:

In newer models (Xiaomi 14, POCO F6 Pro), it works in auto-HDR mode, but sometimes it should be forced to turn on or off:

• 🌅 Turn it on. HDR When shooting against the sun or in high contrast (for example, a portrait in the background of a window).
• 🎭 Turn it off. HDR When shooting moving objects (children, animals) – it increases exposure time.
• 💡 In Night mode HDR It is automatically activated, but it can be adjusted manually by a slider.

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In models with Leica optics (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the Leica Authentic Look section appeared in the camera settings. Turn it on for natural colors without overworking.

3. Shooting Modes: When and How to Use

Xiaomi's Camera app offers more than 20 modes, but 80 percent of users use only Photos and Videos, while even budget models like the Redmi Note 12 support professional features.

📸 Pro-mode: Full control of the shooting

It's the ultimate tool for anyone who wants to make the most of the camera. MIUI 15 Pro mode interface is more intuitive, but some options are still hidden. To open all settings, tap the icon. ⚙️ in the upper right corner and activate:

• 📏 Histogram – shows the distribution of light/shadows in the frame.
• 🎯 Horizon level – helps to avoid distortions.
• 🔄 Manual focusing (MF) — macrography.

The best settings to start with (will be suitable for most scenes):

ISO: 100-400 (day) / 800-1600 (night)


Exposure: 1/500–1/1000 (for static objects)




White balance: Auto (or 5000K for natural light)




Format: RAW+JPEG (if supported)

🌙 Night Mode: How to Shoot in the Dark Without Noise

Xiaomi's nighttime shooting algorithms are some of the best on the market, but they need to be applied correctly. The rule is that the phone must be absolutely motionless. Even microshaking your hands at 2-4 seconds exposure causes blurring.

• 📱 Fix your smartphone on a tripod or hide it in a stable surface.
• ⏱️ Manually set the shutter speed for 3-5 seconds (in Pro-mode).
• 🔦 If you are shooting with your hands, turn on Ultra Night Mode (available in Xiaomi) 13/14 and POCO F5 Pro).

⚠️ Note: In the night mode, Xiaomi automatically increases ISO You can limit it to 3200-6,400, which can create noise. ISO 1600 and increase the shutter speed.

4. Composition and lighting: rules that always work

The technical part is only half the success, and even with the perfect settings, bad composition will ruin the shot. Xiaomi has built-in tools to help you follow the rules of photography:

• 📐 Grid. 3×3 (Included in camera settings – place key objects at the intersection of lines.
• 🔄 Horizon level – avoid sloping lines (especially important for architecture).
• 🎨 Live filters mode – shows previews with different color profiles in real time.

Lighting is the most difficult aspect of mobile photography. Here are the 3 golden rules for Xiaomi smartphones:

1. Avoid contramotive light (when the light source is behind the object). If you want to remove the silhouette, use HDR or manual exposure.
2. Use reflected light, for example, for a portrait on a sunny day, put the model in the shade, but so that the face is illuminated by the reflection from the wall or asphalt.
3. Shoot at the "golden hour" (the first hour after sunrise or before sunset), during which time Xiaomi automatically activates the optimization of warm colors.

To capture products or small objects in the room, use an additional light source. You don't have to buy a softbox - a desk lamp with a white lampshade or even a screen of another smartphone with a white background on will do.

Set maximum permit|Clear the lenses.|Shut down. AI-improvement|Turn on the grid. 3×3|Check the lighting.-->

5. Secrets of portrait mode: how to avoid the "plastic" effect

Portrait mode in Xiaomi is famous for its good background blur (boke), but often overdoses with smoothing the skin and distorts colors.

1. Open Portrait Mode and tap the icon ⚙️.
2. Turn off the beauty (or set to 0%).
3. Include Natural Skin Color (available in MIUI 14+)
4. For the best bokeh, step back from the model by 1.5-2 meters.

If you need to blur the background on an already taken photo, use the built-in editor in the Gallery:

1. Open the photo → edit → Portrait.
2. Adjust the intensity of the blur with a slider.
3. If the contour of the object is blurred inaccurately, use the brush tool for manual adjustment.

For group portraits, it is better to use the main camera (not telephoto!), as it has a wider angle and better copes with the recognition of several faces. In models with Leica optics (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the Leica Portrait mode is available, which mimics the style of classic German lenses.

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For the most natural portrait, shoot in RAW format (if supported), and then process in Lightroom Mobile.

6 Post-processing: how to improve photos in the standard Gallery

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi’s built-in editor is almost as functional as Lightroom. After upgrading to MIUI 15, there are tools that are not available even in some paid applications.

• 🌈 Curves tones (in the Color section) - allow point correction of shadows, light and half-tone.
• 🔍 Local corrections – selective lightening / darkening of photo areas (similar to the brush in Lightroom).
• 🎨 Leica profiles (available in Xiaomi) 13/14) — mimic Leica film M10.

Step-by-step instructions for basic processing:

1. Open the photo in the gallery → Edit.
2. In the Light section, raise the Exposure by +0.3–0.5 and lower the Contrast by -10.
3. In Color, increase Saturation by +5–10, but reduce Skin Shade to -5 (to avoid a reddish hue).
4. In Details, apply the sharpening of +20-30 (no more, otherwise artifacts will appear!).

For black and white photos, use the Leica Monochrome profile (if any) or manually reduce the saturation to -100 and add contrast to +20. To add film noise, increase the Grain in the Effects section.

7. hidden camera chips Xiaomi you didn't know about

Xiaomi hides some features deep in the settings or only activates them through the codes of the engineering menu.

For models with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (e.g. Xiaomi 13, POCO F5 Pro), 8K Video hidden mode is available, which does not appear in the main menu.

1. Open the Camera app.


2. Go to Video Mode.




3. Tap the settings icon (⚙️) 5 times in a row.




4. The Lab menu will appear with the 8K 24fps option.

⚠️ Attention: Shooting in 8K This mode is only used at ambient temperatures below 25.°C, otherwise the phone may crash.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions