How to make a GIF on Xiaomi: all the ways from screen to PC

Creating GIFs on Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco smartphones seems like a simple task, as long as you don’t face the limitations of standard tools. Unlike iPhone or Samsung, where the video to GIF feature is built into the gallery, owners of MIUI devices often have to look for workarounds. But that doesn’t mean that the process is complicated — you just need to know the nuances.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including hidden MIUI features, third-party apps, and even methods using a PC. You will learn how to make a GIF from a video, screen or photos while maintaining acceptable quality. And also why some methods work only on certain models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro vs Redmi Note 10) and how to circumvent these limitations.

1. Standard method: screen recording + gallery conversion

The most obvious, but not the most reliable method is to use built-in screen recording and then convert it to GIF. It works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, but has critical drawbacks: duration limitation (maximum 10 seconds) and strong quality compression.

How to do this:

1. Open the Quick Settings panel and find the Screen Record icon (if not, add through the panel editing).
2. Start the recording, perform the necessary actions on the screen, then stop it.
3. Open Gallery → Albums → Screen recordings, select video and tap Edit → GIF.
4. Cut the fragment (maximum 10 seconds!) and save it.

⚠️ Attention: On Poco models F3 redmi K40 convertibility GIF It may be missing because of customized firmware. №3.

The advantage of this method is that you don't need to install additional applications.

• 🔴 Duration limit (10 seconds).
• 🔴 Severe deterioration of quality (permission is reduced to 480×270).
• 🔴 There's no way to set up FPS (10 frames/sec automatically set).

2. Hidden MIUI function: GIF from photos in the gallery

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden ability to create gifs from a series of photos, which is ideal for animations like stop-motion or when you need to combine several frames in a short cycle, works on all devices, including the Xiaomi Mi 11 and Redmi Note 12.

Instructions:

1. Take a series of photos (minimum 3, maximum 50) at a small interval.
2. Open the gallery. → Albums. → Recent.
3. Select the desired photos, tap More (three dots) → Create a GIF.
4. Set up the playback speed (from 0.5x to 2x) and save.

Features of the method:

• 🟢 Maintains permission until 1080×1920 (depends on the original photo).
• 🟢 You can adjust the speed of animation.
• 🔴 Not suitable for video, only for static images.
• 🔴 Maximum length of the gif - 15 seconds.

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If you're taking a stop motion photograph, use a tripod or a stable surface, and even a slight shift in the frame will spoil the smoothness of the animation.

3. Applications for creating gifs: top-3 Xiaomi

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, third-party apps come to the rescue, and we tested dozens of options and selected the three most reliable ones that don't overload the system or show annoying ads.

Which one to choose? If you want maximum quality, GIF Maker. If you want to create quickly with effects, GIPHY CAM. If the length of the gif is important (for example, for memes), ImgPlay.

Cutting off unnecessary fragments|Reduce the permit to 1080p (if 4K)|Select the key moment (maximum) 15-20 sack)|Turn off the sound (GIF He doesn't support it)|Check the lighting (dark frames lose details)-->

4.Gifting through PC: When the phone can't handle

If you need a high-quality GIF (for example, for a presentation or social networks), it is better to use desktop tools, especially for owners of Xiaomi with 108 MP or 200 MP cameras - when converting on the phone, too much detail is lost.

The best PC programs:

• 🖥️ Adobe Photoshop is ideal for professional processing (instruction: File) → Imports → Video footage in layers).
• 🖥️ ScreenToGif – free utility with support for screen recording and editing.
• 🖥️ FFmpeg – for advanced users (conversion command: ffmpeg) -i input.mp4 -vf "fps=15,scale=800:-1" output.gif).

How to transfer video from Xiaomi to PC without loss of quality:

1. Connect your phone over USB in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the video into a folder on your computer (don’t use cloud services – they compress files!).
3. Open the video in the selected program and export to GIF.

⚠️ Note: When using FFmpeg, keep an eye out for the scale setting. If you specify too high a resolution (for example, 1920:-1), the GIF will turn out to be huge in weight and may not open in messengers.

5. Secret Method: GIFs from Live Photos (for Xiaomi with MIUI 14+)

On devices with MIUI 14 and later (for example, Xiaomi 13T or Redmi K60) there is a hidden function of converting Live Photos to GIF. This method is almost unknown, but allows you to create smooth animations with the effect of “live photography”.

How it works:

1. Make Live Photo (enable the mode in the camera settings: Settings → Additional → Live Photo).
2. Open the photo in the gallery.
3. Slip on the Share icon → Save as GIF.
4. The Gif will be preserved in a separate Animation album.

Advantages:

• 🟢 The movement is smooth (due to high traffic) FPS).
• 🟢 Permission before 1080×1920.
• 🟢 There are no restrictions on duration (unlike screen recording).

Limitations:

• 🔴 It only works on MIUI 14+.
• 🔴 Live Photo takes up a lot of space (around) 5-10 MB on frame).

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

In order not to waste time trying all the methods, use this table:

For most tasks, the second or third way is enough. If you want the best quality, use a PC. For fast memes, screen recording is good.

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On devices with MIUI 13 and older, it is better to give preference to third-party applications – they give more control over the final result.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced Xiaomi users have problems creating GIFs, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions:

1. The GIF is jerky. The reason is that the FPS is too low (less than 10 frames/sec). Solution: Use applications where you can manually set 15-20 FPS.
2. Colors are distorted. The reason is RGB565 instead of RGB8. Solution: In the export settings, select Maximum Quality.
3. The Gif is not sent to Telegram/WhatsApp. Reason: the weight limit (usually 5-10 MB) is exceeded. Solution: reduce the resolution to 800×600 or shorten the duration.
4. Artifacts appear on the gif. The reason is: strong compression during conversion. Solution: use FFmpeg with -q:v 1 (minimum compression).

If the gif still does not work, check:

• 🔹 Is there enough space on the phone (needs at least 500 MB of free space).
• 🔹 Is the firmware updated (in older versions) MIUI may be missing functions).
• 🔹 Is the energy saving mode on (it limits productivity).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions