How to make a camera on the full screen Xiaomi: remove black stripes

Owners of modern Xiaomi smartphones often face a situation when the camera application is launched, the image does not occupy the entire display area. Instead, black stripes appear on the sides or on top and bottom, which visually reduce the viewfinder workspace, this is not a matrix defect or firmware error, but only a feature of the software processing of the image in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS.

Developers leave these fields to accommodate interface controls such as zoom buttons, mode switches and settings. However, for many users, it is important to see the maximum available frame space, especially when shooting with a wide-angle lens or in conditions where every pixel of view is important. In this article, we will examine whether it is possible to forcely stretch the interface and what alternative solutions exist to expand the field of view.

It is worth noting that completely remove the black bars in the standard application without losing the functionality of the control buttons, however, there are proven methods of adjusting the aspect ratio that allow you to maximize the use of the screen area of your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO.

⚠️ Attention: Forced image stretching by software can distort the proportions of objects at the edges of the frame. Use advanced settings only when viewing is more important than the geometry of the image.

The Nature of Black Bars in Camera Interface

The appearance of darkened zones at the edges of the screen is due to the difference between the physical resolution of the camera matrix and the resolution of the smartphone display. Xiaomi screens today often have elongated proportions, such as 20:9 or 21:9, while camera matrixes are traditionally shot in 4:3 or 16:9 formats. The system automatically scales the image to maintain the correct proportions, adding fields.

In addition, the MIUI shell interface is designed to keep controls from overlaid on important parts of the frame, and zoom buttons, flashes and galleries occupy a certain space, and the operating system reserves an area for them that the user sees as a black zone, which is especially noticeable in horizontal video or photo shooting.

It's important to understand that the quality of the image itself is not dependent on whether you see black bars or not. The file is saved in full resolution, available for the selected mode. Visual design of the viewfinder is only a matter of convenience and ergonomics of the interface.

Some users mistakenly believe that the bands are due to the enabled eye protection feature or dark theme. Although these settings affect the color gamut, they do not change the geometry of the viewfinder display. The real solution lies in the aspect ratio settings and the shooting resolution.

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Use a viewfinder in horizontal orientation to estimate the real frame boundaries – in this position, the bands often become less noticeable or disappear completely.

Setting up the aspect ratio in a standard application

The first and most secure way to change the display of a picture is to use built-in proportions settings. Xiaomi’s standard camera app allows you to switch between 4:3, 16:9 and sometimes 18:9 or Full formats, which directly affects how the image is placed on the screen.

To change the settings, you need to run the Camera app and find an icon on the top menu (or drop-down list, depending on the version of MIUI) that indicates the current aspect ratio, which usually looks like 4:3 or HD.

The 16:9 mode often allows you to take up more space on the elongated screens of modern smartphones, reducing the black fields at the top and bottom. However, it is worth remembering that in this mode, the camera simply cuts the upper and lower parts of the frame, which it would shoot in 4:3 mode.

• 📸 4:3 mode – uses the entire matrix area, provides maximum resolution, but leaves large margins on wide screens.
• 🎥 16:9 mode – perfect for watching on TVs and monitors, fills more space on the smartphone screen, but crops the image.
• 📱 Regime. Full/Full – stretches the picture to the full screen, but can distort objects around the edges (available not on all models).

Experiment with these settings before an important shoot to see which format is best for your tasks. 16:9 is often better for landscapes, and a classic 4:3 is better for group photos or architecture.

Using Full Screen Mode in Settings

Some versions of HyperOS firmware and new MIUI updates have introduced an option that allows you to force the viewfinder to the entire display area, which can be called "Stretch to the full screen" or "Full screen view," which ignores standard proportions and fills all available pixels.

To find this setting, go to the camera menu, click on the three bars in the corner of the screen and select Settings (cog icon). In the list that opens, look for the item associated with Viewfinder aspect ratio or Display. If such item is present, activate it.

Activating this mode will cause the interface to ignore the black fields, but here lies an important caveat: software stretching can cause the control buttons to move outside the visible zone or overlap with the image, in which case the interface becomes less convenient.

⚠️ Note: On models with a cutout in the screen (camera hole), the inclusion of full screen mode can lead to the fact that part of the viewfinder will be hidden under the speaker or front camera.

If the standard system means to achieve the desired result failed, you can resort to more advanced methods through the developer menu or third-party applications, but this requires caution.

Alternative applications for shooting

When a standard application does not meet the display requirements, installing third-party software is a great solution. Third-party cameras often have more flexible interface settings and allow you to completely remove black bars using the capabilities of the Android API.

One of the best solutions for Xiaomi owners is the Open Camera app, which is a completely free, open source tool that provides detailed control over shooting options. In the Open Camera settings, you can select the “Preview size” option and set the “Match screen size” value, which stretches the viewfinder to the entire screen.

Another popular option is the Google Camera (GCam) in ported versions. Mods from enthusiasts often lack the visual limitations of stock firmware and offer a clean interface without unnecessary bezels. Installing GCam requires finding a specific version for your CPU model, but the result is often worth it.

• 📲 Open Camera – maximum flexibility of interface settings, support for manual modes, no advertising.
• 📷 Google Camera – an improved algorithm HDR, night mode and natural color reproduction, the interface is adapted for the screen.
• 🎞️ ProCam X – a professional interface that allows you to hide controls for a clean view of the frame.

Using alternative software is the best way to get around the manufacturer’s software limitations without having to get root rights or flash the device.

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Installing Google Camera (GCam) is the most effective way to get a quality full-screen viewfinder and improve the overall quality of photos on Xiaomi.

Comparison of display modes and their influence on the photo

Understanding the difference between display modes is critical to getting the result: users often confuse “screen view” and “real file size.” Below is a table that will help you understand the differences between the main modes available on Xiaomi devices.

As you can see from the table, maximum screen filling doesn't always mean better quality. Full Screen stretching can make the picture less sharp at the edges due to pixel interpolation.

If your goal is video shooting, then the choice of 16:9 or 1080p/4K mode will automatically configure the viewfinder for the video format, removing unnecessary fields that will not fall into the final video.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

To sum up, there are several ways to make a full-screen camera on Xiaomi. The most technically correct way is to choose the right 16:9 aspect ratio in the app settings. For more advanced users, the best solution is to install alternative software like GCam, which gives full control over the interface and image quality.