How to make a camera on Xiaomi as on iPhone: from settings to post-processing

Why do iPhone and Xiaomi photos look different?

Photos from iPhone and Xiaomi often differ even under the same shooting conditions — and it’s not just about hardware. Apple uses aggressive processing with an emphasis on natural skin tones, warm shades and soft shadows, while Xiaomi tradition relies on high detail, contrast and saturated colors. The difference is noticeable already at the firmware level: algorithms for noise reduction, white balance and HDR work differently.

But that doesn’t mean your Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Xiaomi 13 Ultra isn’t capable of delivering iPhone shots, but the secret lies in the combination of the right camera settings, post-processing, and even physical shooting techniques. In this article, we’ll look at everything from simple (color profile change) to advanced (manual calibration via GCam and Lightroom).

It's important to understand that it's impossible to completely repeat the processing of the iPhone on Android due to the closedness of Apple's algorithms, but it's possible to get closer to 80-90%. The main thing is not to chase the "perfect" result, but to adapt the style to your tasks.

1. Customize the standard Xiaomi camera to the style of the iPhone

To start with, the basic settings are out of the box, and most users don't even realize that the MIUI Camera app has color profiles that mimic different shooting styles, including the one close to the iPhone.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ («Settings») → Photo style (or color profile in new versions) MIUI).
3. Choose Natural or Portrait (depending on the model), which reduces saturation and increases heat, like Apple.

Further, turn off:

• 🔄 AI-Improvement of the scene (artificially overstates contrast)
• 🌈 Improved color (makes the shades unnatural)
• ⚡ HDR automatically (online) HDR always)

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If your model does not have a Photo Style option, upgrade the Camera app via Google Play or install a modified version (e.g., ANX Camera for older devices).

2. GCam installation: Google ported camera with processing like on iPhone

GCam (Google Camera) is a modified camera app from Pixel that many Xiaomi users use to improve the quality of their shots. Some versions of GCam have built-in profiles that mimic the style of the iPhone (such as the iPhone SE 2020 or iPhone 13 Pro).

How to determine:

1. Download the appropriate version of GCam for your model (e.g. BSG GCam or Nikita GCam) from the 4PDA or XDA Developers forum.
2. Install. APK-file (allow installation from unknown sources in security settings).
3. In GCam settings, find the Lib Patcher → select your iPhone-like or Natural profile.
4. Activate HDR+ Enhanced and disable Sabre (it adds unnecessary sharpness).

The advantages of GCam:

• 📸 Best detail in shadows (like the iPhone)
• 🎨 More natural color reproduction
• 🌓 Improved Night Mode (Night Sight)

3. Manual camera settings: exposure, white balance, focus

Even with a GCam or standard camera, you can improve frames by manually controlling key settings. iPhone is known for slightly underexposure (at 0.3–0.7 EV) to keep details in the lights. Xiaomi often has a default relight.

How to set it up manually:

1. Exposure: In the camera app, tap the screen to give you a brightness slider, and move it to -0.5 or -0.7 for a more iPhone-like look.
2. White Balance: Choose Cloud or Shadow presets – this will add warmth (like an iPhone).
3. Focus: Use AF Lock (AF Lock) to avoid accidental refocusing.

For advanced users:

• 📏 Install the Manual Camera or ProCam X app for full control ISO, shutter-and-diaphragm.
• 🎞️ Take it down. RAW (if supported) for subsequent processing.

- Set the exposure at -0.5 EV

- Select the white balance "Cloud"

- Shut down. AI-improvement

- Always turn on HDR

- Block autofocus-->

4 Post-processing: how to take a photo with Xiaomi as on the iPhone in Lightroom

Even a perfectly shot shot shot can be brought to the “iPhone” view using Adobe Lightroom (free version available on Google Play).

• 🔴 Warm tones (especially on the skin)
• 🌫️ Soft shadows (without hard contrasts)
• 🟡 Slightly muted colors (without oversaturation)

Step-by-step instructions for Lightroom:

1. Import photos and select the Color tool.
2. In the Mixing of colors section, reduce the saturation of red and orange by -15 (this will remove the non-natural blush).
3. Then, light the lights and light the lights, and light the lights.
4. Add Vignetting (+10) to the center.
5. Use the iPhone-like preset (you can download it for free on Vsco or PresetLove).

Example of settings for the portrait:

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The main thing in post-processing is not to overdo it. iPhone is known for minimalist editing, so avoid excessive sharpness and contrast.

5. Physical shooting techniques: how to hold the phone and choose the angle

The quality of the photo depends not only on the software, but also on how you hold the phone. iPhone traditionally shoots with a wider dynamic range thanks to multi-frame HDR, but on Xiaomi you can compensate for this with the right approach:

Shooting tips:

• 📱 Keep your phone horizontal (even for vertical photos) – this is how stabilization works better.
• 🌞 Shoot against the sun, but not at close range: place the object so that the light falls at an angle of 45°.
• 👤 For portraits, use a 16-24 mm front camera (in GCam, you can choose focal length).
• 🚫 Avoid zoom - better get closer or cut the frame later.

Example: if you're photographing food, hold your phone 20 to 30 cm to your plate and tilt it slightly (~10° angle), which mimics the effect of an iPhone, where the objects in the center look larger.

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For indoor photography, use an external light source (such as an annular lamp) with a color temperature of 4,000–5000K. This will eliminate the yellow tint characteristic of Xiaomi images in artificial lighting.

6.Comparison of results: Xiaomi vs iPhone before and after settings

To see the difference, take a look at the examples below (the images are taken on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro in the same conditions):

The bottom line: after all the methods (GCam + Lightroom + manual settings) are applied, the difference is reduced to 10-15%, the main differences remain in the detail of small objects (the iPhone is better thanks to the A16 Bionic processor) and color stability (Xiaomi can “float” white balance when changing lighting).

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No setup can replace good optics. If you are critically interested in photo quality, consider Xiaomi models with Leica waterers (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), where color reproduction is initially closer to the iPhone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up Xiaomi camera for iPhone

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If you often shoot in the same style (for example, portraits), create a custom preset in Lightroom and apply it in one click.

⚠️ Note: Not all versions of the GCam are compatible with new Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi 14). 4PDA Or in a telegram chat GCam Lovers.

⚠️ Attention: When shooting in RAW Files take up 3-5 times more space than JPEG. Make sure your phone has enough memory, or use cloud storage (e.g. Google Photos with Original Quality feature).