How to take “live photos” on Xiaomi: a complete guide with tips

Live Photos on Xiaomi smartphones is a unique feature that allows you to capture not only a static frame, but also a few seconds of movement before and after shooting. These images transform ordinary photos into mini-video pictures, adding emotion and dynamics, but not all users know how to activate this mode, which models support the function, and how to work with the resulting files.

In this article, we’ll take you through how to take live photos on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco, from basic settings to advanced editing techniques, which models support Live Photos, how to turn on mode in a standard camera app, and what to do if the feature is missing, and we’ll also reveal the secrets of how to save live photos in their original quality and share them with friends without losing animation.

Which Xiaomi models support live photos?

Live Photos is not available on all Xiaomi smartphones, but depends on the firmware version. MIUI, And the camera hardware and even the regional settings, these are the key points to consider:

• 📱 Flagship models: Xiaomi 13/14 Pro, Mi 11 Ultra, Mix Fold 2/3 — Support Live Photos “out of the box” MIUI 12 newer.
• 💰 Mid-segment: Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Poco F5 Pro, Xiaomi 12T — The function may require manual inclusion in settings.
• ⚠️ Budget models: Redmi 10A, Poco M5 — Live Photos are often deprived due to a weak processor or older version. MIUI.
• 🔄 Firmware Update: On some devices (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro) the feature appears after upgrading to MIUI 14.

To find out if your smartphone supports live photos, check the version. MIUI In Settings → The phone, if you have one. MIUI 13 or later, the odds are high, and you can also search the camera settings, type in "Live" or "Live Photos».

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi) A3 With pure Android, Live Photos can be called Motion Photos and work differently.

How to enable Live Photos in a standard Xiaomi camera

If your model supports live photos, you can activate the mode directly in the camera app. Here is a step-by-step instruction:

1. Open the Camera app on your Xiaomi.
2. Switch to Photo Mode (Regular Shooting).
3. In the top toolbar, find the Live icon (or Live Photos) – it looks like concentric circles or a playback icon.
4. Touch the icon to activate the mode. The icon should be illuminated in yellow or blue.
5. Take a picture as usual – now a 3-second video clip will be attached to the photo.

On some models (such as Xiaomi 13 Lite), the Live Photos icon can be hidden behind an additional menu.

1. Press three points (⋮) or arrow up in the camera interface.
2. In the drop-down menu, find the item “More” or “More”.
3. Activate the Live Photos switch.

Enable Live mode in the camera

Check the vacant space (1 Live photo ≈ 10-15 MB)

Turn off battery savings for the Camera app

Make sure the subject is moving (for better effect)-->

If the Live Photos icon isn't available at all, it's possible that the feature is disabled in the system settings to return it:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Camera. → Permits.
2. Make sure the app has access to storage and microphone (required to record audio in Live Photos).
3. Go back to the camera settings and check the Live Photos item. → Turn on.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g., Chinese version) MIUI Xiaomi 12) Live Photos can be blocked, in which case it will help to change the region to Global or EEA.

How to take a live photo if the camera is not equipped

If your Xiaomi doesn't support Live Photos natively, don't despair! there are a few workarounds:

• 📱 Third-party apps: Install Google Camera (GCam) with Motion Photos or Focos support (for iPhone-like live photos).
• 🎥 Video recording + Frame extraction: Take a short video and then use CapCut or InShot to save a separate frame with animation.
• 🔄 Firmware Update: Check for Updates in Settings → System update. Sometimes Live Photos come up after you upgrade to a new version. MIUI.
• 🛠️ Modified firmware: Installing custom firmware (like Pixel Experience) can add Motion Photos support, but it’s risky for beginners.

The most reliable way to do this is to use Google Camera.

1. Download the compatible version of GCam for your model (for example, from the Celso Azevedo website).
2. Install. APK-file by allowing installation from unknown sources.
3. Open Google Camera, go to Settings (swipe down) and find Motion Photos.
4. Activate the feature and take a picture – now you will have the equivalent of Google’s Live Photos.

If you prefer not to install third-party apps, you can go another way:

1. Take a short video (3-5 seconds) in resolution 1080p.
2. Use the CapCut or VivaVideo app to extract one frame and add animation from the video to it.
3. Save the result in.mov or.mp4 Low bitrate – this mimics Live Photo.

How to view and edit live photos on Xiaomi

Live photos are saved in the gallery as normal images, but with a "Live" or playback icon to view them:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Find a photo with the Live icon (usually in the upper right corner of the thumbnail).
3. Touch the picture and hold your finger on the screen – the animation will start playing.
4. To turn on the sound, click on the speaker icon (if any).

For editing live photos in the standard gallery Xiaomi available basic tools:

• ✂️ Cutting: You can change frame boundaries, but animation will only remain for the visible area.
• 🎨 Filters: Applicable to all Live Photos, including video.
• 🔊 Disconnecting the sound: You can remove the audio track from the editing menu.
• 📱 Export: Keeping a live photo as a video (.mp4) or static image (.jpg).

For advanced editing, use third-party apps:

• Lively (Android) – allows you to crop a video fragment, add effects and convert Live Photos to GIF.

💡

If live photos are played in jerks, try converting them to video via Lively with setting 30 FPS — It'll smooth the animation.

To save the original photo in its original quality:

1. Open the photo in the gallery.
2. Press More (⋮) → Save as video.
3. Select permission. 1080p (if available) and format.mp4.

How to share live photos with friends without losing animation

The main problem with Live Photos is that many instant messengers and social networks do not support the format, when sent via WhatsApp or WhatsApp. VK The animation is lost, and the recipient sees only a static frame:

• 📤 Export as a video: Convert Live Photo to a Video before sending.mp4 gallery-side.
• ☁️ Cloud Services: Upload a file to Google Photos or Mi Cloud and share a link.
• 📱 Specialized apps: Use Telegram (supports Live Photos in its original form) or iMessage (if the recipient has an iPhone).
• 🌐 Supported social networks: Facebook and Instagram allow you to upload Live Photos as “moving photos” (you need to choose the option when posting).

Step-by-step instructions for Telegram:

1. Open a live photo in the gallery.
2. Press Share. → Telegram.
3. Select the chat and send the file as a “Document” (not a photo) – so the animation will be saved.

For Google Photos:

1. Upload Live Photo to the album.
2. Open the photo in the web version of Google Photos.
3. Press Share. → Link up.
4. Copy the link and send it to the recipient – they will be able to view the animation in the browser.

⚠️ Note: When you send Live Photos via Viber or WhatsApp, the animation is lost even if you send the file as a video!

💡

The best way to share Live Photos without loss is to upload them to Google Photos or send them via Telegram as a document.

Frequent problems with live photos on Xiaomi and their solutions

Users often face difficulties with Live Photos, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If the live photos stopped working after the update MIUI, Try the following steps:

1. Reboot your smartphone.
2. Clear the Camera app cache in Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse.
3. Check if the feature is disabled in the camera settings → Additionally. → Live photos.
4. If nothing helps, go back to the previous version. MIUI (Only for experienced users!).

On some models (such as Xiaomi 12 Lite), Live Photos can record latency audio. MIUI. To correct:

• Use an external microphone (if supported).
• Turn off the sound recording in the Live Photos settings.
• Record the sound separately and overlay it in the editor.

Xiaomi Live Photos Alternatives: What to Use Instead

If your smartphone doesn’t support Live Photos or you want more features, consider alternative formats:

• 🎬 Motion Photos: Analogue from Google, available in Google Camera, captures 3 seconds of video before and after shooting.
• 🖼️ GIF-Animation: You can create a video from a video GIPHY or ImgPlay.
• 📹 Short video effects: Apps like TikTok or CapCut allow you to add motion to static frames.
• 🔍 Photo with depth (Portait Mode): Not animated, but with the effect of background blur - suitable for portraits.

Comparison of formats:

If you want maximum compatibility, the best choice is to convert Live Photos to video.

1. Open a live photo in the gallery.
2. Press More. → Save as video.
3. Select permission. 720p or 1080p (The higher the quality, but the more weight the file).

💡

To create live photos on older Xiaomi models (like the Redmi Note 9), use Google’s Motion Stills app, which lets you record short videos and save them in a format similar to Live Photos.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions about Live Photos on Xiaomi