Are you standing in front of a mirror or in a scenic landscape, wanting to capture a moment, but there is no selfie stick at hand? Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, Poco and Mi lines) offer a lot of hidden opportunities for shooting without additional accessories. In this article, 7 proven ways to take a selfie on Xiaomi with one hand using built-in MIUI functions, gestures, voice commands and even a smart watch.
We're going to look at not only standard tools like a timer, but also little-known things like how to activate a cotton shot or use Google Assistant to control the camera, and also a feature-compatibility chart with different models and answers to frequent questions about why selfies are blurry or with the wrong white balance. Ready to learn how to take a professional picture of yourself without the extra gadgets?
1. Camera timer: how to set a delay and have time to prepare
The most reliable way to take a selfie without a stick is the built-in timer in the Camera app, which is on all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the model, but the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 have slightly changed the interface.
- 📱 Open the Camera app and switch to the front camera (swipe down or tap on the camera switch icon).
- ⏱️ Click on the timer icon (watch in the top panel) in Redmi Note 12 and later, it is hidden under the "More" menu (three dots).
- 🔢 Choose the delay: 3 seconds, 5 seconds or 10 seconds.
- 📸 Press the down button and quickly take the position. The countdown will appear on the screen.
Advice for Xiaomi 13 Pro and flagships with Leica optics: if selfies turn out dark, before shooting, touch the screen in the face area - so the camera will adjust the exposure. And in models with 108 MP front camera (for example, Mi 11 Ultra), you can turn on the Portrait mode to blur the background even before shooting.
Make sure there are no foreign objects in front of the camera.|
Turn off HDR if shooting in a dark room |
Check that there are no glares from the sun on your face |
Put your smartphone on a stable surface or hide it in the wall
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Pitfall: On some models (e.g. Poco X5), the timer is reset after the camera app is closed, so that you don't reset it, lock the screen with the power button before shooting, so the settings will be saved.
2 Voice commands: how to take a photo of yourself in voice
If you're busy or want to take a selfie from an unusual angle, use voice control. There are two ways to do this at Xiaomi:
- Built-in function MIUI (It works on most models): 🎤 Open the camera. → Settings (cogs) → Voice control. 🔊 Turn on the switch and select the language (Russian, English, Chinese available). 🗣️ Say to one of the commands: Cheese!, Smile! or Take it off! – the camera will take a picture in 3 seconds.
Google Assistant
- 🤖 Activate the assistant with a voice: OK, Google, take a selfie.
- 📱 Or press and hold the Home button (on models with touch button).
- 📷 Select to take a selfie in the menu that appears.
On the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, you can also view the latest shot directly on the watch screen without coming to the phone.
⚠️ Warning: If the camera doesn't respond to commands from the clock, check that the Mi Fitness settings allow access to Camera and Storage. On Android 13+ These permissions may be reset after updates.
5. Use of a tripod or improvised means
Even without a selfie stick, you can lock your smartphone in a stable position. Here are some proven life hacks:
- 📦 Book tripod: place the phone vertically between two thick books on the table. Adjust the angle of tilt with a coin or a piece of paper folded down.
- 🪑 Chair or railing: Hide your smartphone in a vertical surface (such as the back of a chair) and lock it with a money band or a paper clip.
- 🧲 Magnetic holder: if there is a metal plate on the back of the phone (like Poco) M5s), attach it to a magnetic surface (refrigerator, metal shelf).
- 🌳 Natural tripod: on the street you can pinch the phone between the branches of a tree or push into stone.
For better stabilization, turn on Sustainable Shooting (on the Xiaomi 13T and later) in your camera settings, which reduces hand shaking if you still hold your phone in your hands.
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If you're shooting in a dark room, use Night Mode with a timer. On the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, it automatically turns on in low light, but on budget models, it needs to be manually activated (the moon icon in the top panel).
6.Shoot modes for the perfect selfie without a stick
To make a selfie look sharp and beautiful, you don't just press a button.
- 🌟 Portrait mode: blurs the background, highlighting the face. f/1.9 Or a portrait. 12S Ultra can be adjusted to blur after shooting.
- 🌙 Night mode: lights up dark footage without noise, activates automatically or manually (moon icon) and works on the Redmi Note 11 Pro even on the front camera.
- 🎨 Beauty: smooths skin and adjusts features. Adjust the intensity in the Beauty menu (0 to 100). F4 Have a separate slider for the eyes and lips.
- 🔄 Mirror selfie: mirrors the image, like in a mirror, turns on in camera settings (Mirror mode) and is useful for checking hairstyles or makeup.
On dual-front camera models (such as the Mi 11 Lite), you can switch between the main and wide-angle modules. The wide-angle (0.8x) is suitable for group selfies, but distorts the edges of the frame - keep the phone farther from your face.
How to take a selfie with the effect of the “golden hour”
7 Post-processing: How to fix failed selfies
Even if the selfie is not perfect, it can be improved directly on the Xiaomi smartphone:
- 📊 Xiaomi Gallery: Open the photo → Edit → Correction. Use Lightening, Contrast and Saturation tools. Select Retouch to remove skin defects. → Remove the stains.
- 🎨 Snapseed (for advanced processing): Selective correction tool - lightens only the face without touching the background. Perspective - corrects the curvature if the phone has been tilted.
Xiaomi 13 Lite and models with AI-The camera in the gallery has a function AI-A retouch that automatically enhances portraits, removing red eyes, smoothing wrinkles, and even adjusting posture. → AI-retouch → select intensity.
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The most common mistake when taking a selfie without a stick is taking close-up shots: hold your phone on your outstretched arm or use a timer from a distance of 50 to 70 cm to avoid facial distortion (the fish-eye effect).