Scanning on Xiaomi: from QR- codes to multi-page documents

The scanner on Xiaomi’s smartphone is not just a camera with text recognition. The brand’s modern devices (from budget Redmi to flagship Xiaomi 14) are equipped with specialized algorithms that convert the phone into a full-fledged office scanner. But how do you tap into that potential 100 percent? Many users limit themselves to the basic functionality, without even knowing that you can scan two-way documents in one go, automatically align perspective, or recognize text at 50.+ language.

In this article, we will analyze all available methods - from built-in tools. MIUI to professional applications with OCR (We will focus on hidden settings that improve scan quality by 2-3 times, for example, how to turn off automatic color correction for black and white documents or increase the scan resolution to 1200 DPI (You will also learn why Google Drive scanning sometimes gives better results than specialized programs.

1. Built-in scanner in MIUI: latent

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi has a system scanning tool called Documents, which has a major advantage: it doesn't have to download anything, and it has a quality comparable to third-party applications like CamScanner:

• 📱 It works on all devices with MIUI 12+ (including the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 newer).
• 🔍 Automatically detects the edge of a document and aligns perspective (but sometimes gets it wrong with curved pages).
• 🌐 Supports exports to PDF, JPG and DOCX (The last one is only when you connect to your Mi Account).
• ⚡ Faster third-party applications by 20-30% due to optimization for Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

To activate the scanner:

1. Open the Documents app (if it is not on the home screen, search through the system).
2. Click on the Scanner icon in the lower right corner (camera icon with the document).
3. Point the camera at the document, and the frame will automatically circle the boundaries. To manually adjust, tap the screen and pull the corners.
4. Press the capture button. For multi-page documents, repeat step 3 and save all the pages to a single file.

⚠️ Attention: If the scan is blurry, check the camera settings. → Additionally. → Scan resolution set the value High (300) DPI). On models with a 108 MP main camera (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra) available resolution of 600 DPI.

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Before scanning, wipe the camera lens with a dry napkin - even microscopic dust spots can spoil the clarity of fine text.

Scanning QR-Codes: 3 methods with speed comparison

QR-Codes have become an integral part of everyday life, from menus in cafes to authorization in apps. Xiaomi offers several ways to read them, and they vary greatly in speed and convenience.+ 10 different QR-codes (including damaged and low contrast codes):

The fastest way is the built-in application "Scanner" (icon with the "Scanner") QR-It is pre-installed on all devices with MIUI 13+. To take advantage of it:

1. Open the Scanner app.
2. Put the camera on QR-code – recognition will occur automatically.
3. If the code is not read, turn on the flashlight (the icon in the upper right corner).

For older models (up to) MIUI 12) or if the standard scanner can’t handle corrupted codes, use Google Lens:

1. Open Google Photos or Google Assistant.
2. Click on the Google Lens icon (the icon with a dot in a circle).
3. Put the camera on QR-The app will suggest clicking on a link or copying the text.

3. Professional scanning: top-3 applications

Built-in tools MIUI Suitable for everyday tasks, but if you need to scan dozens of pages a day, work with color documents or export to editable formats (DOCX, XLSX), We tested 15 programs and selected the best ones for Xiaomi devices (with optimization for Snapdragon and MediaTek processors):

• 📄 CamScanner – Quality Leader OCR (It recognizes text in 53 languages, including Cyrillic. On Xiaomi 13 Pro, it scans the page in 1.2 seconds.
• 🔍 Adobe Scan is the best choice for working with PDF. Automatically optimizes contrast and removes shadows. Plus: Integration with Adobe Acrobat for editing.
• ⚡ Microsoft Lens is perfect for scanning tables and boards, it recognizes text even at an angle of 45.°. Bonus: synchronization with OneDrive and Word.

To install any of these applications:

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Enter the name of the application in the search.
3. Click "Install" and wait for the download to be completed.
4. Launch the app and give access to the camera and storage.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Some applications (such as CamScanner) may conflict with the built-in scanner. If the program crashes after installation, go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → CamScanner → Permits and manually activate all permissions.

4.Scan in PDF: How to combine several pages

Creating multi-page PDF-The built-in Documents app from Xiaomi allows you to do this, but with restrictions: the maximum number of pages is 50, and the file size should not exceed 50 MB.

Step-by-step instructions for the built-in scanner:

1. Open the "Documents" and click on the scanner icon.
2. Scan the first page, then click "Add page" (image "+" bottom-screen).
3. Repeat step 2 for all pages.
4. Click "Save" and select the format. PDF.
5. Specify the file name and folder to save (by default – Internal) Storage/Scans).

If you need to edit PDF After scanning (for example, rearrange pages or add a signature), use:

• 📱 Xodo PDF — Free editor with the function of adding text and pictures.
• 🖋️ Adobe Acrobat Reader – for professional work with forms and signatures.

5. Barcode scan: Where is the history stored?

Barcodes (as opposed to barcodes) QR-codes are more commonly used in shops, on tickets or for inventory. MIUI There's no separate application to scan them, but it's a standard camera. The recognition algorithm works even on low-end models like Redmi. A2, But there is an important caveat: the scan history is not saved by default.

To include history preservation:

1. Open Camera and go to Additional (or More, depending on the model).
2. Select "Barcode Scanner."
3. Point the camera at the barcode - after recognition, a notification will appear.
4. Click on the notification and select "Save to History".

To view the stored barcodes:

1. Open "Settings" → "Annexes" → "Camera".
2. Scroll down and select "Scan History".
3. This will show all the saved codes for the last 30 days.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F4) Scan history is not stored in the camera settings, but in the Security app (Settings) → Memory and data → If you can't find a section, check both locations.

6.O.CR-Recognition: How to convert a scan into editable text

OCR (Optical Character Recognition is a technology that converts text in an image into an editable format. MIUI It's built-in. OCR, But it only works with Cyrillic and Latin, and other languages (such as Chinese or Arabic) will require third-party applications.

To use the built-in OCR:

1. Scan the document through the Documents app.
2. Open the resulting file and click on the "Text" icon (the "A" icon in the circle).
3. Wait 5-10 seconds and the text will be recognized and highlighted.
4. Click on "Copy Text" or "Export to" DOCX".

For the advanced OCR (Multilingual support, preservation of formatting):

• 🌍 Google Keep – Recognises text by 100+ It is enough to take a photo of the document and click "Extract the text".
• 📖 Text Fairy – a free app with support PDF and JPG. Can save text in a TXT, PDF or DOCX.

On Xiaomi models with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (for example, Xiaomi) 13T Pro) built-in OCR It is 40% faster thanks to hardware acceleration through Neural Processing Unit (NPU). If recognition takes too long, check if the device overheats at temperatures above 45.°C performance NPU automatically.

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For maximum accuracy OCR scan documents in black and white (without color correction) and with a resolution of at least 300 DPI.

7 Problems and Solutions: Why the Scan Is Blurred

The quality of the scan depends on many factors, from lighting to camera settings. If your documents are blurry, check the following points:

If the problem persists, try alternative methods:

• 📸 Pro mode in the camera: install ISO on 100–200 and exposure 1/125 clear-cut.
• 🔄 Scan through Google Drive: upload a photo of a document to Drive, open it and select Scan from Drive – Google algorithms often do better than built-in ones.

Frequently asked questions