How to take a few photos on a Xiaomi phone: 5 proven ways

Creating collages from several photos on Xiaomi, Redmi or smartphones POCO — A challenge that many users face: Do you want to combine vacation footage into a single image, take a before-and-after comparative shot, or simply create a social media image in an original way? In this article, we'll look at all the ways that we can do it, from built-in tools. MIUI to third-party applications with advanced functions.

It's important to understand that the methods differ in complexity and result, and some people will prefer the basic Gallery tool, others will prefer professional editors like PicsArt or Canva. 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO F5) And we put together step-by-step instructions, taking into account the features of the firmware. MIUI 14/15.

If you're looking for a way to quickly combine photos without installing additional programs, start with the first two methods. For those who want to create a designer collage with effects, frames and text, recommendations from the last sections will come in handy.

Method 1: Built-in editor in the Gallery app

The easiest way to make a collage is to use a standard photo editor in the Gallery. MIUI. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and works on all Xiaomi smartphones with the firmware version. MIUI 12 and newer.

Algorithm of action:

• 📂 Open the Gallery app and select the folder with the photos you want.
• 🖼️ Click on the first photo, then tap on the Select icon (or pinch any photo to activate Multiple Choice Mode).
• ✅ Check all the pictures you want to combine (maximum - 9 photos in one collage).
• 🛠️ In the bottom menu, click "More» → «Collage».
• 🎨 Choose your favorite template (around them) 10 options 2×2, 3×3, vertical/horizontal combinations).
• 💾 Click Save – the finished image will appear in the folder DCIM/Screenshots or Pictures/Collage.

Note: the built-in editor allows you to change the order of photos (dropping them with your finger), but does not support adding text or stickers. If you need additional elements, use the methods 3-5 from this article.

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To quickly find the saved collage, open the Gallery and search for the "collage" - the system will show all the combinations you created.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO M5 With lightweight firmware, the Collage option may not be available, in which case use alternative methods from the following sections.

Method 2: The function "Duplicate with effect" for overlaying the photo

If you need to not just merge your images into a grid, but overlay one image over another (for example, for a dual exposure effect), use the Duplicate With Effect tool. This feature is hidden in the editing menu and is available on most Xiaomi devices with a unique experience. MIUI 13+.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the photo that will be the base (background image).
2. Click on "Edit" (pencil icon).
3. Go to the "Effects" tab» → «Duplicate».
4. Choose the second photo from the gallery – it will overlap on top of the first.
5. Adjust: 🔄 Transparency of the upper layer (slider at the bottom of the screen). 📏 Size and position (stretch or rotate the overlay photo with two fingers). 🎭 Overlay mode (e.g., Screen, Multiplication, or Overlap»).

"Done."

This is ideal for creative collages, where you need to combine two frames with different transparency, such as the "ghost reflection" effect or the artistic overlay of a landscape on a portrait.

Method 3: Google Photos – Automatic Collage

If you don’t like the limitations of the standard gallery MIUI, Try Google Photos – the app offers more flexible templates and automatically selects photos for collage by date or topic (e.g., “travel” or “food").

How to create a collage in Google Photos:

• 📱 Install the app from Google Play (if not already installed).
• 🔍 Open Google Photos, find a folder with the right pictures.
• 🖼️ Select 2 to 9 photos (clasp the first finger, then mark the rest).
• ➕ Click on the icon «+» top-down → select "Collection».
• 🎨 The app will offer 3-5 automatic layouts. Choose the one you like or click "Edit" to change the order of the photo.
• 💾 Save the result – it will appear in the folder Pictures/Collages.

Benefits of Google Photos:

• 🤖 Automatic selection of photos based on events (for example, "Birthday" or "New Year's Day").
• 🌈 More templates than in the standard Gallery (including round and asymmetrical layouts).
• ☁️ Sync with the cloud – collages are saved in your Google account.

⚠️ Note: In the free version of Google Photos, collages are saved in a compressed format (resolution up to) 2048×2048 Original quality requires a Google One subscription.

Method 4: Professional Editors – PicsArt and Canva

For those who want to create a designer-grade collage, there are applications that are customized. PicsArt and Canva offer hundreds of templates, effects, fonts and stickers, and let's look at both in detail.

PicsArt: for creative collages with effects

PicsArt is a great way to create art collages with overlays, textures and animations.

1. Download PicsArt from Google Play.
2. Press «+» → «Collage».
3. Choose a template (even there is one). 3D-effects and non-standard forms).
4. Add photos from the gallery or take a picture directly in the app.
5. Edit it: 🎨 Background (gradient, texture, color). 🖌️ The boundaries between the photo (thickness, color, style). 📝 Text (more than 100 fonts, including animated ones). ✨ Effects (blurring, vintage, neon).

4000×4000 pixel

Canva: for the design of collages in the style of social networks

Canva specializes in templates for Instagram, TikTok and storyboards, and here you will find ready-made layouts for:

• 📅 Photo calendars.
• 🎂 Congratulations cards.
• 🏆 Portfolio or presentations.

The interface is intuitive even for beginners, and the element library is updated weekly.

📸 Cut off unnecessary details (use the "Cadration" tool")

🔍 Increase sharpness (filter "Charpening")

🎨 Apply the same filter to all photos for a single style

📏 Level the horizon (the Perspective tool")

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Method 5: Manually pairing through Screen Mode (for experienced)

This method is suitable for those who want to manually control the location of the photo without using templates. We will use the Screen Record function and the standard editor. MIUI 12+.

Instructions:

1. 📱 Open the gallery and select the first photo.
2. 🔍 Size down with a pinch gesture (two fingers) to see thumbnails of other photos.
3. 🎬 Activate screen recording (swipe down from the top edge) → quick-setting panel → «Screen recording»).
4. 🖼️ Switch between photos, placing them in the right order. You can even open two photos in split screen mode (hold the app icon). → «Split screen»).
5. ⏹️ Stop recording when the composition is ready.
6. 📺 Open the video in the Gallery, take a screenshot (buttons Volume down) + Nutrition).
7. ✂️ Cut the extra edges in any editor (e.g. Google Photos).

This is a neat way to create a unique collage with a random arrangement of the photo, which is not achieved with templates, suitable for non-standard tasks, for example, when you need to combine horizontal and vertical images in one composition.

⚠️ Note: When recording screen in format 1080p The final collage will be less than the original photos. Use 1-4 methods for maximum resolution.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to determine, we have compiled a comparative table on key parameters:

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For most users, the best choice is the built-in gallery. MIUI (Method 1) or Google Photos (Method 3) If you want a design collage, use Canva or PicsArt.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When creating collages on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, and let's analyze the most common and ways to solve them:

• 🚫 Low quality of final photo Reason: Automatic compression in Google Photos or low-resolution screen recording Solution: Use the built-in Gallery MIUI Or export the collage to PicsArt with the settings “Maximum quality».
• 🔄 The photo in the collage turned wrong Reason: The photo metadata is maintained orientation (for example, the picture is taken in landscape mode, but is displayed as portrait). Solution: Before creating the collage, open each photo in the editor and click "Turn" to reset orientation.
• 🖼️ Cannot add more than 9 photos Reason: Limitation of the built-in Gallery editor MIUI. Solution: Use PicsArt (supports up to 18 photos in one collage) or create multiple collages of 9 photos, and then combine them.
• 📱 The application crashes when you save the reason: Lack of RAM (especially on budget models like Redmi). 9A). Solution: Close all background applications before creating a collage or use lightweight editors (e.g. Photo Collage Maker).

If none of these methods worked, check:

• 📌 Is the firmware updated (Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 📌 Is there enough free space on the device (collages require temporary files).
• 📌 Are Application Permissions Disabled (Settings) → Annexes → Permits).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions