How to make the background blurry on Xiaomi phone

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones feature powerful cameras that can compete with professional technology. One of the most popular effects in mobile photography is bokeh, or background blur, which allows you to highlight the subject and give the picture artistic depth. Device owners often look for ways to activate this feature without knowing that it is built into the standard camera application by default.

This is made much easier by the introduction of AI algorithms into MIUI and HyperOS software. The phone automatically defines the boundaries of the object and blurs the space behind it, simulating wide-angle optics with a large aperture. You don't have to be a professional photographer to get a quality result, you just need to know where the settings are.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for obtaining blurred backgrounds, from standard portrait mode to third-party applications. We will look at the nuances of working with different lenses, the settings of depth of field after shooting and the typical errors that can spoil the frame. Understanding these principles will allow you to unlock the potential of your smartphone camera by one hundred percent.

Using Portrait Mode to Blurr Background

The main tool for creating the blur effect is a special shooting mode, which is called Portrait. To activate it, run the standard Camera application and select the appropriate option from the bottom menu. The interface may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic of the work remains the same for all models.

Once you switch to portrait mode, the system starts analyzing the scene in real time, and you'll see prompts appear on the screen, or the color of the focus frame changes when the phone recognizes a person's face or a pet, at which point the segmentation algorithms separate the foreground from the background, preparando the ground for the effect to apply.

At the top of the screen, you often see an icon that looks like an "f" or a circle that's responsible for the force of blur. By clicking on it, you can adjust the degree of effect by choosing values from f/0.95 to f/16. The smaller the numerical aperture, the more blurred the background, creating a more dramatic effect.

⚠️ Note: When shooting in portrait mode, try not to make sudden movements with the phone or subject. Rapid movement can knock down the tracking algorithms, and the blur boundary will “go”, creating an unnatural halo around the object.

It's important to consider the distance to the object. To function properly, you need to be at the optimal distance, usually 0.5 to 2 meters. If you get too close, the camera may not focus, and if you move far away, you lose the effect of depth.

Set-up of depth of field parameters

Xiaomi's camera functionality allows you to adjust blur settings not only before but also after you create a picture, which is especially useful if you didn't pay attention to the settings at the time of shooting or the result was not as expected. To edit, open the gallery, select a photo and click the "Edit" button.

In the editing menu, find the tool that changes the aperture. By moving the slider, you can enhance or weaken the bokeh effect. The system stores the depth map, which allows you to flexibly control focus even after a while. This is a unique feature that turns the smartphone into a powerful tool for creative experimentation.

Some models support changing the focus point, so you can click on any part of the frame, and the phone will recalculate the blur relative to the new focus point, and this allows you to create art shots where the viewer's attention is directed exactly where the author wants it to be.

It's worth noting that the quality of post-processing depends on the complexity of the scene, and if there are many small details in the background, such as tree foliage or patterned wallpaper, the algorithm can make mistakes, and in such cases, manual adjustments to the blurring force help smooth out the artifacts.

Working with a macro-lens and a television

Many users forget that you can blur the background not only software, but also physically using the optical properties of other lenses. On smartphones Xiaomi medium and flagship level often there is a telephoto lens or macro camera that gives natural blur without the participation of artificial intelligence.

When using a telephoto lens (usually 2x or 5x zoom), the physical distance to the subject is reduced, and the background is visually "approached" and blurred by optical compression. This gives a more natural and pleasing result to the eye than a digital bokeh. Switch to zoom in the camera app and try to take a picture.

Macro mode also gives you a great background. When you get as close to the subject as possible (3-5 cm), you automatically get a shallow depth of field, and the background in this case will go into a soft, pleasant blur, emphasizing the texture of the subject.

Using zoom also helps to fram the image, removing unnecessary details from the frame. By combining optical zoom and portrait mode, you can achieve an effect close to professional SLR cameras with high-speed optics.

Shooting a Bokeh Effect Video

Background blur is not only available for static images, but also for video recording. Portrait Video allows you to shoot videos where the background is blurred in real time. You can find this option in the shooting mode menu by selecting Portrait Video or a similar icon.

When recording video, the demands for stability increase, and the camera needs to constantly recalculate the depth map for each frame, which requires significant processing resources, so it is recommended to use a tripod or elbow against a hard surface to avoid jerks.

The quality of blur in video can be inferior to photos, especially when the object is moving fast. However, modern flagship Xiaomi has learned to cope with this quite successfully. It is important to monitor the lighting: when shooting video, the requirements for light are even higher, since the shutter speed can not be too long.

⚠️ Note: Recording of high-resolution portrait video (4K) It can cause the device to overheat during long shooting, and if the phone gets hot, the video quality may decrease, or the recording will be interrupted automatically.

Some models allow you to change the focus and blur power right while you're recording, touching the screen, and this adds to the dynamics of the video, allowing you to shift the viewer's attention between objects in the foreground and background.

Third-party applications for the bokeh effect

If the camera’s built-in capabilities don’t suit you, or the phone is too old to support the hardware bokeh, apps from Google Play will come to the rescue. Programs like Google Camera (GCam), Open Camera or specialized editors like AfterFocus can work wonders.

The port version of Google Camera tailored to your Xiaomi model often yields a better blur result than the standard app.Google's image processing algorithms are considered among the best on the market, providing clean edges and a natural drop in field.

Editors can then blur the images that are already in the works, so you can manually specify the focus area and the level of background blur, and while that takes time, the results can be very accurate, especially in complex shots where the smartphone's automation is wrong.

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When installing a third-party camera (GCam), be sure to download the version adapted specifically for the processor of your smartphone (Snapdragon, MediaTek, Dimensity). Universal versions may work unstable or do not support portrait mode.

Using third-party software is a great way to reanimate an old phone’s camera. Even without the camera’s second module, software algorithms can create convincing simulations of blur by analyzing textures and contrasts in an image.

Typical problems and their solution

Despite the technology, users can have trouble trying to blur the background. Often the camera says "Come closer" or "Step back" without activating the mode, which means that the distance to the object does not fall within the focus range of a particular lens.

Another common problem is the torn edges of an object or hair, which occurs when there is insufficient light or low contrast between the object and the background, the algorithm simply does not see a clear boundary, the solution is one: improve the light or change the angle so that the object contrasts with the background.

Sometimes blur function may not be available in certain resolutions or with flash enabled. Check the camera settings: you may have chosen the maximum sensor resolution (e.g. 50 MP or 108 MP), in which portrait mode does not work due to lack of processing power to process such an array of data in real time.

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The quality of the blur is directly dependent on the contrast between the object and the background, and the more they differ in color and brightness, the more accurately autofocus and segmentation work.

If nothing works, try to wipe the camera's lenses. Fat spots can create glare that knocks down the autofocus system, interfering with the correct determination of the distance to the object.

Tips for the Perfect Results

To make your shots look professional, follow a few simple rules: first, look for background lights: lights, lights, or sunshine turn into beautiful bokeh circles; second, avoid monochromatic walls in the background, because they are less noticeable blurring effect.

Experiment with angles. When you shoot from top to bottom or bottom to top, you change perspective and distance to the background, which affects how much it blurs, and don't be afraid to get as close to the subject as possible, within focal length.

Use exposure and focus locking. Press and hold your finger on the subject on the screen to capture the settings, which will prevent you from refocusing at the wrong time and help keep the picture stable.