Slow-motion on Xiaomi: how to shoot a video in slow motion on any smartphone brand

Slow motion on Xiaomi smartphones captures moments that normally pass too fast for the human eye: a drop of water, a bird flap, or even your own blink. However, not everyone knows how to activate this mode correctly, choose the optimal FPS settings and resolution, or why the final video is snatched. In this article, we will examine all the nuances from basic instructions for beginners to professional life hacks for the perfect slow motion.

It’s important to understand that slow motion capabilities depend on your Xiaomi model. Flagship devices (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi K60 Pro) support shooting at 960 FPS at 720p resolution, whereas budget models (such as Redmi 12C) can be limited to 120 FPS and 480p.

If you've never shot in slow motion before, start with a simple one: try recording a piece of paper falling or a balloon bursting. These objects are perfect for training because they're predictable and the result is visually impressive. And for those who want to get the most out of a Xiaomi camera, we've prepared a table of compatibility models and shooting modes to help avoid the frustrations of poor video quality.

Which Xiaomi models support slow motion photography?

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with slow motion, and those that support it may have different FPS and resolution restrictions. Below we have updated data for popular series (information checked on MIUI 14):

If your model is not in the table, check the supported modes yourself: open the Camera app, go to the More (or Additional Features) section, and find the Slow Shooting icon. On some devices (such as the POCO X5), this mode may be hidden - it must be added manually through the camera settings.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with Snapdragon processor 4xx (Like Redmi. 9A) slow motion can work unstable — the video will “twitch” due to poor processing, in which case it is better to use third-party applications (we will discuss them below).

How to enable slow motion in a standard Xiaomi camera

The slow motion activation algorithm is the same for most Xiaomi devices, but there are nuances depending on the version of MIUI.

1. Open the Camera app (the icon on the home screen or menu).
2. Scroll through left/right shooting modes (or click on More) until you find Slow-mo (sometimes signed as Slow-mo or SLO-MO).
3. Tap the icon to activate mode. A slider or button will appear on the screen to select FPS (e.g. 120fps, 240fps, 960fps).
4. Press the red recording button to start shooting. Some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T) will have a delay timer (3 seconds) before recording.

Once you've finished shooting, the video will automatically be saved to the gallery in the Camera/SlowMotion folder. To view it in slow motion, open the file — the MIUI player will automatically play it at the correct speed. If the video is playing too fast, make sure you're not confused: sometimes users accidentally shoot in accelerated mode (Timelapse).

Check the vacant space (1 sec 960 FPS = ~150 MB)

Clean the lens of fingerprints

Turn off digital zoom (deteriorating quality)

Recharge the battery by at least 30% (slow motion consumes a lot of energy)-->

If your camera doesn’t have slow motion mode, but you’re sure the model supports it (see the table above), try resetting the camera settings: go to Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the data. After the device restarts, the mode should appear.

Optimal settings for high-quality slow motion

To make slow motion video clear and smooth, just pressing the recording button is not enough. Here are the key parameters to look at:

• 🔍 Permission and FPS: Higher than higher. FPS, The slower the video is, but the lower the resolution. FPS It will slow down as much as possible, but the quality will be worse than at 240. FPS. For most tasks, 240 is optimal. FPS upon 720p.
• 🌞 Lighting: Slow motion requires a lot of light. When shooting indoors, use additional sources (such as a desk lamp.
• 🎯 Focus: In slow-motion mode, autofocus works slower. Focus on the subject beforehand by tapping the screen, or use manual focus (if supported).
• 📱 Stabilization: Most Xiaomi Stabilization Disables FPS > 240 Use a tripod or place your hands on a hard surface.

The critical mistake of the beginners is to shoot moving objects at maximum zoom. In slow motion, each defect (hand shaking, matrix noise) is amplified several times. If you want to zoom in, come closer physically or use a wide-angle lens.

For professional results, experiment with shutter speed and ISO (if your model supports manual settings). For example, when shooting water at 960 FPS, reduce the shutter speed to 1/2000 to avoid blurring. On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 14, these options are available in Pro mode (switch there before activating slow motion).

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If you are shooting sports events (for example, hitting a ball), use a pre-record: start shooting 1-2 seconds before the key moment.

Side of the application for slow motion on Xiaomi

If your Xiaomi’s standard camera isn’t comfortable (for example, because of low-end camera quality). FPS Or no mode, try third-party apps, which allow you to shoot in slow motion even on budget models, although the quality will be lower than on flagships.-3 tested:

• 📱 Slow Motion Camera (by VIMAGE): Supports shooting up to 240 FPS On most devices, there's a manual playback speed setting.
• 🎥 Camera MX: Allows you to film in 120-480 FPS (depending on the model) and edit the video directly in the app. Plus, there are no time limits on recording.
• 🔧 Open Camera: Open source software with manual support for slow motion, suitable for power users, as it requires manual settings.

Before installing, check the app’s compatibility with your Xiaomi model in the description on Google Play. Some programs (such as Slow Motion Video FX) do not run on MediaTek Helio processors that are installed in budget Redmis.

⚠️ Note: When shooting through third-party applications, the video may be saved in non-standard formats (for example,.mkv). To avoid playback problems, use converters like VLC or handbrake to convert to.mp4.

If you want to not only shoot, but also mount slow motion, look at CapCut or KineMaster.

• Change the speed of individual video fragments.
• Add the effects of transitions between normal and slow motion.
• Stabilize “twitching” video with AI.

120 FPS

240 FPS

480 FPS

960 FPS

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Common problems and solutions

Even on Xiaomi’s flagship, slow motion can cause errors, and we’ve collected the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If the video is sprinkled over green or purple artifacts after shooting, it indicates codec problems.

1. Update the MIUI firmware to the latest version.
2. Reset the camera settings (see instructions above).
3. Use another application to shoot.

Slow motion shooting on old Xiaomi models

If your Xiaomi is released before 2019 (like the Redmi Note 7 or Mi 8), the standard camera may not support slow motion or offer only 120 FPS at low resolution.

1. Install Google Camera (GCam) with support for slow motion. Xiaomi versions can be found on the 4PDA or XDA Developers forums. Look for modifications from BSG or Wichaya developers.
2. Use the subsequent slowdown: shoot video at maximum resolution (1080p@60fps), and then slow it down in an editor (like CapCut).
3. Connect an external camera via USB-C (if your model supports OTG). Some action cameras (like GoPro) can stream video to Xiaomi's screen in real time.

On devices with MIUI 10 and older, you may need to unlock the bootloader to install modified camera applications.Remember that this voids the warranty and requires technical skills. The alternative is to use cloud services like Runway ML, which can artificially increase FPS in post-processing (but the quality will be worse than with native shooting).

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On older Xiaomi (until 2018), slow motion photography is often limited to 120 FPS due to the hardware limitations of the first-generation Snapdragon 6xx/7xx processor, in which case it is better to focus on high-resolution shooting followed by software slowdown.

Creative ideas for shooting in slow motion

Slow motion offers endless possibilities for creative video, and here are some ideas that can be implemented even on a budget Xiaomi:

• 🎨 Painting: Remove the process of paint falling into water or spraying watercolor on paper. Use 240 FPS detailing.
• 🍳 Cooking: Bubble-bubbling in boiling water, cutting a cake or dropping powdered sugar for dessert.
• 🎾 Sport: Hitting a tennis ball with a racket, jumping a basketball player or spinning a shuttle in badminton.
• 🌊 Nature: Falling raindrops on the surface of the water, flying birds or moving clouds (for the latter, use timelapse followed by slowing down).
• 🎇 Pyrotechnics: Slowly shooting sparks from a Bengal fire or a pop-up.Be careful! Don't point the camera directly at the source of the fire.

To capture dynamic objects (such as sports equipment), use continuous autofocus (AF-C). On Xiaomi, this mode is activated with a long tap on the screen in the camera app. If autofocus "loses" an object, try to fix the focus manually by pressing the screen and holding your finger for 2-3 seconds.

Don't be afraid to experiment with angles: shooting from the bottom (like a person jumping) or from the top (falling objects) in slow motion looks especially spectacular. For inspiration, look at the work of photographers Dan Marker-Moore or Cavin Elizabeth - they actively use slow motion in their projects.

FAQ: Frequent questions about slow motion on Xiaomi