How to Scan Documents in Xiaomi Redmi: From Photography to PDF in 30 Seconds

Scanning documents through a Xiaomi Redmi smartphone has long replaced bulky MFPs — now enough to get a digital copy of a passport, receipt or contract with a quality that is not inferior to professional scanners. However, not all users know that it is not necessary to install third-party applications: MIUI already has built-in tools, and the Redmi camera is optimized for text capture. In this article, we will examine all the ways from a quick scan through Google Drive to advanced settings in Notes with automatic text recognition (OCR).

The main advantage of scanning on Redmi is automatic perspective correction and shadow illumination, which will turn even a curved photo into a flat document. But there are nuances: for example, in budget models (for example, Redmi 10A) there may be no Document mode in the camera, and in flagships (like Redmi K60 Pro) – support scanning in 4K. We tested all methods on different devices and collected checklists for perfect results.

1. Built-in Document Mode in Redmi Camera

The easiest way is to use a dedicated mode in the standard Camera app, which is available on most Redmi models starting with the Redmi Note 8 (2019) and automatically:

• 📸 Recognizes the edges of the document and cuts the background.
• 🔦 Increases text contrast (even in low light).
• 📄 Keeps the result in format PDF or JPG.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Fly through the shooting modes left to Document (or Doc on English firmware).
3. Point the lens over the document – the frame will automatically light up in yellow when it recognizes the edges.
4. Press the down button. The finished scan will be saved in the gallery in the Scans folder.

Make sure the document is on a flat surface.|

Turn off the flashlight - it creates glare |

Hold the phone parallel to the sheet (angle no more than 15°)|

Use the grid in the camera settings to align-->

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi models 9C redmi A1 The document mode may not be available, in which case use alternative methods in the following sections.

2. Scan through the Notes app (Notes)

Xiaomi’s Notes app (or Notes in Russian firmware) not only creates text recordings, but also scans text recognition (OCR) documents, which is useful if you need to edit or search for information on scanned text.

Instructions:

1. Open Notes and create a new note.
2. Click on the + → Scan (or Scan) icon.
3. Take a picture of the document. The app will automatically cut the edges.
4. Click Ready → Select the save format (PDF or image).
5. For OCR, click Text – the program recognizes the characters and allows you to copy them.

⚠️ Note: If Notes does not display the Scan button, update the app via Google Play or App Gallery. On some firmware, the feature is hidden - check the app settings.

Built-in Redmi| camera

Annex Notes|

Third-party programs (CamScanner, Adobe Scan)|

Google Drive/Documents |

Another option-->

3.Google Drive: Scanning with Automatic Recognition

If you need to not only scan a document, but also upload it to the cloud, use Google Drive, which is universal for all Redmi models, including older ones (like Redmi 5), and supports OCR for 100+ languages.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Google Drive from the Play Market (if not installed).
2. Open the application → press + → Scan.
3. Take a picture of the document. Google will automatically trim the edges and adjust the color.
4. Click Ready → Select the format (PDF or JPG).
5. The file will be saved in the Scans folder on the Drive and will be accessible from any device.

Advantages of the method:

• 🌐 Sync with all devices through your Google account.
• 🔍 Search by text in PDF (include OCR).
• 📱 It even works on Redmi with custom firmware.

💡

To improve the quality of the scan in Google Drive, before shooting, turn on the HDR mode in the Redmi camera settings – this will reduce the number of shadows on the document.

4 Third-Party Apps: CamScanner vs Adobe Scan

If the built-in tools don't work well, try specialized apps. We tested two of the most popular ones:

CamScanner

Pros:

• 📈 Automatic improvement of contrast and sharpness.
• 🔒 Encryption PDF password.
• 📊 Package processing of several pages.

Cons: The free version adds a watermark.

Adobe Scan

Pros:

• 🎯 Accurate text recognition (OCR) cyrillic.
• 🖼️ Exports to Word or Excel.
• 🌥️ Integration with Adobe Cloud.

Cons: Requires registration for some functions.

⚠️ Note: When using CamScanner, turn off Autoboot to the Cloud option in the application settings if you do not want the scans to be stored on the developer’s servers.

5. scan through MIUI Lab (hidden functions)

MIUI has hidden lab features that improve scan quality, such as the Redmi Note 11 Pro+, which allows you to activate Super Resolution mode for documents.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5 times on the MIUI version to unlock Developer Mode.
3. Go back to Settings → Additional → MIUI Lab.
4. Activate options: Improve text (increases font clarity) Super Resolution for the camera (increases detail).

⚠️ Attention: Not all functions MIUI Labs are stable on some devices (Redmi) 9T) Super Resolution can cause the camera to overheat with prolonged use.

6.Scan Optimization: How to Reduce PDF Size Without Losing Quality

Scanned documents often take up a lot of space, so to reduce the file size:

Method 1: Google PDF Viewer

Open up. PDF Google Drive → Open with help → PDF Viewer → File. → Squeeze.

Method 2: Online Services

Use SmallPDF or iLovePDF to compress without registration.

Method 3: Camera settings

Before scanning manually reduce the resolution:

• In the Camera: Settings → Resolution → 8 MP (instead of 12 MP).
• In CamScanner: Settings → Quality → Medium.

💡

For official documents (passports, diplomas) use a resolution of at least 200 DPI - this is the requirement of most public services and banks.

7.Scanning and synchronization

To avoid losing scanned documents, set up automatic synchronization:

⚠️ Note: When synchronizing through Mi Cloud scans containing personal data (passport, TIN), encrypt password. → More. → Password-protected.

FAQ: Frequent questions about scanning on Redmi