How to Remove Focus on Xiaomi Camera: A Complete Guide to Turning Off Autofocus

Autofocus problems on Xiaomi smartphones are one of the most common complaints users have, with the camera constantly “breathing” to catch sharpness where it is not needed, or stubbornly focusing on the foreground, ignoring the main object. This is especially annoying when shooting video, macro photography or in low light conditions, when algorithms are used to create a new model. AI-The cameras start to work unpredictably.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to get the focus off of Xiaomi’s camera, from standard settings to hidden engineering menu features and even manual control through ADB. The methods will work for most models, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. Importantly, some solutions require developer or unlocked bootloader rights – we will separately specify where this is needed.

Why Xiaomi Camera Is Badly Focusing: The Main Reasons

Before you start setting up, you need to understand why autofocus is not behaving properly.

• 🔍 Software bugs - errors in firmware MIUI Camera drivers (especially after updates).
• 📱 Hardware restrictions – cheap modules in budget models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M5) They are physically unable to focus quickly.
• 🤖 AI-algorithms – the system persistently tries to “improve” the frame, even when it interferes (for example, blurs the background where it is not necessary).
• 🔋 Overheating – at high temperature of the processor, the camera begins to “glutch”, including an arbitrary change of focus.

If the problem comes on suddenly, try to reboot your smartphone first or clear the Camera app cache (Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the cache) in 30% of cases, this is enough to return the focus to normal operation.

Method 1: Turning off autofocus in standard camera settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in Camera app options. Unfortunately, not all Xiaomi models support manual focusing out of the box, but it’s worth checking out:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Switch to Photo or Professional (if any) mode.
3. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (or swipe your finger across the screen from left to right).
4. Find the option Focus or AF (Autofocus).
5. Select MF (Manual Focus) or Disable AF if this option is available.

On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro) Manual focusing only appears in Professional mode, where you can block the focus at the current distance by touching the screen and holding your finger. 1–2 In a second, the inscription will appear. AE/AF Lock.

⚠️ Note: On budget models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) You don't have manual focusing, so you can go to the following ways.

Method 2: Use of the engineering menu (hidden settings)

If standard settings don’t work, you can try turning off autofocus via an engineering menu, which works on most Xiaomi devices, but requires caution – making incorrect changes can disrupt the camera.

Instructions:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##.
2. In the menu that appears, select Testing (or Engineering Menu).
3. Go to Camera or Hardware Testing.
4. Find the options related to focus: AF Calibration, Focus Mode, or Auto Focus.
5. Try turning off autofocus by selecting Manual or Fixed.

On some firmware, the path may be different. For example, on Xiaomi 12T, you need to select the Single Camera Test, then Focus, and manually set the Infinity value to fix the focus in the far-field.

⚠️ Warning: Changes to the engineering menu do not persist after restarting.If the problem has returned, reset or use ADB-commands (see Method 4).

Method 3: Third-Party Applications for Manual Focusing

If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't allow you to turn off autofocus, third-party apps will come to the rescue.

• 📸 Open Camera is free, open source software that supports manual focus on most devices, including Xiaomi.
• 🎥 Footage is a professional video shooter with focus lock and exposure capabilities, suitable for Xiaomi with support Camera2 API.
• 🔧 Manual Camera – a plugin for GCam (Google Camera), allowing you to fine-tune focus, shutter speed and ISO.

How to set up Open Camera:

1. Install the application and open it.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (three dots in the upper right corner).
3. Go to More Camera Controls → Focus Mode.
4. Choose Manual or Infinity.
5. To fix the focus, tap the screen and hold your finger until the AF Lock icon appears.

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If manual focusing doesn’t work in Open Camera, check your model’s Camera2 API support through the Camera2 API Probe app (available on Google Play).

On some MIUI firmware, third-party cameras may conflict with system services. If the main camera stopped working after installing the Open Camera, clear the cache of both applications or restart the smartphone.

Method 4: Disable AF through ADB (for advanced users)

If none of the previous methods worked, the ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is the one that requires developer rights and PC connectivity, but gives you maximum control over the camera.

Instructions:

1. Activate developer mode on Xiaomi: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap it 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC, install ADB Tools, and open the command line in the folder with adb.exe.
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
5. Disable autofocus command: adb shell settings put global camera_af_mode 0 (where 0 — shutdown, 1 — autofocus).

To permanently disable autofocus on some models (Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Redmi K50) may require editing a build.prop file or using Magisk modules.

Method 5: Hardware inspection and repair

If software methods don't help, the problem may be a physical malfunction of the camera module.

• 🔴 Focus floats even after resetting settings.
• 📉 The camera makes a squeak or squeak when trying to focus.
• 🌫️ The image is constantly blurred, regardless of the distance to the object.

In such cases, it will help:

1. Cleaning the lens – sometimes dust or dirt interferes with the normal operation of the autofocus. Use a soft brush or a can of compressed air.
2. Checking the flexible plume -- if the camera was falling, the plume could have moved or damaged. It requires disassembling the device.
3. Replacing the camera module – Xiaomi costs 1,500–5,000 ₽ model-wise.

You can use the camera test via the engineering menu (#4636##) or the Phone Doctor Plus app (available on Google Play) to diagnose the camera, and if the camera shows an AF Failed error in the test, it confirms a hardware malfunction.

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Before repairing, check if your device is not covered by warranty. In Xiaomi service centers, the camera replacement is often done for free if the manufacturing defect is.

Additional Tips for Improved Focusing

If you don’t want to completely disable autofocus, but want to make it work more stable, try these recommendations:

• 📏 Use the focus grid – turn it on in the camera settings (Settings) → This will help you to choose the object for focus.
• 🌡️ Avoid overheating – don’t shoot videos 4K Overheating causes the focus to float.
• 🔄 Update the firmware - in new versions MIUI Frequently fix autofocus bugs. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📵 Turn it off. AI-mode AI Camera sometimes interferes with normal focusing.

For macro or portraits, you'd better use Professional mode and manually fix your focus, and you'd also want to experiment with manual exposure, because sometimes autofocus gets lost because of the wrong brightness.

FAQ: Frequent questions about focusing on Xiaomi