The red-eye effect is a classic problem that almost every smartphone owner has faced, especially in low-light conditions. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices often wonder why an embedded flash spoils portraits and how to quickly fix this defect without resorting to professional retouchers. Fortunately, the modern shell of MIUI and HyperOS is equipped with powerful post-processing tools that allow you to eliminate this phenomenon in a few seconds.
The reason for the effect lies in physiology: in low light, the pupils dilate, and the light from the flash reflects off the blood vessels of the retina, returning to the camera. In Xiaomi smartphones, image processing algorithms are constantly improving, but even they may not always work perfectly at the time of shooting, which is why the ability to use embedded editors becomes a critical skill for any user who wants to get quality pictures.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the possible corrections, from standard system tools to specialized applications, and learn how to use the Retouch tool in the MIUI Gallery, what camera settings will help prevent a defect, and what third-party solutions should be installed if the built-in functionality fails to cope with the task.
Use of the built-in MIUI editor for correction
The fastest and most effective way to remove red eyes from a Xiaomi smartphone is to use a staff editor that is already built into the system gallery. You do not need to download additional programs or pay for a subscription, since the basic functionality of MIUI covers 90% of users' needs.
The editing process is as simple as possible for the convenience of users. After opening a photo in the gallery, you need to click the "Change" button (usually this is the icon of a pencil or sliders at the bottom of the screen). Next, in the lower menu, you should scroll to the right to the "Routouche" or "Magic AI" section, here the system will offer the "Red Eyes" option that you need to activate.
⚠️ Note: If automatic removal does not work perfectly, don’t rush to apply the filter to the entire image. In some versions of the HyperOS shell, manual adjustment of the intensity of the effect is available, which allows you to preserve the natural color of the iris without making the eyes “glass”. It’s important to note that processing quality is directly dependent on the resolution of the original image and the firmware version of your device. On newer models like the Redmi Note 13 or Xiaomi 14, the algorithms work much more accurately thanks to an improved neuroprocessor. If you have an older model, the result may require additional manual fine-tuning. 📸 Open the photo in the standard application "Gallery». ✏️ Click the Change button and select the Retouch tab or «AI». 👁️ Activate the “Remove Red Eyes” slider and evaluate the result. 💾 Keep a copy so you don’t lose the original photo. 💡Always save the edited photo as a copy. The original may be needed if you decide to use another editor with more advanced AI algorithms. Setup the camera to prevent the effect The best way to deal with red eyes is to prevent them from still shooting. Xiaomi and Redmi have special settings that minimize the risk of this defect. Understanding the flash and exposure will help you take better pictures in the dark without the subsequent long retouch. By default, it is often in the position of “Auto”, which causes the phone to use a bright pulse at the slightest lack of light. Switch to Always Off or use Night Shooting mode, where the phone takes a series of long shutter speed frames, collecting more light without the need for a flash. It's also worth considering using Portrait Mode even in the dark, if the lens allows. MIUI Camera is trying to blur the background and improve facial lighting with software algorithms, not just bright light, which greatly reduces the likelihood that the pupils will have time to reflect the light of the flash. 📊 Never, only natural light Rarely, only in complete darkness Often, for the best shots Constantly, I like the flash effect Another important aspect is the cleanliness of the lens. A dirty lens scatters light from the flash, creating illuminations and increasing the likelihood of artifacts, including red eyes. Rub the camera with a soft cloth before each shot in poor light conditions. This simple action is often ignored, but it is critical to the quality of the photo. Third-party applications for professional retouching: If Xiaomi's built-in tools don't work, third-party apps from Google Play come to the rescue. The mobile photo processing market is huge, and many apps offer features that outperform the standard system. They use more sophisticated color and texture replacement algorithms, which make the result as natural as possible. One of the leaders in this field is Google's Snapseed app. It's completely free and doesn't contain ads. The "Pin" tool allows you to select a problem area and replace it with a color taken from neighboring areas, or simply brighten the pupilator by removing the red from the shade of the mobile, but the other one that requires a full control over the process. Although it's a professional tool, it has a Healing feature that does a great job of dealing with local defects, so you can isolate the red area and replace it with a healthy black or brown color by adjusting the brightness and saturation manually. It is the perfect choice for those who want to achieve studio quality on a mobile device. Application License Type Complexity Main feature Snapseed Free Medium Point Correction and brushes Adobe Lightroom Freemium High Professional RetouchMe Paid/Subscription Low Automatic AI Retouch PicsArt Freemium Average Integrated Processing ⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party apps from unknown sources or questionable stores, carefully check the permissions you request. Some "photoshops" may require access to contacts or a microphone, which is not related to photo processing and can be dangerous to your safety. Why are paid apps often better than free ones?Pay applications, such as Facetune or the premium version of Lightroom, use more advanced neural networks to analyze the texture of the skin and iris of the eye. They do not just paint over red, but recreate the glare and structure, which makes editing invisible to the outsider. Manual correction through the brush and Automatic tools for those cases, when the editor is so extended from the color of the toolboxes that the editor in the toolboxes that are available in the handheld from the handheld toolbox. The Spot Heal is a cloning or substitution tool, and you point your finger at the red pupil, and the program replaces it with a texture taken from a nearby area (e.g., a healthy area of the eye or the second eye). MIUI This tool is often hidden in the Retush menu under the Band-Aid icon, and if you're talking about Snapseed, the algorithm is this: select the Point tool, zoom in to maximum value for convenience, and carefully touch the red areas. The algorithm will figure out that you need to take the red tint off and align the brightness, and the key is not to overdo it so that the eye doesn't become unnaturally white. 🔍 Increase the scale of the photo to 200-300% precisely. 🖌️ Select the “Pinpoint” or “Recovery Hand” tool». 👆 Carefully press the red section of the pupil. 👀 Evaluate the result and, if necessary, reduce the strength of the effect. ☑️ Checklist of quality retouch Increase photo for detail Choose the right size brush Make a few light touches Compare with the original Save the result: 0 / 5 Modern smartphones Xiaomi and Redmi are equipped with powerful algorithms for night shooting, which allow you to do without flash in most situations. Night Mode combines multiple frames with different exposures to create a bright and clear image even at dusk.It's the most reliable way to avoid red eyes, as the flash just isn't used.Portrait Mode is also a great ally. It uses a telephoto lens or software blur to separate the object from the background. In this mode, the phone often automatically turns on imitation studio light, highlighting the face with soft screen light or using algorithms. HDR, So, this is a big contrast, which is red-eye contrast, and it's worth experimenting with the settings. HDR (High Dynamic Range: Mode activation HDR It helps balance the light and dark areas of the frame, if the background is dark and the face is illuminated, HDR level the exposure, and you don't have to turn on the flash, which is the main culprit. MIUI put out HDR in the position “Auto” or “Included». ⚠️ Note: When shooting in the mode “Night” try to keep the phone as still as possible during the shooting. 2-4 Any shaking of the hands will lubricate the frame, and it's not the red eyes that you have to retouch, it's the whole picture. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Why do some photos have red eyes removed and others don't? It depends on how AI algorithms work in a particular shooting scenario. If the face in the frame is small, turned in profile or illuminated unevenly, the system may not recognize the eyes as objects for automatic correction. In such cases, manual intervention through the editor is required. Can you remove the red eyes on the already sent photo to WhatsApp? No, you can't do this directly to WhatsApp. You need to first save the image from chat to the phone gallery, process it with the built-in MIUI editor or a third-party application, and then send the Redmi version to the correct the effect? Yes, newer models with the latest Snapdragon processors and the updated HyperOS shell process images faster and better, but the basic principle of the editor is the same for all devices, the difference is only in processing speed and accuracy of automatic defect detection. Does editing worsen the quality of the photo? When saved in format repeatedly JPEG The quality can indeed deteriorate (compression artifacts appear). However, a single correction by Xiaomi's built-in tools is almost invisible to the human eye. RAW, If your camera model supports it. 💡Main conclusion: Built-in tools MIUI They cope with the task in 90% of cases, but for the ideal result in difficult lighting conditions, it is better to use the Night mode when shooting and the Snapseed app for the final retouch.