How to improve the camera on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro: from software settings to hardware hacks

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro is still one of the most popular budget smartphones with a good 64 MP camera, but many users face blurry images in poor light, sunshining or slow focusing. The problem is not “crooked hands” – it’s factory settings that are optimized for universal use, not for specific shooting scenarios.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 practical ways to improve your camera without buying a new phone, from hidden MIUI features and alternative firmware to inexpensive hardware modifications. All methods are tested on the Redmi Note 9 Pro (M2003J6A1G and M2003J6B2G) with current versions of MIUI 14/15. You’ll learn how to make the most of the Samsung GW1 module, even if your photos used to look like a soap opera.

Important: Some methods require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, which we have marked with special warnings, start with the simplest methods (sections 1-3), and move to advanced ones only if you are ready for experimentation.

1. Optimization of the regular settings of the MIUI camera

The factory camera settings in the Redmi Note 9 Pro are for the average user, but they can be fine-tuned to suit your needs, such as the default aggressive noise maker that smears details in the dark, and the white balance often gives a cold hue on the faces.

Open the Camera app and follow these steps:

• 📸 Turn off Improvement. AI" (The magic wand icon on the top menu. MIUI They often overdo it, making the colors look unnatural. AI, Do the rework later in Lightroom.
• 🌓 Activate Night Mode manually even in the daytime in cloudy weather. In the Redmi Note 9 Pro, it works better than automatic. HDR, shadow-keeping.
• 🔍 Turn on "Holding Focus" in the settings (cogs) → Additionally. → Keeping focus. This will prevent focus from breathing when you're shooting a video.
• 🎯 Set the video permission to 4K@30fps (not 1080p!). Despite the crop factor, 4K It gives you more parts to post-process. 60fps — bal GW1 weak stabilization in high-level personnel.

Hidden Tip: In Pro mode (professional), keep your ISO below 800 in daylight. Above that, you start to notice noise that MIUI doesn't suppress well. For nighttime photography, use a 1/10c shutter speed with manual focusing, so you get fewer artifacts than you would in automatic nighttime.

⚠️ Warning: If after changes in settings the camera began to brake, reset it to factory parameters via Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data. It will delete the cache, but it will save your photos.

2. Alternative applications for shooting: GCam vs MIUI Camera

Xiaomi’s stock camera app is limited by processing algorithms that don’t always cope with the dynamic range of the Samsung GW1.The solution is to use modified versions of the Google Camera (GCam) optimized for the Redmi Note 9 Pro.

The best GCam builds for this model:

How to install GCam:

1. Download. APK-File from a trusted resource (see table).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install unknown applications.
3. Install APK and open the app.
4. In the GCam settings (Settings → Camera Model), select the config for the Redmi Note 9 Pro (usually the Samsung GW1 or Mi 9T Pro).

Recommended GCam settings for the Redmi Note 9 Pro:

• 🔧 Turn it on. HDR+ Enhanced (in processing settings).
• 📏 Set the 4:3 aspect ratio – this is how the entire sensor is used.
• 🎭 Disable Saber (the portrait mode blur effect) – it often cuts hair.
• 🔄 Turn on Auto Night Sight to automatically switch to night mode.

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Before installing GCam, back up photos! some builds may conflict with the stock camera and cause a reset.

3. Manual control of exposure and focus (for advanced)

If you're willing to spend extra time tuning each frame, the Pro and Manual modes in GCam or MIUI Camera will open up new possibilities, with the main advantage of controlling shutter speed, ISO and white balance, which is critical for shooting in difficult conditions.

Examples of settings for different scenarios:

• 🌅 Sunset/dawn: Exposure: 1/200(c) so as not to light up the sky). ISO: 100–200. White balance: 5200K (warmer than standard).
• 🌃 Night City: Excerpt: 1/4c (use a tripod!). ISO: 800–1600 (Focus: manually pointing at the nearest object.
• 👤 Portrait with blur: Open the aperture to the maximum (f/1.8). Increase the distance to the model (1.5–2 Use it in the square. 2x zoom for natural bokeh.

A critical nuance for the Redmi Note 9 Pro: when manually focusing in the MIUI Camera, the lens sometimes sticks. To reset focus, quickly double-press the screen or restart the application.

Install the phone on a stable surface | Check the lighting (avoid contrasting shadows) | Clear the lens of fingerprints | Turn off the digital zoom (use only optical 2x) | Remove the case if it closes the flash-->

4. Hardware improvements: from lenses to cooling

Software settings give a quality increase of 30-40%, but for major changes will require hardware modifications. 720G, which leads to the trottling of the camera during long shooting 4K-video.

Budget upgrades (up to 1500) ₽):

• 🔍 External lenses: Xenvo Pro Lens (macro) + wide angle - improves detailing of small objects. 2-in-1 — adds optical zoom 2x quality-free. ⚠️ Attention: Cheap nozzles (up to 500) ₽) They often give vignetting at the edges. Before buying, check the reviews of photos taken on the Redmi Note 9 Pro.
• ❄️ Cooling radiator: A copper plate with a thermopast (such as Arctic Cooling) reduces the temperature by 5-8°C. Fastening on the back cover in the area of the processor (you do not need to remove the cover!).
• 💡 External LED-Panel: Neewer 10" Ring Light (1500) ₽) It solves the problem of noise in the dark better than a flash. Use with a diffuser to avoid hard shadows.

Advanced modifications (requires disassembly of the phone):

• 🔧 Replace thermopaste: Old paste on Snapdragon 720G It dries up in 2-3 years. Use Arctic. MX-4 (thin-layer!).
• 📱 Camera modding: Some masters replace the glass above the lens with a sapphire one (reduces glare), but it is risky - you can damage the autofocus.

5 Post-processing: how to save even damaged photos

Even with perfect camera settings, some of the footage needs to be reworked, and the main mistake for beginners is using Instagram or VSCO filters that kill parts.

Top.-3 Editing applications with Redmi Note 9 Pro:

1. Adobe Lightroom Mobile: Use Detail (+20) and Sharp (+15) for a GCam photo. The sky mask (Gradient Filter) will save over-lit sunsets.
2. Snapseed: Selective correction tool will remove noise from the face without touching the background. The prospect will correct the curvature from the wide-angle lens.

Topaz Gigapixel AI

• Increases photo resolution by 2 times without loss (useful for printing).
• Denoise mode removes noise to ISO 3200+.

Video tip: Use CapCut to stabilize (Trembling Eliminate Tool) and raise bitrate to 50 Mbps. This compensates for the weak hardware stabilization of the Redmi Note 9 Pro.

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Shoot in RAW (GCam or Pro-MIUI) if you plan to do serious post-processing. RAW saves 3 times more data for correction than JPEG.

6. Update of firmware and modified cores

Stock firmware MIUI limits the camera for the sake of stability. Alternative firmware (such as Pixel Experience or LineageOS) unlocks the full potential of the Samsung GW1 by adding support for:

• 🎥 10-bit HDR (instead of 8-bit MIUI).
• 🔧 Manual control of all 4 modules (including macro and depth).
• 📱 Support Camera2 API Level 3 (full access to raw sensor data).