How to reduce the size of photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9: from built-in tools to professional applications

Photos on Xiaomi Redmi 9 take up a lot of memory space, especially if you shoot in high resolution 46 MP or use mode. HDR. Even standard images in format JPEG Weight loss is 5 to 10 MB, and when you're shooting, you fill up your memory in a matter of days, and reducing the size of your photo solves two problems: saving space on your phone and speeding up loading on messengers or social networks, where weight restrictions apply.

In this article, we will analyze 7 working ways to compress images on Redmi 9 – from built-in functions MIUI You will learn how to reduce photos without loss of quality (using compression algorithms) and when to sacrifice detail for the sake of minimal weight. Special attention will be paid to the hidden function “Light photo” in the Xiaomi gallery, which many users do not notice, although it reduces the weight of photos by 2-3 times in seconds.

1. Built-in tools MIUI: compression

The manufacturer Xiaomi added to the shell MIUI There are a few photo tools that can reduce their size right in the standard Gallery, and the main advantage is that you don't have to download or register.

The fastest way is:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app and select a photo.
• ✏️ Click Edit (the pencil icon at the bottom).
• 🔍 Fly the tools to the right to the point Light photo.
• ⚡ Slip on it – the system will automatically compress the picture to 30-50% of the original size, saving a copy.

This method uses a compression algorithm with minimal loss of quality, but is only suitable for single photos. For batch processing, use another built-in tool:

1. Press a few photos in the gallery to highlight.
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Exports.
3. Choose to compress and export.
4. Specify the folder to save and confirm the action.

⚠️ Attention: Built-in compression in MIUI If you want to control the final size, use third-party applications (see section 3).

2. Camera settings: how to shoot immediately "light" photos

If you regularly experience memory shortages, it’s easier to set up your camera to keep your photo at optimal resolution. Redmi 9 has the default best quality, but it can be reduced:

Instructions:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the gears (⚙️) Or swipe your finger across the screen from left to right to open the menu.
3. Go to Camera Settings → Photo permission.
4. Choose one of the values: 12 MP (4:3) - the optimal balance of quality and size. 9 MP (16:9) - suitable for publications in social networks. 46 MP - maximum resolution (use only if necessary).

Also note the photo quality setting in the same settings. Here you can select:

• 📸 High – Minimum compression, weight of the photo ~8-12 MB.
• 📱 Standard - compression to ~3-5 MB (recommended).
• 📎 Light is a strong compression (~1-2 MB, suitable for messengers.

⚠️ Note: When shooting in 46 MP, it is turned off HDR If you care about these features, you can choose 12 MP resolution.

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To quickly switch between resolutions, add the Camera shortcut to the home screen with the icon clamping. → Camera widget.

3. Third-party apps: top-3 compression

If the built-in tools MIUI Not enough, install one of the specialized applications. We tested dozens of programs and selected the 3 best for Redmi 9:

🥇 Photo & Picture Resizer (Free)

Simple application with packet compression support and flexible settings:

• 📏 Resize by pixels or percentages (e.g., reduce to 50% of the original).
• 🗜️ Quality management JPEG (1–100%).
• 📁 Save to a new folder or replace the original.
• 🚀 Up to 50 photos at a time.

🥈 Compress Images & Resize Photos

Suitable for those who often send photos to messengers:

• 📌 Presets for WhatsApp, Instagram, VK (Automatic compression to the requirements of platforms).
• 🔍 Preview before/after compression.
• 📊 Statistics on space saving.

🥉 PicsArt (for advanced users)

If you need to not only compress, but also edit the photo:

• 🎨 Tools of cropping, color correction, adding effects.
• 📦 Exports with a choice of quality (low/medium/high).
• 🌐 The ability to immediately publish in social networks.

Date of last update (is it relevant for Android 11)+)|User reviews (rated above 4.2)|Advertising availability (free versions often show banners)|Permits (the application must not request access to the SMS or contact)-->

When testing on Redmi 9 Android 10/MIUI 12 All three apps were stable, but Photo & Picture Resizer was the fastest in batch processing. 20 The photo took less 10 seconds.

4. Online services: compression without installing programs

If you don't want to load your phone's memory with unnecessary apps, you can use online services, which work right in your browser, but require an Internet connection, and the main advantage is that you don't load your smartphone processor.

Best services for Redmi 9:

• 🌐 TinyPNG – compresses up to 70% without visible quality loss (using smart lossy compression technology). PNG and JPEG.
• 🌐 ImageCompressor – allows you to select the compression ratio (Low / Medium / High) and shows a preview.
• 🌐 CompressJPEG – specializes in photography, saves EXIF-data (camera information, date of shooting, etc.).

How to use (in the example of TinyPNG):

1. Open your browser (Google Chrome or Mi Browser is recommended).
2. Go to tinypng.com.
3. Drag the photo into the browser window or click Download.
4. Wait for processing (usually 2-5 seconds per photo).
5. Download the archive with optimized images.

⚠️ Attention: Online services upload your photos to their servers. If there is sensitive information in the pictures (documents, screenshots of repiska), use offline methods (apps or built-in tools).

5. PC Compression: Maximum Quality and Control

If you need to process a lot of photos (for example, after a vacation) or require professional compression, transfer the files to your computer.

Step-by-step instructions for Windows:

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode on your phone).
2. Copy the photo into a folder on your computer.
3. Install the program. RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool – Free and Supports batch processing.
4. Open the photo in RIOT, choose: 📏 Size (reduce to) 1920×1080 social-network). 🗜️ Quality. JPEG (optimally 80–85%). 🔄 Save. EXIF (if metadata is needed).

Apply

Transfer the compressed photos back to the phone.

For macOS, the built-in Preview application is suitable:

• Open the photo in Preview.
• Select the file. → Exports.
• In the Quality section, move the slider to the left (for example, 60%).
• Specify the folder to save and click Save.

The advantage of this method is that you have precise control over the final size, for example, you only need permission to post on Instagram. 1080×1080 quality 80%, weight-reducing 8 MB up to 300–500 CBB.

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Compression on a PC allows you to use algorithms like MozJPEG or WebP, which give a better result than mobile applications.

6 Automation: how to compress a photo when sending to messengers

Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram or VK They automatically compress photos when they're sent, but their algorithms aren't always optimal. For example, WhatsApp reduces the resolution to a higher resolution. 1600×1200 It greatly reduces the quality, which makes the text on the screenshots unreadable.

To control compression before sending, follow the following steps:

On Telegram:

• 📎 Attach the photo as a file (click the clip icon). → File, not through the gallery, and it will be sent in its original quality (up to 2 GB).
• 🔍 If you need to compress, use the built-in editor: click on the photo before sending → Squeeze.

On WhatsApp:

• 📤 Before sending, open the photo in the gallery and compress it through the Light Photo (see Section 1).
• 📎 Send as a Document (Stap-Stap-Icon) → Document) to avoid automatic compression.

V VK:

• 🖼️ Upload photos to albums through the full version of the site (in mobile browser, request the desktop version.
• 📏 For avatars and covers, use the recommended sizes: 200×200 for avatar (weight to) 5 MB). 1590×400 profile-cover.

If you frequently send screenshots of text (such as correspondence or documents), pre-convert them to a format. PNG — It's better at keeping fonts sharp. For that, in Redmi 9, select Edit. → Save how → PNG.

7 Advanced Methods: Converting to WebP and Other Formats

Google’s WebP format allows you to compress photos 25-35% more efficiently than the Internet. JPEG, Redmi 9 supports all standard applications, including Gallery and Camera (starting with the MIUI 12).

How to convert photos to WebP:

1. Install the WebP Converter app from Google Play.
2. Select a photo in the gallery → Share → WebP Converter.
3. Set up the parameters: 🎨 Quality: 80% (optimum for photo). 🔄 Save. EXIF: Turn on the metadata if you need it.

convert

Comparison of formats (test on Redmi 9):

Note: WebP is not supported in iMessage (for iPhone), so if you share photos with Apple users often, use the app. JPEG.

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WebP is ideal for uploading photos to websites or Google Photos, where it takes up a minimum of space without loss of quality.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi photo reduction 9