How to reduce the size of the photo on the phone Xiaomi Redmi

Xiaomi Redmi smartphone owners often face a rapid filling of internal memory, especially if they actively take high-resolution photos. Modern camera arrays create images weighing from 3 to 10 megabytes, which leads to a lack of space for installing new applications or updating the system. The solution to this problem lies in the competent management of file size, which allows you to save more pictures without losing visual quality.

Photo optimization isn’t just about saving gigabytes, it’s also about speeding up the process of sending files through instant messengers, which often have transfer limits. In this article, we’ll look at all the methods available, from built-in MIUI features to using specialized software so you can choose the most convenient option for yourself.

Setting up resolution and quality in the Camera application

The most effective way to control the size of future images is to change the settings directly in the Camera app before shooting. Many users default to the maximum resolution, such as 64 MP or 108 MP, although it is quite much smaller to view on the screen of a smartphone and social networks.

To change the settings, you need to start the app and go to the settings menu by clicking on the three bars in the upper right corner of the screen. In the list that opens, you should find the Size or Resolution. Here you will see the available options for aspect ratio and number of pixels. Selecting a value of 12 MP or 16 MP instead of 64 MP will save space, while maintaining acceptable detail.

Also worth paying attention to is the save format. In Redmi models with HEIF (High Efficiency Image File Format) support, you can activate this mode in the camera settings. HEIF format provides better compression compared to standard JPEG while maintaining the same image quality. However, it is worth remembering that older devices or some computers may not support this format without additional codecs.

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Use 12 MP mode for everyday shooting – this is the optimal balance between quality and memory.

Remember that changing the settings only affects new photos. The images you take will remain in their original size, and you will need other methods to reduce them, as described below, and checking these parameters regularly helps to keep the gallery in order.

Change the size of the photos taken through the MIUI Gallery

The MIUI Gallery's built-in application has a hidden but powerful editing functionality that allows you to resize and compress the weight of an image without installing third-party software, ideal for quickly preparing photos to be sent or uploaded to a website.

To use this feature, open the image you want, click on the Change button (usually an icon with a pencil or sliders). In the bottom tool menu, find the Tools or icon with three dots. This often hides the option of resizing or cropping, which physically trims the extra pixels, reducing the final file.

To fine-tune compression while saving a copy, some versions of MIUI offer a quality-selected Save as Copy feature. If you don't have one, you can use a resolution-change trick through the editing menu. Once you make any edits (even a minimal rotation or filter) and save the new version, the system often recodes the image, reducing its weight.

It is important to note that the built-in editor may not show the exact weight of the file in megabytes before saving, so after the procedure, it is recommended to check the properties of the resulting image, which will help to understand how effectively the compression was performed in a particular case.

Use of third-party applications for batch processing

When you need to process tens or hundreds of photos at once, the built-in tools of a smartphone may not be enough, and specialized applications from Google Play, such as Lite Photo, Image Size or QReduce, come to the rescue, which allow you to set precise compression parameters and work with entire albums.

The way these apps work is simple: you pick a folder of photos, you set a target size (like "200 KB at most") or compression percentage, and you start the process. The batch algorithms quickly run all the files through the converter, creating smaller copies in a separate folder, which saves time and eliminates manual work with each shot.

When choosing an app, pay attention to the permissions it requests. Access to storage (files) is enough to work with photos. If the application requires access to contacts, microphone or location, this is a suspicious sign, and it is better to refrain from using it for the sake of data security.

Some advanced utilities allow you to save the originals by creating smaller versions with the label " resized" in the title. This is a useful feature that insures against accidental loss of quality of the originals. Always check the result on the first processed file before running batch processing of the entire gallery.

Online services for compression without installing programs

If you don't want to install any apps, and you only need to process a few photos, you'll want to use online services, sites like TinyPNG, CompressJPEG, or ILoveIMG, which run right in your Chrome browser or MI Browser, and they use cloud power to compress without loading your phone's processor.

The process is like this: you go to a site, upload an image (or several at once), the server processes it and offers you to download an optimized version, and the main advantage of these services is the use of smart algorithms that remove invisible data, preserving visual quality with almost no losses.

The only downside is that you need a stable Internet connection, and downloading and uploading files consumes traffic, so you should be careful with large amounts of mobile data, and for Wi-Fi, it's a completely free and fast way to connect.

⚠️ Warning: Do not upload sensitive documents or personal photos to unknown online services. Use only trusted platforms with a good reputation to eliminate the risk of data leakage.

Comparison of formats: JPEG, PNG and HEIF

Understanding the difference between file formats is key to effective memory management. Each format has its own compression and application features. Choosing the right format can reduce the size of a photo by 2-3 times without any visible loss of quality.

Format JPEG It is the de facto standard for photographs, as it provides a good balance between quality and size. PNG It should only be used for images with text or graphics, where the clarity of each pixel is important, since it weighs much more. HEIF, Supported by the new Redmi, it becomes the new standard of efficiency.

When you convert from one format to another (like PNG to JPEG), the file size almost always decreases, but you can get "digital noise" or compression artifacts. For ordinary user photos, switching to JPEG with a quality of 85-90% is the middle ground, invisible to the human eye.

Cleaning EXIF metadata to reduce weight

Every photo taken on a smartphone contains hidden information, EXIF metadata, which records the date of the shooting, the phone model, shutter speed settings, aperture and, most importantly for privacy, geolocation, and deleting this data can reduce the file size, albeit slightly (usually by 10-50 KB), but it is useful for privacy.

You can use built-in editor functions to delete EXIF data (saving as a new copy often trims some of the metadata) or special cleaner applications. Some file managers, such as MI File Manager, have a Clear Data feature that allows you to delete the file's service information.

If you plan to make your photo public, deleting geolocation is a mandatory security measure, which prevents you from tracking your location by the coordinates that are stitched in the image code. Specialized compression applications often have a tick called "Delete EXIF" or "Strip Metadata".

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The best strategy is to shoot in medium resolution (12-16 MP) and use HEIF if no professional processing is required.