How to reduce the size of the photo on the phone Xiaomi: all the ways from built-in tools to third-party applications

Photos on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are taking up more and more space – modern cameras shoot at a resolution of up to 108 MP, and the weight of one shot can exceed 10-15 MB. If you are faced with a lack of memory, slow sending photos in messengers or restrictions when downloading to sites, reducing the size of images will be an effective solution. In this article, we will analyze 7 proven methods, including built-in MIUI functions, third-party applications and online services – taking into account the preservation of quality and features of Xiaomi firmware.

It’s important to understand that reducing the size of a photo is not only a compromise between weight and quality, but also a matter of choosing the right tool. For example, compression through the Xiaomi Gallery is suitable for quick optimization before sending to Telegram or WhatsApp, and professional applications like Photo & Picture Resizer will allow you to more accurately control parameters. We will also consider the hidden settings of Xiaomi’s camera, which allow you to initially shoot smaller photos without additional processing.

1. Built-in compression in the Xiaomi Gallery (MIUI 12–14)

The fastest way to reduce photos is to use the tools of the standard Gallery from Xiaomi. The feature is available on all models, starting with the Redmi Note 8 and later, as well as on the flagships of the Xiaomi 11/12/13 series. The compression algorithm here is optimized for the MIUI ecosystem, so quality losses are minimal when reducing weight by 30-70%.

How it works:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app and select the photo you want.
• 🔍 Click on the Edit icon (pencil in the lower right corner).
• ⚙️ In the tool menu, tap More (three dots) → Squeeze.
• 📉 Select the compression level: High (saves details), Medium or Low (maximum reduction).
• 💾 Click Save as a copy to avoid losing the original.

The advantage of this method is the speed and integration with the Mi Cloud, but there are some nuances:

⚠️ Note: When selecting the option, low quality photos will deteriorate to a level that is unprintable or zoomable. Use this mode only to send to instant messengers or social networks where high resolution is not required.

2. Setup camera resolution before shooting

If you regularly need to reduce your photos, it makes sense to shoot in lower resolution initially. Xiaomi cameras have hidden settings that allow you to choose the balance between the quality and weight of the file. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro you can reduce the resolution from 50 MP to 12 MP, reducing the weight of the picture by 3-4 times without visible loss of detail on the smartphone screen.

Instructions for changing the permit:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the icons ⚙️ Settings (cogs).
3. Go to the photo resolution section (on some models – aspect ratio and resolution).
4. Choose one of the proposed values: 📸 50 MP (maximum quality, weight 10-15 MB) 📸 12 MP (optimal balance, weight 2-4 MB) 📸 9 MP or 8 MP (to save space, weight up to 1-2 MB)

On pixel-enabled binning models (like the Redmi Note 11 Pro+), the 12MP selection actually uses 48MP sensor information, but the files are made more compact by combining the pixels, which allows you to maintain good quality with less weight.

💡

If you shoot for Instagram or VK often, set a resolution of 12 MP and an aspect ratio of 4:5 – so the photo does not have to be cropped when downloading.

3. compression through the application "Files" (MIUI File Manager)

Little Known Fact: Standard File Manager MIUI It can compress not only archives, but also images, and this method is convenient if you want to batch down a few photos without opening the Gallery. MIUI 11 and newer.

Step-by-step:

• 📁 Open the Files app (Folder icon).
• 🔍 Go to the folder. DCIM → Camera (or other place where photos are stored).
• ☑️ Select the desired files with a long tap or through the icon.
• 🗜️ Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Squeeze.
• 📦 Select the archive format (ZIP or RAR) compression.
• 💾 Confirm the creation of the archive – the photos will be compressed without loss of quality (due to the algorithm) PNG/JPEG-optimization).

⚠️ Note: When archived through Files, the original photos remain in place and the compressed copies are saved to the new archive.

This is a batch-based approach, but it has a limitation: you can't specify the resolution or the compression quality, but you can use specialized applications to fine-tune it.

4. Third-party applications for advanced compression

If built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, look at third-party utilities. They offer more options: manual resolution setup, format selection (JPEG, PNG, WebP), batch processing, and even AI optimization. We tested 5 popular apps and selected the best ones for Xiaomi owners.

Top.-3 photo-reducing applications:

• 🥇 Photo & Picture Resizer (free, no ads) JPEG, PNG, WebP and HEIC. Manual width/height input or percentage zoom. Packet processing up to 50 photos at a time.
• 🥈 Image Shrink Lite (optimized for the MIUI) Automatically determine optimal compression. Integration with Xiaomi Gallery via the Open with Help menu. RAW-Files for Xiaomi 12S Ultra and others.).
• 🥉 Compress Images & Resize Photos (with AI optimization) Neural Network-based compression algorithm (saves details better than standard methods), Preview the result before saving. Export directly to Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

To install, go to Google Play and type in the name of the app. After installing, follow the instructions:

When choosing an app, pay attention to Xiaomi user reviews – some utilities may conflict with MIUI due to the specifics of working with permissions. For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, the PicsArt app sometimes resets the camera settings after compression.

5. Online compression services without installing programs

If you don't want to install additional apps, use online services that work right in your browser and support uploading photos from Xiaomi through the Gallery or Files, the main advantage is that you don't need to download anything, and the disadvantage is that you need a stable Internet connection.

The best online tools:

• 🌐 TinyPNG – compression up to 70% without visible loss of quality (ideal for the use of the engine) PNG).
• 🌐 ImageCompressor - Support JPEG, GIF and WebP, manual quality setting.
• 🌐 Squoosh (from Google) – Advanced settings, including changing color profile.

How to use TinyPNG:

1. Open your website in Chrome or Mi Browser.
2. Drag a photo from the DCIM folder or click Download.
3. Wait for processing (usually takes 2-5 seconds).
4. Download a compressed photo or save it directly to the Gallery.

⚠️ Note: When uploading photos to online services, they are temporarily stored on the company's servers. Do not use such tools for confidential images (documents, passport scans, etc.).

6. Convert to WebP format for maximum compression

Google’s WebP format reduces photo weight by 25-35% compared to JPEG for the same quality. Many Xiaomi apps (like Gallery and Browser) support WebP browsing, but not all messengers handle it correctly, such as WhatsApp automatically converts WebP to JPEG when it is sent.

How to convert photos to WebP:

1. Install the WebP Converter app from Google Play.
2. Select a photo in the Gallery and open it through Open with the help → WebP Converter.
3. Customize quality (80-90% is recommended for weight and quality balance).
4. Save the file – the weight will decrease by 30-50%.

The benefits of WebP:

• 📉 Less weight with the same visual quality.
• 🎨 Support for transparency (as in the case of PNG).
• 🚀 Quick upload to the web (ideal for blogs or websites).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Not all social networks support WebP downloads (for example, Instagram converts it to WebP downloads). JPEG).
• ❌ On some Xiaomi models, for example, POCO M3) WebP does not appear in the standard Gallery – you need to install Google Photos.

7.Photo optimization for social networks and messengers

Each social network has its own photo requirements, and taking them into account will help to avoid unnecessary compression. For example, Instagram automatically reduces the resolution to 1080×1080 for square shots, and VK compresses photos more strongly if their weight exceeds 5 MB. Knowing these nuances, you can prepare the images in advance so that they do not lose quality when downloading.

Recommendations on platforms:

To automatically optimize for social networks, use the Social Media Resizer app, which offers templates for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other platforms, and also knows how to add watermarks and crop photos for the desired format.

💡

For Instagram Stories, the optimal resolution is 1080×1920 (9:16), and if you upload a photo with a different ratio, the platform will crop it up or add black fields.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi photo reduction