How to increase the video size (resolution) on your Xiaomi phone: from 720p to 4K

You shoot video on Xiaomi, but the final file is too small or of low quality? The problem is familiar to many: by default, smartphones often save videos at 720p or 1080p, although the hardware is capable of more. In this article, we will discuss how to increase the video size (or more precisely, its resolution and bitrate) on Redmi, POCO and Mi phones, including models from Xiaomi 11T to Redmi Note 12.

It's important to understand that the "size" of a video depends on three parameters: resolution (for example, 3840×2160 for 4K), bitrate (how much data is encoded per second) and FPS (frame rate). We will learn to configure all three so that the video takes up more space on the disk, but it looks professional. Spoiler: on some Xiaomi models, the 4K option is hidden in "promode".

If your goal is not just to increase the weight of the file, but to improve detail (for example, for editing or viewing on a large screen), pay attention to the section on codecs and coding profiles. There we explain why video in HEVC (H.265) at the same resolution can weigh 2 times less than in AVC (H.264).

1. Check current camera settings

Before you change anything, make sure that the problem is not with the current shooting settings. On Xiaomi, the path to video settings depends on the version of the MIUI firmware:

• 📱 MIUI 12-14: Open the Camera app → Swipe sideways to Video mode → tap on the icon ⚙️ top-corner.
• 🔍 Old versions (MIUI 11 and below: In video mode, click on three dots ⋮ → Settings → Video resolution.
• 🎥 Professional mode: on some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) options 4K Only available after switching to manual mode (icon) PRO).

In the settings menu, look for: Resolution (for example, FHD 1920×1080 or 4K 3840×2160), Frame rate (standard 30 FPS or smooth 60 FPS), Bitrate (can be referred to as Quality or Data Speed).

A common mistake is that users confuse screen resolution (how many pixels the display shows) and video resolution (how many pixels the camera writes). For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, the screen is 1080×2400, but the video can be shot at 720p by default. These parameters are not related!

2. How to enable shooting in 4K on Xiaomi

If the camera settings don’t have a 4K option, the reasons may be as follows:

1. Hardware limitations: Budget models (such as the Redmi 9A or POCO M3) don’t physically support 4K due to a weak processor or camera module.
2. Regional restrictions: Some firmware in India or China has 4K hidden (resolved by changing the region in the phone settings).
3. An outdated version MIUI. V MIUI 10 and below 4K It may not even be on the flagships (for example, the Mi 8).

Instructions for activation of 4K:

Critical detail: On models with a MediaTek processor (like the Redmi Note 11), shooting in 4K can overheat and automatically lower the resolution, in which case, try to reduce the bitrate manually (more on this in the next section).

3. Customize bitrate and codecs to increase file size

Even if you shoot in 4K, the file can weigh very little because of the low bitrate, and bitrate is measured in Mbit/s (megabits per second) and is responsible for the density of the data, such as:

• 📹 1080p@30FPS bitrate 10 Mbit/s → file ~300 MB for 5 minute.
• 🎞️ 4K@30FPS bitrate 50 Mbit/s → file ~1.5 GB for 5 minute.

On Xiaomi, the bitrate can be changed through:

1. Hidden menu of engineering settings: ##4636## Select Phone Information → Settings menu → Camera settings. Careful: Incorrect values can lead to artifacts in the video.
2. Third-party applications: Open Camera or Cinema FV-5 allow you to manually set the bitrate to 100 Mbps (if the iron pulls).

Recommended bitrate values:

Also note the codec: H.265 (HEVC) compresses video more strongly than H.264 (AVC), so with the same bitrate, the file will be smaller, but not all devices support HEVC playback. On Xiaomi, the codec is selected automatically, but in Open Camera it can be manually set.

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If the video breaks when playing on your computer, install the VLC Player codec – it supports all formats, including HEVC.

4. Use of third-party applications for shooting

The standard MIUI camera often limits the possibilities, and alternative applications give more control over the parameters of the video:

• 🎬 Open Camera: Free, supports manual bitrate, codecs and even RAW-You can download video (on some models) from Google Play or through APK official website.
• 🎥 Cinema FV-5: paid (~5$), but offers professional tools: histogram, focus picking and support for Log profiles for color correction.
• 📸 Filmic Pro: even cinematographers use it. 10-bit customize the color profile (Xiaomi is usually limited) 8-bit).

Step-by-step, set up Open Camera for maximum video size:

1. Install the app and give access to the camera/microphone.
2. Go to Settings → Video settings.
3. Select Video Resolution → Maximum Available (e.g. 3840×2160).
4. In Bitrate video set a value of 50 Mbps (or higher if the phone does not brake).
5. Turn on Stabilization (if necessary), but keep in mind that software stabilization can cut the edges of the frame.

⚠️ Note: on budget Xiaomi (for example, Redmi 9) shooting in the 4K It can cause overheating and emergency shutdown of the camera through third-party applications!

5. Increase the size of the video already taken

If the video is already in low resolution, it can be upscaled (increased software resolution) or recoded at a higher bitrate.

• 🖥️ Topaz Video AI: paid PC software that uses AI to increase resolution to 8K. Suitable for old video recordings.
• 📱 CapCut: A free mobile app from ByteDance, which has a quality enhancement tool that improves clarity but doesn't increase physical resolution.
• 🔧 FFmpeg: console utility for power users. team for upscale to 4K: ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=3840:2160" -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset slow output.mp4

Important nuances:

⚠️ Attention: Upscaling doesn't add detail -- it just "thinks out" pixels. 720p, increase 4K It makes the file heavier, but not sharper. For real quality improvements, shoot it in high resolution.

To transcode with an increase in bitrate (without changing the resolution), use:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -b:v 25M -c:a copy output.mp4

Here -b:v 25M sets the bitrate of 25 Mbps, and -c:a copy leaves the audio track unchanged.

Storage optimization: how to capture a large video without memory shortage

High bitrate 4K video takes up a lot of space. To avoid the memory-insufficient error, follow the advice:

• 📁 Use a memory card: Xiaomi supports microSD up to 1TB (check the specifications of your model). Format the card in exFAT for files >4GB.
• ☁️ Automatic upload to the cloud: in the Mi Cloud settings, enable Autoload video. Note: free is only 5 GB.
• 🔄 Lossless compression: If disk space runs out, convert video to HEVC (H.265) HandBrake or Shutter Encoder.

Example of location calculation: video in 4K@30FPS with a bit rate of 50 Mbit / s takes ~225 MB / min. For an hour of shooting, you will need ~13 GB of free space.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When you increase the video size on Xiaomi, users are faced with typical errors:

If the camera is unstable after the changes (for example, it crashes or does not save video), reset its settings: Settings → Applications → Camera → Storage → Clear data.

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Before an important shot (for example, at an event), test the new settings on a short video, which will help to avoid failures at a critical time.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions