How to turn on the night mode in the camera on Xiaomi Redmi 9: a complete guide with photos

Xiaomi Redmi 9 smartphones feature a powerful night-mode camera, a feature that radically improves the quality of images in low light conditions. However, many device owners have difficulty trying to activate this option. In some cases, the night-mode button is simply absent from the camera interface, and in others, photos are blurred or with noise. Why is this happening and how to properly set up the camera to shoot at night?

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to enable night mode on Redmi 9, including hidden MIUI settings, bypass system limitations and recommendations for optimal parameters for shooting. You’ll also learn what errors users often make and how to avoid them. Night mode on Redmi 9 works only when manually activated – automatic switching in the dark is not provided by the manufacturer.

If you've tried night mode before, but you're not happy with the results, don't be quick to blame the camera. 80 percent of the time, the problem is with the wrong settings or the wrong use of the function. Next, you'll find step-by-step instructions with illustrations, comparison tables of parameters and answers to frequent questions.

1.Where is the night mode in Redmi 9's camera?

On the Xiaomi Redmi 9, night mode is hidden in the main camera menu, but its visibility depends on several factors: the version of MIUI, current lighting conditions and the selected shooting mode. In most cases, the button appears automatically when the camera detects low light, but it can be turned on manually.

To find the night mode:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Switch to Photo Mode (main camera).
3. In the top toolbar, find the “Moon” icon» (🌙) — That's the night mode.
4. If there is no icon, touch the icon. ⋯ («More) and check the list of additional features.

Importantly, some firmware versions may call night mode Night Mode or Low Light Shooting, and if you don't see this option, it may be disabled in the system settings, which we'll talk about in the next section.

2.Why is the night mode not on the camera menu?

The lack of a night mode button is one of the most common problems on Redmi 9. The reasons may be different, but most often it is due to:

• 🔹 An outdated version MIUI. In the firmware older MIUI 12 nights may not work properly or may not work.
• 🔹 Disabled permissions for the Camera application (access to the camera, microphone or storage).
• 🔹 Hardware limitations: Some Redmi 9 versions (e.g. Redmi) 9A or Redmi 9C) Night mode is simplified or absent.
• 🔹 In some countries, Xiaomi is disabling some of the camera features due to local regulations.

Before you try to turn on the night mode, check out the MIUI version:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. If the version is older than MIUI 12.0.1, update the firmware through Settings → System Update.

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If the update is not available, try manually installing the latest version of MIUI via Recovery or Fastboot. Instructions for Redmi 9 are available on the official Xiaomi forum.

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to turn on night mode

If the night button is on the menu but you don’t know how to use it, follow this instruction:

1. Open the camera and switch to the main module (not the front camera).
2. Make sure the lighting is not enough – the night mode is activated only in low light. If the room is too bright, close the lens with your hand for 2-3 seconds to activate the light sensor.
3. Touch the Moon icon» (🌙). If it's not there, press on ⋯ → Night Mode.
4. Wait 1-3 seconds until the camera stabilizes the image, and the screen will show the words "Hold still."
5. Press the shutter button and hold the phone as exactly as possible for 2-5 seconds (exposure time depends on the lighting).

Now compare it to a normal shot, and the difference is clear: night mode reduces noise, draws details in the shadows, and makes the colors more saturated.

Make sure the camera is clean (no fingerprints)

Disable HDR (it may conflict with night mode)

Fix the phone on a tripod or put it on a stable surface

Check that the camera settings have an option enabled "AI-camera"-->

4. Optimal settings for shooting in the dark

Night mode on Redmi 9 works better if you adjust the camera settings correctly.

If you are shooting moving objects (such as a car or a person), reduce exposure time manually.

1. Turn on night mode.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ (settings) in the upper corner.
3. Select Exposure Time → 1c (instead of the automatic value).

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Night mode on Redmi 9 does not work with front camera and video mode. For selfies in the dark, use an external light or flashlight.

5 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users complain that the night mode on Redmi 9 gives blurry or too dark pictures, 90% of the time it is due to typical errors:

⚠️ Attention: If you're shooting with your hands, even a slight shake will cause a lot of blur. Night mode uses long exposure (up to 5 seconds), so the phone must be completely stationary. Use a tripod or support.

Other frequent problems:

• 📸 Shooting against a light source (like a lantern or moon) leads to overlights and loss of detail.
• 🔋 Low battery (less than 20%) In this case, the camera automatically reduces exposure time.
• 📱 Closed background apps. Night mode requires a lot of resources - close all unnecessary programs before shooting.
• 🌡️ If the Redmi 9 gets hot, the camera can turn off night mode until cooling down.

If the images are too dark, try to increase the ISO by hand (in professional camera mode). The optimal value for the Redmi 9 is 800-1600. Higher values will add noise, but make the picture brighter.

6. Alternative ways to improve night photography

If the built-in night mode doesn’t suit you, try these methods:

• 📲 Third-party apps. Apps like Google Camera (GCam) or Night Camera often do better nighttime shooting than a standard camera. BSG or Urnyx05.
• 🔦 External illumination. Even a faint flashlight or light from another phone's screen will help illuminate the object.
• 🎥 Shooting in RAW. In professional mode, save the picture in format RAW, And then you can process it in Lightroom or Snapseed.
• 🔄 Combine multiple images. Take 3-5 frames with manual settings, and then combine them in StarStaX (for stars) or Photoshop (for landscapes).

To install GCam on Redmi 9:

1. Download. APK-a file from a verified source (e.g., Celso Azevedo).
2. Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources.
3. In GCam settings, select the config for Redmi 9 (usually Mi9_SE.xml).
4. Activate Night Sight (an analogue of night mode).

⚠️ Warning: Some versions of the GCam may cause overheating or rapid battery drain on the Redmi 9.

7. Night mode comparison on Redmi 9 and other Xiaomi smartphones

Night mode on Redmi 9 is inferior to flagship models Xiaomi (for example, Mi 11 or Redmi Note 10 Pro), but will cope with most household tasks.

As you can see from the table, Redmi 9 is in the middle segment in terms of night shooting capabilities, it is enough for shooting in the city or at a party, but for professional tasks (for example, astrophotography), you should choose a model with an optical stabilizer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi night mode 9