Modern mobile photography has long gone beyond static images, capturing moments in motion and sound. Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often wonder how to turn on live photos to get an effect similar to Live Photos on iPhone. This feature allows you to save a few seconds of video and sound before and after pressing the shutter button, creating “live” pictures.
The implementation of this capability on devices running MIUI shell or new HyperOS may vary depending on the model and the firmware region. In some cases, the feature is built into a standard application, in others it requires activation of hidden settings or installation of specialized software. Understanding the principles of image processing algorithms will help you avoid loss of quality.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to activate dynamic shooting, learn how to set up a camera to record movement, what file formats are used and how to correctly display such pictures on other devices.
Built-in Live Photo feature in the Camera app
Starting with certain versions of the MIUI shell, developers have implemented native support for live photos. However, this option is often hidden or only available in global firmware versions. First, you need to open the standard Camera app and switch to Photo mode. At the top of the screen or in the settings menu (three stripes or gears), look for an icon that resembles concentric circles or the words “Live”.
If you find the appropriate switch, just activate it. After that, when you shoot, the camera will record a short video that is played when you click on the thumbnail in the gallery. It is important to note that the resolution of the shot in this mode can be limited software to ensure smooth playback and space savings.
⚠️ Note: In active Live Photo mode, the flash often turns off automatically, as continuous backlighting during video recording before the shutter is lowered can overheat the module or distort the colors.
It’s worth considering that on some models, such as the Xiaomi 13 or 14 series, the algorithms for working with live photos may differ from budget segments. Top devices use artificial intelligence to stabilize the frame and improve noise reduction in the video part of the picture, which makes the result more qualitative and similar to professional shooting.
Use the Google Camera (GCam) app
If your model’s stock app doesn’t have the right feature, the best solution is to install a modified version of Google Camera, known as GCam, which is ported by enthusiasts for various Snapdragon and MediaTek processors and often provides functionality not available in standard firmware. GCam’s Live Photos mode is fully implemented and stable.
For installation, it is necessary to find a suitable APK-There is no universal version, because each camera module requires customization through configuration files. After installation in the camera interface, an icon in the form of three rings or the inscription “Live” will appear, which must be activated before shooting.
The advantage of using GCam is improved HDR processing and nighttime even in dynamic snapshots. Google's algorithms often handle white balance better than stock solutions from Chinese manufacturers. However, be prepared for the fact that live photo files can take up more space due to the peculiarities of encoding the video stream.
Where to find a compatible version of GCam?
Alternative applications for creating live photos
If you don't want to mess with GCam ports, you can use specialized apps from the Google Play store. There are many programs that emulate the work of Live Photos, recording videos before and after the shutter, and these applications often have their own galleries to view content.
One popular solution is the Live Photos app, which is developed by various developers, which allows you to not only create but also convert regular videos into live photos and vice versa, and some of them support export to social media-compatible formats, making it easier to publish dynamic content.
- 📸 Live Photos is a simple application with a minimalist interface that allows you to quickly take pictures with the effect of movement.
- 🎥 IntoLive is a powerful tool for creating live wallpaper and photos from videos, supports many formats.
- 🖼️ Photo Motion – an application that focuses on adding motion effects to static images, but has a shooting mode.
The disadvantage of third-party solutions is often the presence of advertising or watermarks in free versions. In addition, integration with the MIUI system gallery may not be ideal: pictures can be displayed as ordinary photos or video files, rather than as a single dynamic object, which creates inconvenience when sorting and viewing.
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When using third-party live photo apps, check the resolution settings. Often HD is set by default, but for better quality, it's better to manually set 4K or the maximum available for your model.
Configuring the quality and format parameters
The quality of a live photo depends on the resolution and frame rate settings you choose. The camera menu, whether it’s a standard app or GCam, recommends setting the maximum available resolution for a photo part. The video part is usually recorded in 1080p or 720p at 30 fps, which is the standard for this format.
The file format is important, and the most common way to do this is to use a bundle of static JPG images and short MP4 or MOV video. The Apple ecosystem uses HEIC format, which contains both photos and videos in one container. On Android, implementation can vary depending on the application.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Photo permission | Maximum (12-50 MP) | Detailing the static frame |
| Video resolution | 1080p (Full HD) | Clear movement in the Live part |
| Frequency of personnel | 30 fps | Smoothness of reproduction |
| File format | JPG + MP4 | Compatibility with other devices |
Keep in mind that high settings require more processing power. If your Redmi or Poco smartphone is in the budget segment, turning on the highest quality can lead to delays between shots, in which case it is worth lowering the resolution of the video part to ensure performance.
Problems with compatibility and display
One of the biggest challenges with Android live photos is how they are displayed on other devices, and if you send them to an iPhone user through a standard MMS or some non-compression messengers, they can only see a static picture or a separate video file, which is because of the different implementations of the format.
When transmitted via Bluetooth or file managers, the connection between photos and videos is often lost, and the system perceives them as two different objects, and to avoid this, it is better to use cloud services such as Google Photos, which are able to correctly combine and display such pairs of files, creating an animation effect when viewing.
⚠️ Warning: When copying live photos to your computer, make sure you transfer both files (image and video) or the motion effect will be lost.
There are also problems with social media viewing. Instagram and Facebook have their own algorithms for processing live photos. Often when uploading, they are converted to a regular video or a static image. To publish, it is better to pre-convert a live photo to video or GIF format if the platform does not support native import.
☑️ Check before sending a live photo
Convert and edit live images
Often, you need to edit a live photo or change a key frame. In the standard Xiaomi gallery, functionality is limited, but the Google Photos app offers ample opportunities. You can select any frame from the video part and make it the main static image. You need to open the photo, click Change and select Photo from the top menu.
There are also tools for converting live photos to GIF or full-length video, which is convenient for creating content on social networks where the Live Photo format is not supported, and many online services and applications allow you to split a bunch into separate components or combine them into a single file.
The editing of the motion parameters (speed, direction) on Android is less developed than on iOS. However, some advanced editors allow you to apply filters and effects to the video part of the live image. The main thing is to save the original, since any editing can lead to loss of quality or synchronization.
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Google Photos is the most versatile tool for viewing, editing and syncing live shots between Android and iOS devices, ensuring the best possible compatibility.