How to Enable and Use Live Photos on Xiaomi: Instructions for All Models

Xiaomi’s Live Photo feature allows you to capture not only a static shot, but also a few seconds of video before and after shooting, creating unique animated shots that you can view in the gallery or share with friends, but many users have difficulty trying to turn on this option — it can be hidden in the settings or completely absent from some models.

In this article, we’ll discuss how to activate live photos on different versions of MIUI (12 to 14), which Xiaomi models support the feature, and what to do if the option doesn’t appear in the camera menu, how to save animations when exporting images, and why sometimes Live Photo doesn’t work properly.

Which Xiaomi models support live photos?

Live Photo is not available on all Xiaomi devices, but depends on the version of the MIUI firmware and the hardware capabilities of the smartphone.

• 📱 Flagship models: Xiaomi 13/13 Pro/13 Ultra, 12/12 Pro/12S Ultra, 11/11 Pro/11 Ultra – Supports Live Photo on the MIUI 12.5+.
• 📱 Mid-segment: Redmi Note 12 Pro+/11 Pro+/10 Pro, POCO F5/F4 Pro – the feature may not be available on budget modifications (for example, Redmi Note) 12 4G).
• 📱 Budget smartphones: Redmi 10A/9A, POCO M5/M4 Pro – usually do not support Live Photo due to a weak processor.
• 📱 Older models: Xiaomi Mi 9/9T, Redmi Note 8 Pro – require manual activation through Developer Settings.

To see if your smartphone supports live photos, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If the version is below 12.0, the feature is likely missing. Also pay attention to the firmware region: on the global (Global) and Chinese (China) versions, the camera feature set may differ.

Where is the setting of live photos in MIUI?

Depending on the firmware version, the path to activating Live Photo may vary, and the universal algorithm for MIUI 12-14 is listed below:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Go to Photo Mode (main shooting mode).
3. Click on the icon. ⚙️ Settings (or ⋮ Additional in the top corner).
4. In the list of options, find the item Live Photo or Dynamic Photo.
5. Activate the switch – the icon should be illuminated in yellow or green.

If the Live Photo item is not on the menu, try the following:

• 🔄 Update the Camera app via Google Play (if you use global firmware).
• 📲 Reset the camera settings in Settings → Annexes → Camera. → Warehouse → Clear the data.
• 🛠️ Enable the Developer Mode and activate the option MIUI Camera Features (more in the next section).

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T), the feature is hidden behind a long tap on the screen in camera mode. Try to hold your finger anywhere on the screen - a context menu with the Live Photo option may appear.

How to include live photos through the developer settings?

If the standard method didn’t work, try activating Live Photo via hidden settings, which is suitable for models on MIUI 12.5-14.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times in a row) After that, the Settings menu will appear the item For Developers.
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the MIUI Camera Features (or Camera2 API) option and turn it on.
4. Reboot your smartphone and check for Live Photo in the camera settings.

If you don’t have MIUI Camera Features, try an alternative method:

• 📌 Install Google Camera (GCam) with Live Photo support (e.g., version from the Google Camera) BSG Wichaya).
• 🔧 Use it. ADB-commands for forced inclusion of the function (PC and debugging are required) USB).

⚠️ Note: Change settings through ADB Or the developer mode can cause the camera to run in an unstable way.

How to take and view live photos?

Once you activate the Live Photo feature, you don't need to do any more, but you just need to take a picture in normal mode, and the smartphone automatically records 1.5-3 seconds of video before and after you press the descent.

• 🎥 The recording time depends on the model: on flagships (Xiaomi 13 Pro) – up to 3 seconds, on the middle segment (Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) — 1.5 seconds.
• 📸 Save format: Animations are embedded in the.jpg file as metadata (not visible when viewed on other devices).
• 🔋 Battery consumption: Live Photo shoots up power consumption by 10-15%.

To view the animation:

1. Open the Gallery and select a photo with an icon 🎬 (or LIVE).
2. Hold your finger in the photo and the video will start playing.
3. To export to social media, click Share → Save as video (the file will be converted to.mp4).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI China) Live photos are saved in.mpo format, which is not supported by most social networks. To convert a file, use applications like Live Photo to Video.

Why is it that Xiaomi’s live photo isn’t working?

If the Live Photo feature is not activated or malfunctioning, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🚫 Incompatible firmware: on MIUI No function 11 or lower. Solution - update the software through Settings → Updating the system.
• 🔌 Disabled permissions: check that the Camera app has access to Warehouse and Microphone (required to record audio in Live Photo).
• 📵 GCam conflict: If a modified Google Camera is installed, Xiaomi's standard camera can block Live Photo. delete GCam and restart the phone.
• 🔋 Battery savings: in Ultra-saving mode, the function is turned off automatically.

The problem may also be regional restrictions, such as Chinese firmware (MIUI China) where Live Photo sometimes only works with Chinese Mi Account accounts, so you can either reflash your phone to the global version (MIUI Global) or create an account in China.

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If Live Photo is lost after the update MIUI, Try to roll back to the previous firmware version via the Mi Flash Tool. XDA Developers or 4PDA.

How to save a live photo in the form of a video or GIF?

By default, Live Photo on Xiaomi is saved as a static image with built-in animation to export it to a convenient format:

1. Save as video: Open the picture in the Gallery. Click Share → Save as video. Select resolution (720p or 1080p) and confirm.

Conversion to GIF

• Use Live Photo to GIF or Motion Stills (from Google) apps.
• Upload the file to online converters (e.g. ezgif.com).

Please note the limitations:

• 🎞️ Video is saved without sound (on most models Xiaomi Live Photo does not record audio).
• 🖼️ The resolution of the output video is lower than that of the original image (maximum) 1080p even on the flagships).
• 📤 When sending via messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) animation can be lost - it is better to upload the file to the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud).

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To maintain maximum quality, use third-party applications like IntoLive or Lively – they allow you to adjust the bitrate and resolution of the output video.

Xiaomi Live Photo Alternatives: What to Use Instead

If your smartphone doesn’t support live photos, consider alternative ways to create animated images:

• 📹 Google Camera (GCam): many modifications (e.g., from Google Camera) BSG Nikita or Motion Photos – the equivalent of Live Photo with better stabilization.
• 🎭 Animation apps: Plotagraph animates individual elements of a photograph. Werble adds motion effects to static images. Boomerang (from Instagram) creates short looped videos.
• 📱 Built-in functions MIUI: Dynamic wallpaper: in Settings → You can create wallpaper animations from multiple photos. Effects video: in the Camera app, select Short Video or Slow Mode.

For owners of older models (Xiaomi Mi A2, Redmi Note 7), the best solution is to install GCam with Motion Photos support. Instructions for settings can be found on thematic forums, for example:

1 Download the APK- GCam file for your model (e.g. GCam_7.3.018_Urnyx05-v2.7.apk).


2. Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources.




3. In GCam settings, enable Motion Photos (Advanced → Motion).

⚠️ Note: Some GCam variants conflict with Xiaomi's standard camera. After installation, check the performance of the main modes (portrait, night mode).

FAQ: Frequent questions about live photos on Xiaomi