Timelapse on Xiaomi Redmi: what it is, how to shoot and what settings to choose

Timelapse is a technique that turns real-time hours into video seconds. On Xiaomi Redmi smartphones, this feature is built into the standard Camera app, but many users are unaware of its capabilities. If you ever wanted to capture the dawn, the movement of clouds or the construction process in an accelerated format, timelapse is exactly what you need.

Unlike regular video, where every second is fixed unchanged, timelapse automatically takes pictures at a given interval, and then glues them into a video, which can turn 1 hour of shooting into a 10-second video. But how does this work on specific Redmi models? And what settings to choose to get a quality result?

In this article, we will discuss:

• 🔍 What is timelapse and how it differs from hyperlapse
• 📱 How to turn on the mode Xiaomi Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/10 other models
• ⚙️ Optimal settings for different scenes (city, nature, night shooting)
• 🎬 How to mount and speed up finished videos
• ⚡ Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1.Timelapse vs. Hyperlapse: What's the difference?

Many people confuse the two terms, although they have different principles of shooting: timelapse is a fixed-camera accelerated shooting, you put your phone on a tripod (or just put it on a flat surface), you start the recording, and the machine automatically takes the shots at regular intervals, for example, every 2 seconds.

Hyperlapse, on the other hand, involves the camera moving while you're shooting, and it uses acceleration, but it's dynamic, like you're running with a camera in your hand, and then you speed up the recording by 10 to 30 times. On Xiaomi Redmi, the hyperlapse is implemented via Video → Hyperlapse (not available on all models).

⚠️ Note: If your Redmi model does not support hyperlapse, do not try to simulate it manually - the tremor of the frame when the video is accelerated in the editor will spoil the result.

What each regimen is suitable for:

• 🌅 Timelapse: sunset, construction, plant growth, traffic (from a fixed point).
• 🚶 Hyperlapse: walk around the city, drive, run (with camera movement).

2.How to turn on timelapse on Xiaomi Redmi: step-by-step instructions

Timelapse is built into the standard Camera app on all Redmis (starting with Redmi 5 and later) to find it:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Flick the shooting modes left (or right, depending on the model) to the item "Fast Video" (on some firmware - "Timelapse" or "Accelerated Shooting").
3. Click on the icon. ⚙️ in the upper right corner to open the settings.

If the mode is not in the main menu, check:

• 📌 Update the Camera app via Google Play.
• 📌 Make sure you don’t have custom firmware installed (like LineageOS) that can remove standard features.
• 📌 On some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Timelapse is hidden in mode ** Video" → "Speed" → "0.5x" (It's the opposite of logic, but it works).

Important: Before shooting, check if there is enough space on the phone. Timelapse saves hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of frames, which are then glued together in a video. For example, 1 hour of shooting at intervals of 1 second will take ~2-3 GB.

Battery charge > 50%|

Free space on the phone > 5 GB|

The phone is fixed on a tripod or flat surface |

Power saving mode is off |

The optimal shooting interval is selected-->

3. Optimal timelapse settings for different scenes

The settings will determine whether you get a smooth video or a twitchy picture, the main options that you can change on Xiaomi Redmi:

• 🕒 Interval of shooting (how often the frames are taken).
• ⏱️ Duration (how long will the recording take).
• 📸 Resolution (quality of the final video).

Recommended settings depending on the scene:

Critical beginner error: shooting at intervals of 0.5-1 seconds in the dark. Due to the long shutter speed, each frame will be blurred and the video will be “shimmering.” For night shooting, use an interval of at least 3-5 seconds or turn on Night mode manually.

💡

If you take timelapses during the day, seal your phone lens with a neutral filter (or just dark glasses) to help avoid overlights and make the colors more saturated.

4. How to mount timelapse after shooting

On Xiaomi Redmi, timelapse is automatically saved as.mp4 in the gallery, but if you shot in Interval Photo mode (available on some models), you'll have to glue the footage manually.

• 🎬 CapCut (free, there are templates for timelapse).
• 📱 Lapse It (the paid version allows you to adjust the speed).
• 💻 Adobe Premiere Rush (for PC, more color correction options).

Step-by-step instructions for CapCut:

1. Import all timelapse frames (they are usually in the DCIM → Camera → Timelapse folder).
2. Select the option "Create videos from photos".
3. Set the duration of each frame - 0.1-0.3 seconds (the shorter, the faster the video).
4. Add music and effects as desired.

⚠️ Warning: If you're mounting timelapse on your phone, close all background apps.Some Redmi models (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro) can interrupt video rendering halfway through the process if they don't have enough RAM.

5 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users sometimes get tainted timelapses, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

1.The video "twitches"

• 🔹 Reason: Too long interval between frames (e.g. 10 seconds for fast objects).
• 🔹 Solution: For dynamic scenes (transport, people) use the interval of 1-3 seconds.

2.Framework blurred

• 🔹 Reason: Autofocus is constantly rebuilt or shooting is carried out out from hand.
• 🔹 Solution: Lock the focus (stick on the screen and hold until it appears) 🔒) and use a tripod.

3.The video is too short

• 🔹 Reason: Short shooting time (for example, 10 minutes with an interval of 5 seconds will give only 2-3 seconds of video).
• 🔹 Solution: Plan ahead. For a 30-second 2-second video, you need 1 hour of recording.

💡

The most common mistake is the inconsistency of the interval and the duration, and remember, the less often the frames are shot, the longer the shots must be, otherwise the video will be too short.

6.Hidden timelapse chips on Xiaomi Redmi

Few people know, but some Redmi models have additional timelapse options:

• 🎵 Add music right in the camera: On the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and newer you can select a track from the gallery before shooting (option appears after clicking on the photo). ⚙️).
• 📡 Remote Shooting: Connect your phone to Mi Band or another Xiaomi device and control timelapse with gestures (you need to enable Settings). → Connected devices → Remote camera).
• 🔋 Energy Conservation: On Redmi with MIUI 13+ You can turn off the screen auto-disabled during timelapse (path: Settings) → Display. → Sleep while charging → Never).

Another life hack: if you take timelapse at night, turn on Night mode manually (even if it doesn't automatically activate) to reduce noise on the footage. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+ also has a Long Shutter Speed option (up to 30 seconds) that makes nighttime timelapses smoother.

💡

Want to save space? Take timelapse at 720p, then zoom the video to 1080p in the editor. Quality loss will be minimal, and files will take up 2-3 times less space.

7. FAQ: Frequent questions about timelapse on Xiaomi Redmi