Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T smartphone often face a situation where embedded image processing algorithms overly smooth the skin, removing the texture and making faces unnatural. This phenomenon, known as "bitification" or retouching, is enabled by default in the MIUI camera app to create idealized portraits. However, for many users it is important to keep the details and realism of the images, which requires manual intervention in settings.
Android’s MIUI shell offers flexible tools for managing shooting parameters, but they are not always obvious at first glance. Disabling effects (beauty) makes your gadget a more professional tool, especially if you plan to further process photos in editors. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to manage the degree of retouching.
The main camera menu and beauty mode
The easiest way to control the level of anti-aliasing is directly in the camera launch interface. When you first open the camera app on the Redmi Note 8T, the system often suggests that you turn on the appearance improvement mode. If you missed this moment or want to change the settings, you need to pay attention to the top of the screen in shooting mode.
Find an icon that looks like a magic wand or a face with sparks, usually in the upper right corner or just below the shutter button. Pressing this icon opens the adjustment slider, and you can turn the effect off completely by moving the slider to the far left position to the "0" value.
It should be noted that the settings can only be applied to the current shooting mode, for example, the settings set for the Photo mode may not be in Portrait mode. So it is important to check the status of the filters at each switch between the main use cases.
⚠️ Note: In some versions of the firmware MIUI The beauty settings are reset when you switch between the front and the main camera. Always check the value of the slider after you change the lens.
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For quick access to beauty settings, add a camera widget to your desktop with No Filters preset if your version of MIUI supports setting up mode shortcuts.
Settings in Portrait Mode
Portrait mode on the Redmi Note 8T uses complex algorithms to blur the background and smooth the skin at the same time. Here, the retouch control is put into a separate menu, which is often hidden from a cursory glance. To get there, switch to Portrait mode and pay attention to the top toolbar.
Clicking on the three-dot icon or the special "Effects" icon will show you a list of available filters and beauty settings. Unlike the standard mode, there is often a separate switch for "Blurring Background" and "Skin smoothing." Make sure that both options are minimized if your goal is maximum detail.
The interface can offer pre-made presets such as "Natural" or "Studio." Choosing the "Original" or "Natural" option usually means no software processing, but even in this mode, light sharping can be applied automatically.
- 📸 Open the Camera app and select Portrait mode.
- ✨ Click on the effects settings icon at the top of the screen.
- 📉 Move the "Beauty" or "Retouch" slider to the zero position.
- ✅ Take a test shot to check the result.
Hidden settings and engineering menu
For advanced users who are not satisfied with standard features, there are deeper levels of customization. On the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8T, you can access advanced options through special codes or third-party utilities, although this requires caution. Changing system parameters can affect the operation of the entire camera module.
One way is to use code ##6484## to log into the CIT engineering menu, where you can test the camera sensors, but not all versions of the software directly disable the post-processing algorithms. A more effective method is to use third-party applications to activate the hidden menus of the camera developer.
It is important to understand that interference with system files or use of ADB-commands to change the configuration files of the camera can lead to unstable operation. Before any manipulations of this kind, it is strongly recommended to create a complete backup of the data.
⚠️ Warning: Changing hidden parameters through the engineering menu can lead to artifacts in the photo or complete failure of the camera module.
How to enter the camera developer menu?
Use of third-party applications
If the MIUI Camera app does not give the desired control over the retouch, the best solution is to install alternative software. Third-party cameras often ignore the system beauty settings and provide direct access to the sensor matrix, which allows you to obtain a “raw” image without intrusive processing.
The most popular solution is to install Google Camera ports (GCam). There are many stable versions for the Redmi Note 8T (Snapdragon 665). GCam is famous for its HDR+ algorithm, which preserves the texture of the skin without turning it into a plastic mask, as standard firmware often does.
Also worth looking at are apps like the Open Camera or the Camera FV-5, which allow you to manually set your ISO, shutter speed and focus, completely disabling any automatic enhancements, and are ideal for those who want to have full control over the process of taking a picture.
| Annex | Type of processing | Difficulty | Presence of RAW |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI Camera | Strong retouch. | Low. | There is. |
| Google Camera | Natural. | Medium | There is. |
| Open Camera | Absent. | Tall. | There is. |
| ProCam X | Minimum | Medium | There is. |
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Installing a ported version of Google Camera is the most efficient way to get natural colors and textures on the Redmi Note 8T without losing detail.
Formatting and saving in RAW
To completely eliminate digital processing, you need to switch to shooting in RAW format. In this format, the data is stored directly from the matrix, bypassing the noise reduction and sharpening stages that are characteristic of JPEG. On the Redmi Note 8T, this feature is available in the “Profi” or “Pro” mode.
Switch to Pro mode in the camera menu, and here you'll see manual exposure settings, and in the corner of the screen, you'll often see a "RAW" or "JPG+RAW" icon, and when you activate it, you're guaranteed to get a file that hasn't been hit with any bitification.
RAW files take up much more space and require mandatory post-processing on a computer or in a mobile editor, but this format gives maximum freedom of action and allows you to pull the details out of shadows and lights without loss of quality.
Processing RAW-So you can decide for yourself how much skin you want to smooth out, and you can only apply local retouching where you really need it, leaving the rest of your face in detail.