How to allow the browser to access the camera on the Xiaomi smartphone: the complete guide

Why your browser doesn’t see your camera on Xiaomi and how to fix it

You try to take a photo through the web version of Instagram, go through an online interview in Zoom through a browser or scan. QR-code on the bank's website, but Xiaomi's smartphone stubbornly ignores requests for camera access? the problem is familiar to many owners of shell devices MIUI — It blocks access to hardware modules by default, even if you have already allowed it in the application settings, and 80 percent of the time, it's because of permission issues, conflicts between system settings and browser settings, or an outdated version. MIUI.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why a browser (be it Google Chrome, MIUI Browser or Firefox) can’t access a camera on Xiaomi Redmi, POCO or Mi, and provide unique solutions for MIUI 12, 13 and 14 that you won’t find in standard instructions.

Basic Permits Verification: System Level

Before you dig deeper, make sure that the camera is allowed at the operating system level. In MIUI, this is done in two steps: first for the browser itself, then for the system services it uses, skipping at least one step is guaranteed to result in a Camera access denied error.

Open Settings → Applications → App Management and find your browser (e.g. Chrome). Tap it, then go to Permissions → App Permissions. Here the switch should be turned on opposite to Camera. If it is not, then the browser did not request access at all, and the problem lies deeper (more on this in the next section).

• 🔍 Check the status of the permit: if it is highlighted in gray, it has never been requested; if it is in red, it has been rejected before.
• 📱 For MIUI 14: Open Settings additionally → Confidentiality → Special access → Access the camera and make sure the browser is in the list of allowed.
• 🔄 Reset permissions: If the switch is inactive, try resetting the app settings through Storage → Clear the data (this will delete the cache and saved passwords!).

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO F3/F4 Redmi Note 11 post-update MIUI 13.5 There's a bug when the resolution for the camera is reset after the reboot. Solution is to roll back the version of Google Play Services to 22.18.14 (instruction in the error section).

Browser settings: hidden settings for accessing the camera

Even if everything is allowed on the system level, the browser can lock the camera due to internal security settings. Google Chrome and MIUI Browser have separate menus for controlling access to devices, which are often overlooked.

For Chrome:

1. Open your browser and enter chrome://settings/content/camera.
2. Make sure the "Allow" section indicates the https://[site] that you want access to.
3. If the site is not in the list, go back to it, update the page and allow access when a request appears.

For MIUI Browser, the path is more complicated: Browser settings → Privacy → Site settings → Camera. Here you can manually add domains to a whitelist.

Clear cache and cookies for a problematic site

Update your browser to the latest version

Disable VPN/proxy (they can block access to hardware modules)

Check if the Traffic Saving mode is enabled (it limits the functionality of the sites)-->

If the camera still doesn't work after this manipulation, try disabling MIUI optimization for the browser.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top corner and select Disable MIUI Optimization.
3. Restart the browser.

Discussions with MIUI Optimization and Safe Mode

One of the most insidious features of MIUI is the background optimization, which can block access to the camera "to save battery," which works even if you manually authorize all permissions, to turn it off:

1. Activate Developer Mode (if not already done): Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times).
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the option "Optimize MIUI" and turn it off.
4. Also disable Background Optimization for your browser in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Chrome → Battery.

If the problem appears after the system update, try to boot into Safe Mode (hold the power button → long tap on "Stop" → "Reboot in Safe Mode"). In this mode, all third-party applications are turned off, and if the camera works, one of them is to blame (most often it is Clean Master, DU Battery Saver or antiviruses like Avast).

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If after disabling MIUI optimization, the browser started to slow down, return the settings back and instead add it to the list of "Secure applications" in the battery settings. This will save access to the camera without losing performance.

Mistakes and bugs: what to do if nothing helps

If you’ve tried all of the above methods, but your browser still can’t see the camera, the problem may be a system bug. Here’s a list of known bugs and solutions for different versions of MIUI:

• 🐞 MIUI 12.5–13.0: A bug with Google Play Services that resets permissions.The solution is to roll back services to version 22.18.14 via Settings → Annexes → Google Play Services → Remove updates.
• 🐞 MIUI 14 (Redmi Note 12 Pro+): Conflict with com.miui.privacy.Centered by resetting privacy settings: Settings → Confidentiality → Resetting settings.
• 🐞 POCO F4/F5: After the update, the Camera option disappears in the browser resolutions. The solution is to install Chrome Beta from APKMirror (it bypasses restrictions). MIUI).

To diagnose the exact cause:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable debugging via USB.
2. Enter in the command line: adb shell dumpsys package com.android.chrome | grep CAMERA If the answer has a line denied - a problem in system resolutions. If granted, but the camera does not work - the browser is to blame.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) have the camera access disabled at the kernel level, in which case only flashing to the official global version will help. MIUI.

Regional restrictions and features of firmware

Few people know, but Xiaomi imposes regional restrictions on access to hardware modules depending on the firmware. For example, on the Indian ( ING) and Chinese ( CN) versions of MIUI, browsers are by default deprived of access to the camera due to local privacy laws, this applies even to global models if they were purchased in these regions.

Check your firmware in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If there is CN, ING or RU at the end of the name, you will need:

1. Install global firmware (e.g. Global or EEA) via the Mi Flash Tool.
2. Or manually edit the build.prop file (requires root rights) by replacing the ro.miui.region string with ro.miui.region=Global.

For Redmi and POCO models purchased in Russia, it is often helpful to simply change the region in settings: Settings → Additional → Region → Select Indonesia or Singapore (these regions have minimal restrictions).

Alternative solutions: if standard methods do not work

If none of these things work, there are radical measures, and here's what you can try in order to increase the complexity.

• 🔧 Resetting application settings: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Menu (three dots) → Resetting the application settings, it'll bring back all the permissions to the factory, but it won't delete the data.
• 📲 Use an alternative browser: Install Firefox Focus or Brave – they bypass some limitations MIUI by its own engine.
• 🔄 System rollback: If the problem appears after the update, roll back to the previous version MIUI Recovery Mode (instructions for your model are available on the forum) 4PDA).
• 🛠️ Rooting and editing system files: For power users: get root rights and edit the file /system/etc/permissions/platform.xml, line: <permission name="android.permission.CAMERA" /> for your browser.

If you are not ready for firmware experiments, try a workaround: use the web version of the service (for example, Instagram or Zoom) through the desktop mode in the browser.

1. Open Chrome, tap three dots → "Computer Version".
2. Update the page and try to request access to the camera again.

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On Xiaomi models with a Snapdragon processor (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro+), access to the camera through the browser can be blocked at the driver level, in which case only updating the firmware to the latest version or replacing the kernel will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions about camera access in Xiaomi browser