Have you ever tried to see the fine text on a Xiaomi Redmi screen, but your fingers were in the way? Or did the gallery photo seem too small and gesture-proof? Screen zooming is a problem that many smartphone users are familiar with — especially those who are used to large fonts on older button phones or tablets. Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to zoom in, and most of them do not require third-party apps.
In this article, we'll look at 6 proven methods, from basic font zoom to hidden features for people with low vision, how to scale the screen with gestures (even if this option is disabled by default), change the resolution to display more clearly, or turn on the magnifier mode for detailed viewing of small details, and also why sometimes zooming in a browser or instant messengers works differently than in a gallery, and how to fix this.
Important: The instructions are relevant for all modern Redmi models (including the Note 12/11/10, 9A/9C, 10C/10A and the new Redmi 13C) running on MIUI 12-14 or HyperOS. If your smartphone is older than 2019, some menu items may be called differently - but the essence will remain the same.
1. Increased scale by gestures (Zoom)
The fastest way to temporarily zoom in on a screen is to use a zoom gesture, which works in almost all applications: browser, gallery, instant messengers, even settings. Here's how to turn it on if it's disabled:
- Open Settings → Special Opportunities → Increase.
- Activate the short magnification switch.
- Select the launch method: 👆 Triple touch - increase on the triple tap with three fingers. 🔍 The magnification button will appear a floating magnifying glass icon. 🖐️ Scaling gesture – mixing/breeding two fingers (like in a camera).
Once activated, you can zoom in any element on the screen to 8×, ideal for reading fine text or looking at details in photos. Note that in some apps (such as Instagram or TikTok), this gesture may conflict with internal functions – then use the Magnifier Mode (more on it below).
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If the magnification works by accident (for example, when scrolling the tape), reduce the sensitivity of the gesture in the settings Special features → Enlargement → Gesture settings.
2. Constant increase in font and interface elements
If you want to zoom in on everything at once -- menu fonts, app icons, browser text -- use system scaling, which doesn't require root rights, and works on all Redmi models:
- Go to Settings → Screen → Text size and display.
- Move the slider Font size to the right (maximum - 150%).
- Customize the display scale below – this will change the size of the icons and interface elements (not available on all models).
After you make changes, some apps may look blurry, which is normal because the system stretches the interface, and if the text is too large and doesn't fit on the screen, go back to the settings and reduce the value to 120 to 130 percent.
| Setting up | The effect | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| Type size | Only the text increases. | Reading communications, articles |
| Scale of display | Increases icons and UI elements | People with impaired vision |
| Fat type | Makes the text bolder (without enlargement) | Best readability in bright light |
3. Loop mode (for detailed viewing)
If you need to see small details on the screen — like the serial number on the check, the barcode or the small text in the photo — use the built-in Magnifier Mode. It works as a magnifying glass and is available even on a locked screen:
- Activate the function: Settings → Special features → Magnifier mode.
- Select the launch method: 🔘 Triple press of the power button (convenient for quick access). 📱 Touch gesture (for example, holding with two fingers).
Set the level of increase (up to 15)×) contrast.
In magnifier mode, you can:
- 🔦 Freeze the image (to see without trembling hands).
- 🎨 Invert colors (white text on a black background is easier to read).
- 📸 Take a screenshot of the enlarged area.
What to do if the magnifying mode does not work?
Change of screen resolution (for clarity)
Sometimes the problem is not the size, but the resolution of the screen. If the image looks blurry or the pixels are noticeable, try changing the resolution manually. FHD+-screens (for example, Note 12 Pro)+ or Redmi K50), where the default value may be non-optimal.
How to change permission:
- Open the Settings → Screen → Screen resolution.
- Select the maximum value available (e.g. 2400×1080 for Note 12 Pro).
- Confirm the changes and restart the phone.
⚠️ Note: on some models (Redmi) 9A, 10A) The choice of permission may not be available – this means that the screen is running on native resolution, and it can not be changed without root rights.
✅ Make sure the text doesn’t get too small.
✅ Check the speed of the interface (high resolution can slow down on weak chips)
✅ Launch a game or video - are there artifacts?
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5. Increase in specific annexes
Some programs have their own scale settings that are independent of the system. Here's how to zoom in on the most popular apps:
🌐 Browser (Chrome, Mi Browser)
- 👆 Twice tap the screen to enlarge the text.
- 🔍 Press three points. → Scope → Choose 125%-150%.
- 📱 In Mi Browser there is an option Read Mode (book icon), which removes unnecessary elements and increases the font.
📷 Gallery and photographs
- 🖼️ Spread two fingers diagonally to enlarge the photo.
- 🔎 In Google Photos, click on the magnifying glass at the bottom to enable the detail viewing mode.
- 📏 If the photo is too large, use the cropping (Edit) → Cut off).
💬 Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram)
- 📄 WhatsApp: Hold the message down → Enlarge the text.
- 🔍 In Telegram: Press the text of the message → select Copy text in buffer and paste in notebook with large font.
- 🖼️ To increase media: open photo/video → spread your fingers.
⚠️ Note: In some instant messengers (for example, Viber), the scale of photos is limited to the server – they can open in low resolution regardless of your settings.
6. Hidden functions for the visually impaired
If standard methods don't work, MIUI has additional tools for people with visual impairment, which can be found in Settings → Special features:
- 🔄 Color inversion: Makes text black on white background (or vice versa), reducing eye strain.
- 🌓 Color filters: adjusts shades for colorblind or when sensitive to blue light.
- 📖 Text in Speech: Voices text on screen (useful for reading long articles).
- 👁️ Increased contrast: Makes the boundaries of elements clearer.
Most functions will require a phone reboot to activate, and some options (like text in speech) may conflict with voice assistants like Google Assistant, in which case you turn off one of the services.
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Color inversion + Increase the font to 150% gives maximum readability in low vision or bright sun.
Frequent problems and solutions
Even after all the adjustments, you may encounter difficulties, and here are the most common problems and solutions.
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The magnification gesture doesn't work | Conflict with other gestures | Turn off the screenshot with three fingers in Settings → Additional → Gestures |
| Text "gets out" over the edge of the screen | It's too big a scale. | Reduce the font size to 120-130 percent |
| Blurred icons after permission change | Unsupported permit | Return native resolution or update firmware |
| The magnifier mode is not running. | Not in the firmware. | Update MIUI to the latest version |
If none of the methods worked, check:
- 📱 Version MIUI: in old firmware (below) MIUI (11) some functions may not be available.
- 🔧 Developer Settings: Sometimes scale is blocked by the Debugging option USB (Turn it off).
- 🛠️ Resetting: If the problem appears after the update, try resetting the screen settings to factory settings (Settings) → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting screen settings).