Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the situation when you need to watch a training video, music video or lecture several times in a row without having to manually return the playback slider to the beginning each time. The standard video player built into the system gallery may not activate the cyclic play function by default, which creates inconveniences when watching content for long periods. Understanding how to set this option significantly improves the user experience when working with multimedia.
The interface of the MIUI shells and the new HyperOS changes periodically, and the location of the desired buttons may vary from version to version. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to activate Loop mode (repeat) directly in the standard application, and also consider alternative solutions if the standard functionality in your device model is not working correctly or hidden by developers.
Some users mistakenly believe that a continuous playback requires the installation of third-party software. However, in most cases, the built-in tools of Mi Video or the standard Gallery player are quite good if you know where to look for hidden settings. Let's figure out how to get your smartphone to play files in circles.
Search for the repeat function in the standard interface
The first place to look for a solution is the video player control panel built into the Gallery system application. When you run any video file on the full screen, the interface usually hides the controls so as not to interfere with the view. To access the playback settings, you need to touch the central part of the display to call the overlay menu.
At the top or bottom of the screen (depending on the Android version and shell), there is often an icon resembling two arrows forming a circle, or an "A" with a number 1 inside the circle. Pressing this element switches the modes: "Repeat one", "Repeat all" (if there are several files in the queue), or "No repeat." In some Xiaomi builds, this button can be hidden in an additional menu called at three points.
⚠️ Warning: If you don't see the replay button on the player's home screen, try expanding the optional settings menu (three dots or gear) in the updated versions. MIUI Functionality is often hidden in the submenu "More" or "Replay settings».
It is worth noting that in Portrait View (when the phone is held vertically), some control buttons may not be available. Try turning the device to a horizontal position (landscape mode) to activate the full set of player functions. Also make sure that you use the built-in player, and not a third-party widget, which may have limited functionality.
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If there is no replay button, try to pause the video first. In some firmware versions, the full set of buttons only appears when stopped or when you press the screen during a pause.
Setup via the Mi Video app
Users often confuse the standard Gallery (where photos and videos are stored) with the separate Mi Video app (Mi Video), which is pre-installed on most of the brand’s smartphones, which has more advanced functionality for working with video content and has more flexible cycling settings.
To enable replay through Mi Video, follow the following steps:
- 📱 Open the Mi Video app and find the file you want in your local library.
- ▶️ Run playback and tap on the screen to make the control menu appear.
- 🔁 Find the Loop icon in the lower right corner or in the top menu (depending on orientation).
- ⚙️ If there is no icon, click on three dots in the corner and select Repeat Mode».
The advantage of using Mi Video is that it supports more formats and codecs, and that it has a floating window feature that allows video to continue playing even when switching to other tasks. Replay mode is more stable and often does not reset after the application is closed.
☑️ Checking the settings of Mi Video
Use of third-party video players
If Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t meet your requirements for some reason (for example, there is no seamless repetition feature or there are problems with certain file formats), a rational solution is to install a third-party video player from Google Play.
Among the most popular and functional solutions are:
- 🎬 VLC for Android – completely free, supports all codecs, has a convenient repeat button in the interface.
- 🎥 MX Player – a powerful playback engine, flexible configuration of gestures and interface.
- 📼 Nova Video Player – great for organizing a media library and has an automatic replay mode.
When installing a third-party player, Android may ask which application to use by default to open video files. You can choose Always for a new player so that videos from the Gallery will immediately open in it with all available features, including a robust Loop mode.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party apps from unknown sources (not from Google Play), be careful. download software only from official stores or trusted developer sites to avoid introducing malware.
Why are third-party players better?
Comparison of capabilities of built-in players
To make it easier for you to choose the best way to view video with replay, we have prepared a comparative table of functionality of various applications available on Xiaomi devices, which will help you to understand whether you should switch to another software or you can do with standard means.
| Function | Gallery (Stock) | Mi video | VLC Player | MX Player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repeat mode (Loop) | Often hidden | Eat (comfortable) | Got it (flexibly) | There (configurable) |
| Support for formats | Basic | Good. | Great. | Great. |
| Advertising in the free version | No. | There is. | No. | Got it (free) |
| Floating window | Depends on the version. | There is. | There is. | Got it (Pro/Free) |
As you can see from the table, the standard Gallery is often inferior to specialized applications for ease of playback control. If the replay function is critical for you and is used daily, installing VLC or using Mi Video will be the most effective solution.
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For maximum comfort when watching video with replay, it is better to use specialized players (VLC, MX Player), as they provide more stable operation of the Loop function and support more file formats.
Solving Auto Reproduction Problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the video does not repeat or stops after the end, despite the setting enabled.This can be due to the optimization of the battery in MIUI, which aggressively closes the background processes, or a software failure of the Gallery application itself.
First of all, try clearing the app cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Gallery (or Mi Video) → Clear the data → Clear the cache. This action will not delete your photos or video files, but will reset temporary files and player settings, which often solves the problem of stuck features.
If the problem persists, check the power saving settings for the specific application. Make sure the video player has selected the No Limits mode in the battery section. It's also worth checking if Traffic Savings mode is on, which in some cases can block video from being rebuffered if it's stored in the cloud.
Features of work in HyperOS mode
With the release of Xiaomi’s new HyperOS operating system, the interface of many system applications has changed. In the updated Gallery, the logic of the video player has become more intuitive, but the location of the controls has shifted. Now the replay button is most often located in the bottom control panel when viewed horizontally.
HyperOS also improves smart albums and content recognition. If you’re watching videos from Xiaomi Cloud or Google Photos, make sure the file is fully uploaded to your device for local playback. When streaming from the cloud, the replay function may not work smoothly due to network delays.
Users of new models are encouraged to regularly update the video player component through the GetApps or Google Play app. Xiaomi often releases patches that fix playback bugs that do not fall into the general security updates. The current version of the component guarantees that all rerun scripts work correctly.