Xiaomi’s smart glasses with built-in camera are not just a visual correction accessory, but a full-fledged gadget that can record videos, take photos, and even broadcast images in real time. Devices like the Xiaomi Smart Glasses Camera Edition or the MiJia lineup combine the compactness of glasses with the functionality of an action camera. But how do you use them to avoid legal problems or technical failures? In this guide, we’ll take everything from basic settings to hidden chips that aren’t written in the official instructions.
The first thing to understand is that Xiaomi’s camera glasses are not a toy, but a serious tool that can be useful for shooting extreme sports, blogging, highlighting, or even professional activities (for example, for inspections or streams), but their use imposes certain limitations, both technical (compatibility with smartphones, battery life) and legal (recording videos in public places), we will help you understand all the nuances so that you can use the gadget 100% without risks.
In this article you will find:
- 🔍 Review of Xiaomi glasses with camera and their key differences.
- 📱 Step-by-step instructions for connecting to a smartphone via Mi Home or Xiaomi Wear.
- 🎥 Secrets of shooting: how to shoot covertly, adjust resolution and control the camera gestures.
- ⚖️ Legal aspects of use in Russia and other countries.
- 🔧 Common problems and ways to solve them (from connection errors to camera breakdowns).
What kind of glasses with a camera makes Xiaomi?
To date, Xiaomi offers several models of smart glasses with a built-in camera, but not all of them are officially supplied to Russia.
- 🕶️ Xiaomi Smart Glasses Camera Edition – flagship model with 8 MP camera, support for shooting in the camera 1080p Weight of 51 g, up to 3 hours with active recording.
- 🕶️ MiJia Glasses Camera is a more budget-friendly version with a 5MP camera, but with improved image stabilization.
- 🕶️ Xiaomi Mijia VR Glasses 3 – a hybrid of virtual reality glasses and camera, but with limited shooting functions (Photo only).
Important: not all models are compatible with Russian firmware versions. For example, Smart Glasses Camera Edition requires a smartphone with MIUI 13+ and Xiaomi Wear app version at least 2.15.0. If your phone is older than Redmi Note 10 or runs on pure Android (without MIUI), there may be connection problems.
| Model | Camera resolution | Max, recording time. | Compatibility | Price (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Glasses Camera Edition | 8 MP (1080p) | 3 hours | MIUI 13+, Xiaomi Wear 2.15.0+ | ~15 000 ₽ |
| MiJia Glasses Camera | 5 MP (720p) | 2.5 hours | MIUI 12+, Mi Home 6.0+ | ~9 000 ₽ |
| Mijia VR Glasses 3 | 2 MP (photo) | — | Android 9+ | ~7 500 ₽ |
An important nuance: the Xiaomi Smart Glasses Camera Edition does not support sound recording in Russia due to local legislation restrictions.
How to connect Xiaomi glasses to a smartphone: step-by-step instructions
Connecting your camera glasses to your phone is the most important step. If you do something wrong, your gadget may not decide or malfunction.
- Install the necessary software: For Smart Glasses Camera Edition: download Xiaomi Wear from AppGallery or APKPure (Google Play may have an outdated version). For MiJia Glasses Camera: Mi Home is enough (available on Google Play).
Turn on Bluetooth and GPS
BLE 5.0
Press the power button.
5 seconds
In the annex
Add the device → Wearable devices → Glasses with camera
Confirm the conjugation
Typical errors when connecting:
- ❌ Points are not available – check if Bluetooth 5.0 is enabled (older phones may not support it).
- ❌ The application gives an error "Device is not supported" - update MIUI Up to the latest version or use Chinese firmware.
- ❌ The camera is not activated – it is possible that your region has blocked video recording (try changing the region in your phone settings to China).
Check out the MIUI version (should be 12+)
Install Xiaomi Wear or Mi Home
Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation
Charge points to a minimum of 30%
Restart the phone before pairing-->
If the glasses are connected but the camera is not working, try resetting:
- Press the power button for 10 seconds until the indicator is red.
- Open the app and remove the device from the list.
- Repeat the connection procedure again.
What if the glasses are not defined by any application?
How to shoot video and photos on Xiaomi glasses: management and settings
Xiaomi’s camera controls depend on the model, but the general principles are the same.
- 📷 Photo: Short press of the camera button (or double blink for Smart Glasses).
- 🎬 Video: Long press (3 seconds) to start recording, repress to stop.
- 🔄 Mode switching: triple pressing or gesture (swipe your finger on the arc of points up/down).
- 📶 Broadcast: activated via the app (only for Smart Glasses Camera Edition).
Hidden shooting: MiJia Glasses Camera has an invisible recording mode, the camera turns on without a light indicator, to activate it:
- Open Xiaomi Wear.
- Go to Settings of glasses → Shooting Modes → Hidden recording.
- Set a gesture combination (e.g. double touch + blink).
⚠️ Caution: Hidden shooting in public places may violate the law on personal data (FZ)-152). In Russia, recording is allowed only with the consent of all participants or for self-defense purposes (art. 152.1 GC).
Video quality settings:
| Parameter | Smart Glasses Camera | MiJia Glasses Camera |
|---|---|---|
| Max. Video resolution | 1920×1080 (30 FPS) | 1280×720 (30 FPS) |
| Stabilization | Available (gyroscope + PO) | Aye (only PO) |
| File format | .MP4 (H.264) | .MP4 (H.264) |
| Night photography | Yeah (backlit) | No. |
To change the settings:
- Open the Xiaomi Wear or Mi Home app.
- Select your glasses from the list of devices.
- Go to Camera Settings → Video Quality.
- Select resolution and frame rate (for Smart Glasses, 720p/60 FPS is available for smooth shooting).
💡
If the video turns dark, turn on HDR mode in the camera settings. To shoot in motion (bicycle, running), activate Ultrastabilization, which will reduce the jitter of the picture.
Legal aspects: can you shoot Xiaomi glasses in public places?
The use of glasses with a camera in Russia is regulated by several laws:
- 📜 FZ-152 "About personal data: prohibits the shooting of people without their consent, if the video contains identifying information (persons, document numbers, etc.).
- 📜 Article 13.11 of the Administrative Code: fine up to 50,000 ₽ for illegal processing of personal data.
- 📜 Article 138.1: Criminal liability for illegal trafficking of special technical means (if glasses are used for covert surveillance).
Where you can shoot without risk:
- ✅ Personal space (house, apartment).
- ✅ Events where shooting is allowed by the organizers (concerts, sports competitions).
- ✅ Street, if there are no recognizable faces in the frame (for example, shooting landscapes).
Where filming is prohibited:
- ❌ Locker rooms, toilets, hotel rooms.
- ❌ Government institutions (courts, military installations).
- ❌ Private property without the owner’s consent (shops, offices).
⚠️ Note: If you shoot with Xiaomi glasses in a public place and someone makes a complaint, the police can seize the gadget for examination. In 2023, in Moscow, there was a case when a blogger was fined 30,000. ₽ for filming on the subway without permission.
How to protect yourself:
- Use the facial blur mode (available in Xiaomi Wear for Smart Glasses).
- Put on the glasses the sticker "A shooting is underway" (sold on AliExpress).
- Keep the video for no longer than 30 days (at the request of Roskomnadzor).
Xiaomi’s hidden glasses features that 90% of users don’t know
Xiaomi's camera glasses are more than just video shooters. Here are some secret pieces:
- 🔍 Spy mode: Smart Glasses Camera Edition has Motion Detection function – the camera automatically starts recording when moving in the frame (configured in Xiaomi Wear) → Settings → Security).
- 📡 Broadcast on YouTube: you can stream the video directly from glasses to YouTube channel through RTMP. To do this: Download the Larix Broadcaster to your phone. Enter the data. RTMP-servers in Xiaomi Wear → Start streaming with glasses.
- 🎤 Voice control: if you connect glasses to Xiaomi AI Speaker, you can control commands like, "OK, Mia, start recording".
- 🔋 Battery savings: activate Low Power mode in settings – the camera will record with reduced resolution (480p), But the work time will increase to 5 hours.