How to update the app “Gallery” on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

The Gallery app on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a photo viewer, but a full-fledged tool for managing media files, editing pictures and syncing with the cloud. However, many users face problems: the application slows down, does not open new formats (for example, HEIC or AVIF), or simply stops working correctly after updating MIUI. In 90% of cases, these problems are solved by a banal update of the program – but how to do this correctly?

Unlike standard apps, the Xiaomi Gallery is tightly integrated into the shell. MIUI, So it's a little bit nuanced, and in this article, we're going to go through all the ways that we need to do it, from automatically updating it through Google Play to manually installing it. APK-You will also learn how to avoid common errors (such as error 504 when downloading) and what to do if photos are missing from albums after updating.

Important: If your smartphone is running MIUI Global or MIUI Europe, the upgrade process may be different from the Chinese version (MIUI China), and we have taken these differences into account and provided universal instructions.

1.Why should I update the Gallery on Xiaomi?

Many users have not updated their built-in apps for years, believing that they “work as they do.” But Xiaomi’s Gallery is not a static program, but a rapidly evolving tool. Here are some specific reasons why it’s worth keeping an eye on its relevance:

• 🔍 Support for new formats: Modern smartphones (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+) photo-retain HEIF/HEIC Old versions of "The Gallery" don't open them.
• 🚀 Performance: Updates optimize work with large libraries (10 000)+ photo) and the lags are removed when scrolling.
• 🔒 Security: Vulnerabilities in older versions could allow attackers to access your photos through the Internet MIUI-service.
• ☁️ Cloud Sync: New versions work better with Mi Cloud and Google Photos, eliminating file duplication.

For example, the Gallery version 4.22.5.19 (released in March 2026) added support. AVIF-And then in 4.23.2.11, we fixed the bug that disappeared the albums after resetting. If your version is older, you lose those improvements.

2. Method 1: Update via Google Play (the easiest)

If your Xiaomi has a Google Play Store (which is available on all global versions of MIUI), then the update will take no more than a minute, which is suitable for 95% of users and does not require technical skills.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Google Play Store (Icon) 🛍️ mainscreen).
2. In the search bar, type Mi Gallery or Xiaomi Gallery.
3. Choose an app from Xiaomi Inc. (make sure it’s an official app, not a clone!).
4. If you have an update available, you'll see the Update button. Click on it.
5. Wait for the download and installation to be completed (usually 10–30 seconds).

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F5 or Redmi 10C) «Gallery" can be called Photos or Mi Photos. If the search does not yield results, check the name in the application settings (Settings → Annexes → Application management → gallery).

If the Update button is not active, it means that you already have the latest version installed, but sometimes Google Play forgets to offer an update.

1. Open your profile in the Play Store (the icon in the upper right corner).
2. Select Application and Device Management.
3. Go to the Updates tab available.
4. Find the Gallery in the list and update manually.

Method 2: Update via MIUI Updater (for system applications)

On Xiaomi smartphones, embedded apps (including the Gallery) are often updated not through Google Play, but along with the MIUI firmware. If there are no updates in the Play Store, but you know that a new version exists (for example, according to reviews on forums), try updating the system.

How to check for MIUI updates:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Update the application package.
3. The system will check available updates for embedded programs, including the Gallery.
4. If an update is found, confirm the installation and restart the device.

🔹 Important nuance: This method works only on official firmware (MIUI Global/Europe/China). If you use custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU or PixelExperience), system application updates may be delayed or not coming at all.

Method 3: Manual update via APK (for power users)

If the first two methods fail, the installation remains. APK-It's a manual file. It's a method that works for you:

• 📱 Owners of Chinese versions MIUI (Google Play without Google Play).

Step-by-step:

1. Download APK: Official files can be obtained from the following sites: APKCombo (select the version for your model). APKMirror (check the signature of Xiaomi Inc.).

⚠️ Attention: Never download APK This could lead to the installation of malware that will gain access to your photos and videos.

Allow installation from unknown sources:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Browser (or File Manager) → Allow installation from this source

APK

Files by Google

Mi File Manager

Confirm the installation and wait for the process to be completed.

Reboot your smartphone (required!) to make the changes take effect.

Critical information: If the Gallery stopped opening after installing the APK or if it gives an error "Application not installed", this means that the version is incompatible with your firmware. In this case, delete the update through Settings → Apps → Gallery → Remove updates and return to the factory version.

💡

Before installing an APK, back up your photos! To do this, transfer the DCIM folder to your computer or the cloud. In rare cases, the update may reset your album settings.

5. Solving common errors in the update

Even when following instructions, users face problems.-5 errors and ways of correcting them:

Error 1: “Failed to update the app” (code 504 in Google Play)

Reason: Google Play cache issues or conflict with Google services.

Decision:

1. Clear the Play Store cache: Settings → Apps → Google Play Store → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Delete your Google Services Framework data (all account settings will be saved): Settings → Apps → Show Everything → Google Services Framework → Storage → Delete Data.
3. Reboot your smartphone and try again.

Error 2: After the update, photos were lost

Reason: The new version of the Gallery may temporarily not display media due to indexing.

Decision:

1. Wait 5-10 minutes – the system will re-index the files.
2. Check the DCIM folder through the file manager: if the files are in place but not displayed in the Gallery, clear its data: Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage → Clear the data.
3. If photos are deleted, restore them via Mi Cloud or Google Photos (if sync is enabled).

Error 3: Update button in Play Market is inactive

Reason: Your version of the Gallery is newer than the one offered by the Play Store (this happens after manual installation of the APK).

Solution: Remove app updates through settings and try again.

💡

If none of these methods worked, check if the system updates are disabled in the developer settings. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate developer mode), then to Settings → Additional → For Developers and make sure that Auto Update is enabled.

6 How to roll back the Gallery to the previous version

Sometimes, after an update, the app gets worse, slows down, doesn't open certain formats, or it gets bugs all the time, and then you can return the old version. Here's how to do it.

Method 1: Through application settings

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery.
2. Press three points (⋮) In the upper corner and select Remove Updates.
3. Confirm the action. The app will return to the factory version.

If these functions are critical, it is better to stay on the standard Gallery and solve problems with its work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about updating the “Gallery” on Xiaomi