How to Remove Camera Updates on Xiaomi: 3 Working Ways (without Data Loss)

Camera updates on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often bring not only new features, but also unpleasant bugs: deterioration of photo quality, lags in the interface or sudden crashes of the application. If the camera becomes worse after the update, it can be rolled back to the previous version. In this article, we will analyze three proven methods, including hidden settings MIUI, ADB commands and manual installation of the old version of APK.

It's important to understand that rolling back camera updates is different from resetting your app or rolling back your entire firmware, and here we only work with the camera module without affecting your system files, which means your photos, settings, and other data will remain intact, provided you follow the instructions without improvisation.

Before you start, check the current version of the camera app. To do this, open Settings → Apps → App Management → Camera and see the version number at the bottom of the screen. Write it down — you’ll need it to find the right firmware.

Why Xiaomi’s camera updates are causing problems

The manufacturer regularly releases updates for the camera module, but not all of them undergo sufficient testing.

• 📸 Deterioration of photo quality – blurring, noise in the dark, wrong white balance.
• 🐢 Slowdown of work - freezes at start-up, long processing of images.
• 🚫 No features – no shooting modes (e.g. Pro Mode or Night Mode).
• 🔄 Accidental restarts – the app closes on its own.

The reason is often that the new version of the software is not compatible with the hardware of a particular model. For example, budget smartphones Redmi Note 8 or POCO X3 NFC may not be able to cope with optimization for new image processing algorithms.

The quality of the photo has deteriorated.|The camera started to brake.|Shooting modes are missing.|App flies out|Another problem.-->

Fun fact: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11), camera updates are tied to the MIUI version. If you roll back only the camera module and the system software remains new, conflicts can arise, in which case you have to choose between stable camera performance and the latest shell features.

Method 1: Recoil through hidden MIUI settings (without root)

The easiest method is to use the built-in update reset feature in MIUI. It works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with shell version 12.5 and later. You don't need superuser rights or a PC connection.

Make a backup of photos|Remember the current version of the camera app|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network|Battery charge of at least 50%-->

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the camera in the list and tap it.
3. In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Remove Updates.
4. Confirm the action in the window that appears. The smartphone will reboot automatically.

After restarting, check the camera version, which should match the factory firmware of your model. If the option to Remove Updates is inactive (grey), then:

• 🔒 Your device has disabled the rights to change system applications (you need to enable in Settings) → Special facilities → Rights to modify system applications).
• 📦 The camera update was installed as part of the full firmware package (then only method 2 or 3 will help).

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If the camera still doesn't work well after rolling back, clear the cache in the same Application Management menu, which will delete temporary files that may have been left over from the old version.

Method 2: Remove updates via ADB (for power users)

If the first method didn’t work, try rolling back the camera via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer, but does not need root rights. It is suitable for models where the camera update has been installed as a separate device. APK-packet.

You'll need:

• 💻 Computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Steps for rollback:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm the debugging permission on your phone screen.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices Wait for the serial number of your device to appear.
4. Run the command to remove camera updates: adb shell pm uninstall-user --user 0 com.android.camera.updater If this command returns the error, try an alternative for some POCO models: adb shell cmd package install-existing com.android.camera

Once you have completed the commands, restart your smartphone. If the camera has not recovered, the update has been integrated into the system partition, in which case only manual installation of the old version of the APK (mode 3) will help.

Method 3: Manually installing the old version of the camera (APK)

If previous methods have failed, you have to manually install the previous version of the camera app, which is universal, but requires the APK to be precisely matched to your model and MIUI version. An error in file selection can result in a camera that is not working!

Where to get the right APK:

• 🔍 Xiaomi Firmware Updater Official Repository – Look for the Camera section APK for your model.
• 📥 Telegram channels, like, @MIUIUpdatesTracker or @XiaomiFirmware — They are putting up archives with previous versions.
• 🛠️ Forums 4PDA or XDA Developers – Your model often has collections APK.

Installation instructions:

1. Download. APK-The camera file for your model (for example, MiCamera_7.0.203.apk For the Redmi Note 10 Pro).
2. Transfer the file to your smartphone (to the root folder or Download).
3. Install any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
4. Find the APK you downloaded, tap it, and confirm installation. If you see an “Installation locked” error, allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access → Install unknown applications.
5. After installation, restart the device.

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Install only those versions of the APK that are designed for your model and MIUI version. An incompatible file can cause errors or camera failure!

What to do if no one method helps

If all three methods fail, chances are that the camera update has been integrated into the system partition and only removed with the full firmware, in which case you have two options:

1. Recoiling all the firmware through Fastboot or Recovery is a radical method that will bring the smartphone back to factory status, minus the loss of all data (if you don't backup), look for instructions for your model on 4PDA or in the official documentation of Xiaomi.
2. Installing custom firmware (like Pixel Experience or LineageOS) will give you full control of the camera module, but will require unlocking the bootloader and root rights.

Before you resort to these methods, check:

• 🔎 Are there any forums complaining about a similar issue for your model?Maybe Xiaomi has already released a patch.
• 📧 Have you written in support of Xiaomi (via Settings) → The phone. → Sometimes they send out corrected ones. APK upon request.
• 🔄 Have you seen a new bug fixing camera update? → Annexes → Camera. → Updates.

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If you decide to roll back firmware, use official files from en.miui.com. Avoid "modified" firmware from unknown sources - they may contain malicious code.

How to Prevent Automatic Camera Upgrades in the Future

To avoid repeated problems, turn off the automatic update of the camera module:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Camera.
2. Tap it on three points (⋮) and select Disable Updates (if option is available).
3. Turn off automatic updates of all applications: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙) → Auto-Update Applications – Select Off.

Additional measures:

• 🛡️ Install App Ops (requires) ADB) and block access to the Internet for com.android.camera.updater.
• 📵 Use a firewall (like NetGuard) to block the network activity of the camera app.
• 🔍 Check reviews regularly on new versions of the camera in thematic communities (e.g. on the camera). 4PDA).

FAQ: Frequent questions about camera rollback on Xiaomi

If your problem is not solved, check out the smartphone model, the MIUI version and the current version of the camera app in the comments.