Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are equipped with powerful cameras capable of recording video in 4K resolution, but often the footage requires revision. Device owners often face the need to remove unnecessary frames at the beginning or end of the video to make the content more dynamic and suitable for publishing on social networks. Fortunately, this task does not always require heavy third-party programs to perform, since the MIUI or HyperOS system offers built-in tools for basic editing.
The process of framing video streams on the Android platform has become much easier with the release of new versions of the operating system, allowing users to work with the timeline right in the gallery. Xiaomi's built-in video editor allows you to save the original file by creating a new copy, which guarantees the safety of the original. However, if standard features are not enough, you can always turn to proven third-party solutions that provide advanced functionality for working with multimedia.
In this article, we will take a look at all available pruning techniques, from standard system tools to specialized applications, how to quickly send a cropped fragment to the messenger or save it in high quality for later use. Understanding these processes will help you manage your smartphone’s media library more effectively.
Use of the built-in video editor MIUI and HyperOS
The fastest and most affordable way to change the duration of the video is to use the Gallery app preinstalled. The developers of the MIUI shell have integrated a fairly powerful toolkit that hides under the edit button. To get started, you need to open the desired video file and click on the pencil icon or the Edit button, which is usually located in the bottom interface menu.
After you go into editing mode, the system will offer several tabs, among which we are interested in the Pruning or Crop section. The interface is a timeline where sliders can indicate the beginning and end of the left fragment. Moving your finger across the screen allows you to accurately position the cuts boundaries, removing unnecessary intros or drawn finals.
Precision of cropping in the built-in editor
Importantly, after setting new frame boundaries, you can choose an aspect ratio if you plan to upload content to Instagram Stories or TikTok.The system will automatically offer popular formats such as 9:16 or 1:1, eliminating the need to manually adjust the image.Save changes through the button in the upper right corner, where you can also select the option "Save as a copy."
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The built-in gallery editor is the best choice for quick trimming without loss of quality and installation of additional software.
Step-by-step: cropping through the Gallery
For those who are seeing the interface for the first time, the process may seem obscure due to the abundance of features in the editing menu. Below is a detailed sequence of actions that will help you to complete the task without errors. Follow the steps to ensure that you get the desired result.
☑️ Algorithm of actions in the Gallery
The first step is to navigate the smartphone file system. Open the Gallery app, find a video album (often called Video or Camera) and tap the file you want. Make sure the video is fully loaded and played before you go to edit, as working with a corrupted file can crash the application.
On the playback screen, you can see the bottom toolbar, and there's a button that shows a magic wand or a pencil, which is the entrance to Edit mode, and then you click on it, and you'll see a new menu where you'll pick the first tab, which is usually signed as Trimming or has a scissor icon, and that's where the main work with duration happens.
⚠️ Note: When saving changes, make sure that you select the Save as a Copy action, unless you want to permanently lose the original long video.The original file will remain in the album, and the cropped one will appear next to you.
Once you've framed the frame, the system will suggest you finalize the process. Press the confirmation button (check or word "Go" and the smartphone will begin rendering the new file. The speed of this process depends on the length of the original video and the power of the processor of your Xiaomi or Redmi.
Video editing via Google Photos
An alternative and often more stable tool is the Google Photos app, which is pre-installed on most certified Android devices.This method is especially relevant if the Xiaomi built-in gallery is not working properly or if you sync media with the Google cloud.
To get started, open the video in the Google Photos app and click on the Change button (three sliders at the bottom). In the menu that appears, select the Cut tool, which allows you to move frame boundaries. The feature of this editor is that it does not create a duplicate file immediately, but applies changes virtually until the moment of export.
Once you set the boundaries on the timeline, you need to save the result. Unlike some other editors, Google Photos will offer you to choose the quality and format of the save. You can choose to save the copy in its original quality or compressed option for quick submission.
- 📱 Open the video in the Google Photos app.
- ✂️ Click Change and select the cropping tool.
- 💾 Save the result by selecting “Save a copy».
Using the Google ecosystem provides cross-platform: edited videos will be available on any device where you are logged in, which is handy if you plan to continue editing on a tablet or computer.
Third-party applications for professional pruning
If embedded tools seem too limited, the Google Play market offers a host of powerful tools, such as CapCut, InShot or YouCut.
One of the main advantages of third-party software is that it doesn't impose MIUI features and it can fine-tune exports. You can manually set bitrates, frame rates and codecs, which are critical for bloggers who monitor content quality. In addition, many of these applications allow you to remove watermarks or replace them with your own.
| Annex | Free of charge. | Watermark | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| CapCut | Yes. | No (removable) | Medium |
| Google Photo | Yes. | No. | Low. |
| InShot | Partially. | Aye (removable) | Low. |
| VN Video Editor | Yes. | No. | Tall. |
When choosing an app, pay attention to the permissions it requests. Media files are enough to work with video, but some editors may require access to contacts or location, which is not always justified by the functionality.
Customize quality and formats while maintaining
When cropping videos on Xiaomi smartphones, it’s important to understand how file settings change. If you just crop the beginning and end, the bitrate and resolution usually remain the same, which preserves the quality of the original. However, when using Save for Social Media or similar presets, the system can compress the video to reduce the size.
In the export settings (available in advanced editors), you can choose a resolution of 1920×1080 or 3840×2160 (4K). Also pay attention to the frame rate: if the source is shot at 60 fps, and you save it at 30 fps, the video will become less smooth, but will take up less space.
The file format also plays a role. Modern devices default to the H.265 codec (HEVC), which provides better compression at the same quality, but may not play on older PCs without installing additional codecs. The H.264 format is a more compatible standard.
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If you plan to edit video on your computer, save clipped snippets in MP4 format with H.264 codec for maximum compatibility with programs like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.
Frequent problems and their solution
Users may experience a situation where video is not played or has a black screen after clipping, often because the new file was not correctly indexed by the Android media server. In this case, it helps to restart the smartphone or clean the cache of the Gallery application through the settings (Settings) → Annexes → gallery → Memory. → Clear the cache).
Another common problem is desynchronizing audio and video after editing, which often happens when using third-party codecs or corrupting the source file. If the problem recurs, try converting the video to a standard format before cropping.
⚠️ Warning: If the video stops opening after clipping, don't rush to delete the original. Try opening the file through a third-party player, for example, VLC for Android to check data integrity.
Also, remember that there is free space in memory: The process of saving clipped video (especially in high resolution) requires a temporary space equal to about half the size of the final file. If the memory is full, the operation can end in error.
Comparison of methods: what to choose?
The choice of tool depends on your goals. For fast sending a funny moment to a friend on WhatsApp or Telegram, the built-in gallery is ideal - it is fast and does not require unnecessary actions. For creating content on Instagram or TikTok, it is better to use specialized applications that allow you to accurately get into the right seconds and add music.
If you're working on archive records or important things where every quality pixel counts, use Google Photos or professional editors with manual export settings to ensure that compression algorithms don't mess up the picture.
Ultimately, having multiple techniques makes you independent of specific system bugs or updates. Combine tools depending on the situation and your video content will always look professional.
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For everyday tasks, a built-in gallery is enough, but for creativity it is better to master CapCut or Google Photos.