Modern smartphones Xiaomi equipped with powerful cameras capable of shooting video in high resolution 4K and even 8K. However, often the footage requires processing: you need to remove the excess, change the angle or simply shorten the duration of the video before sending to the messenger.
In MIUI and the new HyperOS, the built-in video editor allows you to framing, turning and cropping over time without having to download third-party software. This saves device memory and user time. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the ways available to change the duration and boundaries of the frame, and also consider the subtleties of saving the result.
Whether you’re using the Redmi budget model or the flagship of Xiaomi’s lineup, the video processing algorithms work identically. We’ll look at both the standard Gallery tools and the capabilities of Google Photos, which is often pre-installed on devices. The quality of the final file is not lost when using regular tools, since it uses recoding with minimal compression.
Use of the built-in video editor in the Gallery
The fastest and most affordable way to edit is to use the full-time Gallery app, which is pre-installed on all the brand's devices and optimized for multimedia content, and to get started, you need to open the app and find the right video in your Video tape or folder.
Once you open the file, click on the Change button (the icon with three sliders or a magic wand), which is usually located at the bottom of the screen, and you'll see the video editor interface, where you can access a variety of tools, including cropping, filters and overlay, and we're interested in the framing and duration function.
To change the time frame of the video, use the timeline at the bottom of the screen. When you move the white markers around the edges, you select the beginning and end of the fragment. The system allows you to move the slider frame by frame, which ensures high trimming accuracy. If you want to change the proportions of the frame, select the tool "Crop".
- 🎬 Accurate setting of the beginning and end of the video with accuracy to the frame.
- ✂️ Possibility of elected proportions: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3.
- 💾 Saving the original or creating a copy without losing the original file.
It's important to note that when you use the Save as a Copy feature, the original file is stored in the same memory, and it's a safe editing method that insures against the accidental loss of important moments, and if you don't like the result, you can always delete the copy and go back to the original.
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Use the Save as a Copy feature to avoid overwriting the original file, which is especially important for memorable videos that you may want to edit differently in the future.
After making all the necessary changes, click the Save button or the tick in the right corner. The rendering process takes from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, depending on the length of the video and the resolution. The finished file will appear in the same folder, often marked with " edit" in the title.
Cutting and framing through Google Photos
The second popular tool available to Android smartphone owners is the Google Photos app, which often serves as the primary repository of media files and offers powerful, albeit slightly different, editing tools. The interface is more minimal but functional.
Open the video you want in the Google Photos app and click on the Change button (three sliders). Unlike the MIUI gallery, here the interface is more unified. Select the "Capture and Rotate" tab. You'll see a grid overlayed on the image that helps you align the horizon or choose the center of the composition.
To trim the time, you have to click on the camera icon or the slider in the bottom panel, and you have a timeline similar to the one in your home gallery, and you move the limiters, you cut off the extra seconds at the beginning or end of the video, and Google Photos is a feature that allows you to quickly undo all the changes with one click before you save.
The advantage of using this app is synchronization. If you edited the video on your phone, the changes (as a separate project or applied to the file, depending on the settings) can be made available on your other devices through your Google account, which is convenient for those who work with content on different gadgets.
When you save it, the system will suggest saving the video as a new file. Note that the compression algorithms in Google Photos may differ from the system, so in rare cases, there may be a minimal difference in the bitrate of the final file.
Accurate adjustment of duration and proportions
When it comes to professional processing or preparing content for specific platforms (Instagram Stories, TikTok, YouTube Shorts), precise proportions are critical. Xiaomi's built-in editors allow you to choose standard formats, but sometimes manual customization is required.
In framing mode, you can not only choose the templates you've got, but you can also move the frame freely, so you can shift the focus of your shot if you're not in the center, and the composition of the frame plays a big role in how you perceive the video, and the right cropping can greatly improve the visual range.
To fine-tune the duration, use the timeline zoom function, usually by spreading your fingers on a timeline or clicking on the corresponding magnifying icon, which allows you to cut the video to within one frame, which is important for synchronizing with music or transitions.
| Parameter | Description | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship of parties | Frame format (square, vertical, horizontal) | The “Cadration” tool → Proportions |
| Duration | Time to play the roller | Timeline at the bottom of the screen (white markers) |
| Turn. | Change in orientation 90 degrees | The Turning Instrument (arrows) |
| Freeze the frame. | Creating a static picture from a video | Additional tools → Freeze. |
And also, the rotating function is worth mentioning, and often the video is shot vertically, and it should be horizontal, or vice versa. There's a turn button in the editor that changes orientation by 90 degrees, and it's also considered part of the cropping and framing process, because it changes the visible area.
Results saving and file management
Once all the video manipulations are done, there is a saving phase, and there are several options for finalizing the process on the Android system that Xiaomi uses, and understanding the difference between the two will help avoid file confusion and duplicates in memory.
When you click on the Save button, in most cases, the system will offer two paths: Save (rewrite the original) or Save as a copy. The first option will irrevocably change the original file. The second will create a new file with edited content, leaving the original intact.
⚠️ Note: When selecting the Save option, it will not be possible to restore the original version of the video using standard means. Always choose to create a copy if you are not sure of the result.
Finished files are saved to the same directory where the original was located, usually a folder. DCIM/Camera or MIUI/video_editor. In the gallery, they can be displayed in a separate folder “Edited” or simply in a shared tape by date of creation. To find a specific file, use a filter by file type “Video».
If you plan to send a video right away, the editor will suggest you choose an app for (Share) when sending it via messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, so it makes sense to send the file as a "Document" or in a "Document" format. HD-quality, if such an option is available.
☑️ Pre-conservation checks
Third-party applications for extended functionality
Staffing is good for quick trimming, but if you need more complex installation, layering or keyframe work, it's worth turning to third-party software.The Google Play store offers a host of solutions that work great on the Snapdragon and MediaTek processors used in Xiaomi phones.
One of the market leaders is the CapCut app. It allows you not just to crop video, but to do it nonlinearly, cutting chunks out of the middle, overlaying transitions and effects. For Xiaomi users, it is important that the app is well optimized and uses hardware acceleration.
Another popular option is InShot, which is famous for its user-friendly interface for creating content for social networks, where it is easy to resize the canvas, add a blurred background for vertical videos on a horizontal screen and overlay music.
- 🚀 CapCut: Best choice for TikTok and Reels, lots of effects.
- 🎨 InShot: Perfect for Instagram, Simple Interface.
- ✂️ YouCut: Lightweight editor without watermarks in the basic version.
Installing third-party apps requires permission to access media files. When it first starts, it will request access to Photos and Videos. Without that permission, the app will not be able to see your edit videos. This is a standard Android security measure.
Why can third-party apps run slower?
Possible problems and solutions
While working with video users may encounter a number of technical difficulties, most often due to lack of space or features of the file format, understanding the causes of errors will help to quickly eliminate them.
If you get an error "Not enough space" when saving, check the free space in memory. 4K The video may require a free space, in 2-3 This is more than the size of the file itself, because it creates a temporary buffer, and cleaning up the cache or removing unnecessary files will solve the problem.
Another common problem is the (unsupported) format: Some videos downloaded from the Internet or obtained from other devices may be in a format that the MIUI staff editor cannot handle directly, in which case converting or using a third-party player with editing functionality will help.
⚠️ Note: If the video is filmed in format HDR Or Dolby Vision on Xiaomi's flagship, when trimmed in simple editors, the colors can turn faded. Use only proven apps that support the use of the same. HDR.
You may also experience desynchronization of audio and video after trimming, which is common with high frame rate files (60 fps or higher), and in such cases, it is recommended to convert the video to a standard 30 fps before editing, or use more powerful editors.
In conclusion, clipping videos on Xiaomi smartphones is a simple and affordable process. Using built-in tools, you can quickly prepare a video for social networks, and if necessary, expand the functionality will help applications from Google Play.
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For quick trimming, use the built-in Gallery, which is faster and does not require the installation of unnecessary applications. CapCut or InShot are better for complex installation.