How to turn a video on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones are equipped with powerful cameras that allow you to shoot high-resolution video, but the orientation of the frame is often an unpleasant surprise when viewing the footage. The wrong position of the device at the time of recording start or the failure of the accelerometer can lead to the fact that horizontal video will play vertically, and vice versa. This creates significant discomfort, forcing the user to constantly tilt his head or look for ways to correct the geometry of the frame.

Fortunately, MIUI and its successor HyperOS provide a wide range of tools for editing media files that do not require additional software. The gallery's built-in video editor allows you to rotate a frame by 90, 180 or 270 degrees in just a couple of touches, while maintaining original image quality. In addition, there are system settings and third-party utilities that solve the problem proactively or work with more complex formats.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for changing the orientation of video files on Xiaomi devices, learn how to use standard system tools, which applications from Google Play are most effective for batch processing, and what to do if the automatic screen rotation stops responding to the tilts of the case.

Use of the built-in video editor in the Gallery

The fastest and most reliable way to fix the orientation of the video is to use the standard tools of the system. Xiaomi shells are traditionally distinguished by the functionality of pre-installed applications, and the gallery is no exception here. It can not only display content, but also perform basic corrections, including cropping, overlaying filters and, of course, changing the angle of rotation.

To get started, you need to open the Gallery app and find the video file you want. After you play it, or just in viewing mode, look at the bottom control panel, and there's a Change button (often looking like a pencil or slider) that activates the editing mode, and that's where all the tools you need to manipulate the geometry of the frame are hidden.

In the menu that opens, select the Tools tab or the framing icon. Among the options available, you will find a turn button, usually indicated by a square with an arrow or symbol. ↻. Pressing it turns the image 90 degrees clockwise, and repeating the action can give you the right orientation: portrait, landscape, or even upside down.

It is important to note that when you save an edited file, the system may suggest you make a copy or replace the original. The Save as a Copy function is the most secure, as it leaves the original file intact in case the edit result does not suit you. Once confirmed, the rendering process will take several seconds, depending on the duration of the video and the power of your Redmi or POCO processor.

Setting up automatic screen rotation

Before you start editing finished files, make sure that the problem is not the interface display settings. Often users try to turn the phone, but the picture remains static because of the blocked autorotation function. This is a system setting that controls the response of the matrix to the data from the gyroscope.

To activate this feature, swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the control center. Find a tile called "Orientation" or a circular arrow lock icon. If the icon is gray or it shows a closed lock, the function is disabled. Click on it to activate the automatic positioning mode of the device in space.

You can also check the settings through the deep menu of the system. Go to Settings → Screen → Screen Orientation. Here you can force the orientation or allow the application to solve this issue yourself. For video players and gallery usually recommended mode "Turn the contents of the screen."

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If autorotation doesn’t work in a particular app (like YouTube or TikTok), check the permissions of that app in your system settings – sometimes access to sensors can be limited for the sake of energy savings.

It is worth considering that on some models with AMOLED matrices and narrow frames, the calibration of the sensors can be lost after a fall or impact. If the screen does not respond to turns even after the feature is turned on, try calibrating through an engineering menu or a simple calibrator application from the store.

Application of third-party editing applications

Built-in tools aren’t always enough, especially if you need to batch multiple files or apply complex transformation effects. Google Play offers dozens of customized utilities that handle video rotation faster and more flexible than a standard gallery. Such applications often use hardware acceleration, which is critical for processing. 4K-Video on smartphones of the middle segment.

One of the leaders in this niche is the Video Rotate & Flip app, which allows you not only to rotate the frame, but also to mirror it vertically or horizontally, which is necessary when working with a front camera. The interface here is minimal: you select a file, set the angle of rotation and start the conversion process.

Another popular option is InShot or VN Editor, which are full-fledged video editors that allow you not only to change the orientation, but also to add music, text or change the aspect ratio (for example, make horizontal video vertical for Stories with a blurred background), they are ideal for preparing content for social networks.

When using third-party software, pay attention to the save format. Some free versions of programs can reduce bitrate or impose watermarks. To maintain maximum quality, choose the export settings of 1080p or 4K with a bitrate of at least 20 Mbit / s.

Packet processing and format conversion

If you have to flip a dozen or a hundred video files at once, manual editing of each video file is a tedious task, and batch processing tools come to the rescue. On Xiaomi smartphones with Snapdragon processors, this operation is fast enough thanks to efficient codecs.

There are converter applications that allow you to download a whole folder of video, apply a single rotation parameter (for example, +90 degrees) to them and start the processing queue, which is especially true for video makers who shoot many takes and then bring them to a single standard, an example of this feature is advanced file managers or specialized video converters.

Also worth mentioning is formats. When you rotate a video, sometimes the container or metadata of a file changes. Older players may misread the rotation information in the file header instead of recoding the pixel stream itself, so for maximum compatibility, you should choose the option Re-encode, rather than just Change Metadata.

Using batch methods requires more free RAM. Close the background apps before starting the process so that the Android system does not interrupt the conversion halfway due to a lack of resources.

Solving Position Sensor Problems (Gyroscope)

When the video is captured correctly but is displayed inverted (or sideways) on the phone screen, it often indicates a software failure in the accelerometer or gyroscope, which is the hardware that tells the system exactly how you are holding the device in your hands, and if that data is transmitted incorrectly, the interface and video players will behave inadequately.

The first step should always be to reboot the device. This is a banal but effective tip that resets temporary driver errors. If the problem persists, try calibrating the sensors. Many Xiaomi smartphones have a hidden engineering menu available through a set of code in the "caller."

Type ##6484## to enter CIT mode. Find the Gsensor or Accelerometer test on the list. Follow the instructions on the screen: you usually need to put the phone on a flat surface and press the calibration button. The system will determine the correct bottom and top position.

There may also be problems after a firmware update, and if everything worked before the HyperOS update and then didn't, it makes sense to clear the cache of the system services that run the interface, but it's only for the advanced users, knowing the risks.

Specificity of work in different video players

Different video playback applications interpret the metadata about the rotation differently. The standard MI Video player usually automatically determines the orientation and suggests flipping the image with a button in the interface if the recognition failed. This is convenient, since it does not require saving a new copy of the file.

Third-party players like MX Player or VLC have their own video decryption settings. In VLC, you can click on the screen, select the effects menu, and find the turn button there. The advantage of these players is that they can forcefully ignore the rotation information embedded in the file and show the picture as you want at the moment.

For streaming services (YouTube, Netflix), the app itself dictates the rules. If the video is uploaded to a server with an incorrect orientation, this can only be corrected on the author's side. However, the local player on your Xiaomi may have a "Forced Landscape Mode" feature that will force the video to the full screen, ignoring the original parameters.

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Use third-party players like VLC or MX Player if the standard gallery displays video incorrectly – they have more flexible settings for decoding and rotating the image.

Remember that when watching videos on social networks (TikTok, Instagram), orientation is often dictated by the format of the tape. Vertical video in the horizontal player will be displayed with black fields, and it will not always be possible to turn it over systematically - this is a limitation of the design of the application itself.

⚠️ Warning: When transcoding a video (save after a turn), always check the final file. Sometimes the audio may disappear or the audio track may be de-synchronized during the conversion process, especially when using cheap converters.

⚠️ Note: Do not delete the original files immediately after editing. Make sure the new video is played correctly on other devices (PC, TV), as metadata can be read differently.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)