Xiaomi Scanner: A Complete Guide to Using in 2026

The Xiaomi smartphone scanner is a versatile tool that many users underestimate, not only reading QR- codes to quickly navigate to websites, but also recognizing product barcodes, scanning documents, translating texts through the camera, and even identifying plants.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to activate the scanner on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, consider the hidden features of the built-in Scanner application, and also describe how to solve typical problems – from recognition errors to the lack of a feature on the menu.

Where is the scanner on Xiaomi and how to turn it on

Depending on the smartphone model and the MIUI or HyperOS shell version, access to the scanner may vary, with three main ways to launch the scanner on most devices:

• 📱 Through the notification bar: swipe down from the top edge of the screen and find the Scanner icon (the QR-code icon). On some firmware, you need to add it manually, press Edit and drag the widget into the active bar.
• 🔍 Search by system: scroll down the home screen, type in the search bar "Scanner" and select the application from the results.
• 📷 Through the camera: Open the standard Camera app, go to Additional (or More) mode and select Scanner. On some models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro), the feature is integrated directly into the main camera interface.

If your device doesn’t have a built-in scanner, check the MIUI version. On older firmware (below MIUI 12), the feature may not be available – in this case, install the official “Mi Scanner” app from Google Play or AppGallery.

Scanner features on Xiaomi: what does the built-in application

The standard scanner on Xiaomi is much more functional than it seems, and besides basic recognition of QR- codes, it supports:

On devices with HyperOS, the smart recognition feature has been introduced, where the scanner automatically detects the type of content (QR, text, document) and suggests appropriate actions, for example, when scanning a business card, it will suggest saving the contact to the phone book, and when recognizing a check, it will suggest exporting it to Mi Pay or Google Drive.

⚠️ Warning: On some models (e.g. Redmi Note 12 for the European market), the document scanning function may be disabled by default. To activate it, go to Settings → Apps → Scanner → Permissions and enable access to Warehouse and Camera.

How to scan QR- Codes and Barcodes: Step-by-step instructions

The scanning process takes a few seconds, but there are nuances that will speed up the work:

Make sure the code is not damaged and well lit.

Turn off the energy saving mode (it can slow down recognition)

Place the camera perpendicular to the code surface

If the code is not read, try to increase the distance to the 20-30 centimeter-->

1. Open the Scanner app or activate the feature through the notification panel.
2. Point the camera at a QR/barcode. A frame will appear on the screen, place the code inside it. Barcodes may require manual mode (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner).
3. Wait for the vibration or the sound signal, which means that the code is recognized, and the screen will show a preliminary result (link, text or sentence of action).
4. Click on the result to perform the action (open link, save contact, etc.) Additional options are available for barcodes: 🛒 Search for goods: automatically opens the product card in AliExpress, Wildberries or Ozon. 📦 Authentication: works with DataMatrix codes on medicines and electronics (for example, to verify the originality of AirPods).

If the scanner doesn't recognize the code, try:

• 🔦 Turn on the flashlight (the light bulb icon in the scanner interface).
• 📸 Switch to the main camera (if front camera is used).
• 🔄 Restart the application or clear its cache in the settings.

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If you often have to scan codes in dark rooms, add the scanner widget to the main screen. To do this, click and hold free space on the screen → Widgets → find the Scanner and drag it to a convenient place.

Document scanning: how to save a check or passport in PDF

The document scanning feature appeared in MIUI 13 and is much more convenient in HyperOS.

• 📄 Automatically crop the document (removes background, aligns edges).
• 🖼️ Save in PDF or JPG formats with a selection of quality.
• 🔒 Add watermarks (e.g., date and time of scanning).
• 📤 Send files directly to Google Drive, Telegram, or Mi Cloud.

Instructions for scanning the document:

1. Open the “Scanner” and select the Document tab (paper icon).
2. Place the document on a flat surface with good lighting, point the camera so that the entire sheet fits into the frame.
3. Wait for the automatic framing (a yellow frame will appear) or press the capture button manually.
4. Edit the result: 🎨 Adjust Contrast and Brightness for better readability. ✂️ Cut the edges if the automatic framing worked inaccurately. 🔤 Add text notes (e.g., document title).

Click Save and select the format (PDF is recommended for checks and multi-page documents).

⚠️ Warning: When scanning passports or other IDs, Xiaomi automatically blurs sensitive data (such as passport number) in preview mode. However, in the saved file, the information remains readable. For additional security, use third-party encryption apps like CamScanner.

Hidden Scanner Functions: Professional Mode and Extensions

Few people know, but Xiaomi has a professional mode that is activated through an engineering menu or special commands.

• 🔍 Recognize codes from screens of other devices (usually the scanner ignores dynamic QR- codes due to flickering).
• 📊 Export the scan history to CSV for analysis.
• 🔧 Adjust recognition sensitivity (useful for corrupted codes).

To enable professional treatment:

1. Open the Scanner app.
2. Five times, quickly click on the ⚙️ Settings icon (top right corner) and a notification will appear, "Developer Mode activated."
3. Return to the main scanner menu – now there will be a new tab Pro.

Another hidden possibility is integration with third-party services, such as a scanner that can automatically:

• 🎫 Add tickets (air, movies, concerts) to Google Pay or Mi Wallet.
• 📦 Compare the prices of goods by barcode in Yandex.Market or SberMarket.
• 📚 Save ISBN- book codes in Goodreads or LitRes.

To activate these features, go to Scanner Settings → Integration with Services and select the options you want. Please note that some services may require authorization.

Problem Solving: The scanner is not working or does not find the code

If your Xiaomi scanner has stopped working, here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the scanner settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Scanner → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
3. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: On root-enabled devices, the scanner may not work properly due to changes in system files. If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS), install an alternative scanner from F-Droid, such as Binary Eye.

Alternative applications: when the built-in scanner is not suitable

While Xiaomi’s built-in scanner covers most tasks, in some cases it’s better to use third-party solutions:

• 🛡️ For security: Kaspersky QR Scanner checks links in QR- codes to phishing and malicious sites.
• 📦 For inventory: Barcode Scanner Pro supports batch scanning and export to Excel.
• 🌍 For translations: Google Lens recognizes text in 100+ languages and translates it in real time.
• 📄 For documents: CamScanner or Adobe Scan offer advanced editing tools PDF.

If you often work with dynamic QR- codes (for example, for payment in stores), pay attention to NeoReader – it is optimized for quick recognition of flickering codes on screens.

For developers and advanced users, ZXing Barcode Scanner supports rare code formats (Aztec, PDF417) and allows you to export data to JSON.

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The built-in Xiaomi scanner is optimized for household tasks, but for professional use (inventory, work with large amounts of data), it is better to choose specialized applications.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about the Xiaomi scanner