Modern smartphones have become powerful multimedia centers, and Xiaomi Mi 8 is no exception. Users often face the need to capture what is happening on the display, whether it is passing a difficult level in the game, showing bugs in the application or creating educational videos for social networks. Fortunately, this no longer requires complex manipulation or root rights.
Mi 8 owners have access to several image capture techniques built directly into the MIUI shell, which allows you to quickly activate the feature at the right time without being distracted by installing third-party software, but the standard tool has its own features that you need to know about to get a quality result.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to configure video recording parameters, activate sound capture and what alternatives exist if the regular utility for some reason does not work or does not suit you with its functionality.
Activation of the built-in Recorder in MIUI
The Android operating system, which is adapted by Xiaomi, already has a screencasting app pre-installed, so you don't have to download files from Google Play to get started, just lower the notification curtain and find the appropriate icon.
If the quick menu doesn't have an icon, you can add it. To do this, click on the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots in the corner of the curtain), search the "Screen Record" list and drag it to the active zone, which will provide instant access to the function at any time.
When the app is launched, a floating control panel will appear on the screen, allowing you to pause the recording, add comments with drawing on the screen and end the session, and the interface is minimal and does not overlap the main content of the display.
It is important to note that the quality of the final file depends on the resolution and bitrate settings selected. By default, the system can choose the optimal parameters, but for professional use, it is better to manually adjust them before shooting.
Customization of quality and sound parameters
Before you start recording what is happening on the display Xiaomi Mi 8, it is recommended to look at the settings of the application. By clicking on the gear in the Recorder interface, you will get access to key parameters that affect the final result.
The flagship Snapdragon 845 processor installed in the Mi 8 can easily handle video rendering in 1080p resolution. However, to save space, you can reduce the quality to 720p.
⚠️ Note: When selecting the maximum resolution 1080p and high-frequency staffing (60 FPS) The file size will grow very quickly. Make sure that the internal drive is free at least 2-3 GB.
Special attention should be paid to the setting of the sound source, you can choose to record sound from the microphone, system sounds or turn off the audio altogether. System sounds are ideal for recording gameplay, whereas a microphone is better for creating tutorials.
There's also a click display feature available, and if you turn on the "Show Touch" option, you'll see white circles in the video where you touch the screen, which is very useful for training videos, so that the viewer understands the logic of action.
☑️ Checking settings before recording
Remember that activating too high parameters can lead to heating of the case of the smartphone. Xiaomi Mi 8 has a glass back panel that quickly gives off heat, but prolonged load in high resolution is still undesirable.
Use of third-party applications
The MIUI tools are good, but sometimes the built-in Recorder functionality isn't enough, and in these cases, specialized apps from the Google Play store come to the rescue, offering advanced editing and customization capabilities.
One popular solution is AZ Screen Recorder, which allows you not only to record video, but also immediately convert it to GIFs, take screenshots and even live streams, and supports 4K recording if the device's screen is capable of that resolution.
- 🎥 DU Recorder is a powerful tool with cloud storage and the ability to stream on YouTube and Facebook in one click.
- 📹 Screen Recorder - XRecorder - features a light interface and the absence of intrusive advertising, which is rare for free analogues.
- 🎬 ADV Screen Recorder – offers advanced bitrate and codec settings that professionals will appreciate.
When installing third-party software, MIUI-based Android will request a number of permissions, such as accessing "Above Other Applications" and allowing audio recording, without which permissions, the program will not be able to capture image and sound correctly.
Why can third-party apps slow down?
It should be borne in mind that the presence of a large number of background processes from third-party recorders can negatively affect the autonomy of the Xiaomi Mi 8.
Screen recording with sound transmission
One of the most common questions users have about recording sound: Android 10 and newer versions, which are based on MIUI, have restrictions on the capture of internal audio, but on the Xiaomi Mi 8, this feature is implemented quite flexibly.
To record audio from a game or video, you need to select "Sound Sources" in the Recorder settings and activate "System Sounds", in which case the phone's microphone will not be used, which will ensure clean audio without extraneous noises and echoes.
| Parameter | Microphone | Systemic sound | No sound. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Depends on the environment. | Perfect (digital) | Absent. |
| Vote recording | Possible. | Impossible. | Impossible. |
| Background noise | Probably. | Absent. | Absent. |
| Battery utilization | High. | Average. | Low. |
If you want to comment on what is happening on the screen with your voice, select the “Microphone” mode, in which case the smartphone will record everything that is happening around, including sounds from the speakers, if they are loud enough.
⚠️ Note: When recording system sound in some applications (such as Netflix or Spotify), audio may not be recorded due to security. DRM-This is normal behavior of Android security.
For the best balance, many users recommend using a headset, and by connecting headphones with a microphone, you can talk without creating the acoustic feedback that you often hear when recording through a speaker.
Where do files are saved and how to find them?
Once the video is finished, it is automatically stored in the device's internal memory, and by default, all files are sent to the standard gallery, Screen Recorder or Screen Recorder, which can be found through the Gallery app or file manager.
The path to files in the system is as follows: /Internal Storage/DCIM/ScreenRecorder/. Knowing this path, you can quickly move the video to your computer or send it via messenger using any file manager, for example, Mi File Manager.
The default save format is MP4, which ensures maximum compatibility with any video player and social networking site. The H.264 codec allows you to maintain good quality with a relatively small file size.
💡
Use the Favorites feature in the gallery to mark good records so you don’t lose them among hundreds of other screencasts when you clear your memory.
If you use third-party apps, the paths may differ. For example, AZ Screen Recorder often creates its own folder at the root of internal memory. Always check the save settings in the application you are using.
Optimizing Performance When Recording
Screen recording is a resource-intensive process that loads the GPU and the central chip. The Xiaomi Mi 8, despite its power, is heavyweight. 3D-Games may see a drop in the number of frames per second (FPS).
To minimize the impact of recording on performance, close all background apps before the session begins. It is also recommended to turn off animations in the developer settings if you are looking for maximum smoothness.
Keep in mind the temperature regime. Long-term high-resolution recording can lead to trottling. If you plan to shoot a long video, remove the protective case for better heat sink.
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Decreasing the resolution to 720p is almost imperceptible on the smartphone screen, but significantly reduces the load on the processor and heating of the device.
In Do Not Disturb mode, the recording will be recorded without interruption from incoming calls or notifications, and you can activate it through the notification curtain or in the audio settings before the Recorder launches.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users experience a recording break spontaneously or video without sound, most often due to a lack of RAM or aggressive battery optimization by the MIUI system.
If the Recorder app crashes, try clearing its cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Screen Record → Memory and click Clear. This won't delete your videos, but reset the program settings.
- 🔋 Energy savings: Make sure the Recorder app has a “No Limits” mode in the battery settings so the system doesn’t “kill” the recording process.
- 📂 Lack of space: Check the space available. If the memory is more than 90% full, the recording may be interrupted.
- 🔒 Access rights: After updating the system, the license checks may have reset.
In rare cases, the problem may lie in the damage to the system files, if nothing helps, perform a reset of the application settings or, in extreme cases, reset all the phone settings (pre-made a backup).