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How to Scan Documents on a Xiaomi or Redmi Phone

By Scanner.cam Team · Updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 min read
Quick answer

Scanning documents on a Xiaomi or Redmi phone is easy because you have four good options — and three of them are already on the device. The fastest route: open the stock Camera app, tap More , and choose Documents mode, which auto-detects the page, corrects perspective, and saves a clean image.

How to Scan Documents on a Xiaomi or Redmi Phone — Scanner.cam guide

For multi-page PDFs, Google Drive's built-in scanner (every Xiaomi ships with Drive) is the most reliable free method. This guide covers all four methods step by step, which one to pick, and how to get Redmi-quality results from any Xiaomi camera.

A quick note on names and software: Redmi is Xiaomi's sub-brand, and current Xiaomi and Redmi phones run HyperOS (the successor to MIUI) with a few MIUI-flavored leftovers. Menu names vary slightly between HyperOS versions and models — if a setting is not exactly where this guide says, search for it in Settings rather than assuming it is missing. Nothing here requires root, a custom ROM, or anything you have to pay for.

Method 1: Camera app — Documents mode (fastest)

The stock Camera app on most Xiaomi and Redmi phones has a built-in document scanner that is genuinely good:

  1. Open the Camera app and swipe to (or tap) the More tab.
  2. Choose Documents (sometimes labeled Document mode). The viewfinder switches to an auto-detecting scanner overlay.
  3. Point at the document. The app detects the page edges automatically and suggests a shortcut when the AI camera recognizes a document or slide.
  4. Tap capture. The system corrects perspective and saves the result as a JPG.
  5. Convert to PDF if needed. The JPG can be converted to PDF through a document app — or use Method 2 below for a direct multi-page PDF.
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This is the best option for a quick one-page scan. It does not make multi-page PDFs itself, so for contracts and receipts with several pages, prefer the Drive scanner or the browser method.

Method 2: Google Drive's built-in scanner (best for multi-page PDFs)

Every Xiaomi and Redmi ships with Google Drive, and Drive's scanner is the most consistent document scanner available on these phones — it auto-captures, corrects perspective, enhances contrast, and merges pages into one PDF:

  1. Open the Google Drive app and tap the + (new) button.
  2. Tap Scan. The camera opens in scanner mode.
  3. Point at the page. Drive auto-detects the document and captures — or tap the shutter manually.
  4. Add more pages with the + button for multi-page documents.
  5. Tap the checkmark, name the file, and tap Save — the PDF goes straight into your Drive.

Drive's scanner handles batching and PDF compilation better than the Camera app's document mode. The trade-off: your scan is saved to Google's cloud. For sensitive documents you would rather keep off any server, use the browser method (Method 4).

Method 3: Mi Files — document scan (check your model)

Some Xiaomi models include a document scanner inside the Mi Files app:

  1. Open Mi Files (labeled Files on some models).
  2. Tap Tools, then Document scan — if your model has it.
  3. Point, capture, save as PDF or image.

This option is not present on every model — Xiaomi's app set varies by region and HyperOS version. If you do not see it, you are not missing much: Methods 1, 2, and 4 cover everything this does.

Method 4: browser-based scanning (private, no app, no account)

For scans you want to keep fully private — IDs, contracts, medical documents — the browser route is the cleanest: open Scanner.cam in Chrome on your Xiaomi or Redmi, allow camera access once, and scan. Capture, crop, perspective correction, and multi-page PDF export all run on the device itself; nothing uploads to any server. No app to install, no account to create, and no cloud copy of your document. If the camera permission prompt does not appear, go to Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions → Camera and set it to Allow.

Getting sharp results on a Redmi camera

Redmi cameras are tuned for punchy photos, not documents. A few adjustments fix the typical problems:

Which method should you pick?

Where is document mode on my Redmi's camera?
Open the Camera app, go to the More tab, and choose Documents. On some HyperOS versions the smart-suggestion shortcut appears automatically when the AI camera detects a document — if it does not, check Camera settings → Smart suggestions and make sure the Document scanner toggle is on.

Can I scan directly to PDF on Xiaomi?
Yes — Google Drive's scanner saves multi-page PDFs directly, and the browser-based method at Scanner.cam compiles a PDF from your captures. The Camera app's Documents mode saves JPGs, which you can convert with any office app.

Does my Redmi need an app for scanning?
No. Between the Camera app's document mode, Google Drive's scanner, and a browser-based scanner, you have three working methods without installing anything. That covers single pages, multi-page PDFs, and private on-device scans.

Why do my Redmi scans look washed out?
Auto mode optimizes for photos, not paper. Lock focus on the text, disable AI/beauty enhancement for documents, and light the page from the side. The contrast cleanup in the scanner itself (Drive or browser-based) usually fixes what is left.

Is the browser method free and private on Xiaomi?
Yes — it runs entirely in Chrome on your phone: camera capture, cleanup, and PDF export happen on the device, with no account, no watermark, and no uploads.

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