How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: all current methods

Screenshots are a basic feature of the Android operating system, but Xiaomi device owners often face the nuances that set their gadgets apart from standard solutions. The MIUI shell, and now its global version of HyperOS, offers advanced image functionality that goes far beyond simply copying pixels from the display. Understanding all available methods will significantly speed up the work with the smartphone and more efficiently manage information.

In this article, we’ll take a look at every available way to create screenshots, from classic physical buttons to advanced automation scripts. You’ll learn how to capture a long website as a whole, take a split-screen shot, or set up automatic copy-making for certain actions.

We're going to focus on the intricacies of clipboard and gallery, where screenshots are not just saved, but can be instantly edited or sent. Often, users don't even know they can take a three-finger picture or double tap. Let's dive into the technical details and customize your smartphone for maximum productivity.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable way that works on the vast majority of Android devices, including the budget Redmi models and the flagship Mi, is to simultaneously press the power and volume control buttons. This method requires no tuning and is available immediately after turning on the phone, making it a versatile solution in any situation.

To take a picture, you need to press the Volume Up and Power button at the same time. You don't need to hold them for long: just a short press lasting about 0.5 seconds is enough. If you hold the buttons too long, the smartphone may perceive this as a command to call the emergency call menu or voice assistant, which will not lead to the desired result.

⚠️ Note: On some models with a side fingerprint scanner combined with a power button, it is important not to press your finger too hard at the time of pressing, so as not to activate unlock or to lose focus when trying to take a photo.

After the action is successful, you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), and a thumbnail will appear at the top of the screen for a split second. At this point, the system has already saved the image to internal memory. If there is no reaction to pressing, check whether the on-screen keyboard is blocked or if a special mode is activated that prohibits the creation of copies of content, for example, in banking applications.

Sometimes users confuse the sequence of actions by trying to press one button first and then another. This is a wrong approach. The key to success is synchronicity. Pressing should be a single movement of two fingers of different hands or one finger if the design of the body allows you to reach both buttons. Practice shows that after several attempts, muscle memory captures the correct effort and timing.

Use of notification curtain and control panel

For those who are uncomfortable reaching for buttons on the case or if one of them is faulty, the system provides a software analog. In the notification curtain, which is called by the top-down swipe, there is a control panel. Here is the Screenshot icon, which activates the function of creating a snapshot of the current content of the screen without the use of physical keys.

If you don't find the icon right away, it may be hidden in the second page of the panel or in the button editing menu. Click on the pencil icon or edit button (usually at the top or bottom of the icon list), find the Screenshot widgets in the list of available and drag it to the active zone.This will always allow you to have quick access to the function in one tap.

The advantage of this method is that it is visually obvious and there is no risk of pressing too much, but there is also a disadvantage: to get to the button, you often have to swipe several times, which takes time if you need to act quickly. In addition, in some system windows or games, the curtain call can be temporarily blocked by the application developer.

It's worth noting that new versions of the HyperOS shell have improved the logic of the working panel, and now, when you click on the screenshot icon, you often immediately open the editing menu, allowing you to crop the image or markup before you save the file, which saves time and eliminates the need to open the gallery separately.

Gesture control: three fingers and tapping

MIUI is famous for its customization capabilities, and gesture control is one of its strongest features. You can customize screenshots by swiping three fingers down the screen, which is a spectacular and extremely handy technique when you use a smartphone with one hand, when it's physically difficult to reach the top edge of the screen or the side buttons.

To activate this feature, go to settings. Follow the Settings path → Additional features → Screenshots (in some versions, the path may differ: Settings → Special features → Touch gestures). Here you need to tick the box against the item "Three fingers", after which any swipe three fingers down will instantly save the image.

There is also an alternative method available on all models, but it is extremely convenient: double tapping on the screen. In the same gesture settings menu, you can find the option "Double tap for a screenshot." However, be careful: this gesture can conflict with other actions, such as waking the screen or zooming in the browser, so using it requires addiction.

The use of gestures is especially important for owners of devices with large diagonals, where fingers reach the edges of the case is difficult, and it saves the resource of physical buttons, which over time can begin to fall or fail. Regular cleaning of the screen from fat and moisture will ensure accurate recognition of multi-touch gestures by the system.

Screenshots via voice assistant and buttons

Voice control is becoming more popular, and Xiaomi is keeping up with trends. You can just say the phrase "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or activate the built-in Xiao AI assistant (in Chinese versions of firmware) with a similar command. This is ideal when your hands are busy or your phone is lying on the table.

Another interesting method that is often overlooked is using the Menu button in the navigation interface. If you use the classic three control buttons (Back, Home, Menu), in some versions of MIUI, long pressing the Menu button (square or three bars) causes a screenshot to be created. This can be configured in the Settings → Additional Functions → Button Management.

For keyboard enthusiasts, there is a possibility to create scripts. If you use an external Bluetooth keyboard, you can assign a screenshot to a specific key combination, such as PrintScreen or PrtSc. Android natively supports this key, and on most Xiaomi devices it works out of the box without additional settings.

It is important to understand that voice commands require an active Internet connection to process a request by Google servers, although basic commands may work offline. In noisy rooms or libraries, voice method may not be appropriate, so it is better to combine it with other methods depending on the context of use.

Long screenshot and split screen mode

A standard image captures only the visible part of the screen, but often it is necessary to save a long correspondence in the messenger, an article in the browser or a list of products in the online store. To do this, Xiaomi implements the “Long screenshot” (or “Scroll”) function. After creating a regular screenshot (by any means) a floating menu appears in the corner, you need to press the down arrow button or the words “Scroll”.

The system will automatically scroll down, take a series of pictures and glue them together into one long picture. You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen. If you scroll the wrong way or go as a ladder, you better restart the process, because the quality of the final file depends on the smoothness of scrolling.

The split-screen mode is worth noting, because if you have two apps open at the same time (like your browser and notes), you can take a screenshot of just one or both of them, and when you take a shot in this mode, the system will tell you to choose whether to save the whole screen, just the top window or just the bottom one, which is incredibly convenient for creating instructions or reports.

To activate the split screen, open the menu of running apps (the Menu button or the swipe below with a delay), click on the app icon and select "Share screen." Once the two apps have taken their places on the display, use any method you know to create a snapshot. In the preview menu, you will see three trimming options.

Settings, timer and working with files

There are a few other useful options in the screenshot settings that improve user experience, such as Screenshot Sound, which allows you to turn off the characteristic click, which is useful if you take a screenshot during meetings or in a quiet environment, and you can also set up a save format there, although the default one is Universal PNG.

One of the most interesting features is the screenshot timer, which is that you can set a 3 or 5-second delay in menu buttons or through special screenshot apps, and you can set the screen for the shot, either by opening the menu, by folding the windows, or by conversely, by triggering the context menu that disappears when you touch it, and without the timer, you wouldn't be able to take that shot.

Where are your images stored? By default, all files go to the DCIM/Screenshots or Pictures/Screenshots folder in internal memory. The Gallery app has a separate album for them. If you connect your phone to your computer, you can find them through these paths. When you clean up memory through the system optimizer, screenshots are often labeled as "junk," so be careful when you clean them automatically.

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Use Google Photos (Xiamo Cloud) to automatically sync your screenshot folder, which will save important data if your phone is lost or broken.

The quality of screenshots depends on the resolution of your screen. AMOLED-high-screen PPI But when you send it through messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), the quality can be compressed. To transmit screenshots in their original quality, send them as File, not as Photos».

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)