How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: all the ways from standard to hidden

Taking screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — until you encounter the nuances of a particular model. Redmi 9A, despite its budget position, supports 5 different ways to fix the screen at once. But not all of them are equally convenient: some require dexterity of fingers, others – pre-tuning, and others are hidden in the depths of MIUI.

The problem is that Xiaomi’s official documentation often doesn’t mention alternative methods, such as the fact that Redmi 9A can take screenshots with one hand without using physical buttons, or that the system has a built-in editor for instant cropping, and meanwhile, these chips save up to 30 seconds on each screen — if you know how to use them.

In this article, we'll not just list the ways, but we'll take a look at their pros and cons, show you how to configure hidden features, and reveal 3 life hacks that you won't find in standard instructions, such as why sometimes screenshots are saved in.png format, and sometimes in.jpg, and how to control it.

1. Standard method: power buttons + volume

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi 9A. The algorithm is simple: simultaneously press the on/lock button and the volume button for 1-2 seconds.

• 🔊 Audible signal (if not disabled in settings)
• 📸 Animation of a "screenshot" at the top of the display
• 📁 Notification of saving the file in the gallery

In practice, users face two typical problems:

1. The smartphone captures the wrong moment — for example, the screen is obtained with swipe animation or open menu. Solution: pinch buttons with a delay of 0.5 seconds after the desired frame appears.
2. The buttons don't work the first time. The reason is contamination of contacts or wear of the mechanism (relevant for devices older than 1.5 years). Check the reaction of the buttons in the Settings menu → About phone → Equipment test.

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A with non-original firmware (for example, custom) ROM) The button combination can conflict with Recovery functions. If the phone reboots after pressing, go back to the stock firmware.

Where do you look for the screenshots you took? They're saved by default in the folder:

Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots

Or through the gallery: open the Photos app, go to the Screenshots album.

2. Three-finger gesture - how to set and use

The Three-Finger Screenshot feature is a MIUI feature that eliminates the need to pinch physical buttons. On Redmi 9A, it is disabled by default, but it turns on in 30 seconds:

1. Open Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Find the screenshot with three fingers and activate the slider.
3. (Optional) Enable Preview screenshot for quick cropping.

How it works:

1. Place three fingers (usually index, middle and ring fingers) on the screen.
2. Swipe them from top to bottom in one motion (like a swipe to close the application).
3. The screenshot will be saved automatically.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Works in any application, even if the power/volume buttons are blocked.
• ✅ You can use one hand (if your fingers are flexible).
• ✅ The speed of creating a screen is 0.8 seconds against 1.5 seconds for the push-button method.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Requires training – the first 5-10 attempts can end with a random swipe down for the notification bar.
• ❌ Does not work in games with disabled gestures (for example, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact).

3. Screenshot through the Quick Settings panel

A little-known way to save you when the physical buttons are broken and the three-finger gesture is inconvenient.

1. Turn the notification bar swipe from top to bottom.
2. Find the screenshot icon (usually located to the right of the Mode button on the plane).
3. Slip on it – the smartphone will immediately take a screenshot.

If the icon is missing:

1. Click on Edit (pencil in the upper right corner of the panel).
2. Find a screenshot in the list and drag it to the active area.

Features of the method:

• 🔄 It works even in silent mode (unlike the button method).
• 📱 No need to remember combinations – just one tapa.
• ⚡ Supports scrolling screenshots (if option is enabled in settings).

⚠️ Note: Some of the Redmi firmware 9A (for example, MIUI 12.5 Enhanced) The screenshot icon may disappear after the update.Solution: reset the notification panel settings in Settings → Notifications → Additionally. → Reset the settings.

Add the screenshot icon to the quick settings

Check the visibility of the notification panel in the application

Disable the locking of swipes in games (if necessary)

Make sure the screen is not locked-->

4.Voice command for screenshot

If you are lazy to use your hands, Redmi 9A supports voice screenshots via Google Assistant or Alice from Yandex.

1. Activate the voice assistant with the phrase “OK, Google” or holding the Home button.
2. Say, Take a screenshot or take a picture of the screen.
3. Confirm the action (if required).

For Alice:

1. Hold the Home button or say Hello, Alice.
2. Say, Take a screenshot of the screen.

Limitations of the method:

• 🔇 Requires Internet connection (voice commands are processed on servers).
• 🕒 Delay of execution – 2-3 seconds (recognition and processing time).
• 🔒 Does not work in banking applications and programs with screenshot blocking (for example, SberBank Online).

Tip: If the voice assistant doesn't recognize the command, check:

• 📶 Quality of Internet connection (voice data is transmitted to the server).
• 🎤 Microphone settings in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Microphone.
• 🌐 Recognition language (must match the command language).

💡

If the voice assistant refuses to take a screenshot, try an alternative phrase: "OK, Google, take a screenshot." Sometimes it works better than the standard command.

5. Scrolling screenshot (long screen)

The Scrolling Screenshot feature allows you to capture all the content of a page, not just the visible area of the screen, for example, it is useful for saving:

• 📄 Long chats on WhatsApp or Telegram.
• 📊 Complete web pages (such as articles or tables).
• 📋 Lists in applications (Google Keep, Trollo).

How to do this:

1. Create a regular screenshot in any of the ways described above.
2. Immediately after the notification appears, tap on it.
3. In the editor that opens, click Scroll (or Long Screenshot).
4. Wait for the automatic scrolling of the screen and fixing the content.

Important nuances:

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A With 2GB of RAM, long screenshots can cause freezes if the page contains more than 50 elements (such as a long Twitter thread.

6. Hidden features and life hacks for screenshots

Even experienced Xiaomi users are unaware of these features:

• 🖼️ Real-time screenshot editor: After creating the screen, tap the notification, the built-in editor with tools for cropping, drawing and adding text will open. This saves time, because you don't have to open the Gallery.
• 🔄 Auto Removal of Duplicates: In Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup is an option to Delete duplicate screenshots, and the system will find and delete identical images (useful if you are screening the same page 1-2 seconds apart).
• 📁 Change the format of the save: By default, screenshots are saved to.png, but you can force switch to.jpg (less weight, but worse quality:

Settings → Additional functions → Screenshot format

On Redmi 9A with MIUI 12.0.8 and below, screenshots taken through a three-finger gesture are automatically saved to the Pictures/Screenshots/Gesture folder, rather than the standard DCIM/Screenshots.

Another lifehack is a quick sending of the screen:

1. Take a screenshot.
2. Slip on the notification and hold your finger on the thumbnail.
3. In the menu that appears, select Share - the picture will immediately go to the selected application (for example, Telegram or Mail).

💡

The fastest way to take and send a screenshot to Redmi 9A is to use a three-finger gesture + hold notification to instantly share. It takes less than 3 seconds!

7. Solving screenshot problems

If screenshots are not saved or are black, check out these points:

If none of these methods work:

1. Reboot your phone (hold the power button for 10 seconds).
2. Check if there are apps installed to block screenshots (such as App Lock).
3. Update your firmware to the latest version of MIUI (in Settings → System Update).

For diagnosis, use the developer mode:

1. Activate it: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the Debugging by USB and turn it on.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and type a command:

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png

If the command is executed without errors, the problem is in the MIUI interface, if not, in the hardware (for example, a damaged graphics chip).

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Redmi 9A