How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi phone: all ways + hidden chips

Contents

• Standard method: power and volume buttons
• Three-finger swipe gesture - how to set up and use
• Voice assistant: screenshot of the command "OK, Google"
• Screenshot via computer: ADB and Mi PC Suite
• What to do if screenshots are not saved or black
• Advanced chips: long screen, editing, cloud
• Features for different models: Redmi, POCO, Black Shark
• FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

You can take a screenshot on a Xiaomi smartphone in at least 5 different ways, from the classic combination of buttons to voice commands and gestures. But even experienced users are often unaware of hidden features like long screenshots or automatic upload to the cloud. In this article, we will analyze all methods taking into account the features of MIUI 14/15 and different series of phones (Redmi Note 12, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.).

Important: Some of the ways may not work on older models (until 2019) or custom firmware. If your phone is released before the Redmi Note 8, check out the feature section.

1. Standard method: power and volume buttons

It’s a versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the budget Redmi A2 and Xiaomi’s flagship 14 Ultra.

1. Open the screen you want to capture (for example, WhatsApp or Chrome).
2. Press the power button (on/lock) and the volume button at the same time.
3. Hold them for 1-1.5 seconds until you hear the camera shutter sound and see the save animation.

The screenshot is automatically saved to the DCIM → Screenshots folder (or Pictures → Screenshots on some firmware). To quickly find it, pull down the notification bar - there will be a thumbnail with the share and delete buttons.

No sensitive data on the screen | Memory is sufficient (at least 50 MB) | Do Not Disturb mode is disabled (it blocks the shutter sound) | The screen is not blocked by the bank app-->

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi K50i) Long-term button retention can cause the switch-off menu. If this happens, try pressing the buttons short and sharp rather than holding the buttons.

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

The Three-Finger Screenshot feature allows you to take a screenshot in one motion without pressing a button, which is convenient if one of the physical keys is broken or you often screen in games (for example, in Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile).

To activate the gesture:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Select Screenshot with three fingers (or Quick Ball on some firmware).
3. Turn on the switch and test: swipe the screen from top to bottom with three fingers (no pause!).

If the gesture doesn't work:

• 🔧 Check if it conflicts with other gestures (like Split Screen).
• 📱 Restart your phone – sometimes the system resets your gesture settings after updates.
• 👆 Try to swipe your fingers at a different angle (not strictly vertically, but slightly diagonally).

3.Voice assistant: Screenshot of the "OK, Google" command

If you have Google Assistant on, you can take voice screenshots, which is useful when your hands are busy or your screen is dirty.

• 🎤 «OK, Google, take a screenshot (in English and Russian).
• 🎤 «Hey Google, Take a Screenshot (English-language firmware only).

To make the function work:

1. Make sure that Google Assistant is activated (Settings → Google → Assistant settings).
2. Enable permission for the assistant to use the screen (in the same settings).
3. Check that the voice language matches the system language (for example, if the phone is in Russian and the Assistant is in English, the command may not work).

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI In Russia (without Google services), voice commands for screenshots do not work. In this case, use the alternative assistant XiaoAI (Chinese version), but it requires registration in Mi Account.

4. Screenshot via computer: ADB and Mi PC Suite

Sometimes you have to take a screenshot when the phone's sensor is down or the screen is broken, and then you can connect to a PC. There are two ways to do this.

Method 1: Mi PC Suite (without root)

The official utility from Xiaomi allows you to control your phone from a computer:

1. Download the Mi PC Suite and install it.
2. Connect your phone via USB (enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version number → go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).
3. In the program, select File Management → Screenshot.

Method 2: Through ADB (for Advanced)

If the Mi PC Suite does not recognize the device, use the adb command:

adb devices # check the connection


adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png




adb pull /sdcard/screen.png C:\screenshots

The screenshot will be saved to the specified folder on the PC, which works even on locked phones (if debugging is enabled).

💡

If the phone is not identified in Mi PC Suite, try changing mode USB-Connection to File Transfer (MTP) notice-curtain.

5 What to do if screenshots are not saved or black

Screenshot problems on Xiaomi are usually associated with memory shortages, firmware errors, or application conflicts.

If the screenshots become blurry, it may be due to the Charge Savings mode (it lowers the screen resolution). → Battery.

💡

On the phones with AMOLED-In the case of the Xiaomi 13 Pro, black screenshots may appear due to the Always-on Display feature.

6. Advanced chips: long screen, editing, cloud

MIUI offers a few hidden features for working with screenshots that few people know about:

• 📜 Long screenshot (scroll screen): After a standard screen tap on the thumbnail in the notification curtain and select Scrolling. The feature works in Chrome, Telegram, VK and other scrolling apps.
• ✏️ Quick editing: Immediately after creating the screen, click on its preview – an editor with cropping, drawing and text addition tools will open.
• ☁️ Autoboot to Mi Cloud: Enable in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Screenshot sync: All images will be duplicated to the cloud (free of charge 5GB).
• 🔒 Hidden Screenshots: In the Gallery, create a folder Protected Files and move confidential screens there - they will be hidden from ordinary viewing.

For POCO F4 GT and Black Shark 5, a unique feature is available: during the game, swipe three fingers across the screen, and the picture will be saved without pause (without interrupting gameplay).

7. Features for different models: Redmi, POCO, Black Shark

Not all methods work the same on different Xiaomi series.

The Redmi A1/A2 (budget models) may not have a three-finger gesture — instead, use the Quick Ball (floating button), which you can configure in Settings → Additional Features.

8. FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions