How to Photograph a Screen on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to All Models (2026)

How many times have you tried to save important information from the Xiaomi screen but couldn’t remember the button combination? Or wanted to take a screenshot with one hand but nothing worked? This problem is familiar to most smartphone owners of the brand – despite the intuitive interface. MIUI, The screenshot function hides a few subtleties. In this article, we will explore all possible ways, from the classic to the little-known, including voice commands and gestures for models with a high-speed design. AMOLED-display.

Xiaomi is a firmware company that updates it regularly, adding new chips or removing old ones, like MIUI 14 with Scrolling Screenshot mode, and HyperOS (2026) redesigned its Quick Settings menu, and we took into account all the changes and tested the instructions on the latest software versions. Importantly, some methods may not work on budget models (like Redmi 9A) or devices with custom firmware.

1. Classical method: button combination

The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi models – from the Redmi Note 4X (2017) to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra (2026).

• 📱 Power button (right) + volume-reduce button (left).
• 🎵 In some models (for example, POCO F5) It's a power combination. + Volume increase – it depends on regional firmware.
• ⚡ Hold the buttons no longer than 1 second – if you clamp longer, turn off or restart.

After a successful shot, you'll see the animation (screen blinking) and hear the characteristic shutter sound (if the sound is not turned off). The screenshot will appear in the lower right corner - click on it to edit or share immediately. If there is no animation, check if the system's sound is turned off in Settings → Sound.

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On models with a physical button "Menu" (for example, Redmi 3S), the screenshot is taken by a combination of Menu + Power.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi Black Shark, the button combination may conflict with Shark Space mode. If a screenshot is not created, log out of the game profile first.

2. Screenshot by gesture (three fingers)

The gesture screenshot feature is available on all devices with MIUI 9 and later, and is especially useful for large smartphones (such as the Xiaomi 13T Pro or POCO X5 Pro), where it is difficult to reach the buttons with one hand.

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Screenshot.
2. Activate the switch "Gestural Screenshot".
3. Choose the direction of the finger: down (default) or left / right.

Now, to take a screenshot, swipe your three fingers across the screen in the desired direction. Importantly, the gesture should be smooth — if done too quickly, the system will perceive this as a random touch. On models with a high screen polling rate (120/144 Hz), it may take 2-3 attempts to calibrate the gesture.

Check if the mode is on in the settings|Make sure there is no sign blocking on the screen (e.g. in games)|Try to take it slower|Reboot your smartphone if the gesture doesn’t work-->

3. Scrolling screenshot (long page)

If you want to save the entire chat, browser page or list (for example, in Mi Fit), use Scrolling Screenshot Mode. It is available in MIUI 12 and later.

1. Take a regular screenshot (by any means).
2. Click on the thumbnail in the lower right corner.
3. In the editor that opens, tap the “Scroll” icon (two arrows down).
4. Wait for the automatic scroll of the page and click "Done".

The system will combine all the pieces into one long shot.

• 🚫 It doesn’t work in some apps (e.g. TikTok, Instagram) because of content protection).
• 📱 Nana POCO M4 Pro and older can “short” the bottom of the page – try scrolling manually.
• ⚠️ Google Chrome sometimes saves artifacts (black bars) – use Mi Browser.

4. Voice command (Google Assistant)

If you have Google Assistant enabled (or XiaoAI on Chinese firmware), you can take a voice screenshot.

1. Activate the assistant with the “OK, Google” command or by holding the “Home” button.
2. Say, "Take a screenshot" (English: "Take a screenshot").
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

Advantages of the method:

• 🎤 Works without hands – convenient if busy (for example, cooking with a prescription).
• 🌐 Supports several languages (including Russian in Google Assistant).

Disadvantages:

• 🚫 On Chinese firmware (Xiaomi.eu or global with XiaoAI), the team may not work – switching to Google Assistant is required.
• 🔋 Extra battery (assistant should always be active).

5. Screenshot via notification panel

MIUI 13 and HyperOS now have the ability to add a screenshot button to the Quick Settings panel, which is convenient if you take screenshots often.

1. Open the notification bar (swipe down from the top edge of the screen).
2. Click on the "Edit" icon (pencil).
3. Find the Screenshot tile and drag it to the active area.
4. Save the changes.

Now, just one move to open the panel and tap the new icon.

• ⚡ Instant access – no need to remember combinations.
• 🔧 It works even if physical buttons are blocked (for example, after a smartphone crash).

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 11 Pro) after upgrading to HyperOS, the screenshot may disappear. To return it, reset the notification bar settings in Settings → Notifications → Additionally. → Drop it.

6. Screenshot in Recovery Mode (for experienced)

If the smartphone is stuck or does not respond to touch, but the screen is working, you can take a picture via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a connection to the PC and enabled debugging over USB.

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screenshot.png


adb pull /sdcard/screenshot.png

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB.
2. Turn on Developer Mode (7 times tap Settings → About Phone → MIUI version).
3. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
4. Run the command above in the terminal (Windows/Linux/Mac).

The screenshot will be saved to the ADB folder on your PC, and it works even if:

• 🔄 Smartphone in bootloop (cyclic reboot), but the screen is turned on.
• 🔒 Sensor's locked, but USB-port active.

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ADB-Screenshot is the only way to save data from the screen if the smartphone is physically damaged, but the display is working.

7. Hidden chips and problem solutions

Sometimes screenshots can't be taken because of software limitations or hardware features. Here are 5 non-obvious tips:

• 📵 Safe Mode: All gestures are turned off – use only a combination of buttons.
• 🎮 In games (such as Genshin Impact), screenshots can be blocked due to cheat protection. Try to take a picture using Game Turbo (swipe from the left edge of the game). → "Screenshot").
• 🔒 If screenshots are automatically deleted, check the privacy settings in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Autocleaning.
• 📂 Folder with screenshots by default: /Pictures/Screenshots. If it is not available, create it manually.
• 🔄 On Xiaomi Pad 6 and other tablets, the three-finger gesture works only in landscape orientation.

If screenshots are kept black or blank, this may be due to:

• 🖥️ DRM-protection (e.g. Netflix or Disney)+).
• 🔧 Rendering error after update – will help reset graphics settings in Settings → Display. → Additionally. → Reset.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi