Creating a scrolling screenshot on Xiaomi smartphones is one of the most sought-after features for users who want to save long web pages, instant messaging or app listings. Unlike a regular screenshot that captures only the visible area, a scrolling screenshot allows you to capture all content from top to bottom automatically, but not everyone knows that this feature does not work on all models and versions of MIUI the same way — somewhere it is available out of the box, and somewhere it requires the inclusion of hidden settings.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to create long screenshots on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, including models on MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS. You will learn how to activate the function through the standard menu, what gestures to use for convenience, and what to do if the option suddenly disappeared after the update, and also reveal a secret method for devices where screen scrolling is not officially supported.
1. Standard method: Scrolling screenshot through notification panel
The simplest and most official method works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with MIUI 10).
- 📱 Take a regular screenshot: simultaneously press the power and volume button for 1-2 seconds.
- 🔍 And right after you take the picture, you'll see a thumbnail at the bottom of the screen.
- 📜 At the bottom of the screen, you'll see the Scroll button (or Long Screenshot.
- ✅ Wait for the system to automatically scroll through the page and create a single image.
This method works in most system applications (Browser, Messages, Contacts) and some third-party applications (Telegram, WhatsApp). However, in games or applications with non-standard scrolling (for example, Instagram or TikTok), the function can be blocked.
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If the scroll button is inactive, try manually scrolling the page before clicking on it, sometimes helping the system to "understand" that the content is longer than the screen.
2. Alternative method: gestures for quick scrolling screenshot
On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12+, you can customize the gesture to take long screenshots without using buttons.This is handy if the physical keys on your device are worn out or you prefer to control the phone with one hand.
To activate the gesture:
- Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
- Select Screenshot with Scrolling (or Long Screenshot).
- Activate the switch and remember the combination (usually triple touching with three fingers or wire down with three fingers).
Once set up, just make a gesture on any page you scroll through, and the system automatically takes a picture and suggests that you expand it, which works even in some applications where the standard scroll button is not available.
Problems and Errors: Why Scrolling Screen Doesn't Work
Despite the convenience, the long screenshot feature sometimes fails, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| No scroll button. | Outdated version of MIUI or custom firmware | Update the system or use third-party applications (Section 5) |
| Screenshot ends in the middle | Restricting the app (for example, on Instagram) | Try taking a picture in the browser or through the Developer Mode |
| The function disappeared after the update | Resetting gesture settings | Restart your phone or reset your gesture settings in Settings → System → Reset settings |
| A long screenshot is kept blank. | Conflict with battery optimization | Add the app where you take the picture, in the exception of optimization |
⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F1, Redmi Note 8 after update to MIUI 13 The scroll function may disappear from the menu, in which case resetting the Screenshots app (in Settings) will help. → Annexes → Application management).
4.The Secret Way: A Long Screenshot Through Developer Mode
If your device doesn’t support system-level scroll, you can use a hidden feature available through Developer Mode, which works even on older models (Redmi 4X, Mi A1) and doesn’t require root rights.
Instructions:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap on MIUI Version 7 times.
- Return to the main settings menu, open Additional settings → Developer settings.
- Find the option to Enable a long screenshot (or Force enable screenshot scrolling) and activate it.
- Reset the device.
After that, the screenshot editing panel should have a scroll button, and if the option is not listed, then your model does not support this method, try alternative solutions in the next section.
What to do if the developer mode does not open?
5. Third-party applications for long screenshots
If the built-in methods don't work, we'll have specialized tools to help, and we've tested some of the popular solutions and picked the best ones.
- 📲 LongShot supports scrolling in most apps, including Facebook and Twitter. There is a manual cropping and gluing feature.
- 🖼️ Scroll Capture – automatically determines the length of the page and offers settings for the quality of the output image.
- 🔄 Stitch & Share – allows you to manually combine multiple screenshots into one long one (useful for games or applications with lock scroll).
Check application permissions before installing – some utilities require access to Special Features (in Settings → Applications → Special Access) to work properly. Also note the feedback: in recent versions of MIUI, some applications may conflict with system optimization.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party screenshot apps in bank programs or encrypted messengers (such as Signal), you risk violating security policies.
Make sure the app is compatible with your version of MIUI
Check the feedback on job stability
Provide the necessary permissions in the settings
Create a backup copy of important data-->
6. Features on different Xiaomi models
Scrolling function may vary depending on the device series and firmware version, and we collected data on popular models:
| Model | Support for scrolling out of the box | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 13/14 series | Yes (MIUI 14+) | It works in most applications, including Mi Browser and WPS Office. |
| Redmi Note 12 | Yes, but with limitations. | It doesn’t work in Google Chrome – use Mi Browser |
| POCO X5 | Yes (HyperOS) | Added the option “Smart scrolling” to automatically determine the boundaries of content |
| Redmi 10A | No. | Activation is required through Developer Mode or third-party applications |
On devices with HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), the scrolling algorithm has been improved: the system now better recognizes dynamic content (for example, social media feeds) and less often snaps a screenshot. However, on older models (Redmi 9, Mi 9T) after upgrading to HyperOS, lags can occur when creating long shots, in which case a rollback to MIUI 13 will help.
7. Optimizing and editing long screenshots
It's half the battle to take a scrolling screenshot, and often the image you get requires a bit of rework, a bit of cropping, a little bit of tagging, a little bit of compression.
- ✂️ To crop, use the built-in Xiaomi editor (opens immediately after you create a screenshot) or the Google Photos app.
- 📎 If you need to combine multiple screenshots manually, use Collage Maker or PhotoGrid.
- 🗜️ For compression without loss of quality suitable TinyPNG or Squoosh (web version).
- 🔍 To find a screenshot later, add tags in the Xiaomi Gallery: highlight the file → Details. → Add tags.
If you share long screenshots often, pay attention to the save format: by default, MIUI uses a PNG that weighs more than JPEG. To change the format:
- Open Settings → Applications → Screenshots.
- Select the save format and set up JPEG (medium quality).
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Long PNG screenshots take up 2-3 times more space than JPEG, but they keep the text clear and transparent. For documents, choose PNG, for social networks, choose JPEG.