How to take a screen photo on Xiaomi Redmi phone: the complete guide

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones have become an integral part of digital life, where the need to quickly save information from the display arises constantly. Whether it is a screenshot of correspondence, saving a payment check or fixing an error in the application, the ability to quickly take a screenshot is a basic skill of the user. In the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS, developers have provided many methods for this task, from classic buttons to advanced gestures.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can take screenshots on your Chinese device, how to set up handy combinations, use voice control, and work with long pages of websites, and understanding these features will save you time and manage content more efficiently on your gadget.

It is worth noting that the layout of the interface elements may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the basic principles remain the same for the entire line of Redmi Note and Xiaomi Mi. We will consider both standard methods and hidden features that often go unnoticed by ordinary users.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable way to take a screenshot on any Android smartphone, including Xiaomi, is to use a physical combination of buttons. This method works even when the touch screen temporarily fails or the system is under stress.

It is important to keep the sequence and duration of the pressing correct. The buttons should not be pressed too long, otherwise the shutdown menu or voice assistant may activate, but not too short for the system to register the command. Usually a light press lasting about one second is required. Once successfully executed, you will hear the characteristic click of the camera shutter, and a thumbnail of the shot will appear in the corner of the screen.

This is a universal approach that works across apps, games and settings menus, but on larger smartphones with a screen size greater than 6.5 inches, reaching both buttons with one hand can be physically inconvenient, and manufacturers offer alternative solutions, which we will discuss later.

⚠️ Warning: Do not press the buttons too hard or for a long time (more than that). 3-5 second), as this may cause a forced reboot of the device or call emergency services if such a function is activated in the security settings.

If you have difficulty hitting buttons, try changing the grip of the device or using software techniques. Physical wear of the buttons over time can cause the click to become less clear, so it is recommended to alternate methods of creating screenshots to extend the mechanical parts of the smartphone.

Gesture control: triple tapping

MIUI and HyperOS are famous for their richness of features, and one of the most convenient is to take a screenshot with triple tapping on the screen, which allows you to take pictures with one hand, which is especially true in transport or when the second hand is busy, and to activate this mode, you need to go to the settings of the system.

Find Settings → Additional settings → Keyboards. From the menu that opens, select Screenshot and set the switch to Triple Touch. Once activated, you can take screenshots by tapping your finger three times on any area of the display, and the system will respond with vibration and audible signal.

But there are some nuances to this method: the sensitivity of the touchscreen can vary depending on the protective film or glass installed, and if you have a thick protective glass, the system may not recognize light taps, so you have to knock more confidently, which is not always convenient.

It is also worth considering that in some games or applications with active swipes and taps (for example, shooters or cards), random triple tapping can lead to unwanted screenshots cluttering the gallery.

Screenshots with three fingers (swipe)

Another popular method, which came from earlier versions of Android and was adapted to Xiaomi, is to swipe three fingers across the screen, which, unlike triple taps, requires swiping your fingers from top to bottom or bottom up the center of the display, which is intuitive and rarely causes false positives.

To enable this option, go to Settings → Additional settings → Keyboards → Screenshot and select the Three Finger option. After that, just swipe your three fingers across the screen wherever you want to capture the image. The system will instantly respond and save the file.

The main challenge of this method is to physically perform the gesture: On screens with a diagonal of less than 5.5 inches, place three fingers so that they all touch the surface at the same time, can be problematic for people with large palms, and in narrow application interfaces there is a risk of affecting unnecessary controls.

However, for Xiaomi Pad tablets or big-screen smartphones (Redmi Note Pro Max series), this is one of the most ergonomic: it allows you to quickly capture information without looking for buttons and the risk of breaking the screen with sloppy movement.

Use of the Quick Access Menu (Curtain)

If physical buttons are uncomfortable and gestures don't work, you can always use a software interface. At the top of the screen of any Xiaomi or Redmi, there's a notification and quick access panel, often referred to as a "curtain." Among the many icons, there's always a screenshot button.

To take a picture, just swipe the curtain from top to bottom, find an icon with a picture of a scissors or rectangle and click on it. The screen blinks and the copy will be saved. This method is ideal for those cases where the volume buttons are faulty or the screen reacts with a delay.

The main advantage of the method is its absolute reliability. Since it is a software command, it does not depend on the mechanical state of the buttons. However, it has a significant disadvantage: if the screen opens a confidential menu or a dialog box that closes when the curtain is swiped (for example, the menu of the settings of the window itself), it will not be possible to take a screenshot.

⚠️ Note: In some secure applications (bank clients, incognito browser mode), Android security blocks screenshots in any way, in which case you will see a black image or a notification to stop shooting for security reasons.

For convenience, you can change the order of the buttons in the curtain. Go to the editing of the quick access panel and move the screenshot icon to the first place, which will speed up access to the function in critical situations when the count is going on for seconds.

Voice control via Google Assistant and Mi AI

With technology, you can control your smartphone almost without touch, and taking screenshots is no exception. If your hands are busy or dirty, you can use a voice assistant. On global firmware, this is Google Assistant, in Chinese, Mi AI.

To activate, say "Ok Google" or press the assistant button, then say "Take a screenshot" (or "Make a screenshot" in English), the system recognizes the command and executes the action, which is especially useful for people with motor disabilities.

The accuracy of the recognition depends on the quality of the microphone, the noise level in the room and the setting of the system language. If the phone does not hear the command, try to speak clearly or bring the device closer to the mouth. Also make sure that the assistant settings allow control of the system.

Voice control requires a stable Internet connection, as the request is often processed on the company's servers, and in poor network coverage, commands may be delayed or not executed at all.

Extended screenshot function (scroll)

One of the most sought-after features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which allows you to capture not only the visible part of the screen, but also content that goes beyond the limits of visibility, such as long articles in the browser or correspondence in messengers.

Once you've taken a normal screenshot of any of the ways I've described above, a thumbnail will appear in the corner. Press the Scroll button on it. The device will automatically scroll down to capture the image, and to stop the process, tap the screen or wait for the end of the page.

This feature saves time by eliminating the need to take multiple individual shots and then glue them together in third-party applications. MIUI algorithms automatically stitch the frames together into a single, high-quality image.

However, it is worth remembering that the scroll function does not work in all applications. In some cases, especially in complex web layouts or applications with infinite tape, gluing can be made with errors (duplication of elements or breaks).

Where to look and how to edit saved photos

Once a screenshot is created, it is important to know where to find it. By default, all screenshots are saved to the gallery in a separate Screenshots album. The path to the file system usually looks like Internal Storage/DCIM/Screenshots or Internal Storage/Pictures/Screenshots.

Once you've created a picture, you have a preview in the corner, and if you click on it, you'll see an embedded editor, and you can crop the image, draw arrows, add text, or blur sensitive data (card numbers, addresses), and the editor's toolkit is rich enough to be processed quickly.

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Use the Blurr feature in the screenshot editor before sending checks or correspondence to hide personal data, card numbers and passwords, a basic digital hygiene skill.

Screenshot files take up space in the device’s memory. If you take them often, it is recommended that you periodically review the folder and delete the extra one, or set up automatic upload to the Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud cloud storage.

The table below compares the main characteristics of different screenshot techniques on Redmi devices:

Frequent problems and their solution

Despite the system's fine-tuning, users may encounter situations where screenshots are not created, most often due to a lack of free storage. If the memory is full, the system will not be able to save a new file. Check the free space in Settings → About Phone → Storage.

Another common cause is application conflicts: Some memory cleaners or accelerators may block screenshots from being taken as a burden on the system, and try to temporarily disable these optimizers.

⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer saved after the system update, try resetting the Gallery or Screenshot app settings through the application management menu.

It is also worth checking the access permission settings. In rare cases, after resetting the access permissions, the Gallery app may lose the right to write files. Restore these rights in the Applications → All Applications → Gallery → Rights.

Additional features and widgets

Xiaomi’s ecosystem allows you to display a screenshot widget directly to your desktop, especially for those who take screenshots from work or school all the time. Add the Tools widget or a specialized screenshot widget through the desktop editing menu.

And then there are advanced scenarios in the Auto Tasks app, where you can set up automatic screenshots when you run a particular application or when you connect to a particular Wi-Fi network, which requires a deeper dive into the settings, but gives you a powerful automation tool.

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The most versatile and reliable method is the combination of buttons, but for daily use with one hand, triple touching or swiping with three fingers is much more convenient.

Using cloud syncs allows you not to worry about the safety of important screenshots. Set up a Screenshots folder sync with Google Drive or Yandex.Disk to access your records from any device, even if the phone is lost.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions