How to make a printscreen on Android Xiaomi: all the ways 2026

Contents

• Standard method: power and volume buttons
• Three-finger gestures – how to set up and use
• Voice assistant XiaoAI: screenshots without hands
• Quick Ball: A Floating Button for Quick Access
• Long Screenshot (Scroll) – How to Capture the Entire Page
• Problem Solving: Screenshots are not saved, black screen
• Features for specific models: Redmi Note, POCO, Mi

Taking screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — until you encounter unexpected nuances. Some users use only a combination of buttons for years, others do not even know about the existence of gestures or voice control. Meanwhile, MIUI offers 5 different ways to make a printscreen, and each of them is convenient in their situation.

In this article, we're going to look at not only basic techniques, but also little-known features. For example, did you know that some POCO models can take screenshots by double tapping on the screen? Or that Redmi Note 12 has a feature for automatic text recognition in screenshots? If your smartphone suddenly stopped saving screenshots, here you will find a solution to this problem.

Before you go to the instructions, make sure that your device has the current version installed. MIUI. Some methods may not be available on old firmware (below). MIUI You can check the version in the Settings menu. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.

1. Standard method: power and volume buttons

It’s a versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including Redmi’s budget models and Black Shark gaming.

1. Open the screen you want to capture.
2. At the same time, press the power button (on/lock) and the volume down button.
3. Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the characteristic shutter sound or see an animation of the screenshot.

On physical-button models (like the Redmi 9A), the push must be sure, but not overly strong, otherwise you can accidentally trigger a shutdown menu. On smartphones with touch buttons (like the Mi 11), a fairly easy touch is enough.

The screen is unlocked and active|No active calls or videos|Battery level above 5%|Memory not filled (minimum 100 MB free)-->

Where to look for ready-made screenshots? By default, they are saved in the DCIM → Screenshots or Pictures → Screenshots folder. Quick access to the latest snapshot appears in the notification bar - just click on the thumbnail to open it in the gallery or share it.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F3) Long-term retention of power and volume buttons can cause recovery mode. If the screen goes out and the menu with the Android robot appears, do not panic - just restart the phone.

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

The Screenshot by Gesture feature is available on all devices with MIUI 10 and later, allowing you to take a screenshot with three fingers down on it, which is especially convenient when one hand is busy or the power buttons are not comfortable (as on the Xiaomi Mi Mix with a frameless design).

If the gesture does not work out of the box, it must be activated:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Screenshot button (or Settings → Special Features → Gestures on new versions).
2. Find the "Gestural Screenshot" option and turn it on.
3. Choose the direction of movement: from top to bottom or from left to right (depending on the model).

Once activated, try to take a screenshot on the home screen. If the picture doesn't work, check:

• 👆 Whether you touch the status bar (top line with time and icons) – this can be perceived as a swipe for notifications.
• 🖐️ All three fingers must touch the screen at the same time and move in parallel.
• 📱 On some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) the gesture works only in the vertical orientation of the screen.

In the models with AMOLED-With screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro), a three-finger gesture may not work when the display is low because of the sensor's performance. Increase the brightness to 50% and try again.

Voice assistant XiaoAI: screenshots without hands

If your smartphone supports XiaoAI (available on most models other than the budget Redmi Go), you can take voice screenshots. This is useful when hands are busy or you need to capture a moment in the game without pause.

Activate the function is simple:

1. Say “OK, Google” or click the microphone icon in the search bar.
2. Say the command: "Take a screenshot" or "Screenshot".
3. Confirm permission to access the screen (when you first use it).

On MIUI models for POCO (e.g., POCO X3 Pro), the voice assistant may require pre-configuration:

• 🎤 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → XiaoAI.
• 🔧 Enable permissions for "Opening on other apps" and "Access to the screen".
• 🗣️ Start learning voice model in the assistant menu.

Voice screenshots have limitations:

⚠️ Note: In some applications (e.g. banking or with the DRM-In this case, the voice assistant will not be able to take a picture due to security restrictions.

4. Quick Ball: Floating button for quick access

Quick Ball is a fast-acting floating panel that appears on top of any screen, and is especially useful on larger smartphones (such as the Xiaomi Mi Max or POCO F4 GT), where it is not always convenient to reach the power buttons.

To set up Quick Ball for screenshots:

1. Open the Settings. → Additionally. → Quick Ball.
2. Turn on the slider "Show Quick Ball."
3. Click Settings and select Screenshot from the Quick Actions list.
4. Set the button position on the screen (left or right).

Now to take a screenshot:

1. Touch the Quick Ball floating mug.
2. Select the screenshot icon in the menu that appears.

The advantages of Quick Ball:

• ⚡ It works in any application, including games.
• 🎯 You can add up to 5 actions (for example, a screenshot) + screen-recording).
• 🖼️ Supports transparency – the button does not interfere with the viewing of the video.

💡

If Quick Ball interferes with games, set the exclusion zone in the panel settings, for example, you can hide it in the landscape orientation of the screen.

5. Long Screenshot (Scroll) - How to Capture the Entire Page

A standard screenshot captures only the visible part of the screen, but what if you want to save an entire web page, chat or document? MIUI has a Scrolling Screenshot feature that automatically glues together multiple frames.

Instructions for creating a long screenshot:

1. Take a regular screenshot in any way (buttons, gesture, etc.).
2. Immediately after the thumbnail appears in the lower right corner, click on it.
3. In the editor that opens, tap the icon "Scroll" (two arrows up and down).
4. Wait until the system automatically scrolls the page and connects the parts.
5. Press "Ready" to save the result.

It doesn't work in all applications. Here's the compatibility table.

If the screenshot does not work:

• 🔄 Try to scroll the page manually before activating the function.
• 📱 On some models (e.g. Redmi) 9T) You need to first enable the option in Settings → Additionally. → Scrolling screenshot.
• 🖼️ For web pages, use the browser read mode – this increases the chances of success.

💡

Long screenshots are saved to a separate Pictures folder → Scrolling_screenshots and can weigh up 10 MB. It's better to compress them before sending them.

6. Problem Solving: Screenshots are not saved, black screen

Sometimes users find that screenshots are not saved, black or there is an error "Can not take a screenshot", and let's consider the main reasons and ways to fix them.

Problem 1: Screenshots are not saved to the gallery

• 📁 Check the folder. DCIM → Screenshots via file manager (sometimes the gallery is not automatically updated).
• 🗃️ Remove the gallery cache: Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔧 Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings.

Problem 2: Black screen instead of screenshot

This is a common mistake for DRM-protected applications (e.g. Netflix, Disney+ or banking programs) that blocks screenshots to protect content. There are no bypasses, this is a constraint on the Android level.

Problem 3: "Can't take a screenshot" error

• 🔋 Check the battery level – at 5% or below, the system can block resource-intensive operations.
• 🧹 Clear the system cache: Settings → The phone. → Memory. → Clean up.
• 🛠️ Turn off developer mode if it is enabled (sometimes conflicts with screenshot services).
• 🔄 Restart your phone in Safe Mode and try to take a screenshot – if possible, the problem is in a third-party app.

Problem 4: Three finger gestures don't work

If the previously configured gesture stopped working:

1. Check if the function is disabled in Settings → Special features → Screenshot gesture.
2. Update the firmware – in MIUI 13 and later, the gesture recognition algorithm has been improved.
3. Reset gesture settings: Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset gesture settings.

7. Features for specific models: Redmi Note, POCO, Mi

While most screenshot features are universal, some Xiaomi models have unique nuances.

Smartphones of the Redmi Note series (Note 10, Note 11, Note 12)

• 📱 On the Redmi Note 10 Pro and later, the screenshot is supported by double tapping on the screen (configured in Settings). → Screen. → Double touch).
• 🔍 In Redmi Note 12 appeared the option of text recognition on screenshots (works offline).
• ⚡ On models with 120 Hz screen (for example, Note 11 Pro)+) Screenshots can be delayed – that’s normal.

POCO devices (F-series, X-series)

• 🎮 Nana POCO F3 GT and POCO X3 Pro screenshots in games are made through Game Turbo (trigger swipe).
• 🔊 V POCO M4 Pro is a function "Screenshot with sound" - the phone voices the successful creation of a picture.
• 🖼️ Nana POCO C-series (budget models) may not have a scrolling screenshot due to iron limitations.

Xiaomi flagship models (Mi 11, Mi 12, Mi 13)

• 📸 On Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra screenshots can be taken using an additional display on the back panel.
• 🎨 Mi 12 Pro has an AI screenshot editor that automatically cuts off unnecessary items.
• 🔒 On the flagships with MIUI 14 the option "Private screenshots" appeared - they are not displayed in the gallery and are available only through a special menu.

Smartphones with MIUI for Pad (tablets)

• 🖥️ On Xiaomi Pad 5 and Pad 6 screenshots are made by a combination of power + Volume up.
• ✏️ Handwritten markup of screenshots with stylus is supported.
• 📂 Screenshots are automatically sorted by application in the Screenshots folder.

If your model is not mentioned in the list, check its specifications on the official Xiaomi website. For rare or old devices (for example, Mi A1 on pure Android), other rules may apply.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi