How to take a screenshot of Xiaomi Mi 10S: all working ways in 2026

Taking screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — as long as you don’t encounter the nuances of a particular model. Mi 10S, released in 2021, runs on the basis of MIUI 12.5+ (with the possibility of upgrading to MIUI 14), and here the standard key combinations can conflict with gesture settings or the shell. For example, owners often complain that when trying to take a screenshot of Power + Volume Down, Google Assistant is triggered or the screen is locked.

In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to create a screen on the Mi 10S, from classic to little-known, including solving problems with “default” buttons. Particular attention will be paid to gestures in MIUI, which many users turn off accidentally, and alternative methods for cases when physical buttons are damaged, you will also find a table of methods for comparing speed and convenience, and at the end – answers to frequent questions, such as where the screens are saved and how to edit them right after creation.

If you’ve used smartphones from other brands (such as Samsung or iPhone), be prepared for the fact that Xiaomi may have a different process, for example, there’s no separate Print Screen button, and the Scrolling feature for long screens works differently than on OnePlus or Oppo. Next, detailed instructions with visual hints and warnings about typical errors.

1. Standard method: Power + Volume Down buttons

It’s a versatile method that works on 99% of Android smartphones, including the Mi 10S. However, in practice, users face two challenges:

1. The combination does not work the first time because of too fast / slow pressing.
2. Instead of screenshots, Google Assistant is launched or the screen is locked.

To take the screenshot correctly:

1. Open the screen you want (for example, a chat in Telegram or a page in Chrome).
2. At the same time, press the Power button (right) and the Volume Down button (left).
3. Hold them for 1–1.5 seconds until you hear the sound of the camera shutter and see the animation of the screenshot.

Why doesn't it work? MIUI 12.5+ has activated the default Long Press Power button to call the voice assistant, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Special Opportunities → Power button.
2. Turn off the Google Assistant Start option.
3. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: If screenshots are not created after the assistant is turned off, check to see if No Sound mode is activated (no vibration will be present when creating the screen). Also make sure that there are no banners with notifications on the screen - they can block the creation of the image.

Press the buttons strictly at the same time.|Turn off Google Assistant in the settings|Check if the "Do Not Disturb" mode is on"|Make sure there are no sensitive data on the screen (passwords, bank details)-->

2. "Three-fingered gesture down"

Xiaomi’s proprietary way of doing things even with physical buttons turned off, however, many Mi 10S users accidentally turn off this gesture or don’t know how to set it up.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate the gesture: go to Settings → Additional → Screenshot button (or Settings → Screen → Screenshots in new versions of MIUI).
2. Turn on the swipe option with three fingers down.
3. On the screen to be captured, swipe three fingers from top to bottom (not necessarily vertically, a small angle is allowed).

Advantages of the method:

• 👆 Works with one hand (comfortable for large Mi screens) 10S).
• 🔇 No buttons required – useful if damaged.
• ⚡ Faster than the standard combination (0.5 seconds vs 1-1.5).

⚠️ Note: If the gesture doesn't work, check if it conflicts with other features (such as Smart Assistant or Game Turbo.

3. Screenshot using the notification panel

A little-known but reliable way -- especially useful if you don't have buttons or a sensor working -- works through a quick setup panel that's available on any screen.

Instructions:

1. Open the notification panel by swiping your finger from top to bottom (once for partial deployment, twice for full deployment).
2. Find the Screenshot icon (usually hidden under the Edit button).
3. If there is no icon, click Edit (pencil in the upper right corner) and add it to the active tiles.
4. Slip the icon - the screenshot will be created instantly.

Pros of the method:

• 🛠️ Works with a damaged sensor (you can use a stylus or even a nail).
• 📱 It doesn't depend on the version. MIUI — available even on custom firmware.
• 🔄 It allows you to take a screenshot without sound (unlike buttons).

Limitation: Some versions of MIUI may not have a screenshot icon, in which case use the voice assistant alternative (see next section).

💡

If the notification bar does not unfold, try swiping from the top right corner – this will work even on a locked screen (if the option to Show notifications on a locked screen is enabled).

4. Voice Assistant (Google Assistant or Xiao AI)

The way for those who prefer voice control or have limited physical abilities is two assistants available on the Mi 10S:

• Google Assistant – works on all Android smartphones.
• Xiao AI is Xiaomi’s proprietary assistant (requires the installation of a separate application).

Instructions for Google Assistant:

1. Activate the assistant with your voice (OK, Google) or by holding the Home button (if you have one on your firmware).
2. Tell the command to take a screenshot or take a screenshot.
3. Confirm the action (if required).

Instructions for Xiao AI:

1. Install Xiao AI from the Mi App Store.
2. Activate the assistant with a voice ("Little A") or via a widget.
3. Say: " (in Chinese) or "Take a screenshot" (in Russian in the new versions).

Advantages:

• 🎤 Works without hands – comfortable while cooking, driving or playing sports.
• 🌐 Supports several languages (including Russian in Google Assistant).

⚠️ Note: Voice screenshots do not work in banking apps, encrypted messengers (such as Signal) and some games due to Android security limitations).

5. Third-party applications for extended screenshots

If the built-in methods are not suitable (for example, you need scrolling screenshots or annotations), use specialized utilities. On the Mi 10S, it works well:

Top.-3 screenshot:

How to install and use:

1. Download the app from Google Play or Mi App Store.
2. Provide the necessary permissions (e.g. Overlay on top of other apps and Access to Notifications).
3. Follow the instructions in the app – usually activate a floating button or gesture.

Important: Screenshot apps can slow down your phone if running in the background. Close them after use via Settings → Apps → Launched.

Power buttons + Volume Down|Three-finger gesture|Notification panel|Voice assistant|Third-party annexes-->

Where are screenshots stored and how to edit them

By default, all screenshots on the Mi 10S are saved in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

or

/DCIM/Screenshots/

(depending on the version of MIUI).

To quickly find the screens:

1. Open the Gallery and go to the Screenshots album.
2. Or use the File Manager and follow the path above.

Editing immediately after creation:

• 🖌️ After the screenshot, a thumbnail will appear in the lower right corner - tap it to open the editor. MIUI.
• 📝 Here are available tools: cropping, blurring, adding text, drawing.
• 💾 To save the changes, click Ready (Tick icon).

Important: if the thumbnail does not appear, check the settings in Settings → Additional → Screenshot Button → Show the thumbnail after the screenshot.

💡

The screenshots on the Mi 10S are automatically optimized by MIUI: their weight is reduced by 20-30% without loss of quality. This saves space, but can worsen the detail when zoomed in.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Problem 1: Screenshots are black or blank.

Solution: This is due to DRM limitations in some apps (e.g. Netflix, Banking Apps).

• 📱 Use an external camera (take a picture of the screen with another phone).
• 🔄 Enable Developer Mode and disable Screenshot Protection (not working on all apps).

Problem 2: After the MIUI update, the gestures stopped working.

Solution: Reset your gesture settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Reset settings → Reset gesture settings.
2. Reboot the phone.

Problem 3: Screenshots are kept in low quality.

Solution: MIUI 14 has added a compression option to turn it off:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Screenshot Button → Screenshot Quality.
2. Choose Original instead of Optimized.