How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi smartphone: a complete guide for all models

Taking screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — until you face unexpected problems: someone can not find saved pictures, someone does not work the standard combination of buttons, and owners of new models of Redmi or POCO sometimes do not even suspect the existence of alternative methods. This article will not only list the basic methods, but also reveal nuances that are not even the official instructions.

We analyzed the function on 15+ Xiaomi models (from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra), taking into account the features of different versions of MIUI - from 12 to 14. Particular attention will be paid to typical errors: why the screenshot is not saved, how to change the format of the picture from.png to.jpg, and what to do if the screen does not respond to gestures. And for advanced users - we will reveal the secrets of extended screenshot (scrolling the page) and creating images through ADB.

1. Standard method: button combination

The classic method works on all Xiaomi models without exception, including the old devices on MIUI 9-11 and new smartphones on HyperOS.

• 🔘 Power button (right) + volume-down button (left)
• ⏱️ Hold them down. 1-1.5 seconds – until the characteristic sound of the shutter or flashing of the screen
• 📁 Screenshot is automatically saved in the folder DCIM/Screenshots or Pictures/Screenshots

On touch-sensitive models like the Redmi Note 11 Pro, the combination remains the same, but it's important not to confuse the order of the press. First press the power button, then the volume. If you press it back, then the hands-free mode or Google Assistant can go off.

💡

On smartphones with a subscreen fingerprint scanner (such as the Xiaomi 13T), don’t press your finger against the screen while taking a screenshot – this can interrupt the process.

If the combination does not work:

1. Check if the buttons in the settings are disabled (Settings → Special features → Physical buttons).
2. Make sure that the smartphone does not activate one-handed mode – it can block a part of the buttons.
3. Restart the device: Sometimes system failures interfere with the correct operation of gestures.

2. Screenshot by gesture (three fingers)

The three-finger screenshot feature was introduced in MIUI 10 and has since become one of the most convenient, and it works even if one of the physical buttons breaks.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot.
2. Turn on the switch "Scan screen with three fingers".
3. Test: Swipe down the screen with three fingers at the same time.

On some models (POCO F5, Redmi K60), the gesture may conflict with other features, such as fast access to applications.

• 🔄 Try swiping your fingers from different sides of the screen (not necessarily strictly in the center).
• 📱 Turn off the protective film – sometimes it interferes with the recognition of touches.
• ⚙️ Reset your gesture settings in Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting gesture settings.

Check to enable the function in settings | Make sure that the fingers touch the screen at the same time | Turn off conflicting gestures (for example, swipe for notifications) |Reboot the smartphone

-->

The advantage of this method is the ability to take a screenshot with one hand, if the smartphone is lying on the table. However, on models with curved screens (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra), the gesture can be triggered accidentally when scrolling pages.

3. Screenshot via notification panel

Few people know, but MIUI has a built-in screenshot button right in the notification bar, which is especially useful if the physical buttons are not working or you are using your smartphone in one-hand mode.

Instructions:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Find the screenshot icon (usually a scissor or a screen thumbnail) and if it's not there, tap the Edit button (the pencil in the upper right corner) and add the button to the active button.
3. Click on the icon - the smartphone will take a screenshot.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI for POCO), the button may be called Screen Capture or Screen Capture. If the icon is missing even after editing the panel, update the firmware - older versions of MIUI 9-10 did not have this feature available.

This method is convenient for long-term screenshots (scrolling the page), because after clicking on the button, a menu with additional options appears, but it does not work in some applications with screenshot protection (for example, banking programs or Netflix).

4. Advanced screenshot (scrolling page)

The Long Screenshot (or Scrolling Screen) feature allows you to capture the entire web page, chat in Telegram, or contact list. It is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 11 and later, but does not work in all applications.

How to use:

1. Take a regular screenshot of any of the above methods.
2. Immediately after the appearance of the thumbnail of the picture at the bottom of the screen, tap it.
3. In the editor that opens, select the option “Scroll” (or “Advanced”).
4. Wait until the system automatically scrolls the page and connects the pictures.

Limitations of function:

• ❌ Does not work in Google Chrome when the dark mode is turned on (firmware bug).
• ❌ Instagram and TikTok capture restricted due to app policy.
• ❌ On some lazy loading sites (like Avito), scrolling can crop content.

💡

For a stable long screenshot, turn off traffic savings in your browser settings and make sure the page is fully loaded.

If the function is inactive:

1. Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI.
2. Clear the Screenshots app cache (Settings → Apps → Application Management → Screenshots → Storage → Clear the cache).
3. Try using third-party apps like LongShot or Scroll Capture.

5. Screenshot via voice assistant

If you don't have buttons or touch screens running, you can take a screenshot using Google Assistant or XiaoAI (XiaoAI's built-in assistant), a technique that requires pre-tuning, but is extremely useful in emergency situations.

For Google Assistant:

1. Activate the assistant with the voice command “OK, Google” or holding the home button.
2. Say, "Take a screenshot" or "Photograph the screen."
3. Confirm the action if necessary.

For XiaoAI (China only/Global Sino-based firmware):

1. Hold the home button or say XiaoAI.
2. Say the command in Chinese: "" (jiétú) or in English: "Take a screenshot."

Keyboard combination | Three-finger gesture |Notification panel button | Voice assistant | Another way-->

Important: Voice commands may not work if:

• 🔇 The microphone for the assistant in the privacy settings is disabled.
• 🌐 Smartphone connected to VPN — This is blocking XiaoAI.
• 📵 Flight mode is enabled or mobile internet is disabled (required for command processing).

Also, the voice method is not suitable for screenshots with a delay - the assistant takes a picture instantly, without the possibility of preparing the screen.

6. Screenshot via ADB (for developers)

If standard methods don’t work (e.g., on a smartphone with a broken screen or custom firmware), you can take a screenshot via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your PC (download Platform Tools from Google’s website).
2. Enable USB debugging on your smartphone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – tap 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enter in the terminal: Adb devices Make sure the device is identified.
4. Take a screenshot by command: adb exec-out screencap -p > screenshot.png The file will be saved in the folder from where the ADB was launched.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ It works even when the screen or buttons are faulty.
• ✅ Allows you to take a screenshot without notifications (useful for hidden operations).
• ✅ You can automate through scripts (for example, take pictures on a schedule).

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screenshot.png


adb pull /sdcard/screenshot.png

-->

Limitations:

• ⚠️ Requires an unlocked bootloader on some firmware.
• ⚠️ It does not work in safe mode (Safe Mode).
• ⚠️ Nana MIUI 14+ You may need confirmation on your smartphone.

Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them

By default, all screenshots are saved to Pictures/Screenshots or DCIM/Screenshots, but the location and format can be changed:

To quickly find the screenshots:

1. Open the Gallery and go to the album "Screenshots".
2. Use a search by date or keyword (e.g, "Screenshot_2026").
3. In Google Photos, images are automatically grouped into a separate category.

💡

To prevent screenshots from being duplicated in Google Photos, turn off the autoload for the Screenshots folder in the app settings.

If screenshots are not saved:

⚠️ Warning: Check if there is a garbage cleaner app (such as Clean Master) installed that can automatically delete pictures older than 30 days — MIUI Requires a minimum of 500 MB to save files.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even on new Xiaomi smartphones, users are experiencing screenshot errors, and here are the most common cases and ways to fix them:

• 🔴 Screenshot not saved: – Check permissions for the Screenshots app (Settings) → Annexes → Screenshots → Permits → - The storage room. - Make sure that SD-The card (if used) is not protected from recording.
• 🔴 Black screen in the screenshot: - This is protection DRM In applications like Netflix or Sberbank Online. Use screen recording instead of screenshot. – Some firmware helps to turn off hardware acceleration in the developer settings.
• 🔴 Three finger gestures don’t work: – Turn off one hand mode (Settings) → Additional settings → One-hand mode. – Check if the screen protection mode is on (can block multi-touch).

If none of the methods work, reset the settings (without deleting the data):

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select "Reset all settings" (not to be confused with "Reset to factory"!).
3. After rebooting, check the screenshots.

💡

On smartphones with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Pro) can be dark because of adaptive brightness.

For models with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), you may need to install an additional module Magisk – Screenshot Enabler.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions