How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Redmi 7A: all working ways

Xiaomi Redmi 7A remains a popular budget smartphone even years after its release — thanks to its reliability, simple MIUI firmware and support for updates. But many users still face difficulties in creating screenshots: buttons do not work, menus do not open, screens just flash without results. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to take a screenshot on the Redmi 7A — from standard to little-known, and also solve typical problems.

It's important to consider that Redmi 7A (codename pine) has MIUI firmware running Android 9 Pie or Android 10 (depending on the version), which means that some features may be different from the new Xiaomi models, for example, there's no "three-finger swipe" gesture that came later, but classic methods and hidden chips work, and we'll talk about them.

If you just bought a used Redmi 7A or upgraded your firmware, check your settings: sometimes a factory reset turns off standard keyboard shortcuts. But don't worry, we'll look at workarounds.

1. Standard method: power and volume buttons

The most reliable and versatile method is the use of physical buttons, which works on any version of MIUI and does not depend on the gesture settings.

1. Open the screen you want to capture (for example, a dialog in the messenger or a page in the browser).
2. At the same time, press and hold the power button (right) and the volume button (top left).
3. Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the sound of the camera shutter and see the animation of the screenshot.

⚠️ Warning: Not to be confused with long-term retention – if you press buttons longer than 3 seconds, the smartphone can reboot to Fastboot mode or turn off. Also avoid accidentally pressing the volume button – this will cause the emergency call menu.

Where do I look for the screenshot? All screenshots are automatically saved to the folder:

Gallery → Albums → Screenshots

Or through the file manager along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

The sound of the camera shutter was heard.|There was an animation on the edges of the screen|In the top panel, the notification "Screenshot saved"|The file appeared in the folder "Screenshots"-->

2. Alternative method: Quick settings menu

If the physical buttons don't work (for example, the volume key broke), you can take a screenshot through the notification panel.

1. Turn the notification bar swipe from top to bottom.
2. Find the screenshot icon (usually hidden under the Edit button).
3. If there is no icon, press it. ⋮ → Edit and drag the “Screenshot” to the active panel.
4. Slap the icon - the screen will blink, and the screenshot will be saved.

💡 Useful tip: If the notification bar doesn’t unfold fully (like in a game), swipe down twice first – first to display brief notifications, then for the full menu.

3. Screenshot by gesture (only for MIUI 11 and later)

Redmi 7A with MIUI 11/12 now has the ability to swipe down screenshots with three fingers, but by default, this feature is disabled to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot gestures.
2. Turn on the switch "Swipe with three fingers".
3. Choose the direction of the swipe (down or up).

Now, just swipe your three fingers across the screen from top to bottom (or bottom to top, depending on the settings), and the screenshot is taken, which is convenient for games or applications where physical buttons are locked.

⚠️ Attention: The gesture may conflict with navigation. If swipes become incorrect after activation (for example, return to the main screen), disable the function or change the direction of the gesture.

Power buttons + volume | Notifications |Three-finger swipe |Special applications-->

4. Screenshot with Google Assistant

If standard methods don't work (for example, because of broken buttons), you can use Google's voice assistant, which requires an Internet connection and an activated Google Assistant:

1. Activate the assistant with the “OK, Google” voice command or hold the Home button (if physical).
2. Say, “Take a screenshot” or “Photograph the screen.”
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears.

🔹 Limitations of method:

• 📶 It only works on the active Internet (for voice recognition).
• 🔇 It won’t work if your microphone or Google access is disabled.
• 🎮 In games, you may not recognize the team due to the blocking of the assistant.

Alternatively, use text input in Google Assistant:

1. Open the Google app (the icon with the letter “G”).
2. Click on the microphone icon → select “Keyboard”.
3. Enter the request “Take a screenshot” and send it.

5. Screenshot applications: when standard methods don't work

If none of these methods worked (for example, due to custom firmware or hardware breakdowns), third-party utilities will come to the rescue. Here are 3 proven applications for Redmi 7A:

⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party apps for screenshots, turn off battery optimization for them in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Battery optimization. Otherwise, the utility may not work in the background.

On the Redmi. 7A s MIUI 9 and below, some applications may not work due to system limitations, in which case only a firmware update or use will help. ADB-Teams (see next section).

6. Advanced method: screenshot via ADB (for experienced)

If you need to take a screenshot of a Redmi 7A with a broken screen or broken buttons, you can use the ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and minimal technical skills.

📌 What's the matter:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer menu → return to additional settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).

🔧 Step-by-step instruction:

1. Connect Redmi 7A to your computer and confirm your trust in the device on your smartphone screen.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (Linux/macOS) in the folder with adb.exe.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Take a screenshot with the command: adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png
5. Download the file to your computer: adb pull /sdcard/screen.png

💡 Useful tip: If you need to take a screenshot of a scrolling page (like a long chat), use the command:

adb shell uiautomator dump /sdcard/window.xml && adb pull /sdcard/window.xml

It'll keep it. XML-screen structure that can be converted into an image using special tools (e.g. scrcpy).

💡

If ADB doesn’t recognize the device, try reinstalling Xiaomi drivers manually through Windows or using Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools.

7 Problem Solving: Why You Can't Take a Screenshot

If none of the methods worked, the reasons may be as follows:

🔹 Frequent User Mistakes:

• 👆 Pressing volume instead of decreasing (causing an emergency call).
• 🕒 Too short/long button retention (optimally 1-2 seconds).
• 🔒 Forget to unlock the screen before the screenshot (on the locked screen will only work the camera photo).

💡

If screenshots are no longer saved after the MIUI update, reset the Gallery app settings in Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear Data.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions