How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Poco M3: all ways with explanations

How many ways do you know how to take a screenshot?

Xiaomi Poco M3 is one of the most popular budget phones with excellent price-to-feature ratio. But even experienced users sometimes have questions about basic operations, such as how to quickly take a screenshot. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to create screenshots on the Poco M3, including standard button combinations, gestures and alternative methods.

The Poco M3 features a proprietary MIUI shell that offers enhanced screenshot capabilities, not only to save pictures, but also to edit, crop or share them immediately via instant messengers, but not everyone is aware of all the options available, many are limited to just a standard button combination.

It is important to understand that screenshots can vary slightly depending on the firmware version. If you have custom firmware installed or a heavily outdated version of MIUI, some features may work differently. In this article, we focus on the official software for the Poco M3 (models M2010J19CG and M2010J19CI).

Method 1: Standard button combination

The most versatile and reliable method is the use of physical buttons. It works on all Xiaomi smartphones, including the Poco M3, and does not depend on the firmware version. You will need only two buttons: volume and power.

Algorithm of action:

• 📱 Open on the screen what you want to capture (message, page in the browser, game moment, etc.).
• 🔊 At the same time, press and hold the volume down button (lower left) and the power button (right side).
• 📸 Keep them close. 1-2 seconds until you hear the characteristic shutter sound and see the animation of saving the screenshot.
• 📁 The finished shot will appear in the gallery in the Screenshots folder or Screenshots.

If you don't get the screenshot the first time, try pressing the buttons more synchronously. The Poco M3 sometimes has random press protection, so it's important to hold the buttons at the same time, not sequentially.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI Prolonged retention of the power button can cause the switch-off menu.If this happens, try pressing the buttons faster or checking your gesture settings.

Method 2: Three-finger gesture for quick screenshot

The MIUI’s proprietary shell offers a convenient alternative, which is to take a screenshot with a gesture, which is especially useful if the physical buttons on your Poco M3 are worn or not working well.

To activate this function:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Special features → Three finger gesture.
2. Turn on the switch opposite the screenshot.
3. If necessary, adjust the sensitivity of the gesture (default is suitable for most users).

Now to take a screenshot:

• 🖐️ Place three fingers (usually ring, middle and index) on the screen.
• 👇 Swipe them down from top to bottom in one quick move.
• 🎯 If the gesture is recognized correctly, you will see the animation and hear the shutter sound.

The advantage of this method is the ability to take screenshots with one hand, which is convenient for devices with a large screen. However, on the Poco M3 with its texture back panel, it sometimes takes a little practice to make the gesture work the first time.

Method 3: Google Voice Assistant

If you have trouble using buttons or gestures, you can use voice control, which is suitable for users who often use Google Assistant or have limited physical abilities.

Instructions:

• 🗣️ Activate the voice assistant by saying “OK, Google”** or holding the home button (if configured).

This only works when you’re connected to the Internet and the voice assistant is on. Poco M3 sometimes requires pre-setting permissions for Google Assistant in Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google.

⚠️ Note: Voice commands may not work in some restricted applications (e.g., banking programs or screenshot-protected games).

Additional functions: editing and scrolling

Taking a screenshot is just the first step. The MIUI shell on the Poco M3 offers advanced tools to work with screenshots immediately after they are created.

What can you do with the newly created screenshot:

• ✏️ Edit: crop, add text, draw arrows or marks.
• 📤 Share: send to the messenger, save to the cloud or print.
• 📜 Scrolling: Take a screenshot of a long page (such as a chat or website).
• 🗑️ Delete: If you don’t need a picture, you can delete it immediately.

To activate the scroll (long screenshot):

1. Take a regular screenshot of any of the described methods.
2. Immediately after the thumbnail appears at the bottom of the screen, click on the “Scroll” button** (the icon with two arrows).
3. Wait until the system automatically scrolls the page and combines the pictures.

This feature is especially useful for saving entire dialogs in messengers or long articles, but it does not work in all applications – for example, in some games or banking programs, scrolling can be blocked.

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If the scroll button does not appear, check the settings in Settings → Additional → Scrolling the screenshot and turn it on if necessary.

Where are the screenshots stored and how to find them

By default, all screenshots on the Xiaomi Poco M3 are saved in the standard gallery, but their location may vary depending on the version of MIUI and the applications used.

Main storage sites:

If you can't find a screenshot, try searching the gallery for the keyword "screenshot"** or the date you created, and you can connect your smartphone to your computer and check the folders manually through the file manager.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. Netflix or SberBank Online) block screenshots for security reasons, and in such cases, the screen will blink, but the picture will not be saved.

Challenges and solutions

Even with a simple action like taking a screenshot, it can be difficult to do that, and let’s look at the most common problems on the Xiaomi Poco M3 and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Buttons don’t work or the smartphone is turned off.

• 🔋 Check battery power – at levels below 5%, some features may be limited.
• 🔄 Reboot the device – this often helps with temporary crashes.
• 🛠️ Check the physical condition of the buttons: if they are lagging or pressing poorly, repairs may be required.

Problem 2: The three-finger gesture doesn't work.

• ⚙️ Make sure the function is enabled in the settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Special facilities).
• 🧹 Clear the cache of the application "Luncher"** (Settings) → Annexes → All applications → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache).

Problem 3: Screenshots are not in good quality.

• 📸 Check the screen resolution in the display settings (Settings) → Screen. → Permission. For Poco M3 recommended FHD+ (2340×1080).
• 🔍 Make sure that no power saving mode is turned on, which can reduce the quality of the images.
• 📁 Check if screenshots are compressed by a third-party memory cleanup app.

If none of these methods work, try updating your firmware to the latest version of MIUI. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update.

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On the Xiaomi Poco M3, screenshots can be taken even with the sound turned off – vibration and visual animation will still work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Poco M3