How to take a screenshot of Xiaomi Mi 9: all working ways in 2026

Xiaomi Mi 9, released in 2019, is still popular with users thanks to its powerful hardware and current MIUI updates. However, even experienced owners sometimes face difficulties in creating screenshots – especially if they have previously used devices from other brands. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Mi 9, including little-known chips for devices with broken physical buttons or outdated firmware.

Many people think that it is enough to press two buttons to screen a shot, but in practice this does not always work. For example, new gestures have appeared on the Mi 9 with MIUI 14, and some features may not be available in older versions of the firmware. In addition, some applications (for example, banking or streaming services) block the creation of screenshots for security reasons, we will tell you how to circumvent these restrictions and save the screen in any case.

1. Classic method: power and volume buttons

The most versatile method that works on all versions of MIUI is 10 to 14, and is suitable even for devices with a broken sensor but with proper physical buttons.

Instructions:

1. Open the screen you want to save.
2. At the same time, press the power button (right) and the volume reduction button (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: If you press the buttons longer than 3 seconds, a hard reboot will work, and it won't hurt the phone, but it will interrupt the current session.

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On Xiaomi Mi 9 with MIUI 12+, an editing panel appears at the bottom of the screen after creating a screenshot. If it interferes, it can be turned off in Settings → Special Features → Screenshot Toolbar

• ✅ It works on any firmware, even custom.
• ✅ It does not require an internet connection.
• ❌ Uncomfortable to use with one hand.
• ❌ It may not work if the buttons are contaminated or damaged.

2. Screenshot by three fingers (MIUI 10–14 only)

Xiaomi's signature feature, which makes it easier to take screenshots.The feature is available on the Mi 9 with MIUI 10 firmware and newer, but can be disabled by default.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot gestures.
2. Activate the switch "Scanning screen with three fingers".
3. Choose the direction of the gesture: down (recommended) or up.

How to use:

Swipe your three fingers across the screen from top to bottom (or bottom to top if you choose another option). The speed of movement should be average - too slow or fast conduct may not work.

Make sure there are no greasy spots on the screen.|Fingers should not touch the edges of the display|The gesture only works on the home screen and in apps (not in the recovery menu or download)|Turn off magnetic lock cases – they can block the sensor-->

3.The Google Assistant Voice Assistant

If you have problems with buttons or sensors, you can take a screenshot using voice commands.The method works on the Mi 9 with Google Assistant installed (by default preset on global versions).

Instructions:

1. Activate Google Assistant by saying “OK, Google” or holding down the Home button (if you have one).
2. Tell the command to “take a screenshot” or “Take a screenshot.”
3. Confirm the action if necessary.

⚠️ Note: On Chinese versions of Mi 9 (with China firmware) ROM) Google Assistant can be disabled. In this case, use Mi Assistant with the "" command (pronounced "jie tu»).

• 🎤 Works without manual intervention – convenient for people with disabilities.
• 🌐 Supports several languages (including Russian and English).
• ⚠️ Requires Internet connection to recognize voice.
• ❌ Does not work in screenshot blocking applications (e.g. SberBank Online).

4. Screenshot via PC (ADB or Mi PC Suite)

If the sensor and buttons on the Xiaomi Mi 9 don’t work, you can take a screenshot through your computer. USB-cable and one of two solutions:

Method 1: ADB (for experienced users)

Suitable for Windows/macOS/Linux. Requires USB debugging enabled.

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png


adb pull /sdcard/screen.png C:\Screenshots\

The file will be saved to the specified folder on the PC. If the command is not working, check if debugging is enabled in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).

Method 2: via Mi PC Suite

The official utility from Xiaomi, which allows you to control your phone from a computer:

1. Download the Mi PC Suite and install it.
2. Connect Mi 9 to USB (select File Transfer Mode).
3. In the program, go to the "Management" tab → "Screenshot".

5. Screenshot of the page being scrolled (long screen)

If you want to save an entire web page, chat or document that doesn’t fit on a single screen, use Scrolling Screenshot, which is available on the Mi 9 with MIUI 12 and later.

How to do this:

1. Create a regular screenshot in any way (buttons or gestures).
2. Immediately after the screenshot appears at the bottom of the screen, click on it.
3. In the editor that opens, tap the “Scroll” icon (two arrows down).
4. Wait until the system automatically scrolls through the page and connects the parts into a single file.

⚠️ Note: Not all apps work, for example, Telegram or WhatsApp can take a long screenshot, but VK or Tinkoff Bank can not (due to security restrictions).

• 📜 Maximum screenshot length – up to 10 screens (depending on the application).
• 🖼️ Preserves in format PNG original-screen resolution (2340×1080 for Mi 9).
• ⚡ To speed up the process, turn off animations in Settings → The phone. → Additionally. → Windows animation (select) 0.5x).

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A long screenshot takes up more memory space (average 2-5 MB vs. 0.5-1 MB for a regular screenshot) and clean the DCIM/Screenshots folder regularly to avoid clogging the storage.

6. Alternative methods: third-party applications

If standard methods don't work (for example, because of broken buttons or outdated firmware), you can use apps from Google Play. We tested 3 reliable options:

⚠️ Note: Screenshot apps request screen reading permissions and special features. Install them only from the official store and check reviews - some programs may collect data.

How to set up Screenshot Easy:

1. Install the application and open it.
2. Turn on the “floating button” in the settings.
3. Set the button position and its transparency.
4. Slip the button to take a screenshot.

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

If none of these methods work, check the following points:

• 🔋 Low battery (less than 5%) – some features are turned off to save energy.
• 🔒 Block screenshots in the app (for example, in Netflix or Tinkoff Investments).
• 🛠️ Damaged system files – try resetting to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings).
• 📱 Unoriginal firmware - on custom ROM (For example, LineageOS may not work with three fingers.

If the problem is blocking screenshots in a particular app, try:

• Use a second phone to take pictures of the screen.
• Connect the Mi 9 to your PC and make a screen with the Mi PC Suite or Scrcpy.
• Enable the developer mode and disable the “Disable Screenshots” protection (if available).

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On the Xiaomi Mi 9 with MIUI 14, the “Private Mode” feature appeared, which automatically blurs screenshots in sensitive applications. Disables in Settings → Privacy → Privacy Mode

8 Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them

All screenshots on Xiaomi Mi 9 are saved by default in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

or

/DCIM/Screenshots/

To change the place of conservation:

1. Install a file manager (e.g., Mi File Manager or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the Screenshots folder.
3. Click Move and select a new directory (e.g. Download/Screens).

For quick access to screenshots:

• Add the Screenshots folder to the home screen through the shortcut widget.
• Use Google Photos to automatically sync to the cloud.
• Enable Auto Clean in Settings → Storage → Cleanup so that old screenshots are deleted automatically.

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Screenshots take up space in memory, but they can be compressed without loss of quality. Use applications like Photo & Picture Resizer to reduce file size to 30-50% of the original.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions