Why you need screenshots on Xiaomi and what problems they solve
Xiaomi smartphone screenshots are not just about saving a picture from a screen; they are a tool for capturing important information, proof of correspondence, creating memes, or even debugging apps, for example, you can capture an error in a game to show it to developers, or save a recipe from Instagram that disappears after 24 hours. And for Redmi Note or POCO F owners, screenshots are often the only way to quickly share screen settings or performance tests.
But not everyone knows that Xiaomi has at least 5 different ways to take a screenshot, from classic hotkeys to voice commands and hidden gestures in MIUI/HyperOS. Moreover, some methods work even on a locked screen or in games where standard combinations are disabled. In this article, we will analyze all the options – from the most obvious to exotic, which only advanced users know.
Method 1: Classic button combination (works on 99% of models)
The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones – from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. To create a screenshot at the same time, press:
- 🔽 Power button (right) + volume-reduce button (left)
- 🕒 Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the shutter sound or see the animation.
- 📁 The finished screenshot will appear in the gallery in the Screenshots folder or Screenshots
This works even on the POCO M6 Pro with custom firmware or on Black Shark in game mode, and the main thing is not to be confused with the long retention that causes the off menu.
- 🚫 Do not hold the buttons for too long (more than 3 seconds)
- 🔋 Whether the charge level is sufficient (at <5% some functions are turned off)
- 🎮 Is the game mode active (it can be turned off the reaction to the buttons)
☑️ Checking before screenshot
⚠️ Note: On the Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite and some other touch-button models (without the physical Home key), the combination may be delayed.
Method 2: Three-finger gesture (fastest, but requires adjustment)
The MIUI and HyperOS signature feature is the ability to take screenshots with three fingers on the screen, which is 2 times faster than the classic one, but is disabled by default, to activate it:
- Open Settings → Additional → Special. features → gestures of buttons
- Select the screenshot with three fingers
- Turn on the switch and test the gesture (swipe top-down with three fingers at the same time).
Advantages of this method:
- ⚡ Instant operation (no delay as with buttons)
- 🎯 It works in any application, even in games with buttons turned off.
- 🖐️ You can take screenshots with one hand (if you hold your fingers with one hand)
On some models (e.g. Redmi K50 Gaming), this gesture conflicts with game functions, in which case it can be reassigned to the wire up or turned off altogether.
How to calibrate a gesture for accurate operation?
| Xiaomi model | Support for the 3-finger gesture | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ | ✅ Yes. | It works even in reading mode. |
| POCO X5 Pro | ✅ Yes. | May conflict with the gesture of "quick camera opening" |
| Xiaomi 13T | ✅ Yes. | Supports additional gesture for long screenshot |
| Black Shark 5 | ❌ No. | Replaced with Shark Space gestures |
Method 3: Voice command (for those who like to control voice)
If you have Google or Xiao AI on your voice assistant, you can take voice screenshots, which is convenient when your hands are busy or your buttons are not working.
- Activate Assistant: For Google Assistant: Say “OK, Google” or press the Home button For Xiao AI: Press the power button for 1-2 seconds (on Chinese firmware)
- Tell me: 🗣️ "Take a screenshot" (in Russian) 🗣️ "Take a screenshot" (English) 🗣️ "" (Chinese for Xiao AI)
Voice isn't working on all models, like the Redmi A2 with MIUI Go, which is lightweight, and you might not have voice assistant.
- 🔇 In a quiet room, the team works the first time.
- 🌐 Internet connection required (to process voice)
- 🔒 On a locked screen, voice commands usually don’t work.
⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), voice commands may not work due to the lack of branded services MIUI.
Method 4: Quick Settings Panel (for advanced users)
Few people know, but MIUI and HyperOS have a hidden screenshot button right in the notification bar to add:
- Open the notification panel (swipe from top to bottom)
- Click on the icon. ⚙️ ("Edit")
- Find in the list "Screenshot" (icon) 📷) And drag it to the active area.
- Save the changes.
Now, when you open the notification bar, you'll see a screenshot button, which is convenient when:
- 🔧 You need to take a screenshot with one hand (no need to look for buttons)
- 🔒 The screen is locked, but the notification bar is available (on some firmware)
- 🎮 The game has physical buttons disabled, but the notification bar is working
On POCO F5 and new HyperOS models, the screenshot button may not be available in the notification bar by default, in which case it can be added via Settings → Notification Panel → Add tiles.
💡
If the screenshot button disappeared after the update, reset the notification panel settings: Settings → Applications → Application Management → System Applications → Notification Panel → Reset.
Method 5: Long screenshot (to capture scrollable pages)
A standard screenshot captures only the visible part of the screen, but what if you want to save an entire web page, a Telegram correspondence or a list of products in AliExpress? MIUI has a long screenshot feature (aka Scrolling Screenshot).
- Take a regular screenshot of any of the above methods
- Immediately after the screenshot appears at the bottom of the screen, click on it.
- In the editor that opens, tap the Scroll icon (two arrows down)
- Wait for the system to automatically scroll through the page and connect the parts into one long screenshot.
The feature doesn't work in all applications, and here's a list of supported and unsupported apps:
| Annex | Support for a long screenshot | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome, Edge | ✅ Yes. | It works on 90% of websites, except dynamic ones (e.g. TikTok) |
| Telegram, WhatsApp | ✅ Yes. | Captures up to 50 messages at a time |
| Instagram, Facebook | ❌ No. | Blocked by application policy |
| PDF-reader | ✅ Partially. | Depends on the application (in Xodo PDF works, in Adobe Acrobat – not). |
If a long screenshot does not work, try:
- 🔄 Update the application to the latest version
- 📱 Reboot your smartphone (sometimes helps with glitches) MIUI)
- 🌐 Use alternative browsers (e.g. Firefox instead of Chrome)
💡
The long screenshot is saved as a separate file in PNG format, which can be cropped in the standard MIUI editor or sent directly to messengers.
Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them
By default, all screenshots on Xiaomi are saved in the folder:
/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/or (on Russian firmware):
/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Screenshots/You can manage screenshots directly from the MIUI gallery:
- 🖼️ View: Open the Gallery app" → album"
- ✏️ Editing: tap on screenshot → "Edit" (you can crop, add text, draw arrows)
- 📤 Exchange: Click Share and select Messenger or Cloud
- 🗑️ Removal: Keep your finger on the screenshot → "Delete"
On new HyperOS firmware (such as Xiaomi 14), screenshots are automatically sorted by date and application, and a smart search feature has been introduced: you can enter a keyword (such as “settings”), and the system will find all the screenshots with this text.
⚠️ Note: If the screenshots of Suddenly disappeared from the gallery, check: folder /.thumbnails (sometimes thumbnails are bugged), sync settings with Mi Cloud (maybe files have gone to the cloud) Download folder (some applications save screenshots there)