How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi smartphone: 7 ways to Redmi, POCO and Mi

Taking a screenshot on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — until you face unexpected limitations. For example, why does the Redmi Note 12 not work with the usual combination of buttons? Or how to take a screenshot if the sensor does not respond? In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to create screenshots on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices — from classic to little-known, including bypassing locks in games and banking applications.

The thing about MIUI is that it offers more options than standard Android, and it has three-finger gestures, voice commands, even scrolling screenshots for long pages, but not all features are out of the box — some require activation in settings, and we'll show you how to turn each method on and when to use it.

Important: The instructions are current for MIUI 12-14 (including global and Chinese versions) and have been tested on 2018-2026 models. If your smartphone is older, some methods may not work due to outdated firmware.

1. Classic method: power buttons + volume

The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones – regardless of the model and version of MIUI.

• 🔘 Power button (right) + volume-down button (top/bottom).
• 🕒 Hold 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.

This method is reliable, but has disadvantages:

• ❌ Does not work if the buttons are mechanically damaged (for example, after a fall).
• ❌ Can accidentally trigger the Power menu (turn off/reboot) if you clamp too long.
• ❌ Uncomfortable for single-handed use on large smartphones (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra).

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If the screenshot is not saved, check to see if Do Not Disturb is enabled with blocking notifications. In some versions of MIUI, this prevents the saving of the images.

2. Three finger gesture (the fastest way)

The gesture screenshot feature allows you to take a screenshot with three fingers from top to bottom, which is more convenient than buttons, especially on large displays, and works even with one hand.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Select the screenshot with a gesture and activate the switch.
3. (Optional) Set the gesture direction: Top down or bottom up.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Works without physical buttons (useful when the body is damaged).
• ✅ You can take a screenshot with one hand.
• ✅ Faster than pressing buttons (0.5 seconds vs 1-2 seconds).

1. Make sure there are no greasy prints on the screen (they interfere with recognition).

Fingers should touch the screen simultaneously (not alternately).

3.The gesture only works on the home screen and in apps, but not in Safe Mode.

4. If it doesn't work, restart your smartphone.-->

Limitations:

• ⚠️ It does not work in certain games (for example, PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact due to gesture blocking.
• ⚠️ May conflict with other gestures (e.g. swipe to return to the MIUI 14).

3. Script with scrolling (long pages)

If you want to save the entire chat in Telegram, a page in the browser or a list in the application, a regular screenshot will crop the content. MIUI has a Scrolling Screenshot feature that automatically glues multiple frames into one long shot.

How to do this:

1. Take a regular screenshot in any way (buttons or gestures).
2. Immediately after the thumbnail appears in the lower right corner, click on it.
3. In the editor that opens, tap the Scrolling icon (two arrows down).
4. MIUI will automatically scroll through the screen and add missing parts.

Tips for a better result:

• 📱 On the Redmi Note 11 and newer, the function is more stable if you turn off animation in the developer settings.
• 🌐 In Chrome or Mi Browser, scroll up before screenshot to load all the elements.
• ⚡ If the picture is cut off, try to take it in the vertical orientation of the screen.

4. Voice command (for Xiaomi with Google Assistant)

If you have Google Assistant or Alice on, you can take a voice screenshot -- handy when you're busy or the screen is dirty -- and it works on all Xiaomi models that support voice assistants.

Instructions:

1. Activate Assistant: For Google Assistant: say OK, Google or hold the Home button. For Alice, say Alice or click on the microphone icon in the Yandex search box.
2. Say the command: 🗣️ Take a Screenshot (Google Assistant). 🗣️ Take a Screenshot or Screenshot (Alice).

Limitations:

• ⚠️ Google Assistant Requires Internet Connection to Recognise Voice.
• ⚠️ Alice works only in Russia and on devices with pre-installed Yandex.
• ⚠️ In some applications (for example, SberBank Online), voice commands are blocked for security reasons.

5. Screenshot via notification panel (for MIUI 14)

The latest versions of MIUI 14 have the ability to take a screenshot directly from the notification bar, which is convenient if you do not want to remember gestures or button combinations.

How it works:

1. Swipe your finger down to open the notification panel.
2. Find the Screenshot icon (scissors or a rectangle with lightning).
3. Slip on it – the screenshot will be taken instantly.

If the icon is missing:

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Notification panel → Quick setups.
• 🔄 Find the screenshot in the list and drag it to the active area.

In MIUI 14 on Xiaomi 13/13 Pro, this feature is available by default, but on budget models (for example, Redmi A2) it may not be.

6 Hidden Features: Screenshot in Games and Secure Applications

Many games (such as Free Fire or Honor of Kings) and banking apps (SberBank, Tinkoff) block standard ways to create screenshots.

Method 1: Developer Mode + Adb

For advanced users:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png

Method 2: External camera or second smartphone

If adb is too complex, take a picture of the screen with another device.

• 📸 Use macro photography (if any) or zoom in 10-15 cm.
• 💡 Turn on maximum brightness on the Xiaomi screen.
• 🔦 Illuminate the screen with an external light source to avoid glare.

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Blocking screenshots in games and banking applications is a measure of protection against fraud, for example, at PUBG Mobile, a ban on screenshots prevents the use of cheats based on card analysis.

7. Editing and managing screenshots

After taking a screenshot, MIUI offers tools for quick editing:

Where the screenshots are stored:

• 📂 Screenshots folder in the Gallery.
• 🔍 You can also find it through the files. → Images → Screenshots.
• ☁️ When synced with Mi Cloud is enabled, screenshots are automatically uploaded to the cloud.

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To speed up access to screenshots, add the Screenshots folder to the home screen: long tap on the desktop → Widgets → Folders → select Screenshots.

Frequent problems and solutions

⚠️ Note: If screenshots are saved in low resolution, check the camera settings in Settings → Screen. → Screen resolution. When you choose. HD+ instead FHD+ Image quality is deteriorating.

Problem 1: Screenshots are not saved.

• 🔹 Check if the device memory is full (needs at least 100MB of free space).
• 🔹 Make sure that the Gallery app has permission to access the storage.
• 🔹 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes helps with crashes MIUI.

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

• 🔹 Check if the function is included in the Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
• 🔹 Remove the protective film – sometimes it interferes with the recognition of touches.
• 🔹 Update. MIUI up to the latest version (in old builds there are bugs with gestures).

Problem 3: Screenshots in games are black.

• 🔹 Use external screen recording (e.g., via Xiaomi Screen Recorder).
• 🔹 Try taking a picture with adb (see section 6).
• 🔹 In some games (for example, Call of Duty: Mobile) screenshots are blocked at the engine level – it is impossible to get around this.