How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi phone: 5 ways for all models

How many times have you tried to save important information from the Xiaomi screen but couldn’t find the right button combination? Or the gesture for the screenshot worked accidentally, creating hundreds of unnecessary shots? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones – especially after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, where developers moved or changed the usual features.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to create screenshots on Xiaomi phones, from classic button combinations to hidden features that aren’t covered in the official instructions. You’ll learn how to take screenshots on physical button models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) and on new bezel-free devices (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60).

1. Classic method: power buttons + volume

It is a versatile method that works on all Xiaomi models – from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Pro.

1. Open on the screen what you want to capture (message, page in the browser, map, etc.).
2. At the same time, press the power button (right) and the volume reduction button (top left).
3. Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the camera shutter sound and see the save animation.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F5) The sensitivity of the buttons is high, so if you hold them for too long, you turn off the screen or reboot them, and the optimal retention time is exactly before there's a white flash at the edges of the screen.

If the screenshot didn't work out:

• 🔄 Try pressing the buttons faster – sometimes a delay of 0.5 seconds leads to a failure.
• 📱 Check if the One Hand mode is enabled in the settings (it changes the location of the controls).
• 🔋 Make sure the battery is above 5% – at a critical level, the system blocks some functions.

2.The "Three Fingers Down" gesture is the quickest way

MIUI is a feature that allows you to take screenshots in one motion without pressing buttons, and this method works on all devices with the MIUI 9 shell version and later (including Redmi 9A, POCO M4 Pro, Xiaomi 12T).

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Special features → gestures of buttons.
2. Find the screenshot with three fingers and activate the switch.
3. (Optional) Enable Preview screenshot to edit the picture immediately.

How to use:

• 👆 Place three fingers (usually index, middle and ring fingers) on the screen.
• 📥 Quickly swipe them from top to bottom (as if you were swiping the screen).
• 🎯 Screenshot will be taken instantly - without delay and without pressing buttons.

💡 Secret Lifehack: If you swipe three fingers from left to right, you get a partial screenshot. MIUI 12.5+.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X5 Pro, Redmi Note 12) Three-finger gesture conflicts with swipe back function. If screenshots don't work, turn off swipe gestures in Settings → System system → Gestures.

3. Screenshot by voice (Google Assistant)

If you have Google Assistant enabled (or Xiao AI on Chinese firmware), you can take screenshots with a voice command, which is convenient when your hands are busy or the buttons are not working.

Instructions:

1. Activate voice assistant: For Google Assistant: say "OK, Google" or press the Home button (if any). For Xiao AI: double-press the Power button (on Chinese firmware).
2. Tell one of the teams: 🗣️ «Take a screenshot» 🗣️ «Screenshot» 🗣️ «Take a picture of the screen (for Xiao) AI)

✅ Advantages of the method:

• 🎤 It works even with the screen turned off (if the “OK, Google” function is enabled in the locked state).
• 🤲 Do not use your hands – it is convenient to drive (but not while driving!).
• 🌐 Supports several languages (including Russian for Google Assistant).

Partial screenshot (area highlight)

Sometimes you don't have to save the whole screen, you just have to save a part of it -- like an in-app graph, a map snippet, or a chat message -- and MIUI has a built-in feature for that, but it's hidden in the menu.

How to do this:

1. Take a regular screenshot in any way (buttons or gestures).
2. And as soon as you save it, you'll see a toolbar at the bottom of the screen. 🖼️ Pruning (or) ✂️).
3. Select the desired area by dragging the corners of the frame. Confirm by pressing Ready.

📌 Alternative method (for the purpose of MIUI 13+):

• 👆 Swipe three fingers across the screen from left to right (instead of the standard top-down gesture).
• 📱 Open the allocation mode - circle the desired area.
• 💾 The screenshot will automatically be saved in the folder. Pictures/Screenshots/Partial.

5. Script with scrolling (long shot)

If you want to save an entire web page, chat tape, or a long list, a regular screenshot is not good. MIUI has a Scrolling Screenshot feature, but it doesn't work in all applications.

How to do this:

1. Take a regular screenshot (buttons or gestures).
2. Immediately after saving, click on the thumbnail in the lower right corner (or the toolbar).
3. Choose an icon 📜 Scrolling (or) ↓).
4. Wait for the system to automatically scroll through the page and connect the pieces into one long shot.

🔍 Where does he work:

• ✅ Browser (Chrome, Mi Browser)
• ✅ Social networks (Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp)
• ✅ Applications with text (Word, Google Docs)

❌ Where it doesn't work:

• 🎮 Games (e.g., games, PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact)
• 📺 Video players (YouTube, Netflix)
• 🏦 Banking applications (due to security restrictions)

1. Reduce the page size before shooting (in the browser).

2. Turn off the dark theme - sometimes it knocks the gluing algorithm.

3. Use third-party applications, such as LongShot or Stitch & Share.-->

6 Where screenshots are stored and how to find them

By default, all screenshots are saved to /Pictures/Screenshots (or /DCIM/Screenshots on older models).

• 📱 Phone models (e.g. on the POCO The folder is called Screenshot without the letter "s" on the end).
• 🔄 Versions MIUI (into MIUI 14+ Added Scroll subfolder for long screenshots).
• 🛠️ Third-party launchers (for example, Nova Launcher can change the way you save).

How fast to find it?

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Go to the Screenshots album (usually it is automatically created by the system).
3. Or use the Explorer (Mi File Manager) and type Screenshots in the search.

🔧 If screenshots are not saved:

• 📁 Check if there is a memory write limit (in Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Memory).
• 🗑️ Free up space – if the memory is less than 100MB, the system can block the storage.
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes helps with access rights failures.

💡

On devices with MIUI 15, screenshots are automatically synced with Xiaomi Cloud if backup is enabled in Settings → Xiaomi Account → Cloud.

7. Screenshot problems and their solutions

Even new Xiaomi phones sometimes have screenshot errors, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

🛠️ Advanced diagnostics:

• 🔍 If screenshots are saved but not displayed in the gallery, try updating the Gallery app or using Google Photos.
• 📱 Some firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu) has disabled the screenshots function by gesture – check the settings in Settings → Additionally. → Button gestures.
• 🔄 After the update MIUI Screenshots stopped working, make a reset settings (Settings) → The phone. → Reset settings, but do not reset data!).

⚠️ Note: On phones with unlocked bootloader or custom firmware (like LineageOS), standard screenshot methods may not work. In this case, use apps from Google Play, such as Screenshot Easy or Super Screenshot.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi