How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: the full ways for MIUI and HyperOS

Screenshots are a basic feature of any modern smartphone, allowing you to instantly store visual information for later use. Owners of Xiaomi devices, including the sub-brands Redmi and POCO, often look for quick ways to capture the contents of the display, whether it’s a correspondence in the messenger, a plane ticket or an interesting moment in the game. The standard operating system MIUI and the new shell HyperOS offer many variations of this task, far beyond a simple combination of buttons.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available screenshot techniques, from classic physical keys to advanced features like long scrolling and voice control. You will learn where the image is saved after creation, how to edit it immediately after capture, and what hidden capabilities exist for the system to work with the clipboard. Understanding these nuances will allow you to work with the device much more efficiently.

It's worth noting that the interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version you've installed on your gadget, but the basics of how it works have remained the same over the years as the manufacturer's ecosystem has evolved, and we'll look at the universal solutions that will work for both the older models and the newest flagships released this year.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and time-tested way to take a screenshot on any Android smartphone, including Xiaomi devices, is to press two physical keys simultaneously, a Power button and a Volume Down button, which works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or getting stuck.

To do this successfully, you need to press both buttons almost simultaneously, with minimal delay between them. If you press them too long, the phone may perceive this as a command to force a reboot or call the off menu. A short, confident tap will cause the characteristic sound of the camera shutter and visual animation of the screen compression.

⚠️ Note: Some models with curved edges or specific button layouts may accidentally press the volume button, resulting in a screenshot with an active volume menu in the image, which may not be desirable.

Once you've successfully created a picture, you'll see a thumbnail notification at the top of the screen, and you'll be in quick edit mode, where you can use the tools to crop, draw and add text, and if you ignore the notification, the image will automatically be saved to the gallery.

This is considered the most reliable method, because it is tied to the hardware level and rarely fails. However, in situations where one hand is uncomfortable using the phone, physical buttons may not be the most ergonomic solution, which is why developers have implemented alternative controls.

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The button combination Volume Down + Power works on 100% of Xiaomi devices regardless of the firmware version and sensor status.

Three fingers control and swipes

For those who prefer gesture control, the MIUI shell features a screenshot by swiping three fingers across the screen, which looks spectacular and is much faster than finding physical buttons on the device body, and to activate this feature, you need to go to the system settings.

Follow the Settings → Additional Features → Screenshots and activate the Three-Finger Screenshot switch. Once you turn on this option, simply swiping three fingers from top to bottom through any area of the display will instantly create a snapshot. The system also allows you to customize the capture area if the standard format does not suit you.

• 📱 The gesture is performed with medium effort, you do not need to press hard on the screen.
• ⚙️ The function can be disabled at any time if it interferes with the game or reading.
• 🖼️ After creating a screenshot gesture also appears quick edit menu.

It is important to understand that this gesture may conflict with actions in some applications that use multi-touch. For example, in games or graphics editors, randomly swiping with three fingers can interrupt gameplay, in which cases it is better to temporarily disable the function or use other methods.

Control Panel and Multitasking Menu

Another convenient way that new users often overlook is through the use of notification curtains and a control center, where the top corner of the screen, where Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switches usually sit, often has a scissors icon. This is the quick screenshot button.

To access it, you need to swipe from top to bottom to open the control panel. If you don't see the scissors icon on the first page, try swiping left or right — in MIUI, controls are often broken down into several pages. Clicking on the icon instantly creates a snapshot of the current screen without having to touch the side faces of the phone.

There's also a way to swipe through the menu of running apps, and if you swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger (or click the menu button, depending on the type of navigation), you'll see a list of recent apps, and there's usually extra buttons above each running application, one of which is designed to create a screenshot.

This method is especially useful when you’re in an app where you can’t just take a screenshot (like some copy-protected banking apps), but the system still lets you do it through the multitasking menu, although the result may be black screen due to Android’s security policy.

⚠️ Note: In some secure applications (banks, incognito browser mode), the system can block the creation of screenshots in any way, giving an error message or saving a black file.

Long screenshot and extended functions

One of the most sought-after features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, or “scrollable shots,” an indispensable tool for storing long correspondence in messengers, web pages or contact lists that do not fit on a single screen.

Once you have taken a normal screenshot of any of the above methods, select a button with a down arrow or a "Scroll" sign in the preview menu that appears. The device will automatically scroll down the screen to capture new information.

There is also an Advanced Screenshot mode, which allows you to choose the capture area more flexibly, so you can choose not just a rectangle when creating a picture, but, for example, select text to recognize or copy it, which is closely integrated with Google services and Xiaomi's own algorithms for image processing.

The quality of the final image with a long screenshot can vary. If the page is very long, the system can compress the image or break it into several parts to avoid problems with performance and file size. For most tasks, this is quite enough, but for professional layout it is better to take several ordinary pictures.

Voice control and Google Assistant

Modern smartphones allow you to control most functions with your voice, and taking screenshots is no exception. If your hands are busy or your device is in an awkward position, you can just say a command.

On devices with pure Android or Google Assistant installed, just say “Ok Google, take a screenshot” (or “Make a screenshot”). The assistant will understand the command and execute the action. On devices with activated Xiao AI (Chinese version) or its counterparts in global firmware, the commands may differ, but the principle remains the same.

To activate voice control, it is necessary to:

• 🗣️ Make sure the microphone is not closed and working properly.
• 🌐 Check your Internet connection to handle voice requests.
• ⚙️ Allow assistant access to the screen in privacy settings.

This method may seem slower than clicking buttons, but in certain scenarios, such as showing the app on video or physical limitations, it becomes the only option available, and it’s a great way to impress friends with the capabilities of your gadget.

Where to look and how to edit screenshots

Once created, the screenshot is automatically saved to the device’s internal memory. The standard path to the file looks like Inner Memory → DCIM → Screenshots. The gallery has a separate folder for them, making it easier to find and sort files, especially if you take many pictures throughout the day.

The built-in image editor in MIUI and HyperOS offers a wide range of features, and once you have created a screenshot, you can:

The blur feature deserves special attention. Before sending a screenshot of personal data (card number, address, correspondence), be sure to use the Marker or Blurr tool to hide sensitive information. This is a rule of digital hygiene that every user must follow.

If you don't have enough built-in functionality, the system allows you to open it in a third-party editor, such as Snapseed or Photoshop Express, immediately after you create a picture, through the Share menu, which speeds up the workflow and eliminates the need to manually search for a file in the gallery.

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Use the PNG format for screenshots with text and graphs – it provides a clearer image without compression artifacts, unlike JPG.

Solution and technical nuances

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screenshot is not created, most often due to a lack of free memory in the device. If the internal storage is crowded, the system cannot physically save a new file. Check the free space in the Settings → Memory section.

Another common cause is application conflict: Some programs, especially video players and streaming services, block the ability to create screenshots at the system level due to copyright protection (DRM), in which case you will see a notice that the action is prohibited by security policy.

Also worth mentioning is the quality settings. Some firmware versions allow you to select the resolution of the screenshots you create. If you plan to use the images for print or presentations, make sure that the Settings → Screen → Screenshots are set to the maximum resolution available.

⚠️ Warning: Constant screen recording or frequent high-resolution screenshots can lead to increased processor heat and accelerated battery discharge, as these operations are resource-intensive.

In conclusion, the control of screen capture functions on Xiaomi gives the user complete freedom of action. By combining various methods, you can adapt the smartphone to your habits and make interaction with the device as comfortable as possible.