Xiaomi’s current smartphones, including the popular Redmi and POCO lineups, offer users many convenient ways to capture what’s happening on the display. Screenshots are needed to save correspondence, fix bugs in apps or quickly transmit information to friends. Unlike many other manufacturers, the Chinese brand has introduced unique image processing algorithms that allow you to instantly edit or scroll long pages.
Understanding all the available screenshot techniques greatly improves the efficiency of the device. The standard button combination works always, but in some situations, such as when you damage the physical keys or need to take a picture with one hand, it is more convenient to use alternative options. In this article, we will discuss each of them in detail, and also consider the hidden capabilities of the MIUI and HyperOS system.
It's important to note that the interface and layout of some features may vary slightly depending on the version of the operating system, but the basics of how to work have remained the same over the years, and once you've mastered these skills, you can respond as quickly as possible to important events in the digital space.
Classical method using physical buttons
The most common and reliable method, which works on the vast majority of Android devices, including Xiaomi products, requires simultaneously pressing the Power button and Volume Down button, pressing it in a short-term manner, resembling a light click rather than a long retention.
If you hold the buttons too long, the system will perceive this as a command to call the emergency call menu or reboot, depending on the settings. When you do the right thing, the characteristic sound of the camera shutter is heard, and a thumbnail of the image created appears in the upper corner of the screen, which is a signal that the screenshot has been successfully saved in the gallery.
⚠️ Note: On some models with curved edges or low-quality protective films, simultaneous button pressing may cause random touches to the touch layer.
The convenience of this method lies in its versatility: it works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or locked in certain applications, and it is the only way to take a screenshot before the operating system is fully loaded, which can be useful for diagnosing technical problems.
Gesture Control: The Three Fingers Method
Xiaomi smartphone owners often prefer to use gestures, as this allows you to take screenshots with one hand without taking off the content.The feature is called “Three-finger screenshot” and is activated by swiping three fingers from top to bottom down the center of the screen. This action instantly creates a snapshot of the current display area.
Before using this method, you need to make sure that the function is activated in the system settings. To do this, go to the Settings menu → Additional settings → Screenshots and turn on the switch opposite to the “Three-finger screenshot” item. If this item is not in the specified place, try searching by settings by entering the word “screenshot”.
Using gestures makes the image creation process more intuitive and quick, especially when viewing long feeds on social networks or news applications. However, it is worth considering that the sensitivity of the sensor may differ from model to model. On budget devices with less accurate touchscreen, the gesture may not work the first time, requiring more confident and faster movement.
☑️ Setting up screenshot gestures
Interestingly, in recent versions of HyperOS shells, gesture recognition algorithms have been improved, and now the system better distinguishes between accidental touch and deliberate user action, but if you have a thick protective glass-film paste, sensitivity can decrease and you need to apply a little more effort.
Use of control panel and notification curtain
If you don't use physical buttons and your gestures don't work, you can always use software controls. In the notification curtain, which is called by a top-down swipe, you can often quickly access the screenshot creation feature. The icon is usually signed as "Screenshot" and looks like a scissor or a screen image.
Adding this button to the active Quick Settings menu may require editing the panel. Click on the pencil icon or three dots in the corner of the curtain, find the Screenshot element in the list of available widgets and drag it to the active zone.
This method is especially relevant for users who have difficulty physically interacting with the device buttons due to motor or temporary hand injuries. The software button guarantees 100% operation, as it does not depend on mechanical wear of the keys.
| Method | Activation rate | Sensor dependency | Convenience with one hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons (Power + Vol-) | Tall. | No. | Average. |
| Gesture (3 fingers) | Very high. | Yes. | High. |
| Notification curtain | Low. | Yes. | Low. |
| Voice commands | Medium | No. | Maximum. |
Voice control via Google Assistant
Technology now allows you to control your smartphone with little to no touch, using voice commands. The Google assistant built into Android is great at taking screenshots. Just say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot," or "Take a screenshot," and the device will execute the command.
To work properly, this feature requires that the voice assistant be activated and Russian speech recognition configured, and it is also worth checking the permissions: the assistant must have access to the screen control. Usually these settings are turned on by default, but on some custom builds they have to be activated manually.
Voice control becomes indispensable in situations where hands are busy or dirty, such as during cooking or repairs. You just voice a command, and the system captures the image. It's also a great way to demonstrate the capabilities of a smartphone to less tech-savvy users.
Why can't the voice command work?
Advanced features: long screenshot and editing
One of the most useful features in Xiaomi smartphones is the ability to create so-called “long screenshots” or “scroll shots”, which allows you to capture the entire page of a website, correspondence in a messenger or a document that does not fit on one screen.
Immediately after you create a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described above), a toolbar appears at the top of the screen, and you need to find and press a button with the scroll icon or arrows down, which is signed as "Scroll" or "Long screenshot", and the device will automatically start to scroll down.
You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or wait for the content to stop automatically when it's finished, and then the system will combine all the pieces into one long, high-resolution image, which is extremely convenient for saving articles, recipes or instructions.
⚠️ Attention: When creating long screenshots on pages with dynamically loaded content (such as a social media feed), a “porridge” of repetitive elements may occur.
In addition, the built-in editor allows you to mark up, highlight important places with a marker, add text or blur sensitive data (such as card numbers or addresses) immediately after you create a picture, these tools are in the same menu that pops up after you create a screenshot.
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Use the Blurr feature in the screenshot editor before sending an image to hide personal details, passwords, or addresses if you post a screenshot in the public domain.
Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them
All images created are automatically saved to the system folder, and you can find them through the standard Gallery or Photos app. Usually, a separate album is created for screenshots called Screenshots or Screenshots, which makes it easier to sort and search the desired file among many photos.
The file structure on the device also provides for the physical location of files along the path Internal Memory → DCIM → Screenshots (or similar, depending on the version of MIUI). Knowing this path, you can quickly find the desired image through the file manager and send it via Bluetooth or save it to your computer.
Memory management of screenshots is also important, as they can take up significant space, especially if you often take long shots in high resolution. Periodically check this album and delete the images that have become irrelevant so as not to overload the internal drive of the device.
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Regular cleaning of the folder with screenshots helps to free up space and speeds up the gallery, preventing lag when scrolling through photos.