How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: full instructions

Screenshots are one of the most sought-after features in today’s mobile operating systems. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to save correspondence, an app error or an interesting moment from a game. However, standard methods, known to many by other brands, may work differently here or require pre-activation.

The MIUI interface and the new HyperOS offer users a wide range of tools to work with screen images, not just fixing a picture, but also the ability to immediately edit it, highlight important details or save a long website as a whole. Understanding the nuances of this feature will allow you to save time and manage digital content more efficiently.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to create screenshots, from classic keyboard combinations to advanced gestures. You will learn how to set up automatic scrolling for long pages and where to look for saved files in your device’s file system.

Classical Method Through Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable way, which works on the vast majority of models, including the budget Redmi series and flagship Xiaomi. It requires no pre-setting and is available immediately after turning on the phone.

It's important to keep the timing right: pressing should be short-term, almost instantaneous. If you hold the buttons too long, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the emergency menu or simply ignore the action. Once successful, you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter, and in the upper right corner a thumbnail of the image will appear.

⚠️ Note: In some models with heavily curved edges of the screen (screens-waterfalls), mechanical pressing of the power button may be difficult. In such cases, it is better to use alternative methods described below, so as not to damage the side of the device.

This is the universal standard for Android devices, and if you can't take a picture the first time, try changing your pressing force or rhythm, and it's synchronicity, and you need to hold both buttons in the same millisecond interval.

Using three-finger gestures

For those who prefer one-handed control or who are uncomfortable reaching for buttons, the MIUI shell features a handy gesture feature that allows you to take a screenshot by simply swiping three fingers from top to bottom across the screen, which is not active by default and requires manual activation in the system settings.

To enable this feature, go to Settings → Additional Features → Screenshots. You need to activate the Three-Finger Screenshot switch. Once turned on, the system will allow you not only to take pictures, but also to select the area to crop immediately after you swipe your fingers, which greatly speeds up the work.

There's also an extended version of this gesture available on some firmware versions, and if you hold three fingers on the screen for a split second longer, you can open an optional action menu that allows you to send an image to the messenger right away or start a long screenshot mode, which makes navigation more intuitive and faster.

Screenshots via Control Center and Menu

If physical buttons are busy or damaged and gestures are not working, you can always use the interface software. In the notification curtain, which is called by the top-down swipe, often there is a separate screenshot button. If it is not on the visible part of the panel, click on the edit icon (usually a square with a pencil or three dots) and drag the screenshot icon to the active zone.

Another hidden, but very useful method is available through the running app menu: If you swipe from the bottom up and hold your finger (or press the Menu button on older models), you will see a list of open windows. Each app window will display action icons, one of which allows you to instantly snap a snapshot of the current screen without leaving multitasking.

This is especially useful when you need to quickly capture information from several open browser tabs or correspondence without switching between them. You simply open the task list and consistently click the desired windows, saving time on returning to applications.

Voice control and Google Assistant

Modern Xiaomi smartphones are perfectly integrated with the voice assistant Google Assistant, ideal for situations when the user’s hands are busy or dirty. Simply say the command “Ok Google, take a screenshot” or “Take a screenshot”, and the system will perform the request.

This method requires that the system language or language of the assistant be configured correctly and that the Google service itself have the necessary permissions, and in some regions and on certain versions of MIUI, this feature may require inclusion in the Google Assistant settings under the “Popular Actions” section.

Voice input is also useful for people with disabilities, providing an alternative way to interact with the device, and it demonstrates the power of the Android ecosystem, where voice commands can replace complex tactile interactions.

Long screenshot mode (scrolling)

One of the most sought-after features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which is essential for saving instant messaging, web pages with a lot of text, or contact lists. After you create a regular screenshot (in any of the ways described above), a floating window with a thumbnail appears in the upper right corner.

In this window, you need to click on a button with the image of the scroll or arrows, signed as "Scroll" or "Long screenshot." The screen will automatically scroll down, capturing new content. The process can be stopped at any time by touching the screen or pressing the stop button to keep the image length that you need.

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A long screenshot allows you to save an entire web page in one file, which is more convenient than taking dozens of ordinary pictures and gluing them together later.

The system automatically stitches all frames into a single high-resolution vertical image, but it’s worth remembering that images that are too long may not be supported by some messengers when they are sent, or they may be automatically compressed, which will make text readable.

Editing and managing files

Once you've created a screenshot, the system offers basic editing tools, so you can cut the edges, draw arrows, add text, or blur sensitive information (such as card numbers or passwords) right into the preview gallery, and these tools are built into the MIUI shell and don't require third-party apps to be installed.

All images are automatically saved in a special folder, and the path to them in the file system usually looks like internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots. Also, they are always accessible through the standard Gallery app in the Screenshots album.

For advanced users, the automatic screenshot removal feature is available. In the settings, you can set a period after which old screenshots will be deleted, which helps to free up space in the device's memory without manual intervention.

⚠️ Note: When you take screenshots in secure applications (banks, incognito browser mode), you can see a black screen instead of an image. This is Android's system protection against data theft, and it is impossible to bypass it with standard methods.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)