How to make a screen on Xiaomi Redmi 8: a detailed guide

Modern smartphones are full of useful features, but basic actions remain the most popular. Owners of Xiaomi devices often look for quick ways to capture what is happening on the display screen. the Redmi 8 model, despite its age, remains popular due to its reliability, and the question of creating screenshots is relevant for it.

There are several mechanisms in the MIUI operating system to do this: you can use physical buttons, swipes across the screen, or even voice commands from an assistant, and understanding all the options available will allow you to choose the most convenient method in any situation, whether it is playing, texting, or browsing the web.

In this article, we will discuss each of the ways in which you can interact, and we will also look at the typical problems when the image is not saved and how to solve them, and once you have mastered these skills, you can effectively manage the media content on your device.

The classic method using buttons

The most common and reliable way, familiar to Android users for many years, involves using a physical keyboard. On the Redmi 8 model, as on most modern smartphones without a mechanical home button, the key combination is standardized.

It's important to press them synchronously, but not fanatically, so you don't damage the mechanisms. If you hear the characteristic click of the camera shutter and you see a flash of the screen, it's a success, and there's a thumbnail in the top corner that confirms that the screenshot is saved in the gallery.

Some users prefer this method because of its predictability, which works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or the system has an interface failure, and physical buttons take precedence over software settings.

But there's a caveat for people with large rooks or small devices, and it can be difficult to reach both buttons with one hand at a time, and in such cases, it's worth considering the alternatives that the MIUI shell offers.

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If buttons are locked or pressed tightly, use software methods to create screenshots to extend the life of the smartphone mechanics.

Managing screenshots through menus and gestures

The MIUI shell is famous for its flexibility and additional management features, and one of these tools is the extended menu called by the swipe, so to activate this feature, you need to go to the settings, select "Advanced" and find the "Buttons and gestures" section.

You should activate the option "Three-finger screenshot" and then you can swipe three fingers down the screen at any moment, and the system will instantly respond to the action and save the current image, which is especially useful when the second hand is occupied.

And then there's a button in the notification curtain that's ready to take pictures. Open the top panel and find the scissor icon. Pressing it is like using a button combination. It's the third quick way that's always on hand.

It's worth noting that some versions of the firmware may call the menu a little different, but the logic remains the same. Searching for settings with the keyword "screenshot" will help you quickly find the right switch.

Setting up and using the “Three Fingers” function

The three-finger swipe function requires a certain skill, but after training it becomes very convenient. The main rule is that the touch should be simultaneous. If you swipe with your fingers with a delay, the system will perceive this as a normal scrolling page.

To make a gesture successfully, the fingers must be placed wide enough for the sensor to recognize three separate touch points. On Redmi 8 big screens, this is easy. In sensitivity settings, you can check how well the display responds to the multi-touch.

This is a method that's particularly popular among gamers, where when your hands are holding your phone horizontally, reaching for the side buttons is uncomfortable, and with three fingers you can take a picture of a winning moment or an interesting episode without interrupting the gameplay.

If the gesture stops working, check if the "Groop" or "Gloves" mode is on, which increases sensitivity and can conflict with the recognition of three points. It is also worthwhile to wipe the screen, as greasy spots can interfere with the correct determination of touches.

Voice control and Google Assistant

Technology has gone a long way, and now you don't even have to touch the screen to take a screenshot on Xiaomi. Google Assistant's built-in voice assistant does a great job of doing that. You just say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot," or "Take a screenshot."

This method requires that the Internet is active and voice input is configured, and the assistant will immediately execute the command, and you will hear the audible confirmation, which is ideal when your hands are full, for example, when cooking or repairing.

You can also use the voice input built into MIUI, and in some regions, it understands commands in Russian without having to activate Google Assistant, and check the language and input settings to make sure the function works properly.

Voice control opens up new possibilities for people with disabilities, making smartphones more accessible and user-friendly, but in noisy places, it may be less effective because of speech recognition problems.

Advanced features: long screenshot and editing

One of the most useful things about MIUI is that you can create long screenshots, or scrolling, and after you've taken a normal picture, you have a thumbnail in the corner, and you click on it, and you'll see a menu with a scrolling button (or an icon with arrows down) on the bottom.

The system will automatically scroll down the page, capturing content that doesn't fit on a single screen, which is essential for saving correspondence, articles or long lists of goods, and you can stop the process at any time by touching the screen.

Once you create an image, you open up a built-in editor, you can cut the edges, add text, pictures, or blur sensitive information, and the editing tools in Redmi 8 are powerful enough to require no third-party apps.

Magic Erase or object removal is also available in new MIUI versions, but on Redmi 8, the basic trimming and drawing functionality is stable.

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A long screenshot is the best way to save a web page as a whole without having to take many individual shots and glue them together later.

Where are the screenshots stored and how to find them

All images created are automatically saved to the standard Gallery app, where a separate folder or album called Screenshot is created for them, so you don't mix them with the photos taken on camera.

If you use a file manager, look for files along the path Internal Memory → MIUI → screenshot. It stores all files in chronological order. The default format is PNG, which provides high quality without losing details.

The gallery allows you to sort files by date of creation, which makes it easier to find the desired image, and also provides cloud sync via Mi Cloud or Google Photos, if it is enabled in your account settings, which ensures that data is safe even if you lose your phone.

To free up space, you can delete old screenshots right from the folder, you can select multiple files at once and delete them in batch, and regular cleaning helps keep the device running.

The solution: why the screenshot doesn't work

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the usual methods stop working, most often due to software limitations of specific applications, for example, in banking applications or incognito browser mode, screenshots are blocked for security reasons.

In these cases, you'll see a black screen instead of an image or a ban notification, and it's not a malfunction of the phone, it's data protection, and you might have problems with a lack of free memory, and if the storage is crowded, the system won't be able to save the new file.

⚠️ Note: If screenshots are not created in any application, try restarting the device.Temporary system failure is often solved by a simple restart.

Another reason is that third-party launchers or screen recording apps are in conflict, and they can take control of buttons, check what permissions are given to newly installed programs, and disabling the excess software can bring back functionality.

If the persists problem after all the checks, you may need to reset to factory settings, but before you do, make sure that the system updates are installed to the latest version. In About Phone settings, check for MIUI updates.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

⚠️ Note: Do not store screenshots with passwords and access codes in an open gallery. use hidden albums or delete them immediately after use.