How to make a screen on Xiaomi: a complete guide for all versions of MIUI and HyperOS

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to quickly capture the contents of the screen, whether it is correspondence, a web page or an error in the application. The standard mechanism for taking pictures in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS offers many ways, far beyond just pressing two buttons. Understanding all the options available allows you to significantly speed up the work with the device and automate routine actions.

In this article, we will discuss each method in detail, from the classic keyboard combination to advanced features like a long screenshot and voice control. You will learn where files are saved, how to edit them correctly with built-in tools and what to do if the function stopped working after the system update. 2026-2026 release.

The main goal is not just to teach you how to press buttons, but to turn screenshots into a convenient productivity tool. We will look at the nuances of working with memory, save formats and hidden settings that many users do not even know about. This guide will help you to fully unlock the potential of your camera screen.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The fastest and most time-tested way to capture a screenshot on any Android smartphone, including Xiaomi devices, is to use hardware keys. This method works even if the touch screen temporarily does not respond or freezes. You need to simultaneously press and release the Power and Volume Down button.

It is important to keep the right timing: pressing should be short, almost instantaneous. If you hold your fingers on the buttons for longer than a second, the system may consider this as a command to call the off menu or create a screenshot with the timer, depending on the settings of your version of MIUI. Practice shows that the easiest way to perform this action with the thumb of one hand, covering the upper end of the device.

Once successful, the camera's characteristic shutter sound is heard (if the sound is not turned off), the screen flashes, and a thumbnail appears at the top of the display. This thumbnail serves as confirmation and allows you to immediately go to edit or share a file. The file is automatically saved to the gallery in the Screenshots album.

⚠️ Note: Some models with a side fingerprint scanner combined with the on button may accidentally unlock or lock the screen while trying to take a screenshot.

This method is universal for all firmware versions, from the old MIUI 10 to the latest HyperOS. If the combination does not work, check the physical health of the volume buttons, as their frequent use can lead to wear and tear. In rare cases, the function can be software blocked in certain applications, for example, in bank clients with a high level of security.

📊 What kind of screenshots do you use most often?
Button combination
Three fingers
Voice command
Through the notification curtain
Not using.

Gesture control: shooting with three fingers

MIUI is famous for its clever gestures, and swipe screenshots are one of the most popular features, which allows you to take a one-handed picture, which is especially useful when watching news feeds or reading long articles.

Before you use this method, make sure it's enabled in the system settings. The path to the switch usually looks like: Settings → Additional features → Screenshots. Here you need to activate the "Three-finger screenshot" option. If there is no item, try searching by settings by typing in "gestures."

  • 📱 The gesture works on a locked screen if the option “Screenshot on a locked screen” is enabled».
  • 🖼️ You can adjust the sensitivity area to avoid accidental positives when scrolling pages.
  • ⚙️ In some versions of the firmware, you can adjust the action after the gesture: only save or immediately go to the editor.

Using three fingers requires a certain skill, especially on devices with large screen diagonals. The fingers must touch the display at the same time and move at the same speed. If the system does not recognize the gesture, try to place your fingers a little wider or, conversely, press them closer to the surface.

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To improve the accuracy of the gesture with three fingers, keep your fingers straight and do not bend them while you are on the screen.

It's worth noting that in games or in Camera, this gesture can conflict with interface control, and in these situations, the system prioritizes the actions within the application, and the screenshot may not be created, so you'd better switch to physical buttons or other methods.

Long screenshot and page scrolling

One of the most sought-after features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the creation of long screenshots, or "slicing" that allows you to capture all the correspondence in the messenger, the article in the browser or a long list of products without taking dozens of individual frames. After you create a regular screenshot (by any means) at the top of the screen, you get a preview with a "Scroll" button or an icon in the form of two arrows down.

By clicking on this button, you'll automatically scroll through the content. The screen will slowly move down, capturing new information and combining it with the previous frame into a single image. The process continues until you touch the screen or reach the end of the page. It's the perfect tool for saving checks, tickets or instructions.

The quality of the final image depends on the original screen resolution and the number of pages scrolled. Files can be quite "heavy" taking up several megabytes of memory. When sent through messengers, such images sometimes automatically compress, losing the readability of small text, so it is better to use the PDF format or send as a file for important documents.

☑️ Checklist for the perfect long screenshot

Done: 0 / 1

There are limits to the length of the image you create. Usually, the system limits the number of pixels vertically so that the file does not weigh too much and opens on other devices. If you try to take a screenshot of the endless feed of the social network, the system will stop the process itself when you reach the limit.

⚠️ Note: When you create a long screenshot in applications with dynamic content loading (for example, Instagram or TikTok) the image can “scatter” or repeat the same blocks.

Voice control and Mi AI assistant

For those who prefer voice control or can not use their hands (for example, when watching videos), a method of creating screenshots through voice commands is available. In Xiaomi devices, the Google Assistant or built-in Xiao AI (depending on the region and version of the firmware) is responsible for this.

This is especially useful when the phone is connected to an external display or in a dock. The voice command is processed almost instantly, and you immediately hear the shutter sound. However, the function requires a stable Internet connection, since voice processing often occurs on servers.

Setting up voice control screenshots is in Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search and Assistant → Voice control. Here you can train your assistant to recognize your voice for increased security so that outsiders can’t take pictures of your screen.

Secret Codes and ADB
For advanced users, there is an opportunity to take screenshots through debugging USB. Team team. ADB This is the adb shell screencap. -p /sdcard/screen.png. This allows you to automate the process of creating screenshots from the computer.> Voice commands have their limitations in high-security modes, where some banking applications block the assistant from accessing the screen, and the command simply won't be executed, and in such cases, you can only rely on tactile input methods. Screenshot scheduler and timer Unique shell chip MIUI — This feature is useful when you want to capture a pop-up menu, a context window, or a moment in a game that disappears immediately after you touch the screen. To activate the timer, you open the control panel (curtain) and find the screenshot icon (sometimes hidden in the optional button editing menu). When you click on this icon, you can select a delay: 3 seconds or 5 seconds. Once you choose, you will have time to open the menu or go to the game. Once the timer expires, you count down and the screen is fixed. This is an indispensable tool for creating instructions and tutorials. In addition, some versions of the firmware offer the Task Planner feature, which allows you to do dynamic screenshots without a timer, although this is extremely rare use of the manual. Method Speed Comfort Features Instantly High buttons Always works, even when hanging Three fingers Instantly Medium Requires settings, conveniently with one hand Voice 1-2 Internet is not working in silence, Timer is not working in silence 3-5 Ideal for menus and games Editing and managing saved files Immediately after you create a screenshot, a floating preview window appears in the corner. Here you can crop an image, add text, draw arrows, blur sensitive data (such as card numbers or passwords) and put stickers on. The Blurring tool is especially important for protecting personal information before sending. Files are stored in internal memory along the way. /MIUI/gallery/cloud/screenshots/ or simply in the Screenshots folder depending on the file manager version. In the gallery, they are automatically sorted by date, and the system also offers clever categorization: if there is text in a screenshot, it can be copied through the recognition function (OCR), You can click on the editor's text icon, and to manage disk space, you can check the screenshot folder regularly, and it often accumulates duplicates or failed frames. The built-in Cleanup tool in the Security app can automatically find similar screenshots and suggest removing unnecessary ones, freeing up valuable space. If you share screenshots often, set up the save format. In some cases (rarely, but in modified firmware) you can choose between PNG and JPG. PNG provides better lossless quality, which is critical for screenshots with text and graphs, while JPG Why is it that the screenshot on Xiaomi is not saved? The most common problem is a device with overcrowded memory. If the space is less than 100 MB, the system will not be able to create a new file. The second reason is the access restrictions for a particular application (for example, in the banking sector, screenshots are blocked for security purposes). Also check if the Guest mode or the profiles of restrictions that may prevent saving files. How to take a screenshot in a game without leaving the application? In games, the best use of a button combination or voice command, since gestures can conflict with the control. Also in game mode (Game Turbo), where the game screen is not located, where the game screen is interrupted, and the gameplay is not taken from the gameplay, where the gameplay is not created. If you accidentally delete an important screenshot, check the folder “Recently deleted” in the Gallery app. Files are stored there for 30 days. If there is also empty, you can only restore data through a backup of Xiaomi Cloud or Google Photos, if sync was enabled in advance.