Screenshots are one of the basic features that smartphone users need every day: Whether saving a check for payment, sending important correspondence or fixing an error in the application, being able to quickly take a screenshot saves a lot of time. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often face the nuances of the MIUI interface or the new HyperOS that distinguish their gadgets from pure Android.
There are many ways to capture the contents of a display, and the specific method you choose depends on your current task. Some options allow you to capture a long page of a site as a whole, others - record a video or postpone the picture by timer. Understanding all the tools available makes a smartphone a powerful working tool, allowing you to instantly share information.
In this article, we will discuss in detail every available method, from classic buttons to advanced gestures. You will learn how to set up automatic triple tap screenshots, how to edit an image immediately after creation, and what to do if standard features have stopped responding. The instruction is relevant for most modern models, including the Redmi Note series and Xiaomi flagships. 13/14.
Classic combination of physical buttons
The fastest and most time-tested method, running on 100% of Android devices, regardless of the shell version, it requires no pre-configuration and is available even in safe mode.
You need to press the Volume down button and the Power button at the same time. You don't need to hold them for long -- a short but clear press (about 0.5-1 seconds) is enough. If you hold the buttons too long, the phone can take this as a command to call the off menu or voice assistant, so speed of reaction is important.
The success of the operation is confirmed by the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is not turned off) and the flash of the screen. In the upper right corner, a thumbnail of the created image will appear, which in a few seconds will disappear or fold into the notification panel, a universal method that is worth using if other methods are not available for some reason.
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If you have In-Pack mode enabled, the phone can ignore button presses to protect against random action. Take the device out of your pocket or bag before trying to take a picture.
It is worth noting that on some models with a side fingerprint scanner, the power button is combined with the sensor, in which case the technique of pressing does not change, but it is important not to press your finger against the scanner too much so as not to cause unlocking or false alarm of the sensor.
Use of Gesture-control and triple tap
MIUI and HyperOS are famous for their clever gestures that make one-handed control much more convenient. Triple tapping is one of the most popular screenshots among speed-conscious users. However, by default, it is often disabled and requires manual activation in settings.
To enable this option, go to Settings → Additional settings → Screenshots. You need to find “Three-finger screenshot” or “Triple-Tap” and activate the switch. After that, a light tapping of three fingers on any part of the screen will instantly create a shot.
- 👆 Accuracy: You need to tap with three fingers at the same time, otherwise the system may perceive it as a normal swipe or zoom.
- ⚙️ Adaptability: The gesture works on the desktop, browser, gallery, and most applications, but may not be available in full-screen games.
- 🔋 Energy efficiency: Using an accelerometer to track impacts has minimal effect on battery charge.
It's important to be careful when using this feature. If you hit the display too hard, especially if you don't have the protective glass on the phone, you can theoretically damage the matrix. You need to move lightly, you need to slide, but you need to be clear. You calibrate the system to a certain sensitivity threshold that you can test experimentally.
☑️ Triple tap tuning
Control Panel and Notification Center
If the physical buttons are dead or you prefer software interfaces, the standard control panel offers easy access to the screenshot function. In the new versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the icon for creating a picture is placed in the upper right corner of the notification curtain, making it available in one click.
To access, swipe down from top to bottom to open the curtain. In the array of quick access icons, find a symbol that resembles a scissors or a dotted rectangle. Pressing it will instantly take a snapshot of the current contents of the screen. If the icon is not in the first row, click on a pencil or edit button to add it to the active ones.
This method is particularly convenient when the smartphone screen is dirty or wet and the touchscreen is intermittent. Software tapping through the system interface ignores some sensor interference, allowing you to perform the task even in difficult operating conditions.
⚠️ Note: On a locked screen or in Do Not Disturb mode, access to the full control center may be restricted for security reasons.
Voice control and Google Assistant
Modern smartphones allow you to control the voice system, which is especially true when your hands are busy or dirty. The built-in Google Assistant or Xiao AI (in Chinese versions) is great at creating screenshots on command.
To activate, say "Ok Google" or press the home/power button (depending on the settings) to call the assistant. Say "Take a screenshot" or "Create a screenshot." The system recognizes the request, emits a sound and saves the image to the gallery. This method does not require touching the screen or buttons.
Voice control is also useful for people with disabilities, providing full access to the functions of the device without tactile interaction, but it requires active Internet and enabled microphone activity to work.
Why does the voice assistant not understand the command?
Long screenshot and panoramic scrolling
One of the most sought-after features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which is indispensable for saving correspondence in messengers, articles in the browser or long contact lists that do not fit on a single screen.
First, take a regular screenshot in any convenient way. Immediately there will be a floating thumbnail in the upper right-hand corner. It will have several buttons on it, we're interested in an icon that resembles a down arrow or a scroll of paper. Press it, and the device will automatically scroll down the page, stitching the image into one long tape.
You can stop the scrolling process at any time by touching the screen or pressing the stop button. The system will automatically crop the image at the scroll finish point. If the page is very long, the phone can pause to buffer, then continue to capture.
| Parameter | Description | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Max. Length. | Depends on the permit. | Usually up to 5-10 screens |
| Format | PNG (lossless) | Large file weight |
| Annexes | Browsers, Chats | Doesn't work in video |
| Quality. | High. | It can blur the text. |
When creating panoramic images, it is important that the content on the page is static. If the ad changes or a new message is loaded during the scrolling process, artifacts or tears may appear on the final image.
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A long screenshot is the best way to keep the structure of a dialogue or article as it conveys a sequence of information, not just disparate chunks.
Editing and markup immediately after creation
MIUI offers a powerful, built-in editor that opens immediately after a picture is created, so you don't have to search the gallery for an image, all the tools are available instantly for preview, so you can highlight the important, hide sensitive data or add comments before sending it.
Click on the screenshot thumbnail to open the edit menu.
- 🖊️ Drawing: Free drawing with a finger or stylized markers of different colors.
- 📝 Text: Adding text blocks with font and color selection.
- 🔒 Blurring: A “ka” (censorship) tool to hide passwords, card numbers, or personal data.
- ✂️ Crop: Trimming the edges of the image to focus on the center.
Using a blur tool is critical when sending screenshots to third parties, often with notifications, contact names, or text messages that are not intended for prying eyes, and the built-in editor allows you to cover those areas in a few seconds.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful with the Magic Wand tool, which may not work properly on screenshots of interfaces, highlighting entire menu blocks instead of specific items.
Configuring the format and quality of preservation
By default, the system saves screenshots in PNG format, which provides high quality lossless, but takes up more space. In some scenarios, for example, for fast sending over the mobile Internet, it is more appropriate to use the JPG format.
You can change settings from Settings → Screenshots → Format. The switch will allow you to choose your preferred file type. You can also set up a save path if the standard Screenshots folder is uncomfortable, although system applications often look for screenshots there.
Image quality directly affects the readability of fine text. If you take screenshots for documentation or instructions, leave the PNG format. For memes or quick notes, JPG, which weighs 3-5 times less, is a good fit.
Where are the screenshots stored?
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a screenshot is not created, this can be caused by a software failure, a lack of memory or the limitations of a particular application, for example, banking applications and incognito modes block the creation of images for security purposes, in which case you will see a black screen instead of an image.
If the function stopped working systemically, try restarting the device, often solving the problem of the system processes that are responsible for capturing the image, and also check for free space in the memory of the phone - with crowded storage, the new file simply will not be able to write.
⚠️ Note: If screenshots are created but the image is distorted (strips, artifacts), this may indicate a malfunction of the display plume or the matrix itself, especially after falls.
In rare cases, resetting interface settings through the Settings menu → Advanced Settings → Screenshots → Resetting (if such an option is available in your version of the software) helps. Updating the system to the latest version also often fixes bugs associated with screen capture.