How to take screenshots on the phone Android Xiaomi: Full guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to save the image of the current screen, whether it is correspondence in the messenger, the instructions for the game or an important application error. The standard shell MIUI (or HyperOS) offers many options for implementing this feature, far beyond the usual combination of buttons. Understanding all available methods allows you to significantly speed up the work with the device and saves time in critical situations.

Android system settings allow you to flexibly manage the process of image capture, but by default, not all options can be activated. The user needs to know where to look for hidden features, such as creating screenshots by triple tapping or voice control. This is especially true for those who have moved from iOS or other versions of Android, where the logic of the work may differ.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the known ways to create screenshots relevant to current models of 2026-2026 release. You will learn about the intricacies of setting up the lock menu, working with a floating window and automating processes. Deep knowledge of the interface turns a regular smartphone into a powerful tool for working with information.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and versatile way that works on any Android device is to press power buttons and reduce volume simultaneously. On Xiaomi smartphones, this method is active out of the box and does not require additional adjustment. To get the result, you need to press the Power and Volume Down buttons almost simultaneously.

It is important to keep the sequence and duration of the pressing correct. If you press the buttons too long, the system will perceive this as a command to force the reboot or call the emergency SOS menu. A short but confident press (lasting about 0.5 seconds) is optimal. At the time of successful capture, you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter, and at the top of the screen a thumbnail of the shot will appear.

⚠️ Warning: If instead of screenshots, the phone starts vibrating and counting down the time to call the emergency services, you have held the power button for too long.

This method remains the most reliable when the touch screen temporarily fails to respond or malfunctions. Physical buttons take precedence over software interfaces. Mechanical capture is guaranteed to work even when some system interface processes are getting stuck.

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If the volume buttons are not comfortable for your hand, try turning the phone upside down – so the thumb is easier to reach the desired key.

Swipes and gestures: three fingers control

The MIUI shell is famous for its advanced gestures, one of the most useful is to create a screenshot with three fingers across the screen. This feature is not active by default on some global firmware versions, so it needs to be enabled manually in the settings menu. The path to the option is as follows: Settings → Additional settings → Screenshots.

Once you activate the Three Finger Screenshot switch, you can take pictures in any app just by swiping three fingers from top to bottom. This action also automatically opens the editing menu, where you can immediately crop or draw notes on the image, which for many users becomes the main way of doing it because of its speed and ergonomics.

• 🖐️ The gesture works in most applications, including browsers, gallery and social networks.
• ⚙️ The gesture sensitivity setting can be found in the same menu of additional settings.
• 🚫 In some secure applications (banks, incognito mode), the function can be blocked by the security system.

It's worth noting that doing a gesture requires a certain skill: fingers must touch the screen at the same time and move smoothly. If the screenshot doesn't work the first time, try changing the angle of the fingers or the speed of the movement. Accuracy is key here.

Use of the off menu and sidebar

Many users are unaware that the standard Xiaomi smartphone switch-off menu already has a button built in to create a screenshot. To use this method, you need to call the lock menu (press the power button or swipe, depending on the settings), but not select "Switch off." At the bottom of this window, there is often an icon with the image of scissors.

If you don't see this button, you can force it. Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Screenshots and activate the option "Add a screenshot button to the off menu." Now, every time you call the power menu, you'll have quick access to the screen capture function, which is especially handy when it's difficult to hit the volume buttons with one hand.

In addition, new versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14 have a Sidebar, which, if you activate it in the settings, will leave a shortcut menu from the edge of the screen when you swipe, and you can add a Screenshot tool to take pictures in one click without using physical buttons.

Voice control and Google Assistant

For situations where hands are busy or the phone is on the table, voice control is ideal. Xiaomi smartphones have built-in support for the command "OK, Google", which allows you to control the system without touching. To take a screenshot, just clearly say the phrase: "OK, Google, take a screenshot."

Before using this method, make sure that the voice assistant is activated and has the necessary permissions. You can check this along the way: Settings → Google → Settings for Google apps → Search, Google Assistant and Lens → Google Assistant → Phones. Here, the Google Assistant feature should be active.

Voice control is particularly useful for people with disabilities or in cases where the screen is contaminated with moisture and does not respond well to touch. Voice input is a powerful accessibility tool built into the Android ecosystem.

⚠️ Warning: The voice command may not work if sensitive information (such as a bank code) is displayed in the application, as the security system blocks screen capture in such windows.

Advanced features: timer and long screenshot

A unique feature of Redmi and POCO is the ability to take a “long screenshot” (Long Screenshot), which allows you to capture the entire page of a website or long correspondence in the messenger, scrolling down the screen. After you create a normal screenshot (by any means), click on the thumbnail and select the icon with two arrows down or the inscription “Scroll”.

Also available in screenshot settings is the Timer feature, which allows you to set a 3 or 5 second delay before creating a picture, which is necessary if you want to capture a context menu, a pop-up or an action that disappears immediately after touching the screen.

To activate the timer, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Screenshots → Timer. Select the desired delay. Now, when you create a screenshot (by buttons or gesture), the countdown begins, giving you time to prepare the screen.

Where to look and how to edit ready-made pictures

All images created are automatically saved to the system gallery, and you can find them in the Gallery app on Screenshots, and the path to files in the file system is: Internal storage → DCIM → Screenshots or MIUI → ScreenShot, depending on the Android version.

Once you've created the image, the system suggests editing it, and the built-in editor allows you to:

• ✂️ Cut the image to the desired size.
• 🖊️ Draw by hand, add arrows and text comments.
• 🔍 Increase individual areas (magnifying function).
• 📄 Add watermarks with phone model and time.

If standard tools aren't enough, you can open a file in a third-party editor, like Google Photos or specialized applications. However, for basic tasks, MIUI is quite enough. The built-in editor works faster than third-party counterparts, since it has direct access to the clipboard.

Below is a table comparing the basic methods of creating screenshots for quick selection of the right one:

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The most versatile method is the combination of buttons, but for everyday use, a three-finger gesture is much more convenient and faster.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)