How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi Redmi phone: the complete guide

Screenshots are a basic but critical feature that smartphone owners use every day. The MIUI ecosystem and Xiaomi’s new HyperOS offer many ways to capture display content that go far beyond just clicking buttons. Users often look for ways to save a picture, but rather a tool for quick information processing that can be activated with a single touch or movement.

Redmi and Poco devices have their own software features that may differ from stock Android. Understanding the nuances of working with the clipboard and screenshot gallery will allow you to significantly speed up interaction with the interface. Below we will discuss in detail all existing methods, from classic to hidden functions available in current versions of the firmware.

Whether you’re using an entry-level budget model or a flagship device, the image-creating algorithms remain the same, although physical buttons can be arranged differently. Special attention should be paid to gesture tuning, as mechanical buttons wear out over time and software techniques become more relevant.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable method, which works on 99% of Android devices, including all Xiaomi models, requires no pre-configuration and is available immediately after the phone is turned on, and the mechanism of action is tied to the hardware interrupt, which the system processes in the first place, ensuring instant response even when the interface freezes.

To implement this method, you need to press two keys simultaneously: the Power button and the Volume Down button. It is important to observe synchrony: pressing must occur in almost one millisecond. If you press the buttons too long, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the off menu or emergency restart.

⚠️ Note: Do not keep the buttons locked for longer. 1-2 Seconds, otherwise, instead of taking a screenshot, you will call the device or voice assistant shutdown menu, which will interrupt your current task.

Visual confirmation of the successful operation is the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), short-term vibration and flash of the screen. In the upper corner of the display, a thumbnail will appear, which indicates that the image is stored in internal memory.

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screenshot is not taken, this may be due to a software failure or features of a particular application that blocks the creation of copies of content (for example, banking applications or incognito mode in the browser), in which case the system can simply ignore the command or create a black file.

Use of the Quick Access Menu and Control Panel

If physical buttons are uncomfortable or faulty, Xiaomi offers a software alternative through the control panel, a technique that is particularly relevant for models with large screens, where reaching the volume buttons with one hand can be difficult.

To take a picture, you need to swipe from top to bottom to open the control center, and there you will find an icon called "Screenshot." Depending on the version of MIUI, it can be located in the top row or require the disclosure of the full menu, which is a standard way for those who prefer visual control.

But the standard layout of the icon may not be obvious, because users often forget that the panel is editable, you can put the snapshot button on the main screen of the control panel for quick access, which makes the software method one of the most convenient.

There is also the option of creating a shortcut for screenshots right on the desktop, although it is less popular, this method requires creating a widget or using third-party launchers, but for a standard Redmi user, it is enough to simply adjust the curtain, the main advantage is that there is no mechanical impact on the buttons.

Handling gestures: three fingers and not only

One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is the ability to create screenshots using gestures, which allows you to take screenshots with one hand, without having to reach for volume buttons.

To enable this option, go to Settings, then select Additional and find Screenshot. Here you need to activate the "Three fingers" switch. After that, just touching the screen with three fingers from top to bottom will instantly save the image.

The three-finger gesture isn't the only option on this menu. It offers advanced features like a paired menu or a shortcut on your desktop. But it's the three-finger swipe that's the fastest way to interact, and it works in most applications, including gallery, browsers and social networks.

It is worth noting that in some gaming applications or when watching a video gesture may conflict with the control of the game, in which case the system may ignore the command or require clearer fingers, and the gesture will not work if the screen is turned off or locked.

Screenshots via the menu of recent apps

Many users don't know that you can take a screenshot directly from the menu of running apps, which is convenient when you want to save information, but you've already moved to another application or turned the window. It's integrated into the navigation system.

To do this, open the recent app menu (swipe bottom-up with a delay or press of the menu button). Above the thumbnail of the desired app, you will see several icons. One of them is the icon of scissors or cameras, depending on the version of the interface, clicking on it will save a screenshot.

This is especially useful in multitasking, where you need to quickly save data from multiple windows, but it has a limitation: if the application is running in the background for too long or the system has unloaded it from memory to save resources, the preview may not appear or the function will be unavailable.

If you shut down the app completely (swiped out of memory), you can't take a screenshot through the task menu. This is a logical limitation of the Android operating system.

Delayed screenshot function (Timer)

In situations where you want to capture a pop-up menu, a context box or animation, the usual method is not suitable, because pressing the buttons closes the menu. To do this, Xiaomi has a delayed screenshot function, which allows you to set a timer for 3 or 5 seconds.

You can activate the timer through the control panel (curtain). Press and hold the screenshot icon, or find a separate Timer icon in the extended menu. Once you start, the countdown begins, giving you time to open the desired menu.

This feature is indispensable for creating instructions, settings screenshots or dialog boxes, without which you would have to use screen recording or third-party software. The built-in timer is stable and does not require root rights.

When the timer is triggered, the beep goes off, the screen flashes, and the image is saved to the gallery, and it's important to have time to open the interface before the time expires, otherwise the screenshot will be taken from the screen that was active when the timer ended.

Long screenshot and work with scrolling

Modern websites and messaging apps often don't fit on a single screen, and for those cases, Xiaomi has a Long Screenshot feature that allows you to glue multiple images into one long tape.

Once you've created a normal screenshot (by any means), you'll see a thumbnail in the top corner, and it has a scrolling button (usually a down arrow or a chain) on it, and you'll click on it and you'll grab the next portion of the screen, and you can repeat it many times.

The length limit of this screenshot depends on the screen resolution and version of MIUI. Usually, the system itself stops the process when the content ends or the pixel limit is reached, this is the ideal way to save the entire article or long correspondence on WhatsApp.

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If the scroll button is inactive (gray), then there is no scrollable content on the current screen or the application does not support this Android API feature.

The finished long screenshot is saved as a single image file, and can be edited by cutting the edges, right in the standard gallery editor, eliminating the need to use third-party gluing apps.

Editing, markup and removing privacy

Once you've created the screenshot, Xiaomi offers a powerful built-in editor that opens automatically when you click on the thumbnail right after you take the picture, and it has tools for drawing, adding text, stickers, and, importantly, blurring sensitive data.

Hide data (or blur tool) allows you to quickly smear passwords, card numbers, or private messages, which is critical when you post screenshots in public. A standard marker or brush is also suitable, but automatic blurring looks more aesthetic.

And the editor also allows you to crop, rotate, and add watermarks, and all the changes are either saved as a copy or replaced by the original, depending on your choice when you leave, and it's a complete tool for quick graphics.

Where are the screenshots stored and how to find them

All images created are automatically stored in the device's internal memory. Standard file path: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots. In some versions of the firmware, the folder may be called MIUI → screenshot or simply Screenshots at the root.

The Gallery app has a separate album for screenshots, which makes it easier to search and sort, and you can quickly find the file you want by date of creation, and the system automatically sorts them in chronological order.

If you deleted the screenshot accidentally, you can try to restore it from the shopping cart in the Gallery (stored for 30 days) or through the Xiaomi Cloud / Google Photos cloud service if synchronization was enabled. Regular cleaning of the screenshot folder helps to free up space.

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Screenshots take up space in memory. Check the DCIM/Screenshots folder regularly and delete unnecessary files to keep your phone's storage from overflowing.

Understanding folder structure is useful when connecting your phone to your computer, so you can directly copy files over USB without opening the gallery on your phone, which makes it faster to work with large amounts of data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)