How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways + life hacks for MIUI

Screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones are not just about saving the screen, but an arsenal of tools that many users do not even know about. From the classic button combination to advanced gestures in MIUI 14/15, from scrolling screenshots to hidden screen recording function, the possibilities depend not only on the model (Redmi Note 12, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T), but also on the firmware version. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, including those that work even on a locked screen or in games.

You might be surprised to learn that Xiaomi doesn't only take screenshots in the standard way. For example, did you know that some models (like Black Shark 5) have a separate button for screenshots in game mode? Or that MIUI 15 has a smart screenshot feature that automatically recognizes text on the screen? We've tested all the methods on different devices — from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra — and we're ready to share the results.

1. Classical method: button combination

The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the model and version of MIUI is the simultaneous pressing of the buttons Power + Volume Reduction.

• 📱 Find the Power button (usually on the right) and the Volume Down button (left or right, depending on the model).
• 🔘 Press them at the same time and hold them. 1-2 seconds.
• 🎨 You will hear the characteristic shutter sound (if the sound is not turned off) and see an animation of saving a screenshot.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) The buttons are too close, and you can accidentally pinch the power for longer than you need, which will lead to a reboot. To avoid this, first press Volume Down and then Power Up.

On smartphones with mechanical buttons (for example, Xiaomi Mi A3), this method works more reliably than on models with touch keys (Redmi Note 11 Pro+), where sometimes several attempts are required.

Make sure there is no confidential information on the screen.

Check the charge level (below 5% of screenshots may not be saved)

Turn off Do Not Disturb mode if you need confirmation sound

Close unnecessary notifications in the curtain-->

2.Gestural MIUI: screenshot of three fingers

If you're uncomfortable with using buttons (or they're broken), MIUI has an alternative, a three-finger gesture that works on all devices with MIUI 9 or later, but you need to turn it on first:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot gestures.
2. Activate the screenshot switch with three fingers.
3. Choose the direction of the event (usually from top to bottom).

Now to take a screenshot:

• 🖐️ Swipe three fingers simultaneously across the screen from top to bottom (or in the direction you choose).
• 📸 The screenshot will be saved automatically, and the editing panel will appear at the bottom.

💡 Lifehack: This gesture works even in games and apps that block screenshots (like banking apps) if they don't prohibit it at the system level.+ The screenshots will still be black because of the DRM-defense.

Power buttons + Volume reduction

Three-finger gesture

Voice Assistant (Alice/Google)

Another way.-->

3. Scrolling screenshot (long screenshot)

If you want to save an entire web page, a Telegram chat, or a long social media post, you can use Scrolling Screenshot (also known as a long screenshot) to save it, which is available in MIUI 10 and later, but doesn’t work in all apps.

How to do this:

1. Take a regular screenshot in any way (buttons or gestures).
2. Immediately after saving the bottom of the screen, a screenshot with the Scrolling button (or Long Screenshot) will appear.
3. Click on it – the screen will automatically scroll down, and the screenshot is “stitched” into one long file.
4. To stop the scroll, tap the screen.

⚠️ Note: The function does not work in:

• 🔒 Applications with screenshot protection (banks, messengers with secret chats).
• 🎮 Games and some social networks (for example, in TikTok long screenshots are blocked).
• 📄 Documents. PDF Word – instead of scrolling, only the visible part is saved.

4. Screenshot by voice (via Alice or Google Assistant)

If you have your hands full or your buttons are not working, you can take a screenshot with your voice command.

• 🎤 Activate voice assistant: For Alice (Yandex): say "Hi Alice" or press the microphone button on the home screen. For Google Assistant, say "OK, Google" or hold the Home button.
• 🗣️ Say the command: Alice: "Take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot" Google Assistant: "Take a screenshot).

⚠️ Note: Voice screenshots are not working:

• 🔇 Do not disturb or when the microphone is turned off.
• 🎵 While listening to music through a speaker (the assistant may not hear the command).
• 🔒 In applications with screenshot blocking (banks, some messengers).

💡

If the voice assistant doesn’t recognize the command, try to pronounce it more clearly or switch the language in the assistant settings to English – sometimes this improves the accuracy of recognition.

5. Screenshot in games and special modes

On Xiaomi gaming smartphones (Black Shark series) and devices with Game Turbo mode, there are additional options for screenshots. For example, in Black Shark 5 Pro you can take a screenshot:

• 🎮 Press the physical Shark Space button (if it is set to screenshots).
• 🖱️ Through the Game Turbo floating panel (joystick icon).
• 🔄 Gesture Triple touch on the back panel (configured in Settings) → Game Turbo → Gestures).

On regular smartphones (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5), a floating panel with a screenshot button appears in game mode.

1. Start the game.
2. Swipe down from top to top to open the notification curtain.
3. Tap on the Game Turbo notification activated.
4. In the floating panel, find the Screenshot icon (usually a scissor or camera).

💡 Secret Life Hack: In some games (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) screenshots through Game Turbo are saved without the game interface - only a clean picture.

6 Where screenshots are stored and how to find them

By default, all screenshots on Xiaomi are saved in the folder: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

They can be accessed in several ways:

• 📁 Through the Gallery: Open the Gallery app → screenshot.
• 🔍 Through Explorer: Go to Internal Drive → Pictures → Screenshots.
• 🖥️ Through PC: Connect the phone to USB (in file transfer mode) and find the folder Pictures/Screenshots.

⚠️ Note: If the screenshots of Suddenly are gone, check out:

• 🗑️ Recycle Bin folder in the Gallery (sometimes files are moved there when accidentally deleted).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud – if sync is enabled, screenshots could go to the cloud.
• 🔧 Warehouse settings → Cleaning – sometimes the system automatically deletes old screenshots when memory is scarce.

💡

Screenshots on Xiaomi are saved in PNG format without compression, so take up a lot of space.Regularly clean the Screenshots folder if the phone's memory runs out.

7. Screenshot problems and their solution

Sometimes screenshots on Xiaomi don't work or are saved incorrectly, and we'll look at the problems and ways to fix them:

🔧 Advanced Diagnostics: If none of the methods work, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the cache of the Gallery app (Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache).
3. Check permissions for Screenshots (Settings → Apps → Permissions Management).
4. Update MIUI to the latest version.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi