Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones provide users with ample opportunities to capture and process screen images. Often, it is necessary not only to save the picture, but also immediately make changes to it by changing the format or cutting unnecessary details. The built-in tools of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS allow you to perform these actions instantly without resorting to third-party applications.
The process of creating a screenshot is just the beginning of the chain of action. Once you've taken a screenshot, the system offers a preview menu where you can change the look of the screenshot, editing is available within seconds of capture, while the thumbnail is in the corner of the display, and if you miss this point, you have to look for the file in the gallery, which takes longer.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to change the screenshot on Xiaomi devices, what formats the system supports, and how to remove the intrusive watermark of the phone model. Understanding these nuances will help you process information faster and share it with other users.
Instant editing after screen capture
Immediately after you take a screenshot (by a combination of buttons or gesture), a floating thumbnail appears in the upper right corner, and that's when the system is waiting for you to act, and if you press it with your finger, you will see an integrated image editor that has the functionality to do most tasks.
You can resize your image by cutting off unnecessary edges, or add text and graphics. Xiaomi allows you to draw by hand, highlight important areas with a marker, and even blur sensitive data. All changes apply to the copy, the original file remains intact until it is saved.
It is important to note that the reaction time is limited. If you do not touch the thumbnail for 5-7 seconds, it will disappear and the image will automatically be saved to the gallery. For those who often take screenshots, it is useful to know that re-clicking on the already saved picture in the notification curtain also opens the editing menu.
☑️ Quick editing algorithm
The editor’s functionality is constantly updated with new versions of firmware. In recent builds of HyperOS, tools have been introduced to automatically improve the quality of text in screenshots, making them more readable when sent via instant messengers.
Customization of format and quality of stored images
One of the key issues for many users is the format of the stored files. By default, the system uses the JPEG format, which provides good quality with a relatively low file weight. However, for screenshots with text or graphics, the PNG format that supports lossless compression is sometimes preferable.
In standard camera and screenshot settings, Xiaomi does not always have an explicit switch between JPEG and PNG for all cases. Often the format depends on the content of the screen: if there are many gradients on the screen, the system will choose JPEG, if it is an interface with clear lines, PNG can be selected. You can change the priority format through hidden settings or specialized applications to create screenshots if the standard functionality does not meet the requirements.
⚠️ Attention: Format PNG It takes up a lot more space in the memory of the device. If you take hundreds of screenshots every day, choosing this format can quickly exhaust the free space on the drive.
Image quality also depends on the resolution of your smartphone screen. On models with AMOLED matrixes and high resolution (2K and above), screenshots are very detailed. When sending such "heavy" files through messengers, the quality can deteriorate from compression, in which case it makes sense to use the "Document" function in Telegram or cloud links.
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Use the PNG format for screenshots with small text or code – this will keep the fonts clear and prevent the appearance of compression artifacts.
Some users prefer to modify the file extension after the fact, but this does not change the real data structure or improve the quality, it is better to configure the source of the image or use converters if a specific format is required for further processing on the PC.
Removing the watermark of the phone model
Many Xiaomi owners face a situation where every screenshot automatically shows a sign with a model of the device (for example, "Redmi Note 12 Pro").This is an integrated feature that can be easily disabled if it bothers you. Having a watermark can be uncomfortable when creating instructions or presentations.
To remove this, you have to go to the system settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic remains the same. You have to find the section that handles the screenshot design parameters, and there's a switch that activates or deactivates the addition of device information.
Once the feature is disabled, new screenshots will be created in a clean form. Old images already stored with a watermark will not automatically change - they will have to be edited manually or deleted. This is standard system behavior, since changing an existing file could violate the integrity of the data.
It is worth noting that in some regions or firmware versions (e.g. Global vs China), the location of this item may vary, and if you do not find the settings in the specified location, search for the settings by typing "watermark" or "device model".
Use of the built-in MIUI and HyperOS editor
The built-in editor in Xiaomi smartphones is a powerful tool that is often underestimated, allowing not only to crop an image, but also to perform a full retouch. Among the tools available are a paintbrush, eraser, shapes, text and the ability to add stickers.
The OCR feature, which is particularly noteworthy, is that if you have text in a screenshot, the editor can highlight it and let it be copied to the clipboard, which is very convenient for documents where you can't highlight text in a standard way, and it works quite accurately even with complex fonts.
It also has a feature called "Magic of Erase," or object removal, which, although it's easier than Google Photos or other brands' flagship models, is enough to remove minor defects or extra interface elements. You paint over the area, and the algorithm fills it with a background color.
| Tool. | Function | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Pruning | Staffing | Removal of excess fields |
| Text | Addition of inscriptions | Comments and explanations |
| marker | Color highlighting | Emphasis on detail |
| Blurring | Hiding data | Protection of confidentiality |
All changes in the editor can be reversed at any stage using the Back button. The action history is not limited to one step, allowing you to experiment with the design of the screenshot without risking spoiling the source, save either on top of the original or as a new copy, depending on the option selected in the menu.
Working with long screenshots and scrolling
The Long Screenshot or Scrolling feature is one of the most popular features in the Xiaomi ecosystem, allowing you to capture the content of web pages, instant messengers, and long articles in whole, rather than in parts, activated immediately after you create a regular screenshot by the appearance of a special button with a down arrow.
Once you click on the scroll button, the screen automatically moves downwards, capturing new information. You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen. However, you should remember the length limit: the system cannot create an infinitely long image, usually a limit of several screens or a certain number of pixels in height.
What to do if a long screenshot is cut off?
When working with long screenshots, it is important to consider the performance of the device. Processing a very large image requires processor resources. On low-end models of Redmi or Poco with a small amount of RAM, the saving process can take a couple of seconds, at which time the interface may be temporarily unavailable.
The finished long screenshot can also be edited: crop the beginning and end, add page numbering (if this option is available in your version of the software), or split into parts. Separation is especially useful if the file is too heavy to send through instant messengers.
Organization and management of screenshot gallery
All screenshots taken are automatically captured in a separate Screenshots album in the Gallery app, which makes it easier to find the images you want, because they don't mix with the photos you've taken on camera, and the system also sorts them by date of creation, allowing you to quickly find the latest captures.
For a more advanced organization, you can use Favorites or create your own albums, for example, you can select screenshots of important information into a separate folder and password-protect it using Hidden Album, which will ensure data privacy if someone else uses the phone.
Periodically, it is recommended to review the folder with screenshots. Temporary files, checks, confirmation codes lose their relevance very quickly, their accumulation can take up gigabytes of space, especially if you actively use the feature of long screenshots.
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Regularly cleaning up the screenshot folder frees up space and speeds up the gallery, preventing lags when scrolling through the album.
New versions of HyperOS have a smart sorting that groups screenshots by source app, which means you can view all screenshots from Chrome or WhatsApp separately without manually going through the entire feed, which categorizes the navigation of the library significantly faster.