How to take a screenshot of the screen on Xiaomi: full instructions

Owning a modern smartphone involves constant exchange of information, and there is often an urgent need to capture the current image on the display. Users who have switched to devices from Xiaomi sometimes encounter unusual interface logic or simply do not know about all the available features of the MIUI system and the new HyperOS. The question of how to take a screenshot on Xiaomi remains one of the most popular, since the standard methods may differ from those usual in other Android shells.

There are many ways to save the contents of the screen, from the classic keyboard combination to advanced gestures and voice control. Understanding these mechanisms allows you to significantly speed up the work with the gadget and make interaction with the operating system more comfortable. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the options available for creating screenshots, including hidden features that not all owners know about.

Whether you have a budget Redmi series or a flagship Mi, the basic principles will remain similar, but may have their own nuances depending on the firmware version. We will look at both hardware and software methods so you can choose the most convenient use case for everyday tasks.

Standard combination of physical buttons

The most common and reliable method, which works on 99% of Android devices, is to press two physical keys simultaneously. On Xiaomi smartphones, you need to press the Volume Down button and the Power button. The action should be fast and synchronous: if you hold one of the buttons longer than the other, you can activate the off menu or adjust the sound instead of taking a screenshot.

Once the combination is successfully completed, you will hear the characteristic snap of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), and the screen will blink for a split second. In the upper corner, a thumbnail of the image will appear, which in a few seconds will disappear or move to the notification panel, which is universal and does not require pre-tuning, working even in safe mode or immediately after the device is turned on.

But there is one major drawback to this technique, which is the ergonomics of modern smartphones: screen sizes grow and button layouts often make them difficult for fingers to reach, especially on larger models like the Redmi Note or Mi Mix, in which cases, trying to reach the keys can cause the phone to shake and blurry if you're trying to capture dynamic content.

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Hold your phone firmly with both hands when using buttons to avoid accidental blurring of the image due to shaking at the moment of pressing.

It is important to note that in some gaming apps or when viewing protected content (e.g. Netflix in the game). HD-The system can block the creation of screenshots for copyright protection, in which case you will receive a black screen or a notification that you cannot perform an action due to the security policy instead of the image.

Use of notification curtain and Control Center

If you find physical buttons uncomfortable or damaged, MIUI offers a great software analog, so you just unlock the screen and lower the notification curtain from top to bottom, and you'll find an icon called "Screenshot" or "Screenshot" that looks like a scissor or a rectangle in the quick settings menu that opens.

Clicking on this icon instantly creates a copy of the current image on the screen, which is especially useful when the phone is lying on the table or fixed in the holder, and it is physically inconvenient to reach the side edges. In addition, in new versions of the HyperOS shell, the icon can be carried to the very top of the menu for quick access with one finger.

Remember, you can't take a screenshot through the curtain in a locked state or on a call screen, because in these modes, access to the control center is often limited by the security system, and this method requires two actions: first swipe to open the menu, then tap on the icon, which takes slightly longer than the combination of buttons.

• 📱 Open the notification curtain with a swipe from top to bottom.
• ✂️ Find the screenshot icon in quick access tiles.
• 🖼️ Click on it to save the image instantly.

To use this feature frequently, you can add a screenshot widget directly to your desktop, which will turn your app shortcut into a button that will immediately take a picture, bypassing the need to open the curtain each time.

Setting and using gestures with three fingers

One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is the ability to create screenshots with a three-finger gesture. By default, this option can be disabled, so it must be activated in the settings. To do this, go to the Settings menu, select the Additional section, then the buttons and gestures, and find the Screenshot item.

In the menu that opens, select "Two fingers down" or "Three fingers down" and after activation, just swipe three fingers across the screen from top to bottom (or just touch the screen with three fingers at the same time, depending on the setting you choose), and the system will save the image, ideal for those who like to control a smartphone with one hand.

A three-finger gesture also allows you to immediately move on to editing or creating a long screenshot if you choose the appropriate option in the gesture settings. However, be careful: randomly casing a screen with three fingers while playing or reading can lead to unintended screen saving, which sometimes annoys users.

⚠️ Attention: A three-finger gesture may conflict with control in some games or drawing apps where multi-touch is actively used. If you notice random shots, temporarily disable the feature in the settings.

What makes this method unique is that it's fast and doesn't have to reach for buttons. For people with large palms or large smartphones, it becomes the primary way to capture information. It recognizes touch even through high-quality protective glasses, if they're not too thick.

Screenshots via the menu of recent apps

In recent Xiaomi firmware versions, another convenient feature is to create screenshots directly from the menu of running applications. When you click the Menu button (square or swipe with a delay), opening a list of open windows, additional icons appear under each preview of the application.

And one of them is a scissor icon, and clicking on it allows you to take a screenshot of the app without even opening it again, which is really useful if you've switched between windows quickly, seen the information you need, and want to save it without going back to the original app.

This is particularly effective when working with documents or correspondence, where you need to quickly archive information from several windows in a row, it saves time and eliminates the need to unlock the phone every time and look for the right window.

It’s worth noting that in split-screen mode (when two apps are open at the same time), this method will allow you to take a picture of only one of the windows or the entire screen, depending on which preview you choose in the task menu, which gives you flexibility in choosing the save area.

The function of a long screenshot (scroll)

Often, a single screen is not enough to save all the correspondence in the messenger, the article in the browser or the list of products in the online store. For such cases, Xiaomi has implemented the function of "Long screenshot" or "Scroll". After creating a normal picture (in any of the ways described above), a thumbnail appears in the corner.

In this thumbnail, you have to click on the down arrow button or the Scrolling icon. The phone will automatically start scrolling down, stitching the image into one long tape, and the process will stop when you touch the screen or reach the end of the page.

This feature is indispensable for saving checks, long dialogues or instructions, the quality of the final image remains high, and the text is readable, which is critical for documentation, but it is worth considering that too long images may not be supported by some messengers when sending.

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A long screenshot is the best way to save web pages and correspondence as a whole, avoiding having to take many individual frames.

Voice control and Mi AI assistant

Xiaomi smartphones today have advanced voice control systems. You can just say "Take a screenshot" (or "Take a screenshot" in English), and the phone will perform the action. This is especially true when your hands are busy or dirty, and you don't want to touch the screen.

To work this feature, you need to have Google Assistant or the built-in voice assistant Mi AI active. Settings are located in Settings -> Google -> Settings for Google Apps -> Search, Assistant and Google Lens. You can also use the activation phrase "Ok Google".

Voice control opens up opportunities for people with disabilities to fully control the device without tactile contact, but in noisy places or quiet conversations, command recognition may not work properly.

⚠️ Warning: Voice command may not work if the microphone is busy with another app (such as a voice recorder or WhatsApp call.

Using voice commands adds another layer of convenience to your smartphone, and imagine reading a recipe in the kitchen with wet hands — one phrase solves the problem of keeping the cooking stage in place.

Where to look for saved images and how to edit them

Once you've figured out how to take a screenshot on Xiaomi, it's important to know where it's stored. By default, all screenshots are sent to the system gallery in a separate folder called Screenshots or Screenshots. The path to the file is usually: Internal memory/DCIM/Screenshots or Internal memory/Pictures/Screenshots.

Xiaomi’s built-in photo editor allows you to mark up, add text, crop the image or blur sensitive information immediately after you create a frame, a highly useful feature before sending a screenshot to work chats or social networks to avoid “lighting up” passwords or personal data.

If you work with documents frequently, look for the ability to recognize text (OCR) directly from the screenshot.The system can automatically read text from the image and translate it into an editable format, saving hours of manual reprinting.

• 📂 Open the "Gallery" or "Files" app".
• 📁 Go to the Screenshots album".
• ✏️ Click "Change" for editing or "Share" for sending.

Cleaning a folder of screenshots is an important part of keeping your phone's memory in order, and over time, hundreds of unwanted images accumulate there that take up valuable space, and check this album regularly and delete the extra one.