How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi with the help of buttons: all ways and life hacks

Why the button method remains the most reliable

In the age of touch gestures and voice assistants, the classic method of creating screenshots through physical buttons is still relevant. On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, this method works steadily even in system failures when the touch screen refuses to respond to touch. Unlike software methods (for example, through the notification panel), the button combination works instantly - without delays in the animation of the MIUI interface.

Another advantage is versatility. The button combination works equally well on Xiaomi 14 Ultra flagships and the budget Redmi Note 12, on older versions of MIUI 12 and fresh MIUI 14. And for owners of devices with a sensor turned off (for example, after a fall), this is often the only way to capture information from the screen. But there are nuances: on some models, the combinations are different, and on Android One devices (for example, the Mi A3) the algorithm is completely different.

The standard combination: Power + Volume Down

This is a basic method that works on 90% of Xiaomi devices released after 2018.

1. Open on the screen what you want to fix (web page, message in Telegram, game moment).
2. At the same time, press the power button (right) and the volume reduction button (left).
3. Hold them for 1-1.5 seconds until the characteristic shutter sound or flashing animation.

You'll see a thumbnail of a screenshot with an editing toolbar on the screen. If the thumbnail doesn't show up, check:

• 🔋 Has the battery run out (at the charge level) < 5% of the system can ignore combinations).
• 🔊 Is the system sound off (without vibration, it is easy to miss the trigger).
• 📱 Do not lock buttons through Settings → Special facilities → Power and volume buttons.

On some models (e.g. POCO F5), after creating a screenshot, an additional menu with the Scroll options (long screenshot) and Recognize Text options appears. If these features are not needed, you can turn them off in Settings → Additional → Screenshots.

Alternative combinations for specific models

Not all Xiaomi smartphones support the standard combination, but here are the exceptions and their features:

If your model didn’t make it to the table, but the standard combination doesn’t work, try:

1. Update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI.
2. Reset button settings in Settings → System → Gestures and buttons.
3. Check your device for viruses (some malware blocks screenshots).

What to do if a screenshot is not created

If nothing happens after pressing the combination, the problem may lie in the following:

⚠️ Note: On devices with unlocked bootloader and custom firmware (such as LineageOS), standard button combinations can be disabled, in which case manual configuration through the build.prop file or installation of the Magisk module to restore functionality is required.

Common causes and solutions:

• 🔧 System freeze: Restart the device and try again. If the problem persists, check for free memory space (needs at least 100 MB).
• 🛠️ Damaged buttons: Test the hardware buttons through the engineering menu (##6484## or #4636##).
• 📱 Application conflict: Some programs (e.g. BankID or Public Services) block screenshots for security reasons.
• 🔄 Failure MIUI: Reset the interface settings in Settings → The phone. → Resetting settings MIUI.

If none of these methods worked, try to create a screenshot via ADB (requires a computer and enabled USB debugging).

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png

Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them

By default, all screenshots are saved in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

Features of storage:

• 📁 On devices with MIUI 14 Screenshots are automatically sorted by date in subfolders (e.g, 2026-05).
• 🔍 In the Xiaomi gallery, screenshots are marked with a separate category - they can be found through a search tag #screenshot.
• ☁️ When synced with Mi Cloud is enabled, screenshots are automatically uploaded to the cloud (sets in the Gallery). → Mi Cloud).

To change the way we preserve:

1. Open the Files app.
2. Go to Categories → Images → Screenshots.
3. Press. ⋮ → Move and select a new folder.

💡

If screenshots take up too much space, enable compression in Settings → Storage → Free up space → Compress images. This will reduce the weight of files by 30-40% without noticeable loss of quality.

Additional features: long screenshots and editing

Modern Xiaomi smartphones support advanced features of working with screenshots:

1. Long Screenshot (Scroll): After you create a normal screenshot, click on thumbnail and select Scrolling. The feature works in browsers, instant messengers, and some applications (not supported in games and videos).
2. Quick editing: Once you've created a screenshot, you can crop it, add text or a picture. The tools appear when you click on the thumbnail.
3. Text recognition: Click on the Toolbar to extract text from the screenshot (opts offline on MIUI 13+).

For models with AMOLED-The "Dark Screenshot" feature is available on screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro) - it automatically inverts the colors of the image to save charge when viewing. → Screen. → Color scheme → Dark mode for screenshots.

Comparison of the button method with other methods

In addition to physical buttons, other ways to create screenshots are available on Xiaomi.

The button method wins in reliability, but loses in convenience. For example, for one-handed use, it is better to configure the three-finger gesture in Settings → Special Features → Gestures → Screenshots. And if you often need screenshots in games, consider applications like Screen Master that bypass the limitations of MIUI on screen capture in full-screen modes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi