How to remove a screenshot with three fingers on Xiaomi: the complete guide

Random screenshots when scrolling through social media or reading articles are a familiar problem for owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones. The feature of creating a screenshot with a gesture of “swipe three fingers down” is enabled by default in MIUI firmware, but not everyone likes it, especially annoying when it works at the most inopportune moment: while playing, watching videos or working with documents.

In this article, you will find all possible ways to disable a screenshot with three fingers, including hidden settings for different versions of MIUI (12 to 14+), alternative methods for managing screenshots and solving typical problems. We will also discuss why the feature can spontaneously turn on after updates and how to avoid it. If you are tired of random screenshots, read on!

Why screenshots with three fingers are disturbing users

The “three fingers down” gesture was introduced into the MIUI as a convenient alternative to the classic combination of buttons Volume down + However, in practice, it often works when the screen is horizontally oriented (e.g., in games or when watching videos) when the user accidentally touches the display with his finger pads:

• 🎮 Players: gesture interferes with dynamic games (PUBG, Genshin Impact, where you need fast management.
• 📱 Social networks: screenshots are created when scrolling the tape in TikTok, Instagram or Vkontakte.
• 📄 Working with documents: works when scaling PDF or flipping.
• 👶 Children: Accidental touches when handing the phone to a child.

According to a survey of Xiaomi users, 68% of respondents turn off the feature in the first week after buying a smartphone, and many people do not know that it can not only be deactivated, but also reconfigured to suit their needs, for example, replace it with double tap on the screen.

Official method: disabling through MIUI settings

The easiest and safest method is to use the standard settings menu, which is suitable for all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones based on MIUI 12/13/14 (including HyperOS).

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the Additional Features section (in some versions – Special Features).
3. Choose Gestures and Movements or Quick Gestures.
4. Find the screenshot option with three fingers (may be called a screenshot gesture).
5. Move the slider to the off position (grey).

If the item is not in the menu, check the alternative path:

Settings → System and device → Gestures → Screenshot

Make sure you have the latest version of MIUI| Close all apps before changing settings | Check if one-hand mode is enabled | Back up important screenshots-->

Important! On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T or Redmi Note 11 Pro+) after disabling the gesture, you may need to restart the device to make the changes take effect. If the feature continues to work, move to the next section with alternative methods.

Alternative methods of shutting down (if the standard one does not work)

If the screenshot with three fingers does not turn off through the settings, the reason may be:

• 🔄 Update MIUI, default-set.
• 🛠️ Custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu or PixelExperience).
• 🤖 Conflict with other gestures (e.g., double touching to wake up).

In such cases, try one of the proven ways:

1. Resetting gesture settings

Go to Settings → System and Device → Resetting → Resetting gesture settings. This will return all gestures to factory settings, but will not affect personal data.

2.Use of ADB (for advanced users)

If you are familiar with Android Debug Bridge, follow the command:

adb shell settings put secure screenshot_gesture_disabled 1

To return the function back, replace 1 with 0.

Installation of a third-party launcher

Some launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) allow you to override system gestures.

1. Open the launcher settings.
2. Find the Gestures and Controls section.
3. Turn off or reassign the three finger gesture.

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If you use Nova Launcher, you can assign another action to the three-finger-down gesture settings, such as opening the notification bar or launching an app.

How to Reconfigure a Gesture Instead of a Complete Shutdown

Do you want to lose the ability to quickly screenshots, but the gesture "three fingers" interferes? in MIUI you can replace it with more convenient options:

To make a new gesture:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures and movements.
2. Select Screenshot.
3. Turn off the “three fingers” and activate an alternative option (for example, Press the power button + volume down).

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On models with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14), the three-finger gesture can be reassigned to start split screen mode or fast access to applications.

What to do if the screenshot with three fingers turns on itself

Many users complain that after updating MIUI, the screenshot gesture function is automatically turned on, despite previous settings.

⚠️ Attention, if you're using beta MIUI, System gestures can be reset with each update, in which case turn off the function again or roll back to stable firmware.

• 🔄 Auto-update MIUI: Check the update settings in Settings → The phone. → Update the system and disable the automatic installation.
• 📱 Factory Reset: If the problem has occurred after the reset, restore the settings from the backup (via Settings) → Additionally. → Backup).
• 🛠️ Application conflict: Some programs (like Parallel Space or Game Turbo) can override gestures.

If the problem recurs, try blocking the Screenshots system application:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Screenshots (or Screenshots).
3. Choose Stop or Disable.

This will not remove the function completely, but it can prevent it from spontaneously turning on.

Xiaomi models where shutdown works differently

On some Xiaomi devices, the gesture interface is different, and here are the features for popular models:

For HyperOS devices (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the path may be different. If you don't find the right item, search by settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner).

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Nana POCO-devices after disabling the gesture are recommended to clear the cache of the Settings application (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Settings → Clear the cache).

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you turn off a screenshot with three fingers, users often face typical problems.

⚠️ Attention! If other multi-touch functions (e.g. gallery zooming) stop working after the gesture is turned off, reset the screen calibration settings: Settings → Screen. → Sensor calibration.

• 🔍 No Settings: Make sure you don’t have a lightweight version installed MIUI (for example, MIUI Update the firmware to the full version.
• 🔄 Gesture activates after reboot: This is a sign of a malfunction in miui.system.Try clearing the cache of system applications via Recovery.
• 🛑 Alternative gesture does not work: Check if it conflicts with other features (e.g. Double tap to lock).
• 📵 Screenshots are not saved: If you have disabled the gesture but screenshots are not even created by buttons, check the permissions for the Screenshots app in Settings → Annexes → Permits.

If none of the methods worked, the last option is manual editing of system files (requires root rights).

1. Install Root Explorer or Solid Explorer.
2. Go to /system/usr/keylayout/.
3. Find the Generic.kl file and open it in the text editor.
4. Remove or comment on the line from the key 120 SCREENSHOT.
5. Save the file and restart the device.

This method is risky and can lead to unstable operation of the system, and only use it if other methods have not worked.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions