How to make a printscreen on Xiaomi Mi A3: all working ways

Xiaomi Mi A3 is one of the few smartphones of the brand that runs on pure Android One instead of the proprietary shell MIUI. This feature affects the process of creating screenshots: there are no usual gestures or menus from Xiaomi. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to take a screenshot on the Mi A3, including button combinations, hidden Android functions and third-party utilities.

It is important to understand that the Mi A3 (model laurel_sprout) Screenshots are saved in the folder Pictures/Screenshots, Not in a standard gallery. MIUI. Also, because of the firmware, some methods, like three-finger swipe, just don't work here. We've tested all the options on the latest versions of Android. 10 and 11 — The instructions below are guaranteed to work.

If you switched from another Xiaomi smartphone (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro or POCO X3), the usual ways may not work. Don’t worry: in this article you will find alternatives adapted specifically for the Mi A3.

1. Classical method: button combination

The most reliable and versatile method is the use of hardware buttons. It works on all versions of Android and does not depend on the shell. On the Xiaomi Mi A3 algorithm, the following is:

1. Open the screen you want to capture (for example, a dialog in the messenger or a page in the browser).
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 you hear the shutter sound and see the save animation.

⚠️ Warning: Do not overshoot buttons for longer than 2 seconds - this can cause the switch-off menu or reboot. If the screenshot did not work the first time, try pressing the buttons not strictly at the same time, but with a minimum interval (first power, then volume).

Where to look for the result? The image is automatically saved in the Pictures/Screenshots folder.

• 📁 In the Google Photo Gallery (Screenshots section").
• 🔍 File Manager (e.g. Files by Google).
• 🖼️ In the screenshot creation notification (slip on it for quick editing).

Buttons pressed simultaneously |Save animation appears |Camera shutter sound |Notification in the curtain-->

2. The thumb-down gesture (only for Android 10+)

In pure Android (since version 10), an alternative method has appeared, swipe on the screen, but on the Mi A3 it is unstable due to the features of the firmware.

1. Go to Settings → System → Gestures → System navigation.
2. Select Gesture Navigation (if not already activated).
3. Return to the home screen and swipe your finger from bottom up with a delay (as when calling the app menu), but don’t let go of your finger.
4. In the menu that appears, tap on the icon "Screenshot" (scissors).

⚠️ Note: On some versions of the Mi firmware A3 If the swipe doesn't work, go back to the classic button method or use a virtual button (see next section).

The advantage of this method is that it can take a screenshot with one hand without intercepting the smartphone, but it requires precision: a swipe that is too fast or slow will not call the menu.

Power buttons + volume|Swipe gesture|Virtual button|Party of annex-->

3. Virtual button "Screenshot" in the notification panel

If the physical buttons on your Mi A3 are worn or uncomfortable, you can add a virtual screenshot button, which does not require root rights and works on all versions of Android:

1. Deploy the notification panel (swipe from top to bottom).
2. Slip on the Edit icon (pencil) in the lower right corner.
3. Find a screenshot tiles in the list (may be called Screenshot or displayed as a scissor icon).
4. Drag it to the active area of quick settings.

Now to create a screenshot is enough:

1. Deploy the notification panel.
2. Slip on the added screenshot tiles.

🔹 Pros of the method: you do not need to remember the combination of buttons, works even with a broken screen (if the sensor is serviceable).

🔹 Cons: requires two actions (unfold the panel) + press a button, which is longer than hardware keys.

4. Screenshots with Google's voice assistant

If you have Google Assistant on, you can take voice screenshots, which is convenient when your hands are busy or your buttons are not available.

1. Activate the voice assistant with the phrase “OK, Google” or holding the home button (if you have one on your firmware).
2. Say “take a screenshot” or “make a screenshot.”
3. Confirm the action in the window that appears (if necessary).

⚠️ Note: This method is necessary for this method to work:

• 📶 Active Internet connection (to process voice commands).
• 🎤 Permission to use the microphone for Google Assistant.
• 🗣️ English or Russian in voice settings (not all commands are supported in other languages).

Voice screenshots are saved to the same Pictures/Screenshots folder, but can have a delay of 1-2 seconds, which is not suitable for dynamic content (for example, videos or animations).

💡

If Google Assistant doesn’t recognize the command, try alternative phrases like “Photograph the screen” or “Save the current screen.”

5. Appendices for extended screenshots

Standard Android methods are limited: they don't allow you to take screenshots of scrolling pages or edit snapshots immediately after creation. Third-party utilities will do this. We tested the 3 best options for the Mi A3:

🔹 If you want long screenshots (like chats or web pages), take Screenshot Easy.

⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party screenshot apps, turn off their notification access (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Notifications if you don’t want them to read your correspondence.

💡

The app side is useful for advanced features, but standard Android methods are more reliable and safer for sensitive data.

6. Problem Solving: Screenshots Are Not Saved or Are Not Working

If none of these methods work, check out these points:

• 🔋 Battery charge below 15% - Android can block file saving.Plug in charge.
• 📱 Insufficient memory – clear the space in the Settings section → Warehouse.
• 🔒 Application restrictions – some banking or corporate applications block screenshots (e.g. Sberbank Online or 1C).
• 🛠️ System failure – restart your smartphone or reset the settings to factory (Settings) → System system → Reset).

🔧 Diagnosis through ADB: If screenshots are not saved without errors, check the permissions to the folder:

adb shell ls -la /sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots/


adb shell chmod 777 /sdcard/Pictures/Screenshots/

If the problem persists, try updating your firmware via Settings → System → System Update. On the Mi A3, critical bugs with screenshots were fixed in Android 10 (QP1A.190711.020 build) and Android 11 updates.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi Mi A3