Smartphones have long since ceased to be just a means of communication, becoming powerful multimedia centers where visual information is constantly exchanged. Owners of the popular Redmi 9 model often face the need to quickly save an image from the screen, whether it is an important dialogue, a funny moment from a video or a setup manual. Unfortunately, not all users are aware of the variety of methods for creating screenshots, limiting themselves to a standard key combination or even turning to third-party applications for help.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways you can create screenshots on your Xiaomi Redmi 9 device running the MIUI shell. You will learn about hidden features that significantly speed up the process, as well as how to manage saved files properly so as not to overflow internal storage. Understanding these nuances will make you feel more confident when working with the gadget.
We're going to look at not only basic mechanical actions, but also software capabilities, including gesture and voice commands, and we're going to focus on troubleshooting, because sometimes the system can block the image from being taken for security reasons or for lack of resources. Get ready to become a real interface expert on your smartphone.
Classical Method: Using Physical Buttons
The most common and time-tested way to take a screenshot on any Android device, including the Redmi 9, is to press two physical buttons simultaneously, which works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or getting stuck because the signal is processed at a lower system level, and you need to find the on button (usually located on the right) and the volume button.
The process requires a certain skill: press both Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously and briefly hold them for a split second. If you hold them for too long, the phone may perceive this as a command to reboot or call the emergency services menu. It is important to keep the rhythm: a quick, confident click, then the characteristic sound of the camera shutter is heard, and a notification will appear at the top of the screen.
⚠️ Warning: Do not push the buttons too hard, as the mechanical elements on the side of the Redmi 9 have a limited pressing life.
Once you've done the action successfully, you'll see a pop-up mini window with an image that allows you to immediately go to edit or share a file. If the image doesn't appear, try changing the timing of the tap - sometimes the system requires a clearer synchronous signal. This method remains the universal standard for the entire Android ecosystem.
Quick shot through the notification curtain
If you find physical buttons uncomfortable or want to take a screenshot with one hand, MIUI offers a great software solution. At the top of the screen is the notification area that you need to swipe down, and there's a quick access panel for features, which includes a special screenshot icon.
Find an icon that visually resembles a scissor or a screen image, and tapping it instantly creates a snapshot of the current contents of the display, a technique that is particularly handy when you are in applications where using volume buttons can be difficult, such as playing horizontally or using a bulky protective case.
- 📱 Lower the notification curtain with double swipe for full menu disclosure.
- 🔍 Find the screenshot icon (you may need to flip the pages to the left).
- 👆 Click on the icon – sound is heard and the file is saved in the gallery.
It's worth noting that the number of icons in the curtain is limited, and if you don't see the one you want, it's probably hidden in the second page of the Quick Access menu. You can edit the set of buttons by dragging them to the active area, and this allows you to keep the most important functions at hand, including screen recording and Do Not Disturb mode.
The magic of gestures: a screenshot with three fingers
One of Xiaomi's favorite features is the ability to create a screenshot by simply swiping the screen, which doesn't require physical buttons and looks very impressive from the outside, and to activate this mode, you need to go to the system settings.
Follow Settings → Additional Features → Screenshots (some versions of the firmware may have different paths: Advanced Settings). Here you need to activate the "Three-finger Screenshot" switch. Once you turn on this option, just swipe three fingers down the screen to take a picture.
☑️ Customization of gestures
The gesture works on almost any interface, including home screens and open apps, but there are areas where the system blocks screenshots for security purposes, such as in banking applications or when viewing content with DRM protection.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure the screen is clean and dry, and there are no tight protective glasses with poor sensitivity, otherwise the smartphone may not recognize the touch of three fingers at once.
Using gestures makes it much faster, especially if you need to save a series of images in a row. You can adjust the sensitivity of the screen in the display settings section if the system often ignores your swipe attempts. This software solution has become the de facto standard for modern shells.
Control via the “More” menu and voice commands
The “Recent Apps” menu, which is called by swiping from the bottom up and holding (or pressing the corresponding navigation button), also hides a useful feature. At the top of the active application card, there is often an “More” icon (three dots or the letter V), when clicked, which opens an additional menu with the “Screenshot” option.
This is convenient because it allows you to take a picture of the exact state of the application that you see in the preview, or quickly copy the image without opening the application itself. In addition, owners of Redmi 9 can use the voice assistant Google Assistant or Mi AI.
Just say the phrase "Ok Google, take a screenshot" (or analogue in Russian if configured), and the phone will execute the command. This is ideal when hands are busy or the device is in an uncomfortable position.
- 🗣️ Activate the voice assistant with a phrase or button.
- 📸 Say a clear command, Take a screenshot".
- ✅ The system will confirm the execution of sound and save the file.
Voice control requires an internet connection to perform the most accurate speech recognition work, and make sure that the phone settings allow the use of a microphone for system services, a method that is hand-free and highly valued by users with disabilities.
Extended screenshot and long scroll
Often, you need to save not just one frame, but an entire page of the site, a long correspondence in the messenger or document. The standard screenshot in this case is powerless, but MIUI offers the function "Extended screenshot" (or "Scroll"). Immediately after you create a regular shot (in any of the ways described above), an icon in the form of a scroll or arrows down appears at the top of the mini window.
By clicking on this icon, you start scrolling mode. The phone will automatically start scrolling the content down, stitching multiple frames into one long image. You can stop the process at any time by tapping the screen, or wait for the end of the page.
| Parameter | Description of function | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Up to 5-7 screens in a row | Depends on memory. |
| Format | JPG or PNG | High resolution. |
| Application | Websites, chat rooms, documents | Doesn't work in video |
The resulting image will have a non-standard, elongated resolution, which is ideal for sending in messengers, because you can see the entire context of the conversation without having to flip through the gallery, but it is worth remembering that the quality of text on very long screenshots can decrease slightly with strong compression.
Where to look for saved images and how to manage them
Once you have successfully created a screenshot, the system automatically stores it in the device's internal memory. By default, all screenshots are placed in a separate folder so as not to mix with photos taken on the camera, and you can find them through the standard Gallery app or file manager.
The Gallery app creates special albums, one of which is called Screenshots, and it stores all your screenshots, sorted by date, so you can quickly go to editing, cropping, or sending a file directly from that interface.
If you prefer to work with the file system directly, the path to the folder will be as follows: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots (in some versions of MIUI, the folder may be called Screenshots root or in the MIUI folder).
- 📂 Open the "Conductor" or "Files" application".
- 📁 Go to the folder. DCIM or MIUI.
- 🖼️ Find the Screenshots directory with all the images.
It is recommended to clean this folder periodically, as screenshots are often temporary files and take up precious space. Using cloud services to automatically sync this folder will help protect data from loss when resetting settings.
The solution: why not take a screenshot
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the usual methods stop working, the screen flashes, but the file is not saved, or the system gives an error message. One of the most common reasons is an overflow of internal memory. If there is no free space on the Redmi 9 disk, the system physically cannot write a new file.
Another common reason is security restrictions: Banking apps, incognito mode in the browser, and some streaming services block the ability to take screenshots and record screens, in which case you get a black screen instead of an image, and it's not a malfunction of the phone, it's data protection.
⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer created in all apps at once, check if Guest mode or special features that can intercept button control are enabled.
The problem may also be a software failure of the MIUI shell, which is where a simple reboot of the device helps, and if that doesn't work, check for system updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update. Developers regularly release patches that fix these bugs.