Screenshots are one of the most basic but critical features of any modern smartphone. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO devices often face the need to quickly save information from correspondence, take a screenshot of a check for payment, or capture an interesting moment in the game. Despite the apparent simplicity, the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS offer many ways to perform this action, which many users do not even know.
In this article, we will take a look at all possible screenshot techniques, from classic button combinations to advanced gestures and voice commands. You will learn how to set up automatic scrolling for long pages, where to look for saved images and how to edit them immediately after you create. Understanding these nuances will allow you to work with your smartphone much more efficiently.
The Chinese company’s shell interfaces are constantly being updated, changing the location of some controls, but the basic principles have remained unchanged over the years. We will look at the current algorithms of actions that work on most of the brand’s devices released in recent years, regardless of the version of the Android operating system.
Classical Method Through Physical Buttons
The most common and versatile method, which works on 99% of Android smartphones, including Xiaomi products, requires no pre-setting and is available immediately after the device is turned on. The mechanics are simple: you need to press two hardware buttons at the same time.
It's a combination of Loudness down and Power, which you press simultaneously, but not too hard so you don't damage the key mechanisms, and it's enough to have a short, confident press of about 0.5 seconds, and if you press the buttons too long, the smartphone might take it as a command to call the emergency menu or turn off the device.
After the action is successful, you will hear the characteristic click of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), and the screen will blink. At the top of the display, a notification will appear with a thumbnail of the picture taken. It is important that the press must be simultaneous: if you press one button first and then another, the system will perform different actions (for example, change the volume or block the screen).
⚠️ Note: Some older models with capacitive control buttons (not touch, but mechanical) may have different combinations. In rare cases, on devices with non-standard key layouts (for example, on tablets), the screenshot is taken by pressing Volume up and Power.
This method is ideal for situations where you need to take a quick image and you don’t want to waste time gestures or searching for icons in the interface, and it works even in applications where other methods may be blocked or not work properly.
Using three-finger gestures
The MIUI shell is famous for its handy gestures, and swipe screenshots are one of the most popular among them, requiring pre-activation in the system settings, as it can be disabled by default to prevent accidental positives.
To enable this function, go to the Settings menu, select the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section, then find the Screenshot. Here you need to put the switch in the active position opposite the Swipe option with three fingers. Once activated, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom across the screen at any time you use the smartphone.
- 👍 One-handed usability: no need to reach for power buttons.
- ⚡ Speed: Gesture is faster than keyboard search.
- 🎨 Aesthetics: the process looks spectacular and modern.
- 🚫 Limitations: The method does not work on a locked screen or in some full-screen games.
The system reacts to multi-touch gestures very sensitively. If you don't get a screenshot the first time, try changing your finger angle or speed. Some users have noted that the sensitivity may be reduced on low-quality protective glass.
Screenshot through the notification curtain
A third popular method is to use a quick access panel known as a curtain, which is especially useful if you have busy hands or are in an app where physical buttons are running late, and there is a separate icon in the curtain that is designed solely to take screenshots.
To access it, you have to swipe down from the top of the screen to open the control center. Among the many icons (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight) you have to find an icon with a picture of scissors or a camera, signed as Screenshot. If you don't see this button on the first screen, swipe left to open the second page of the quick access panel.
The advantage of this method is that it's visually obvious, you don't have to remember combinations or train muscle memory for gestures, just tap the icon you want, but there's a downside: it takes longer because it requires multiple actions (swipe, search, tap).
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If the screenshot button is not in the curtain, click on the edit icon (usually a pencil or gear) in the corner of the panel and drag the icon from the bottom list of available buttons to the active zone.
It’s also worth noting that some firmware versions may open an additional menu when you click on the icon, suggesting you choose a picture area or start recording the screen, which extends the functionality of the standard button, making it a more versatile tool.
Long screenshot and page scrolling
One of the most sought-after features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the ability to create “long” screenshots, which is indispensable when you need to save the entire correspondence in the messenger, a long article in the browser or a news feed that does not fit on one screen.
The process starts as usual: you take a standard screenshot in any convenient way (buttons or gestures), immediately after that, a thumbnail appears in the upper right corner, it will have a button with a down arrow or a Scrolling icon, and by clicking on it, the system automatically starts to "scroll" the contents of the screen down, stitching (gluing) the image into one long strip.
☑️ Algorithm for creating a long screenshot
You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen or waiting for the end of the page. Once saved, the file will have a non-standard resolution (for example, 1080 by 4000 pixels), but most modern galleries and instant messengers correctly display such images.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot. |
|---|---|---|
| File size | Small (100-300 KB) | Depends on length (1-5 MB) |
| Format | PNG / JPG | PNG (most often) |
| Application | Single frames | Correspondence, websites, documents |
| Editing | Basic | Requires special applications |
It is worth considering that the scroll function may not work in applications where content is loaded dynamically and indefinitely, or in secure applications (for example, banking), where the creation of screenshots is prohibited by security policies.
Voice control and assistants
Modern smartphones allow you to control many functions with voice, and taking screenshots is no exception, this is especially true for people with disabilities or in situations where holding the phone with both hands is uncomfortable (for example, when cooking or repairing).
To use this method, you need to activate Google Assistant or the built-in voice assistant Xiao AI (in global versions, its functionality is limited). Just say the phrase "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot." The system recognizes the command and performs the action.
Voice control also allows you to add additional parameters, such as "take a screenshot and send it to Telegram." However, the basic image creation function is stable and fast, the recognition quality depends on the user's diction and noise level in the room.
Secrets of Voice Search
Editing and management of pictures
Once you've taken a screenshot, the system offers basic editing tools, which you shouldn't neglect, because they allow you to quickly highlight the main thing, hide sensitive data or add explanations before sending it.
The following tools are available in the editing menu:
- ✂️ Cutting: allows you to remove unnecessary edges of the interface.
- 🖊️ Drawing: You can circle important elements with a marker or pencil.
- 📝 Text: Add text comments over the image.
- 🔒 Blurring: A tool to hide passwords, card numbers or personal data.
All images created are automatically saved in the gallery in a separate album Screenshots (or Screenshots), where they are sorted by date of creation, from this album you can directly share files through any installed messengers or cloud storage.
⚠️ Note: When sending screenshots via messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), make sure you send the file as "Document" or in original quality, if the readability of small text is important.
Frequent problems and their solution
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screenshot is not created, the screen flashes, but the file does not appear, or the error sound is heard, most often due to the security limitations of specific applications.
For example, banking apps, browser incognito mode, or streaming services (Netflix, Kinopoisk) block screenshots from being taken at the system level, in which case you'll see a black screen instead of an image, and this is not a malfunction of the phone, but content protection from piracy and data from theft.
If the problem occurs in regular applications, try restarting the device. Sometimes the system process that controls the interface (System UI) may not work properly. Also check for system updates in the Settings → About phone menu.
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If the screenshot is not taken in a particular app, it is likely a security limitation of the app itself, not a smartphone breakdown.