Xiaomi smartphones have become an integral part of our digital lives, serving as not only a means of communication, but also a powerful tool for working with content. Owners of the popular Redmi 8 model often face the need to save the image from the display: whether it is an important dialogue, a travel map or a confirmation of a bank transfer. Understanding how to make a screen screen on the Xiaomi Redmi 8 is a basic skill that greatly speeds up interaction with the device and allows you to instantly exchange information.
The Android operating system in the shell of MIUI offers many flexible methods for taking pictures that go far beyond the standard combination of buttons. Some users for years have used only one way, without even knowing that there are more convenient alternatives, such as gesture control or voice commands. In this article, we will analyze all the options available so that you can choose the most suitable for your situation.
And we'll also talk about editing images and using Long Screenshot, which is essential for saving correspondence or web pages as a whole, and knowing these subtleties will make your Redmi 8 even more effective. Let's look at the basic methods of creating screenshots, starting with the most classic ones.
Classical method: button combination
The most common and versatile way to work on the vast majority of Android devices is to press physical keys simultaneously. On the Redmi 8 model, this feature is built into firmware by default and requires no additional configuration. To implement, you need to quickly press and release the volume down button and the power button located on the right end of the case.
The important thing is that the tap must be simultaneous, but not too long. If you hold the buttons tight for more than one second, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the off menu or voice assistant. The ideal rhythm is a short, confident click with both fingers. The visual and audible confirmation of a successful action is the characteristic click of the camera shutter or another flash of the screen.
Once you create a picture, you'll see a thumbnail notification at the top of the display, and you'll immediately click on it and you'll go to edit mode, where you can crop it, mark it up, or add text, and if you don't do anything, the image will automatically be saved to the gallery in the Screenshots folder.
☑️ Checking readiness for screenshot
It's worth noting that this method works in almost any application, including games, browsers and system menus. However, in some secure applications, such as bank clients or incognito browser mode, screenshots can be blocked for security reasons, in which case you will see a black screen or a ban notification instead of an image.
Use the “More” menu in the notification curtain
For those who are physically uncomfortable reaching for buttons or if one of them is faulty, MIUI's developers have developed a software method that is implemented through a quick-setting panel, often referred to as a "curtain," to take advantage of this, unlock your phone and swipe from top to bottom to open the control center.
In the menu that opens, you'll need to find an icon called Screenshot (or Shot), which is usually located among the standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switches. If you don't see it on the first screen, click the Still button (often indicated by three dots or the word "Add") to expand the full list of available widgets. Find the icon you want and tap it.
Once pressed, the system will instantly snap a snapshot of the current contents of the screen, which is especially useful when the phone is lying on the table or when you hold it with one hand and the other is busy, and it completely eliminates the risk of accidental volume change or locking of the device, which sometimes happens when using physical buttons.
💡
If the screenshot icon is not in the curtain, click on the pencil or edit button in the corner of the Quick Settings menu and drag it to the active area for quick access in the future.
Using the software button also allows you to take screenshots in situations where physical buttons can be clamped with a case or are tight, making the method a universal “go-ahead” for owners of Redmi 8 with an active lifestyle.
Three-finger gesture for quick access
One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is the ability to create screenshots using gestures. This method requires pre-activation in the settings, but once turned on, it becomes the fastest way to save the image. You don't have to look for buttons or reach for the curtain - just swipe three fingers across the screen from top to bottom.
To enable this feature, go to Settings, then select Additional and find Buttons and gestures. In the menu that opens, select the Screenshot option with three fingers and move the switch to the active position. Now the system is ready to respond to your movements.
To create a picture, simply put three fingers on the top of the screen and swipe them down to the middle, and the device will respond with vibration and audible signal, a technique that is particularly popular among gamers and users, who often take many screenshots throughout the day, as it requires minimal effort.
However, be careful when using this gesture in games or applications with horizontal orientation, where accidental touch with three fingers can interrupt the gameplay, in such cases it is better to temporarily disable the function or use other methods, and the gesture may not work if the screen is contaminated or there are water droplets on it that violate the multi-touch sensor.
Voice control via Google Assistant
The age of voice assistants has brought new smartphone controls, and Redmi 8 is no exception. If your hands are busy, like cooking a prescription on a screen or holding your phone in an uncomfortable position, Google Assistant will come to the rescue. This method requires minimal physical interaction with the device.
To activate, you just say a trigger phrase, like "OK, Google," or press the home button for a long time (if configured), or just say "Take a screenshot" if the function is activated constantly. Once you recognize the command, the system automatically creates a screenshot, which is not only convenient, but also looks quite futuristic.
The advantage of this method is that it is accessible to people with disabilities or in situations where the phone is at a considerable distance but connected to a headset or smart speaker. Voice control is integrated deep into the system, which ensures high response speed.
Why can't the assistant understand the team?
However, this method requires a stable Internet connection to work, as voice command processing often takes place on Google servers, and in areas with poor network coverage, this method may not be useful, and you will have to switch to classic buttons.
Creating long screenshots (scrolling)
The Redmi 8 is great at saving long web pages, messaging or news feeds that don’t fit on a single screen. The Long Screenshot (or Scrolling) feature allows you to automatically scroll through content and glue multiple images into one long picture.
The process starts as usual: you take a screenshot in any convenient way (buttons, gestures or menus), immediately after that, in the upper right corner of the preview that appears, you will see a button that says Scrolling (or an icon with arrows down), clicking on it, you will automatically scroll the page.
The system will slowly move downwards, capturing new content, so you can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or wait until the page is over, and once completed, a single image is created that preserves the entire structure of the document or dialogue.
| Parameter | Description | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length | Depends on screen resolution. | Usually up to 100 MP |
| File format | PNG or JPG | Without loss of quality |
| Support for applications | Browsers, Gallery, Messages | Not everywhere. |
| Automatic stop | When you reach the end of the page | Or by hand. |
This feature is extremely useful for maintaining the evidence base in correspondence, instructions or articles, but it is worth remembering that when scrolling through dynamic content (for example, video or animation), the final image may look incorrect.
💡
A long screenshot is not just a gluing of pictures, but a clever algorithm that analyzes the boundaries of interface elements so that the seam between the parts is invisible.
Editing and management of pictures
Once you've created the screenshot, Redmi 8 offers a wide range of tools for quick processing. Unlike many other smartphones, you don't have to open a separate application for basic editing. Everything you need is available in preview.
Clicking on the thumbnail, you will be taken to the editor where you can:
- ✂️ Cut the image by removing unnecessary interface elements, such as status bar or navigation buttons.
- 📝 Markup: draw arrows, circles or write text by hand to focus the recipient’s attention on important details.
- 🎨 Use filters: apply color corrections or effects if the screenshot is intended for publication in social networks.
- 📤 Share: instantly send the file to the messenger, social network or e-mail, without saving it beforehand.
Files are managed through the Gallery or Explorer app, and all screenshots are automatically sorted into a separate album, making it easier to search, and you can rename files, make copies, or hide them from prying eyes using the Hidden Album feature.
⚠️ Note: When sending screenshots with confidential information (passwords, card codes, personal addresses) through messengers, be sure to check whether extra data was included in the frame. MIUI Helps to hide areas before sending.
Also worth mentioning is the possibility of batch deletion, which means that if you take a series of failed shots, you can highlight them all in the gallery and delete them in one action, freeing up space in the device's memory. Regularly cleaning screenshots helps keep the file system in order.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite the stability of MIUI, users sometimes face situations where screenshots are not created or stored incorrectly, most often due to a lack of free memory or a software conflict of a particular application.
If nothing happens when you try to take a picture, try restarting the device, resetting the system's temporary cache and restoring services to normal operation, and checking the storage settings: if the memory is 98-99% full, the system can block the creation of new files.
In some cases, the problem may lie in third-party launchers or design themes that change the standard interface behavior. Switching to a standard theme often solves the problem. If screenshots stop working after a system update, it is recommended to check for updates for the system components themselves in the settings.
⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer created in all applications at once, including system ones, and rebooting does not help, this may indicate damage to system files.
Another common problem is the poor quality of stored images.Make sure there is no restriction on file compression when saving in camera or gallery settings.For Redmi 8 with its 720p screen, the optimal format remains PNG for text information and JPG for images.