The Xiaomi Mi and Redmi smartphones have powerful functionality that allows you to not only communicate and work, but also instantly capture what is happening on the display. The ability to quickly create a screenshot is a basic skill for any Android device owner, which is necessary to save correspondence, payment receipts, game achievements or instructions that need to be transmitted to other users.
There are many ways to capture a display, and the choice of method depends on the specific situation, the model of your gadget and personal preferences. Mi device owners have access to advanced tools of the MIUI and HyperOS shell, which go far beyond the standard keyboard combination.
Some methods require pre-tuning, others work instantly out of the box. Understanding the differences between them will save you time and use your smartphone as efficiently as possible. Below we will discuss in detail each of the ways that you can choose the most convenient for yourself.
Classical method using physical buttons
The fastest and most versatile way, running on 99% of smartphones running Android, including all models Xiaomi Mi. The mechanics of action is simple and brought to automaticity, but requires a certain skill, so as not to call the shutdown menu or voice assistant.
You have to press Volume Down and Power simultaneously, and the pressing has to be short-term, almost instantaneous, and if you press the buttons too hard, the system might consider it a command to turn off the device or call Google Assistant.
Once you've done the action, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera, and at the top of the screen, you'll see a screenshot notification, and the image is automatically saved to the gallery, usually in the Screenshots album, and this method works even if the touch layer is temporarily unresponsive.
⚠️ Attention: On some models with very thin frames, accidentally pressing the power button can activate the voice assistant.
☑️ Algorithm for creating a screenshot with buttons
Use of notification curtain and control menu
If your Xiaomi’s physical buttons are in an awkward place or are taut, a software method through the notification curtain is a great solution, especially for users who prefer to control the device with one hand.
First, you need to unlock the screen and swipe from top to bottom to open the control center. Depending on the version of MIUI, the icons can be arranged differently. You need to find the Screenshot icon (usually looks like scissors or a screen image). If you don't see it right away, you may need to press the edit menu button (often a pencil or three dots) and drag the desired widget to the active panel.
When you click on the icon, you click the shutter, and the screen blinks, and immediately you'll be prompted to edit the image you've received, either crop it, add it, or draw an arrow, and it's a built-in MIUI editor that's much more convenient than standard Android tools.
The advantage of this method is that it eliminates the risk of accidentally turning off the phone, and it is ideal if one of the physical buttons is broken or fails, but there is a disadvantage: in Full Screen mode (for example, in games or videos), it is more difficult to call the curtain, you need a double swipe.
Three finger gestures for quick fixation
The MIUI shell is famous for its handy gestures, and taking a three-finger screenshot is one of the most popular of them. It allows you to capture the screen in one smooth motion, which looks spectacular and saves time.
To activate this function, you need to go to settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Advanced settings → Screenshots (or Additional → Screenshots). Here you need to enable the option Three fingers. After activation, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom in the center of the screen.
This method is particularly useful in applications with long content, where you need to quickly save information. However, be careful: the gesture requires a certain width of the fingers or narrow screen.
⚠️ Note: A three-finger gesture may conflict with the control gestures in some games or drawing apps. If screenshots are created randomly during play, turn off this feature in the settings.
It's important to note that the sensitivity of the touchscreen is different for everyone, so if the gesture doesn't work the first time, try to swipe your fingers a little slower or faster, and make sure that there's no protective film on the screen that reduces the tactile senses.
Voice control via Google Assistant
For those with busy hands or who prefer voice commands, Xiaomi Mi offers integration with Google Assistant.It is a modern way of interacting with a smartphone that works stably when you have an Internet connection.
To do this, you need to activate the assistant, which can be done with the phrase "OK, Google" or a long press of the home button (if it's software), and when the assistant logo appears or you ask, "How can I help?", say the command: Take a screenshot or take a screen.
The system will instantly execute a command, make a sound, and store an image, ideal in situations where holding a phone with both hands is uncomfortable, such as when cooking with a prescription or playing sports, but it requires a good microphone and no strong background noise.
Why Google Assistant can’t hear the commands?
Creating long screenshots (scrolling)
One of the most useful features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which is indispensable when you need to save a correspondence in a messenger, a long article in a browser or a check from an online store that does not fit on one screen.
The process starts as usual: you take a screenshot in any convenient way (buttons or menus), immediately after that, in the upper right corner, a thumbnail of the picture taken appears, below which you will see the Scroll button (the icon with arrows down), clicking on it, the system will automatically start to scroll down the page, "slinking" the image.
Stop scrolling occurs automatically when the content is finished, or manually if you touch the screen. Upon completion, you will get one long image that is easy to read and send. The file is saved in the same format as a regular screenshot.
| Method | Speed. | Convenience | nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons | Tall. | Average. | Risk of shutdown |
| Curtain. | Medium | High. | Two hands. |
| Three fingers. | Tall. | High. | It takes habits. |
| Voice. | Medium | Low. | We need the Internet. |
Transfer screenshots via Mi Drop and editing
Once you’ve taken a screenshot, Xiaomi offers powerful tools to work with it. Unlike pure Android, here the built-in editor allows you not only to fraternize, but also blur sensitive data, add stickers and text.
The Mi Drop feature (now often integrated into Xiaomi Share) deserves special attention. If you need to send a screenshot to another Xiaomi or Mi user nearby, you do not need to turn on Bluetooth or search for a file in the gallery. Just take a screenshot, and select the recipient icon from the list of devices around you from the menu that appears.
It's a high-speed Wi-Fi Direct transmission, and the image quality is not lost, and it's the perfect way to share heavy screenshots of games or long documents, and the editor also has the Long Screenshot feature, which we talked about earlier, but is also available post-facto through the gallery.
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Using the blur feature in the screenshot editor to hide card numbers, passwords or personal data before sending the image to public chat rooms, a basic element of digital hygiene.
Solution: Why screenshots are not saved
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a screenshot seems to be created (the screen flashes), but the gallery does not have an image, most often this is due to application security policies, banking applications, incognito modes in browsers and some streaming services block the creation of screenshots to protect your data.
In such cases, a black square or ban message may appear on the site of the image, which cannot be avoided by standard means, and attempts to install third-party applications for this often require root rights, which reduces the security of the device, and the problem can be hidden in crowded memory.
Check the storage space. If the memory is 98-99% busy, the system may not be able to save the file. Clear the cache or delete unnecessary videos. Another reason is the System UI process is failing. A simple smartphone reboot helps.
⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer saved after the system update, try resetting the settings of the Gallery or Screenshots app in the Apps section" →"All applications. Do not remove system components.
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If a screenshot is not saved to a particular application (e.g. a bank), it is not a phone error, but a built-in protection against copying sensitive information.