How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi laptop: all ways with photos and videos

Taking a screenshot on a Xiaomi laptop is a challenge that every user faces: whether it’s saving an important message, fixing a system error or just wanting to share interesting content, the ability to quickly and accurately create screenshots saves time and nerves. However, not everyone knows that there are several ways to make a screen on the Mi Notebook, RedmiBook and other models of the brand, from standard hotkeys to specialized programs.

In this article, we'll look at all the current techniques, including little-known chips (like taking a screenshot of only an active window or with a delay), where the default snapshots are saved, how to change the file format, and what to do if the keys don't work. And for owners of hybrid devices (such as the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 Pro with a keyboard), we'll give you individual instructions.

Method 1: Hot keys are the fastest method

All Xiaomi laptops running Windows 10/11 have universal keyboard shortcuts to create screenshots, and their main advantage is instant results without installing additional software.

• 🖥️ PrtScn (Print Screen) – Copies the entire screen to the clipboard (you need to insert into Paint or another editor).
• 📁 Win + PrtScn – saves a screenshot directly to the Images folder → Screenshots (.png format).
• 🪟 Alt + PrtScn – only copies the active window (comfortable for multitasking) to the buffer).
• 🎮 Win + Alt + PrtScn – takes a screenshot in the game (only works in full screen mode).

On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi Notebook Pro X 15), the PrtScn key can be paired with another function (e.g. SysRq) in which case it must be pressed with Fn retention. If the combinations do not work, check if the key is disabled in the BIOS or through the keyboard drivers.

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On Xiaomi notebooks with backlit keys (for example, RedmiBook Pro 15) when you press Win + PrtScn, the screen darkens for a split second - this is a visual confirmation that the screenshot is taken.

Where do you look for the saved images? They go to the folder by default:

C:\Users\[Your Username Username]\Images\Screenshots

If there is no folder, create it manually or change the way you save it through Settings → System → Memory.

Method 2: Scissors (Snipping Tool)

Windows 10/11 has a built-in Scissors Tool that lets you take screenshots with flexible settings: select an area, capture a window with a delay, or draw over a picture, which is ideal if you want to take a screenshot of not the entire screen, but only part of it.

How to open it:

• 🔍 Through Search: Type “Scissors” in the line next to the Start button.
• ⌨️ Hot keys: Win + Shift + S (instant region capture).
• 📌 Secure on the taskbar: right-click on the icon in the Start menu → «Secure on the taskbar».

After launching, select the screenshot type:

Once captured, an editor will open where you can crop a screenshot, add text or highlight important details with a marker, and the finished file is saved in.png,.jpg or.gif formats.

Method 3: Xbox Game Bar (Game Bar)

If you’re playing on a Xiaomi laptop or just want to take a screenshot with minimal effort, use the Xbox Gaming Bar.This feature is built into Windows 10/11 and is originally designed for gamers, but works in any application.

How to activate:

1. Open the right window or game.
2. Press Win + G and the Xbox Game Bar will appear.
3. Click on the camera icon (or use the Win + Alt + PrtScn combination).
4. The screenshot will be saved in the Video → Capture folder.

Advantages of the method:

• 🎮 It works even in full-screen games (where PrtScn may not work).
• 📹 You can record screen video (click Win). + Alt + R).
• ⚙️ Customized hotkeys in the settings → Games → Playbar.

Note that if you have a Xiaomi laptop with a discrete graphics card (for example, Mi Notebook Pro X with NVIDIA RTX), for games, it is better to use built-in video drivers (NVIDIA ShadowPlay or AMD ReLive), which give more options for customizing the quality of screenshots.

Method 4: Third-party programs for advanced users

If Windows built-in tools aren't enough, try specialized programs that offer advanced functionality: grabbing scrolling pages, text recognition (OCR), Cloud storage and more. Here's the top.-3 utilities for Xiaomi laptops:

For ShareX installation (recommended for most tasks):

1. Download the program from the official website.
2. When installing, uncheck the boxes from unnecessary components (such as Greenshot).
3. Run ShareX and set the hotkeys in Settings → Hotkeys.
4. To capture the scrollable page, select Grab → Scrolling capture.

Set the hot keys|Turn off auto-update|Set up a save format (PNG/JPG)|Add cloud storage (Google) Drive/Dropbox)|-->

Important for Xiaomi laptops with HiDPI screens (e.g. RedmiBook Pro 14 with 2.5K resolution): in ShareX, enable the option to Use DPI screen in the capture settings, otherwise screenshots will be blurred.

Method 5: Screenshots on hybrid devices (Mi Pad + keyboard)

If you're using a Xiaomi Mi Pad 5/6 Pro tablet with a keyboard connected, the process of creating screenshots is different from classic laptops. It's Android or Windows logic (depending on mode).

1.In Android Mode (MIUI for Pad):

• 📱 Press the power button at the same time. + Reduce the volume (hold on) 1-2 seconds).
• 📁 Screenshot will be saved in the folder DCIM → Screenshots.
• 🔄 For Scrolling Screenshots: Take a Normal Photo, Then Click Scrolling in the Notification Bar.

2.In Windows mode (when connected to the keyboard):

• ⌨️ Use the standard Win combinations + PrtScn or Alt + PrtScn.
• ⚠️ On some firmware, the PrtScn key may not work – check the keyboard settings in the MIUI.

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On Xiaomi hybrid devices (such as the Mi Pad 5 Pro), screenshots in Android mode are saved in.jpg format, and in Windows - in.png.

If you have a Xiaomi Mi Pad with a docking station, make sure that the “Planchet” mode is turned off in the settings (Settings) → System system → Otherwise, Windows hotkeys will not work.

Problem Solving: If Screenshots Are Not Saved

Sometimes Xiaomi laptop users find that screenshots are not created or saved, and here are the typical reasons and ways to eliminate them:

⚠️ Note: If you press Win + The PrtScn screen flashes, but the file is not in the Screenshot folder, check if the system sound is disabled. In Windows 11, without a beep, screenshots may not be saved due to a bug.

• 🔧 PrtScn key not working: Check if it is disabled in BIOS (section → Update keyboard drivers via Mi Smart Share or Lenovo website (many Xiaomi laptops use their keyboards).
• 📂 Screenshots folder is not created: Create it manually along the way C:\Users\[Name]\Images. Check access rights: right-click on the folder → Properties → Security.
• 🖼️ Screenshots black or distorted: Turn off hardware acceleration in graphics settings (Settings) → System system → Display. → Graphics. Update your graphics card drivers (Intel/NVIDIA/AMD).

If the problem persists, try an alternative method:

1. Open the Command Prompt (Win + R → enter cmd).


2. execute the command:




reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer" /v ScreenshotIndex /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f




3. Reboot the laptop.

This command will reset the screenshot counter, which sometimes solves the problem of saving.

Additional chips: editing and cloud storage

A screenshot taken is only half the story, often cropping, adding arrows or text, or sending it to a colleague quickly. Here are some life hacks for Xiaomi laptop owners:

• ✂️ Quick cropping: Open the screenshot in Windows Photos (Win) + E → Click the file twice. Click "Edit» → «Cut and turn. Use aspect ratios (e.g. 16:9 for video).
• ☁️ Cloud Save: Set up Autosynchronization of Screenshots folder with OneDrive or Google Drive. In ShareX, add cloud services to Settings → Downloading.
• 📌 Screenshot in the buffer without a file: Use Win + Shift + S (then paste in Word or Telegram). In Lightshot, click "Copy in buffer" after capture.

For Xiaomi users working with Linux (for example, on the Mi Notebook Pro with dual boot), gnome-screenshot or flameshot utilities will suit.

sudo apt install flameshot

Then assign the hotkeys in the system settings.

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If you often need to take screenshots of the entire web pages (including scrolling), use the GoFullPage extension for Chrome or Firefox.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi