How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi 10: a detailed guide

Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi 10 are not just communication devices, but powerful multimedia centers where saving information from the screen becomes an everyday necessity. Users often face the need to record correspondence, save a recipe, capture an error in the application or just share an interesting moment from the game. The Android operating system with the shell of MIUI provides many tools for this, but beginners can become confused in the variety of methods.

Screenshots are a basic function that can be done differently depending on your habits and your current situation, for example, if one hand is busy, using physical buttons will be uncomfortable, and then software gestures or voice commands come to the rescue. Understanding all the options available will allow you to save time and interact with the smartphone interface as efficiently as possible.

In this article, we will take a detailed look at each available way to create screenshots on Xiaomi 10, consider the quality and format of stored images, and pay attention to solving common problems when the function stops responding to commands. You will learn about the hidden possibilities of the menu and learn how to automate the process, making use of the gadget more comfortable.

Classical Method Through Physical Buttons

The most common and time-tested method that works on most Android devices involves using a combination of hardware keys. On the Xiaomi Mi 10, the on and off buttons are responsible for this, a method that is fast and works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or blocked by a third-party application.

To perform the action, you need to simultaneously press and briefly hold the Power and Volume Down buttons. It is important not to pinch them for too long, since prolonged retention can cause the turn off menu or activate the Google Assistant mode. The system must emit a characteristic camera shutter sound, and a thumbnail of the image taken will appear in the upper right corner.

This option is considered the most reliable, as it is built into the kernel level of the system and does not depend on the operation of the touch layer or the specific settings of the MIUI interface. However, it has a significant drawback: on large smartphones, which includes the Xiaomi Mi 10, it is physically uncomfortable to reach your fingers to different edges of the body, especially if you hold the device with one hand.

⚠️ Attention: When using volume and switching buttons frequently, try not to push them with excessive force so as not to damage mechanical switches, which may lose tactile clarity over time.

• 📱 The method works in all applications, including games and videos.
• 🔊 Accompanied by an audible signal and vibration to confirm.
• 🖼️ A screenshot appears in the corner of the screen for a few seconds.
• 🚫 Does not require an Internet connection or configure additional functions.

Using the Quick Settings Menu

An alternative that doesn't require manipulation of the side faces of the case is to use a notification curtain. The MIUI shell has a special shortcut that allows you to take a snapshot of the current contents of the screen in one click, which is especially convenient when the smartphone is lying on the table or you are holding it in an uncomfortable position.

To use this, you swipe from top to bottom to open the control center, and then find the icon with the image of the scissors. If you don't see it on the first screen, click on the edit icon (usually a pencil or three dots) and drag the screenshot button to the active zone, after pressing the system instantly saves the image to the gallery.

The advantage of this method is that you don’t have to physically touch the buttons, which reduces the risk of wear and tear, and it’s ideal if the volume buttons are adjusting the sound in the application, and you don’t want to interrupt the media file before you create a picture.

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Add the Screenshot widget to your desktop for even faster access: Click the blank space on the screen, select "Widgets" and find the appropriate system tool.

It is worth noting that in some versions of MIUI, the location of elements may vary slightly, but the logic of the operation remains the same. The shortcut in the notification curtain is a system tool, so it has the highest priority and runs on top of most running applications, with the exception of some banking programs with increased security.

Screenshots with three fingers (Gestural)

One of the most popular features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is to create screenshots with the "Three Fingers" gesture, which allows you to capture an image just by swiping three fingers from top to bottom across the screen, which looks spectacular and greatly speeds up the process of storing information.

By default, this gesture can be disabled, so you need to activate it in the settings. To do this, go to Settings, select Additional, then Buttons and gestures, and find the Screenshot option with three fingers. Once you turn on the slider, the function will become active in all supported interfaces.

The use of the gesture is especially important for users with large smartphones such as the Xiaomi Mi 10, where reaching the top corner of the screen with your thumb can be difficult, and it does not require changing the grip of the device, which makes it very ergonomic.

⚠️ Note: A three-finger gesture may conflict with actions in some games or drawing applications that use multi-touch.

If you use a low-quality protective glass or there are contaminants on the screen, the sensor may not correctly recognize the number of touch points and the action will not be performed the first time.

Settings and additional MIUI functions

The MIUI shell offers advanced screenshot capabilities beyond simply saving a picture. The settings menu can activate the Long Screenshot feature, which allows you to take pictures of scrollable pages, such as long articles in the browser or correspondence in messengers.

After you create a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described), a preview appears in the corner, and if you click on the "Scroll" button or the down arrow icon, the system automatically starts to scroll through the contents of the screen and glue it into one long image, which can be stopped at any time by touching the screen.

The Quick Commands menu is also available in the settings, where you can assign a screenshot to double-knocking with your knuckle (if supported by sensors) or other non-standard actions. The flexibility of MIUI allows you to tailor your smartphone to your individual preferences.

The built-in Xiaomi editor allows you to mark up, blur sensitive data (such as card numbers or passwords), and add text before you send an image to the interlocutor.

Voice control and assistants

For those who prefer voice control, the Xiaomi Mi 10 offers integration with Google Assistant and its own voice assistant Xiao AI (global versions may differ), using voice commands is especially convenient when the user's hands are busy or dirty.

To take a screenshot with your voice, just say, "Ok Google, take a screenshot," or "Take a screenshot." The assistant will immediately execute the command by saving the current image to the gallery, which is one of the fastest ways, without requiring physical action.

However, it is worth considering that voice assistants require an active Internet connection and microphone permissions, and some high-security applications (banking) may block voice commands for data protection purposes.

The use of voice control opens up new possibilities for people with disabilities, making the smartphone more affordable. The combination of voice commands and automation allows you to create complex scenarios for using the device.

Image editing and formatting

Once a screenshot is created, it often needs to be processed. The Xiaomi Mi 10 has a powerful graphics editor built in, which is activated immediately after you click on a thumbnail or through the Gallery app, and there are tools available for framing, resizing and overlaying filters.

One of the key features is the ability to change the file format. By default, the system can save images in JPG format to save space, but for screenshots with text or graphics, PNG is better suited, since it provides compression without loss of quality.

The editor also allows you to add watermarks, time stamps and device models, which can be useful for creating instructions or reports. All changes are saved as a copy, the original remains unchanged, which is an important function for data preservation.

• ✏️ Drawing tools: brush, marker, eraser.
• 🔒 Blurring: Automatically concealing text or numbers.
• 📐 Pruning: accurate framing by given proportions.
• 🎨 Filters: Improved readability of text or color of graphs.

⚠️ Note: When saving screenshots with confidential information (passwords, SMS codes), always use the blur or crop function to avoid data leakage when sending a file.

Possible problems and solutions

Despite the stability of MIUI, users may encounter situations where screenshots are not created, most often due to security restrictions in specific applications, such as banking applications, incognito mode in the browser or streaming services (Netflix) block the creation of screenshots to protect copyright and user data.

In these cases, instead of an image, you might see a black screen or a message about a ban, which is not a malfunction of the smartphone, but a normal operation of the Android security system, and you can't get around this ban with standard means without root rights.

Another common problem may be a lack of free memory: If the internal storage of Xiaomi Mi 10 is crowded, the system will not be able to save the new file, in which case you need to free up space by deleting unnecessary files or clearing the cache of applications.

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If the screenshot isn’t taken in a particular app, it’s likely copy protection (DRM) rather than a phone error.

It is also worth checking the permissions for the system application "Screenshot" in the application settings. Sometimes after updating the firmware, the access permissions are reset and the function needs to be activated again manually. Rebooting the device also often helps to solve temporary software failures.

Where screenshots are stored

All images are automatically saved to the system folder, and you can find them through the Gallery app in Screenshots or through the file manager on the path Internal Memory → MIUI → DCIM → Screenshots. Understanding the folder structure will help you find the files you need faster.

For easy management, it is recommended to periodically sort screenshots or transfer them to cloud storage, such as Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud. This will not only protect data from loss when resetting, but also free up space on the device.

In the file manager, you can customize sorting by date, size or name, making it easier to find a specific image among hundreds of other files. Regularly cleaning the folder with screenshots helps keep order in the digital environment of the smartphone.