How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi smartphone: all the ways from MIUI 12 to HyperOS

Creating screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones seems like a simple task — as long as you do not encounter unexpected nuances. buttons do not respond, gestures do not work, and there are no usual options on the menu. Especially difficult for beginners who have just moved from iPhone or devices on pure Android. Meanwhile, in the firmware MIUI and the new HyperOS hidden at least 5 ways to take a screenshot — from classic to exotic.

In this article, we will not only list the standard key combinations, but also reveal little-known chips, such as how to take a screenshot of a scrolling page in a browser, why sometimes a three-finger gesture does not work, and how to set up voice shots through Alice. And also a table of methods compatibility with different versions of firmware and models Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO.

Standard method: power and volume buttons

It’s a versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones, from the budget Redmi 9A to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

1. Open the screen you want to fix (message, browser page, map, etc.).
2. At the same time, press the Power button (on/lock) and the Volume Down button.
3. Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the camera shutter sound or see the save animation.

The finished screenshot will appear in the gallery in the Screenshots folder (or Screenshots in Russian localization).

• 🔋 Is the battery under 5% discharged, in which case the system may ignore keyboard combinations.
• 📱 Are physical buttons locked (for example, after falling or getting moisture).
• 🔒 Do not disturb with the switch off of sounds - then the shutter signal will not sound.

⚠️ Note: On some models (e.g, POCO F5) Long-term button retention can cause the reset menu, and if it does, release the keys early — 0.5-1 second pressing is enough.

Three-finger gesture: how to set up and why it doesn't work

The gesture screenshot feature is a MIUI feature that allows you to take a screenshot with three fingers from top to bottom, and it's disabled by default, so you need to activate it in the settings first:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Gestures.
2. Find the screenshot item with a gesture and turn on the switch.
3. Select the direction of the gesture (usually from top to bottom, but you can adjust from bottom to top).

If the gesture does not work, the reasons may be as follows:

On models with a curved screen (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or MIX Fold 3), a three-finger gesture can only work in the central part of the display - do not touch the edges.

Check if the gesture is enabled in the settings |

Make sure your fingers touch the screen at the same time |

Turn off "One Hand" mode |

Reboot your smartphone if the gesture doesn’t work-->

Quick settings panel: screenshot with one tap

If you don't want to remember keyboards or gestures, you can add a screenshot button to the notification panel, which is convenient for those who often take screenshots:

1. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ Edit (or Modify).
3. Find the Screenshot tile in the list (usually hidden in the Other Settings section).
4. Drag it to the active area of the panel.

Now it is enough to create a screenshot:

1. Open the screen.
2. Swipe the notification panel down.
3. Press the Screenshot tile.

The advantage of this method is that it can take a picture with one hand without pressing the buttons, and the tile works even if the screen is locked (but you need to turn on the option to Show notifications on the locked screen in the security settings).

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If the Screenshot tile is missing after the MIUI update, reset the notification bar settings: go to Settings → Notifications → Additional → Reset the panel settings

Voice assistant: screenshot on command

Few people know, but you can take a screenshot on Xiaomi with your voice, without touching the screen.

• 🎤 Built-in assistant Alice (from Yandex).
• 🤖 Google Assistant.
• 📱 Branded Xiao AI (available on Chinese firmware).

Instructions for Alice:

1. Activate the assistant with your voice ("Hello Alice") or click on the icon in the search bar.
2. Say, “Take a screenshot” or “Photograph the screen.”
3. Confirm the action (if required).

For Google Assistant, the command sounds like "Make a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot" (in English).

• 🔇 Voice commands only work if access to Special Assistant Features is enabled.
• 📵 In some applications (banks, messengers with protection), the screenshot can be blocked by voice.
• 🔒 On devices with HyperOS for voice may require additional permission in Settings → Annexes → Permits → Special access.

⚠️ Warning: If the screenshot is not saved after the voice command, check if the microphone sound is turned off in Settings → The assistant can hear the command, but not execute it because of limitations.

Screenshot of the page being scrolled (long screen)

A typical screenshot only captures the visible part of the screen, but what if you want to save an entire web page, a Telegram correspondence, or a list in Mi Fit? MIUI and HyperOS have a scrolling screenshot (or "long screen") function.

1. Take a regular screenshot of any of the above methods.
2. Immediately after the appearance of the thumbnail of the picture at the bottom of the screen, tap it.
3. In the editor that opens, click on the Scrolling icon (or Long Screenshot).
4. Wait until the system automatically scrolls down the page and connects the frames.
5. Press Ready to save the result.

The function is supported by:

• 🌐 Mi Browser and Google Chrome.
• 📱 Apps Mi Fit, Zepp Life, Mi Home.
• 💬 Messengers Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber (only in chats, not in settings).

Limitations:

• 🚫 Does not work in games and some banking applications.
• 📉 Maximum screen length – up to 10 screens (depending on model).
• 🔄 If the page is dynamic (for example, TikTok tape), the scroll may be interrupted.

Hidden features: screenshot via ADB and engineering menu

For advanced users who have few standard methods, there are two exotic ways:

1.Across ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

It allows you to take a screenshot even on a locked phone (if debugging is enabled via USB).

adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png

After the command, the image will be saved in the root folder of the device under the name screen.png.

2.Across the Engineering Menu (CIT)

This method works on devices with Qualcomm processors (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro+):

1. Dial the code in the phone app: ##36446337###.
2. Go to CIT Test → Display → Screen Capture.
3. Click Start – the screenshot will be saved in the CIT folder.

On models with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi 10C), the engineering menu is called by the code ##4636##, but the screenshot option may not be available.

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The ADB and engineering menu methods are designed to be tested and debugged, and can violate warranty or crash if you run commands at random.

Frequent problems and solutions

Even with simple actions like screenshots, Xiaomi users are experiencing errors.

If none of these methods work, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the system cache in Settings → Memory → Cleanup.
3. Update the firmware to the latest version (in HyperOS, many bugs with screenshots have been fixed).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions