Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone users often face the need to save long correspondence, a browser article or a table that does not fit on a single screen. The standard image captures only the visible area, but the MIUI shell offers a built-in tool for creating composite images. This feature is called a "Scroll shot" and allows you to combine several frames into one long picture.
In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of working with long screenshots on Xiaomi devices, you will learn how to activate the mode, what restrictions are there and what to do if the scroll button does not appear. We will look at the features of the function in different versions of firmware, including the current MIUI 13 and MIUI 14, and also touch on alternative methods of storing information.
Panoramic imagery is not just a single click, it's a process that requires understanding the logic of the system. Automatic scrolling can behave differently depending on the application. Sometimes the system needs your help to properly glue the frames together. Understanding these mechanics will allow you to always get the perfect result.
The basic algorithm for creating a scrolling shot
The process of creating a long screenshot on Xiaomi starts with a standard screenshot. Regardless of the model of your smartphone, whether it is a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi Mi, the initial action is always the same. You need to capture the current image on the display in the usual way.
As soon as you take a picture, a thumbnail will appear in the top right corner of the screen (or in the floating menu, depending on the version of MIUI), and that's where the key to creating a panorama lies. Don't rush to close the notification or swipe it, look at the icon below the thumbnail.
The icon has two arrows pointing down, or the infinity symbol, and this is the Long Screenshot button, and once you click on it, you automatically scroll through the content, and the system will slowly slide the page down, grabbing new areas and adding them to the original image.
☑️ Ready to create a scrolling shot
It's important to note that the process doesn't always go to the end of the page automatically. You can stop scrolling at any time by tapping the screen or pressing the stop button that appears next to the timer, which allows you to create an image of the right length without grabbing the extra "tails" of the interface.
Configure and manage in different versions of MIUI
The MIUI shell is constantly updated, and the location of controls can change. In older versions, such as MIUI 11 and MIUI 12, the screenshot menu often appeared as a floating window that could be dragged around the screen. In new versions, the interface became more minimalistic and integrated into the top notification curtain.
Auto scrolling in new firmware is smarter, algorithms are better at defining content boundaries and trying not to crop text in the middle of a line, but in some applications, especially in browsers with complex layout, the system may be wrong, in which case it is recommended to use manual mode or take several pictures.
You can find additional settings in the system that affect the quality and behavior of screenshots. Although there is no separate menu for scrolling shots only, the general display and gesture settings can affect usability. For example, if you have one-handed control enabled, the screenshot menu can be shifted to the bottom of the screen for quick access.
Hidden features of screenshot menu
Users who often work with documents should pay attention to the text recognition (OCR) feature, which is built into the screenshot editor of new versions of MIUI. After creating a long shot, you can select text directly from the picture and copy it to the clipboard, which greatly speeds up the work.
Alternative methods and voice control
Not everyone knows, but you can take a scroll screenshot through more than just buttons. Xiaomi has powerful voice controls that let you free your hands completely, which is especially handy when you're holding your phone with one hand or when the physical buttons are busy.
To activate this method, you first need to turn on the appropriate option in the settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Additional features → Voice control. Here you need to activate the "Screenshot" item. After that, you can create pictures just by saying a command.
- 🗣️ Say “Screenshot” to take a normal screenshot.
- 🗣️ Say “Long Screenshot” to start scrolling mode right away.
- 🗣️ Use the command "Take Script Scrolling Screenshot" for an alternative run.
Voice control works through Google Assistant or Xiao AI built-in assistant (depending on the region and firmware version). The accuracy of command recognition is high, but errors can occur in a noisy room, in which case it is better to use a button combination or triple tapping on the screen if this feature is configured.
Another method is to use gestures. In Settings → Additional Features → Screenshots, you can activate the creation of a picture with three fingers. Although this method takes a normal picture by default, then clicking the "Long Screenshot" button on the menu allows you to quickly move to creating a panorama.
Typical problems and ways to solve them
Despite the system's fine-tuning, users sometimes find themselves in a situation where the long-screenshot button just doesn't appear. This can be due to several factors, most often the problem lies in the application itself, the content of which you are trying to save.
Some apps, especially banking or DRM-protected ones (like Netflix), block screenshots for security reasons, and in such cases, the screen may blink but the image will not be saved, or you will get a black rectangle.
⚠️ Note: If the Long Screenshot button is not active (gray) or missing, check if the app is secure.
Another common problem is scrolling: If content loads slowly (such as a social media feed with heavy images), automatic scrolling can go too fast and some information will be missed or blurred, in which case it is better to use manual scrolling mode if it is available, or take pictures in stages.
Sometimes it helps to clean the RAM before you create a screenshot. If there are many heavy applications running in the background, the system may not have time to process the frames for gluing. Close the unnecessary tabs in the browser and background applications to ensure smooth operation of the function.
Working with long images in the Gallery
Once you have created a long screenshot, it is saved to the standard Screenshots folder in the Gallery app, but working with such files has its own peculiarities. Due to the high resolution (height can reach tens of thousands of pixels), some social networks or messengers can refuse to send or compress the image.
The built-in MIUI editor allows you to crop a long image. You can select the "Cadrage" mode and select the desired area. This is useful if the automatic scrolling captured the extra menu at the bottom or the browser header at the top. The editor retains the proportions and quality of the original file.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot (Scroll shot) |
|---|---|---|
| Permit (width) | Standard (e.g. 1080 px) | Standard (e.g. 1080 px) |
| Permission (height) | Standard (e.g. 2340 px) | Variable (up to 50,000+px) |
| File size | 0.5 - 2 MB | 2 - 15 MB and more |
| Format of conservation | JPG / PNG | JPG / PNG |
When sending such files via WhatsApp or Telegram, it is recommended to choose the "Send as a file" option to avoid losing the readability of text. Messengers often aggressively compress graphics, and small text on a long screenshot can turn into an unreadable stain.
Third-party applications and advanced functions
If Xiaomi’s built-in capabilities aren’t enough, there are plenty of screenshot apps on Google Play that can offer features that aren’t available in stock firmware, such as taking screenshots in PDF format or automatically recognizing and highlighting tables.
One of the popular solutions is Tailor or Stitch It!. They work by automatically gluing a series of regular screenshots, you take a few snapshots with a little overlap, and the app finds the common areas and connects them into a single tape, which can be useful if the standard MIUI function is not working properly in a particular application.
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Use third-party gluing apps if you need to combine screenshots from different apps or if the system feature makes "sews" at frame junctions.
There are also tools to take screenshots of the entire web page, even the part that is not yet loaded into the phone’s memory, which can scroll the page and collect images themselves, sometimes running more stable than the system solution in heavy browsers.
⚠️ Note: When installing third-party apps to work with screenshots, carefully examine the permissions requested. Access to "Over Other Windows" and "Storage" is necessary for their operation, but access to contacts or microphone from such programs should be suspicious.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why does the Long Screenshot button not appear after a normal shot?
Can I take a scroll shot in horizontal mode?
Where are the long screenshots stored and how much do they weigh?
How to stop automatic scrolling at the right time?
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The built-in long screenshot function in MIUI is the fastest and highest-quality way to save web pages and correspondence, which does not require the installation of additional software.