Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO have long established themselves as devices with a thoughtful interface where basic functions are implemented as conveniently as possible. Screenshot is one of the most popular operations necessary to save correspondence, an application error or an interesting moment in the game. However, beginners or users who have switched from other brands often have confusion in methods, especially given the variety of models and versions of the MIUI or HyperOS shell.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways you can capture images on your display, from classic physical buttons to advanced features like long-screenshots, where to look for saved files, how to edit the resulting image quickly, and what to do if standard methods stop working.
The variety of models, from the budget Redmi Note series to the flagship Xiaomi 13/14, dictates the need to know the universal methods that work everywhere. Whether you are using the old Redmi 9 or the latest POCO F5, the principles will remain similar, although the layout of interface elements may vary slightly. Let's move from theory to practice.
Classical Method Through Physical Buttons
The fastest and most reliable way to do this is to work on 99% of Android devices, including the entire Xiaomi lineup. The mechanism is simple: the system captures the current state of the video buffer at the time of pressing. This requires both the volume down button and the screen lock button. It is important to keep synchrony: if you press one button before the other even for a fraction of a second, instead of taking a screen, you can start a switch-off menu or adjust the sound.
Many users make the mistake of trying to pinch buttons too hard or hold them for a long time. In fact, it should be a short but clear click-like press. If you hold your finger longer than a second, the system mechanism may think of this as a command to call a voice assistant or emergency call, depending on the settings. Practice shows that light and quick touching both keys gives the best result.
Once you've done the action, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera (if the sound is not turned off), and a thumbnail of the image will appear in the corner of the screen. This notification allows you to instantly go to edit or share a file. If the screen just blinked but the sound didn't play, check the system's sound settings, you may have a silent mode that blocks the audio confirmation of actions.
☑️ Pre-screening
It is worth noting that on some models with AMOLED displays and refresh rate of 120 Hz, a screenshot can save an image in a standard 60 Hz resolution if the high-resolution option in the developer settings is not enabled, although for ordinary tasks this rarely matters. Physical buttons remain the “gold standard” since they work even when the touchscreen temporarily does not respond or the interface of a particular application freezes.
Use of control panel and swipes
The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer alternative management techniques that may be more convenient for users with larger smartphones, where reaching the top buttons is physically difficult. The first option is to use a notification curtain. Swipe from top to bottom to open the control center, and find the Screenshot icon (usually looks like a scissor or a square).
The second, more elegant way is to use the Three Finger gesture system, which was originally a MIUI feature, but has now become the standard for many. To activate it, go to the settings menu, select the "Advanced" section, then the "Scanned Screenshot" option, and enable the "Three Finger Screenshot" option, and once activated, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom of the screen at any time to capture the image.
But the three-finger method has its nuances. On big screens like the Redmi Note 12 Pro or Xiaomi 13 Ultra, it can be physically difficult to reach the entire width of the display with three fingers. In these cases, the system often allows you to swipe not across the entire width, but in any convenient area, but requires some skill. In addition, this gesture can conflict with the control gestures in some games or drawing applications.
If a three-finger swipe doesn't work, check to see if the Gloves mode or hypersensitivity that can distort multi-touch input is on. Also make sure the screen screen screen screen screen is not too thick, as this can prevent the correct recognition of three simultaneous touches. For most users, the three-finger combination of buttons and swipe covers 100% of daily use needs.
Voice control and Google Assistant
When your hands are busy or your device is on the table, voice commands come to the rescue. Google Assistant is deeply integrated into Android and allows you to control your smartphone without touching. To take a screenshot with your voice, just say the phrase "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or "Pick a screenshot." The assistant recognizes the command, emits an audible signal and saves the image in the gallery.
This method is especially useful for people with disabilities or in cases where physical access to buttons is difficult (for example, the phone is fixed in a car holder). However, this method requires an active Internet connection to work, since voice requests often occur on Google servers. Without a network, the command may fail or be executed with a delay.
⚠️ Note: When using a voice assistant in public places, keep privacy in mind. The loud Take a Screenshot command can catch the attention of others, especially if the screen is displaying personal correspondence or a banking app at this point.
In addition, some Xiaomi models with Xiao AI installed (relevant to Chinese firmware versions) may have Chinese commands. For global versions that ship to Russia and the CIS, the Google ecosystem remains the main tool. If the voice assistant does not respond, check in Google's settings whether the "Voice Match" option is activated and there is a screen access permission.
The function of a long screenshot (scroll)
One of the most useful features in Xiaomi’s arsenal is the ability to create “long” screenshots that capture the entire page’s contents, even if it does not fit on one screen. This is indispensable for saving long correspondence in messengers, articles in the browser or lists on social networks. After you have taken a regular screenshot (buttons or swipe), an icon with the “down page” symbol or the text “Scroll” will appear in the upper right corner of the thumbnail.
By clicking on this icon, the system will automatically start scrolling down the content, taking a series of snapshots and gluing them into a single long image. The process continues until you hit the stop button or reach the end of the page. It is important that the content is scrolling: on a static image or desktop, this button may not be active.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot. | File format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permission | Native screen | Native X Content Height | PNG / JPG |
| File weight | 100-500 Kb. | 1-5 MB and higher | No compression. |
| Editing | Instantly. | After the scroll is completed | Built-in editor |
| Support | All applications | Browsers, Gallery, Chats | Depends on the app. |
The quality of the final image when creating a long screenshot depends on the original screen resolution and pixel density. On high-resolution devices such as the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G, the final file can take up a significant amount of memory if the page has a lot of graphics. Once you finish scrolling, you can crop the extra edges or add annotations before saving.
Why can a long screenshot break down?
Where to look and how to edit screenshots
Once created, the screenshot is automatically saved to a standard gallery folder. In the file manager, the path to it usually looks like this: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots or MIUI → Gallery → cloud, depending on the firmware version and synchronization settings. The Gallery app for screenshots often creates a separate album, which makes it easier to find the right images among the photos taken by the camera.
Once you've created a screenshot, if you click on the thumbnail, it opens up a built-in editor, and it offers a basic but functional set of tools: framing, adding text, hand-drawing, blurring sensitive information (with a marker) and overlaying stickers, which are enough to quickly prepare the image for sending to a messenger or social network without the need to install third-party applications.
The special feature is Blurring, which allows you to hide passwords, card numbers or private messages directly in the image. Unlike simply overpainting with a marker that you can try to pull out with filters, the blur tool in MIUI works fairly reliably for household use, and the function of adding a stamp with a date and time is also available, which can be useful for documenting errors.
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Save screenshots in PNG format if the image is full of text or graphics with clear boundaries.PNG uses lossless compression, unlike JPG, which ensures the readability of small text even after saving.
If you delete a screenshot by mistake, don't panic. For 30 days, it will be in the gallery's "Recently Deleted" folder. After that, the data will be permanently erased unless synced with Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud is used. Check this folder regularly to make room if you need it, or restore important files.
Solution and advanced settings
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where screenshots are impossible to take: buttons do not respond, swipe does not work, most often this is due to security restrictions of Android, for example, in banking applications, incognito browser mode or when viewing content from the Internet. DRM-Security (Netflix, Kinopoisk) is a system-level block on screenshots, and you'll see a black screen instead of an image.
In the advanced settings (Settings → Additional Features → Screenshot), you can find the option “Remove the toolbar after creation.” If it is turned on, the thumbnail will disappear after a few seconds without interfering with the view. You can change the way you create a screenshot if the standard one conflicts with other gestures. For advanced users, a USB debugging mode is available, allowing you to take screenshots through your computer using ADB commands.
⚠️ Attention: Team ADB adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png requires on-set debugging USB Do not use this method for everyday tasks, as it is designed for developers and can reduce the security of the device if you do not configure it correctly.
If screenshots are no longer saved, check the storage space of the device. When the drive is overflowing, the system can block the recording of new files. It is also worth rebooting the smartphone - this will clear the cache of the system processes responsible for the operation of the interface. In rare cases, resetting the "special features" settings helps if you install third-party applications that interfere with the screen.
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Blocking screenshots in banking apps is not a mistake, but a security measure to protect your financial data from malware.