The Xiaomi Mi A2 is a unique device in the brand lineup, as it runs on a pure Android One operating system, rather than the usual MIUI shell. This fundamental difference dictates its rules for managing the interface, including the process of saving images from the screen. Users switching from other Xiaomi models often find that the usual key combinations or gestures here work differently or are not at all. Understanding the specifics of a “pure” Android is the key to comfortable operation of the gadget.
In this article, we will take a look at all the methods available to capture the contents of a display quickly and efficiently. We will look at the standard combinations of physical buttons, touch controls, and advanced features available on the system. Whether you need to save correspondence, an interesting frame from a game or an application error, you will find a suitable way. The combination of volume and power buttons is the only universal method that works even when the interface is completely blocked.
The operating system provides multiple levels of access to screenshots for different use cases. Sometimes you just need to save a frame, and in other cases you need to take a long shot of the page you are scrolling or edit the image immediately after you create. Android One's flexibility allows you to choose the most convenient interaction option. Next, we will move from theory to practice, describing each method Step-by-step.
Using physical buttons to screenshot
The fastest and most reliable way to take a screenshot on the Xiaomi Mi A2 is using hardware keys. This method is built into the Android operating system kernel and works at the driver level, so it functions even in those rare cases when the touch screen temporarily does not respond or the interface freezes. The mechanism of action is simple: the system registers the simultaneous pressing of two signals and initiates the process of copying the frame buffer to the device memory.
To do this, you need to locate the volume and power buttons. On the Mi A2, they are located on the right side of the body. It is important to observe the correct timing of the press, since holding too long can cause the switch-off or reboot menu, and too short will not be recognized by the system as a command.
- 📱 Find the volume down button (the bottom of a pair of volume buttons) and the power button.
- ⚡ Press them simultaneously and release them quickly – the delay should be less than a second.
- 📸 Wait for the characteristic sound of the camera shutter and the visual flash of the screen, confirming the success.
- 🖼️ Check the notification at the top of the screen where a thumbnail of the screenshot will appear.
⚠️ Warning: If you have a power-off menu instead of a screenshot, you've been holding the buttons for too long. Try pressing more sharply and shortly, literally like a punch.
It's worth noting that on some firmware modifications or when you use thick side covers, it's physically difficult to press both buttons at the same time. In these cases, the fingers can slip, which leads to an input error. The accuracy of the press is critical here. If you don't get it the first time, don't worry -- it's a matter of habitually placing the controls on that body.
After you successfully create a screenshot, a notification will appear in the top right corner (or left, depending on the Android version), and clicking on it will take you to the editor where you can crop the image, markup or share the file. If you ignore the notification, the file will automatically be saved to the gallery in the Screenshots folder.
Set up and use gestures in Android One
Since the Xiaomi Mi A2 runs on pure Android, there are some branded MIUI gestures missing here, such as holding three fingers down.However, depending on the installed version of the operating system and security updates installed, the functionality may expand. Recent versions of Android have native gesture support, but it often requires activation or installation of additional Google components.
First, check if you can get a standard gesture function, which allows you to take screenshots without using physical buttons, which is especially convenient when the phone is on the table or when it is difficult to reach the volume keys with one hand, and activation of this option is deep in the system settings, which sometimes causes difficulties for inexperienced users.
To find the necessary parameters, follow the path: Settings → System → Gestures → Screenshot. If such a menu item is missing, this means that your current version of the software does not support native gestures for this model, or the manufacturer has considered it necessary to exclude this feature, in which case you can use third-party solutions, which will be discussed below.
- 👆 Open the settings menu through the gear in the notification curtain or through the settings app.
- 🔍 Go to the System section and select Gestures.
- 🖐️ Find the screenshot option and activate the switch.
- ✋ Use a command (usually tapping with a knuckle or swipe with three fingers if supported).
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If standard gestures don’t work, try installing Google Assistant and use the voice command “OK, Google, take a screenshot.”
An alternative to standard gestures is Google’s Quick Commands feature, if integrated into your build, which allows you to assign an action to a long-term home button press (if you use button navigation) or swipe around the edges of the screen, but on the Mi A2, with its navigation buttons or full-screen gestures, this can create control conflicts.
⚠️ Note: When using three-finger gestures, make sure that the screen does not run apps that use similar gestures for their functions (such as games or graphics editors) to avoid random actions.
If the built-in tools don’t meet your needs, there are a variety of apps from the Google Play Store that add advanced gesture management capabilities, which can allow you to draw an “S” on a screen that’s turned off or take screenshots of shaking your device, and these apps require special permissions, including “Special Features,” which gives them deep access to the system.
Multitasking menu and additional options
In the Android operating system installed on the Xiaomi Mi A2, there is another way to create screenshots that often go unnoticed: It is linked to the multitasking menu, which displays newly opened applications, a method that is especially convenient when you want to quickly save the content of your current application without interrupting to search for buttons.
When you switch between running programs, if you look closely at the app card in the recent task menu, some versions of Android show a small camera icon or a “More” button (three dots), clicking on this item reveals the context menu, where, among other options, the “Scan screenshot” option may be present.
However, it is worth considering that the functionality of the multitasking menu is highly dependent on the launcher and the version of Android. On pure Android One, this functionality can be reduced compared to custom shells. However, it is worth checking the availability of such a feature, since this is one of the most ergonomic ways to interact with the interface.
☑️ Checking available options
Also in this section, we should mention the possibility of using Google Assistant. The assistant has access to the contents of the screen and can execute a command to take a screenshot on a voice request, which is especially true for people with disabilities or in situations where hands are busy.
To activate, just say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot," or press and hold the Home button (or swipe from the corner if Google Assistant gestures are configured) to call the assistant, and then say a command. The system automatically creates an image and suggests options for its use. This is a modern and technological approach to managing a smartphone.
Creating long screenshots (scrolling)
One of the most popular features for users of social networks and instant messengers is the ability to create long screenshots, or “scrollshots.” On the Xiaomi Mi A2 with its pure Android system, this feature is implemented natively, but has its own features compared to MIUI. It allows you to capture a web page, correspondence in WhatsApp or a long post in Telegram as a whole, automatically “sewing” several frames.
The process starts with taking a normal screenshot of any of the methods described above (by buttons or gestures). Immediately after you hear the shutter click, a thumbnail toolbar will appear at the top of the screen or in the corner, and that's where the key to creating a long image lies, and if you ignore that window, it will disappear in a few seconds and the opportunity will be missed.
You'll find a button on the dashboard that has a down arrow or a scroll-like icon. Different versions of Android may have different icons, but the logic remains the same. Pressing that button triggers scroll mode. The screen will automatically move downwards, grabbing new content and adding it to the frame that's already saved.
| Action. | System response | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Single press of the scroll button | Scroll down one screen | Adding a piece of content |
| Holding the scroll button | Automatic scrolling to the end | Creating a long image |
| Touching the screen while scrolling | Stopping the process | Fixing the current frame |
| Reaching the end of the page | Automatic stop | Save the full screenshot |
It's important to understand that long-screenshots don't work in all apps; they work in browsers (Chrome, Firefox, messengers, and news feeds), but in dynamically loaded apps or games, automatic scrolling may not work or fail because the system can't predict new content.
Why does the long screenshot end?
Editing and managing saved screenshots
Once the image is saved, Android One offers a powerful, albeit minimalist, built-in editor that allows basic processing without the need to install third-party applications, saving device memory and user time.
Once you've created a screenshot, if you click on a notification or thumbnail, you'll see an editing interface, and you'll have Crop tools available, which is useful for removing extra interfaces or sensitive information around the edges, and you'll also have drawing tools like a marker, a pencil, and an eraser that can highlight important details or hide text.
And there's also a feature that's often available in the editor that adds text, so you can choose color, font size and type, and that turns your smartphone into a tool for quick instructions or explanations for colleagues, and all the changes are applied in a non-destructive way until you save, so you can always cancel the last action.
- ✂️ Cutting: changing the image boundaries to focus on the main.
- 🎨 Drawing: highlighting areas with marker or arrows.
- 📝 Text: Add text comments over the image.
- 💾 Save: fixing changes to the same file or creating a copy.
Screenshots are managed through Google Photos or a standard file manager, and all screenshots are automatically sorted into a separate Screenshots folder inside the DCIM or Pictures directory, which ensures order in the gallery and makes it easy to find the images you want from thousands of personal photos.
Decision and specific situations
Despite the simplicity of the process, Xiaomi Mi A2 users may face certain challenges. Often the question is why a screenshot is not created in a particular application. It is not a malfunction of the phone, but a feature of data protection. Banking applications, incognito modes in browsers and some streaming services (Netflix, Kinopoisk) block the ability to create screenshots at the security level.
In such cases, when you try to take a screenshot, you either won't see any reaction, or you'll keep a black square in the gallery. This is normal behavior of the Android operating system, designed to protect your personal data and the copyrights of content makers. You can't get around this restriction with standard means without root rights, which is not recommended for ordinary users.
Another common problem is the poor quality of screenshots in games. Some games render the interface in lower resolution to improve performance, so screenshots can look blurry. In the game settings, you can sometimes find an option called HD screenshots or similar, which forcefully improves the quality of the saved frames.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to take screenshots of banking applications through screen recording or third-party assistant programs bypassing protection - this may be regarded by the bank's security system as an attempt to hack, which will lead to blocking access to the account.
Also worth mentioning is the memory shortage: If the internal storage of the Mi A2 is crowded, the system will not be able to save the new file. In this case, you will see a saving error notification, check the free space in the storage settings regularly and clear the cache or delete unnecessary files.
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Blocking screenshots in apps is an Android security feature, not a defect of your Xiaomi Mi A2.