Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to capture information displayed on the display, whether it is correspondence, a map or a game moment. the Redmi 5, despite its age, remains popular due to its stable operation and functional shell MIUI. You can take a screenshot on this device in many ways, each of which has its advantages depending on the situation.
Standard methods built into Android and refined by Xiaomi engineers allow you to capture the image in a split second. However, many users are still unaware of hidden features, such as advanced screenshot or gesture control. Understanding all the options available makes it much easier to interact with the gadget.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the ways you can create screenshots on Redmi 5. You will learn about button combinations, notification curtain settings, and specialized MIUI shell features that turn a regular screenshot into a powerful information tool.
Classical Method Through Physical Buttons
The fastest and most common way that every Android smartphone user is familiar with is using hardware buttons. On the Redmi 5, the combination remained standard: you need to press the volume button and the power button simultaneously. It is important to press them synchronously, but without undue effort, so as not to damage the mechanisms.
Successful performance is accompanied by the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is on) and visual animation of the screen folding. In the upper right corner, a thumbnail of the image will appear, when you click on which the quick edit menu will open, this method works even if the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive.
⚠️ Warning: Don't hold the buttons too long. Prolonged clamping of the volume and power combination on Redmi 5 can force the device to restart or go into Recovery mode, which will interrupt your current work.
For users who often take screenshots with one hand, this method may seem inconvenient because of the location of the buttons, in which case it is worth considering the alternatives offered by the software part of the system.
Use the Quick Settings Menu (Stork)
If physical action on the buttons is impossible or uncomfortable, the MIUI interface offers a software analog, which requires a top-down swipe to open the notification curtain, and then swipe down again to reveal the full menu of the switches, and among the many icons you need to find a button that says "Screenshot" or a scissor icon.
This method is particularly useful when the device is lying on a table or connected to a docking station. Pressing a virtual button instantly captures the current state of the display. The system automatically saves the file to the gallery and issues a corresponding notification.
💡
If you don’t find the Screenshot button in the curtain, click on the edit icon (usually in the form of a pencil or tripod) and drag the screenshot icon from the bottom list to the switch active zone.
The main advantage of this method is that it does not risk accidentally restarting the phone, and it is ideal for people with disabilities who find it difficult to perform accurate simultaneous pressing.
Three fingers and gesture control
MIUI is famous for its clever gestures, and Redmi 5 is no exception. The three-finger screenshot feature is one of the most convenient, but it's often disabled by default. To activate it, go to Settings → Additional Settings → Screenshots and turn on the "Three-finger screenshot" option.
Once activated, you just have to swipe your three fingers down from top to bottom across the screen in any area of the interface, and the system instantly responds with an audible signal and creates a snapshot, which is intuitive and allows you to take screenshots without changing the grip of the device.
It is worth noting that the gesture may not work in some system applications or games where it conflicts with internal controls, and in such situations it is better to switch to the classic method with buttons.
Extended screenshot (Scrolling)
One of the most popular features for Xiaomi owners is the ability to create long screenshots, which is indispensable when you want to capture long correspondence on WhatsApp, an article in a browser or a social network feed that does not fit on one screen.
After you take a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described above), a floating window with a preview appears in the upper right corner, and at the bottom of this window is a button with down arrows or a scroll icon, and you click on it and you start scrolling.
The device will automatically scroll downwards, stitching the image into one long picture, and the process will stop when you touch the screen, reach the end of the page, or the system can no longer stabilize the image.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Extended screenshot |
|---|---|---|
| File format | PNG | PNG (vertical) |
| File size | ~200-500 Kb | 1 MB to 10 MB |
| Time of creation | < 1 sec | Depends on the length. |
| Support | Everywhere. | Not in all applications |
Why can a long screenshot be cut off?
Image quality and format settings
In the settings of Redmi 5, you can find parameters that affect the quality of the images you receive. By default, screenshots are saved in PNG format, which provides high quality lossless, but takes up more space than JPEG. For texts and interfaces, this is the best choice.
In the Settings → Screenshots menu (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI), you can change the resolution of the images you create. Lowering the resolution is useful if you plan to send a screenshot through a file size-limited messenger, such as via Email.
It also adjusts the shutter sound, so if you're taking screenshots in a movie theater or in a meeting, you better turn it off so you don't get the attention of others, but remember that the system sounds of the interface may stay.
💡
The PNG format retains the clarity of text and fine interface details, which is critical for instructions and technical documentation.
Where to look and how to edit the photos
All images are automatically stored in the device's internal memory, and can be found through the standard Screenshot Gallery app or through the file manager on the Internal Storage → DCIM → Screenshots path.
The built-in MIUI editor allows you to do basic things like cropping, adding text, drawing arrows, or blurring sensitive information immediately after you create a screenshot, eliminating the need to install third-party apps.
For more complex processing, such as creating collages or overlaying filters, it is better to use third-party editors that can be downloaded from Google Play. However, for most tasks, the built-in functionality of Redmi 5 is quite enough.