Owners of modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO often face the need to quickly save information from the screen. Whether it is correspondence in the messenger, a plane ticket or an error in the application, the ability to take a quality screenshot is a basic skill. However, the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS offer many hidden features that not all users know about.
Standard methods may not work if the device has a custom diagonal or specific navigation settings. In this article, we will discuss not only classic keyboard shortcuts, but also advanced features such as long screenshots and automation through gestures. You will learn to manage this process as efficiently as possible, saving time in everyday use of the gadget.
Special attention should be paid to the correct design of the saved image, which allows you to immediately edit, crop or add notes without opening third-party applications, making the process of fixing information on the Xiaomi screen one of the most convenient on the market Android devices.
Classical Method Through Physical Buttons
The most common and reliable way to work on 99% of the brand models, including the budget Redmi series and the flagship Mi. It requires no pre-tuning and is available immediately after turning on the phone.
It's important to keep the pressing synchronized. If you press the volume button earlier or later, the power button, the phone can just change the sound level or turn off. A short press (about 0.5 seconds) is the optimal solution. Once you successfully complete the action, you will hear the characteristic click of the camera shutter, and a thumbnail will appear in the corner of the screen.
If you have trouble hitting the buttons, try changing the grip of the device. Often the problem lies in the awkward position of the fingers. It is also worth noting that on some custom firmware or in Game Turbo mode, the reaction to the buttons can be programmatically changed to avoid accidental shots.
- 📱 Press the "Loudness Down" and "Power" buttons at the same time.
- ⚡ Hold them for less than a second until the screen flash appears.
- 🖼️ Check the notification in the curtain or thumbnail in the corner of the display.
⚠️ Note: Do not keep the buttons pinched for too long (more than that). 3-4 second), as this may cause emergency emergency call of rescue services or forced reboot of the device if such a function is activated in the settings.
Use of control panel and screenshot menu
For those who prefer software solutions or have difficulty with physical buttons, Xiaomi has implemented a convenient software method, which is especially relevant if the volume buttons on your device have a backlash or are unstable.
Lower the top curtain twice to open the full list of switches. Among the many icons, find the Screenshot button (usually looks like scissors or a screen image) Pressing it instantly creates a snapshot of the current contents of the display. This technique is also useful when the screen is locked from physical influences in some applications.
In addition, there is an extended menu called by swipe three fingers (if enabled) or through special navigation buttons. In some versions of MIUI, when unlocking the screen or in the off menu, there may also be a screenshot creation button, which adds another level of user-friendliness.
Using software buttons avoids mechanical wear and tear on physical keys, which extends the life of a smartphone, especially for device owners who actively use the phone for work and take hundreds of screenshots a week.
Setting and using gestures with three fingers
One of the most popular features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is to create a screenshot of a three-finger swipe. This feature requires pre-activation in the settings menu, as by default it can be disabled to prevent accidental positives. The path to settings is usually: Settings → Additional settings → Screenshot.
Once you turn on the three-finger swipe option, you just swipe three fingers down from top to bottom on any area of the screen, and it instantly responds with an audible signal and saves the image, which is incredibly convenient when the phone is on the table or when the other hand is busy, and the speed of response to this gesture in recent firmware versions has increased significantly.
☑️ Customization of gestures
Note that a three-finger gesture may conflict with control in some games or drawing applications, and in such situations, the system may ignore the command or perform another action assigned to that gesture in a particular application, so it is recommended that the function be checked in different environments.
- 🖐️ Open the settings and find the screenshot management section.
- 🔘 Activate the switch "Swipe with three fingers".
- 👆 Swipe three fingers across the screen from top to bottom to check.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure your fingers are not too dry or wet, as this can affect the accuracy of the multi-touch layer’s recognition of three touch points at once.
The function of a long screenshot (scroll)
Often, you need to save not one frame, but an entire page of the site, a long correspondence in Telegram or an article in a news app. Xiaomi implements a “Long Screenshot” function. After creating a regular shot (in any of the ways described above), a special button with arrows down appears in the thumbnail or in the editing menu.
By clicking on the Scroll button (or arrow icon), you trigger an automatic capture mode. The screen will slowly scroll down, stitching the image into one long tape. You can stop the process at any time by pressing the stop button, or wait until the content is over. This is a unique feature that eliminates the need to take dozens of individual frames.
The quality of the final image depends on the resolution of the screen and the amount of RAM. When creating very long screenshots (more than 10 screens), the processor can work in a high-speed mode, which will lead to short-term heating of the case.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot. | Scrolt-video |
|---|---|---|---|
| File format | PNG / JPG | PNG (vertical) | MP4 / GIF |
| File size | Small (up to 2 MB) | Medium (2-10 MB) | Large (depending on length) |
| Use of the | One frame. | Sites, chat rooms | Dynamic content |
Voice Control and Google Assistant
Technology is moving forward, and you can now take a screenshot without touching your phone at all. If you have a Google Assistant or Mi AI setup (depending on the region), you can just say a command, which is especially handy when your hands are busy or dirty, for example, during cooking or repairs.
To activate, say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot." The assistant recognizes the command and performs the action. In some regions, there is also a Russian command for the built-in Xiaomi assistant, if it supports your language and region, which requires a stable Internet connection to process the voice request.
Voice control is not just a toy, it's an important element of accessibility, and for people with disabilities or hand injuries, this is becoming the main way to interact with a smartphone, and MIUI (constantly improving) speech recognition, making it increasingly reliable.
- 🗣️ Activate the assistant microphone (button or phrase).
- 📢 Say a clear command, Take a screenshot".
- ✅ Wait for confirmation of the action.
Editing and managing saved files
Once a screenshot is taken, the system suggests that you immediately go to edit it. Xiaomi's built-in image editor allows you to crop the extra, add text, draw arrows or smear sensitive information with a marker, all of which are available immediately after the image is created without requiring you to open the gallery.
All images taken are automatically saved to the Screenshots folder in internal storage. The path to files usually looks like Inner Memory → MIUI → Gallery → cloud → Screenshots or just in the Pictures/Screenshots folder depending on the Android version. You can easily find them through any file manager.
Remember to clean this folder periodically. Screenshots often contain one-time information (codes, tickets) that takes up space. Using cloud services or regular manual cleaning will help keep your smartphone performance at a high level.
⚠️ Note: When you delete screenshots through the “Recently Deleted” menu, remember that they will only permanently erase after 30 days or manually cleaning the cart, taking up disk space all this time.