Budget smartphone owners often face the challenge of capturing what’s happening on the screen, whether it’s messaging, an interesting moment in the game, or an important notification. For the Redmi 7A, this is done in a number of ways, each with its own characteristics. The standard MIUI operating system provides a wide range of tools for working with images, but not all users are aware of the hidden features.
Understanding how to take screenshots quickly and correctly makes it much easier to use your gadget every day. You don’t have to look for third-party apps or complex settings, as all the necessary functionality is already built into the shell of the manufacturer. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the options available, from classic button combinations to advanced gestures.
It’s worth noting that the Redmi 7A has physical features that affect how you choose to use it, such as the location of the volume and power buttons may not be convenient for everyone, so knowing how to create screenshots is a critical skill for a comfortable device.
Classical method with physical buttons
The most common and reliable way to capture the current state of the screen is to use hardware keys, which works on all versions of MIUI firmware and does not require any pre-tuning. To take a picture, you need to press volume and lock buttons at the same time.
It's important to follow the right course of action and time interval. Pressing should be short-term, but clear. If you press the buttons too hard or hold them for a long time, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the emergency call menu or force reboot.
Successful execution of the action is accompanied by the characteristic sound of the camera shutter and visual animation of the image folding in the corner of the display. At this point, the system automatically saves the file to the gallery. If you did everything correctly, then a thumbnail will appear in the upper corner, allowing you to quickly move to edit or share an image.
- 📸 Press the Volume and Nutrition buttons at the same time.
- ⏱️ Hold the press for less than one second.
- 🔊 Wait for the sound signal and vibration.
- 🖼️ Check the thumbnail in the corner of the screen.
Some users prefer this method for its versatility, which works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or locked in a particular application, but for people with small fingers, pressing the buttons on the Redmi 7A at the same time may not be the most convenient solution due to the size of the case.
☑️ Preparation check for the picture
Using three-finger gestures
A more modern and ergonomic way, which is highly appreciated by users of smartphones with large diagonals, the feature of creating a screenshot swipe allows you to control the process with one hand, which is especially important in motion.
To activate the function, go to the settings menu and find the optional section. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but most often it is in "Advanced Settings" or "Special Features." Here you need to find the switch that creates gestures.
⚠️ Warning: Make sure there is no thickened edge protective film on the screen that can interfere with the recording of multi-touch gestures.In some cases, the thick protective glass reduces the sensitivity of the sensor, and the system does not recognize the touch with three fingers.
Once you turn on the feature, the image creation process becomes instantaneous, and you just swipe three fingers down the center of the screen, and the system instantly responds to the touch, makes a sound, and saves the file, which is especially useful when browsing the web or reading long documents.
- 👆 Open the settings and select Additional.
- 🖐️ Find the screenshot with three fingers.
- ✅ Activate the switch to the on position.
- ⬇️ Swipe three fingers on the screen from top to bottom.
It's worth considering that this gesture may conflict with other system commands in some applications, such as in graphics editors or multi-touch games, a random touch with three fingers can interrupt gameplay, so in such situations it's better to rely on physical buttons.
Control through the notification curtain
If physical buttons are unavailable or faulty for some reason, and gestures are not configured, a quick action panel comes to the rescue. This method is ideal for those who prefer software control and are afraid of damaging the mechanical elements of a smartphone. The notification curtain in MIUI contains many useful widgets, including the button to create a screenshot.
To access the functionality, you need to unlock your phone and swipe from top to bottom to open the control panel. Depending on the display settings, you may need to swipe twice or click on the edit button to deploy the full list of icons, among which you will find an icon resembling scissors or a screen image.
Clicking on this icon initiates the process of saving the current frame, and the advantage of this method is that it completely eliminates the risk of accidentally pressing other keys. In addition, this method is often used to create instructions or video lessons on working with the Redmi 7A interface when hands are busy holding the device.
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If you don’t see the screenshot icon in the curtain, click the edit button (usually in the form of a pencil or gear) and drag the Screenshot icon from the list of hidden widgets to the active area.
But there are limitations to this method, which requires two hands to be used comfortably: one to hold the phone, the other to control the screen, and in situations where the phone is on the table or in the holder, this becomes the preferred solution.
Voice control and Google Assistant
Voice recognition technology allows you to control your smartphone without touching the screen, opening up new possibilities for taking screenshots. The Redmi 7A has a Google Assistant built in that understands Russian voice commands, which can be useful when your hands are busy or dirty.
To use this method, make sure you have your voice assistant turned on and your recognition language set up. You can activate the assistant with the phrase "OK, Google" or by long pressing the home button if this feature is assigned in the settings. After activation, just say the command to create an image.
The system will process the request and perform a button-like action, which is not only convenient, but also demonstrates the power of artificial intelligence in everyday tasks. Voice control is especially important for people with disabilities or in situations where physical interaction with the screen is difficult.
- 🎙️ Activate the assistant with the phrase OK Google.
- 🗣️ Say the command Take a screenshot.
- ⏳ Wait for confirmation of execution from the voice assistant.
- 📂 Check the gallery to save the result.
In poor network coverage, the command may not execute the first time, so it is worth having a backup plan in the form of buttons or gestures.
Long screenshot and extended functions
One of the most popular features in the MIUI shell is the ability to create long screenshots, or scrolling, which is an indispensable tool for saving correspondence in messengers, web pages or long contact lists. After you create a regular screenshot, a thumbnail with additional control buttons appears in the corner.
By clicking on a button with a down arrow or a Scrolling sign, you start the automatic content scanning mode. The phone will slowly scroll down the page, gluing the frames into one long image. The process can be stopped at any time by touching the screen.
What to do if a long screenshot is cut?
In addition to scrolling, the system offers tools for quick editing, so you can crop an image, add text, pictures, or blur sensitive information immediately after you create it, all of which are available in the preview interface that appears immediately after you take the picture.
| Function | Description | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| A normal shot. | Maintenance of current staff | Buttons or gestures |
| Long screenshot. | Scrolling and gluing | Menu after the photo |
| Editorial | Drawing and text | Pencil button |
| Share. | Sending to messenger | Icon |
The use of advanced features saves time and does not resort to third-party software. the built-in MIUI editor has sufficient functionality for basic image processing, which makes the process of creating and preparing screenshots as fast and efficient as possible.
Where to look for saved screenshots
Once an image is successfully created, the question arises about its location in the file system. In Xiaomi smartphones, all screenshots are automatically sorted and placed in a separate folder, which makes it easier to find and manage files, you can find them through the standard Gallery app or file manager.
In the Gallery app, go to Albums, where you'll see the Screenshots category, where all the images you've taken are stored, sorted by date, so the most recent ones are at the top of the list, so you can quickly find the file you want and send it to the person you're talking to.
If you prefer to work with the file system directly, the path through the explorer will look like this: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots. Knowledge of this path can come in handy when connecting the phone to a computer to transfer files or when cleaning the device’s memory.
It is recommended to check this folder periodically and delete old or unnecessary pictures. Screenshots often take up a significant amount of memory, especially if they are high-resolution or long. Regular cleaning will help keep the Redmi 7A high-speed.