Budget smartphone users often face the need to quickly save information displayed on the display. The Redmi 3S model, despite its age, remains popular due to its reliability, but the MIUI interface may not be obvious to beginners. The standard procedure for saving a screen image here has its own features that distinguish it from pure Android.
There are several ways to do this, from classic keyboard shortcuts to advanced system features. It is important for owners of Xiaomi devices to understand the difference between a regular shot and an advanced scrolling shot. We will analyze all available options so that you can choose the most convenient for your situation.
In some cases, standard combinations may fail due to touchscreen failures or software errors, and then alternative methods built into the MIUI shell come to the rescue, and let's take a closer look at each of them, starting with the fastest.
Classical method using physical buttons
The most common and quickest way to capture the current state of the display is to use hardware keys. On the Redmi 3S, they are located on the right side of the body, and you will need to press the on and off button at the same time.
It's important to keep the timing: pressing should be short-term, almost instantaneous, and if you hold your fingers longer than one second, the phone will go into the screen area selection mode or start the off menu, and accuracy of movements plays a key role here.
Once successful, the camera's signature shutter sound is heard, and a thumbnail appears at the top of the screen, which is a signal that the file is stored in the gallery, and this method works even in applications where other methods can be blocked.
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Press the buttons confidently, but without excessive effort, so as not to damage the mechanical elements of the old device body.
- 📸 Press “Loudness Down” and “Inclusion” at the same time.
- ⏱️ Hold no more than 0.5 seconds.
- 🔊 Wait for the confirmation beep.
- 🖼️ Check the notification in the status curtain.
Use of the Quick Access Menu
If your Redmi 3S physical buttons are worn or stuck, you can use the software interface, the MIUI shell provides a user-friendly control menu called by a swipe, which is important for those who prefer to minimize mechanical impact on the gadget.
To activate, you need to unlock your phone and swipe from top to bottom of the screen, and a curtain with notifications and switches will open, and among the many icons you need to find an icon with a picture of scissors or a camera that is signed as "Screenshot".
Once you click on the icon, the system automatically snaps a picture of the current content, which is particularly useful when your hands are busy or your phone is on the table, but it requires that the touchscreen function correctly throughout the area.
⚠️ Note: If the screenshot icon is missing from the curtain, click on the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots) and drag the icon to the active panel.
This interface allows you to quickly access the function without looking for buttons on the case, which reduces the risk of accidentally pressing the excess and resetting the current process in the application.
Setup and use of gestures in MIUI
Xiaomi’s shell is famous for its flexibility in setting up controls. The Redmi 3S features a special gesture that allows you to take a screenshot with three fingers. It’s a modern feature that greatly speeds up the process in scenarios where one hand is not comfortable to control the phone.
To activate the option, you need to go to the system settings. The path can look like Settings → Additional settings → Screenshots. In this section, you need to find the "Three Finger Screenshot" switch and turn it into the active position. Once turned on, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom of the screen.
The system responds to motion instantly by creating an image, which is especially useful when browsing long web pages or messaging messages, but it is worth considering that in some heavy games or applications with a horizontal orientation, the gesture may not work due to the peculiarities of touch processing.
- 🖐️ Open the additional settings section.
- ✅ Activate the gesture control switchboard.
- 👇 Swipe three fingers across the display.
- ⚙️ Set up sensitivity when necessary.
☑️ Checking the operation of gestures
Extended screenshot and timer function
One of the most useful features in MIUI is the ability to create long screenshots, which is indispensable when you need to save all WhatsApp correspondence or a long article in the browser without taking dozens of individual frames. After you create a normal picture (by buttons or gesture), a thumbnail appears in the corner.
Click on this thumbnail to open the editor. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a button that says "Scroll" or a down arrow icon. When you click on it, the system will automatically scroll through the content and stitch the images into one long tape, and the process will stop when you touch the screen or reach the end of the page.
There's also a timer mode available on this menu, so you can set a 3 or 5 second delay before you take a picture, so you can prepare the screen, open the pop-up or menu that you want to open, and you can get the timer to remove your finger and get a clean shot without any extra interface elements.
| Regime. | Description of action | Best application |
|---|---|---|
| Normal. | Instant snapshot | Preservation of errors, dialogues |
| Scrolling | Long ribbon | Correspondence, websites, documents |
| Timer 3s. | 3 seconds delay | Opening the context menu |
| Timer 5c. | 5 seconds delay | Difficult transitions in applications |
Using these tools makes Redmi 3S a powerful tool for working with information. You're no longer limited to the size of a single screen.
Control through voice commands
For those who prefer voice control, Xiaomi offers integration with Google Assistant, which allows you to take screenshots without touching the screen at all, just say the activating phrase, and the phone will execute the command.
Say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot," or "Take a screenshot." The system recognizes the request and saves the image. This method requires an active Internet connection and a configured Google account on the device. In poor connectivity, the feature may or may not work at all.
Why can't the voice assistant hear the commands?
Voice control is not just a convenience, but a necessity for people with hand mobility disabilities. On Redmi 3S, this feature works consistently if you have the latest versions of Google Play services installed.
- 🎙️ Activate the assistant with a phrase or button.
- 🗣️ Say the command "Take a screenshot».
- ☁️ Network connection required.
- 📂 The file is saved to a standard folder.
Where to find saved images and how to edit them
Once you've created a screenshot, you've got a question about where it is, and in the MIUI-based Android file system, all the screenshots are automatically sorted, and you can find them in the Gallery app in a separate album called Screenshots.
If you prefer file managers, look for the path Internal memory → MIUI → Gallery → cloud → Screenshots or just Pictures → Screenshots. Here files are stored in the original resolution. The built-in editor allows you to crop the extra, draw arrows or add text immediately after you create a frame.
Editing right in the moment saves time, and by clicking on the preview right after the shot, you get to the editing interface, and you have filters, markers, and the ability to resize, which makes Redmi 3S a convenient tool for creating instructions or explanations for colleagues.
⚠️ Note: When editing and resaving, image quality may decrease slightly due to clamping JPEG. For critical data, it is better to save the original.
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The album Screenshots in the gallery syncs with the Mi Cloud cloud, if the appropriate option is enabled, which ensures the safety of data in case of loss of the phone.