Creating a screenshot on Xiaomi smartphones is a basic feature that can be required at any time. Owners of popular Redmi 4X and Note models often look for ways to quickly capture information, whether it is correspondence in the messenger or the result of the game. The MIUI operating system has several methods for doing this task, each of which has its own advantages depending on the situation.
Standard methods work consistently across all firmware, but knowing the additional features saves time. Users can choose between a combination of physical buttons, controlling through the notification curtain or using special gestures. We will analyze each option in detail so that you can choose the most convenient for your use case.
Special attention should be paid to system settings, as some functions can be disabled by default. Understanding the working principles of the clipboard and the MIUI gallery will help to avoid losing important data immediately after the image is created. Below are detailed instructions for all current versions of the shell.
Classical method using physical buttons
The most common and reliable way to capture a screenshot on Xiaomi devices is to use a combination of control keys, which works even if the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or the system interface is frozen. On Redmi 4X and Note models, the physical home button is often replaced by a capacitive or virtual one, so the standard button bundle looks different.
To create a picture, you need to simultaneously press the volume reduction key and the device switch on. Hold them for about one second. The characteristic sound of the camera shutter and the visual flash of the screen will confirm the successful operation. If you press the buttons too weak, the phone can simply change the volume or turn off.
⚠️ Note: Do not hold the buttons for too long (more than that). 5-7 second), as this may force the device to restart instead of taking a screenshot.
Once you create an image, you'll have a thumbnail in the top corner of the screen, and you'll immediately go to edit mode, where you can crop, add text, or draw, and if you don't do anything, the screenshot will automatically be saved to the gallery in a few seconds.
- 📸 Press the button Loudness down and Power at the same time.
- ⏱ Hold the combination. 1-2 seconds before the animations appear.
- 🖼 Tap the thumbnail for quick editing.
- 🔇 Turn off the shutter sound in the settings if silence is required.
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To make the screenshot absolutely silent, before the action, transfer the phone to silent mode or turn the media volume to zero.
Use of notification curtain and control menu
The second most popular method of creating screenshots on Xiaomi is using a quick access panel, which is especially convenient when it is difficult to press a button combination with one hand or when the physical buttons of the device are damaged. MIUI It allows you to put the screenshot function in a prominent place.
To access the feature, you need to swipe from top to bottom to open the control center. Depending on the version of the shell, it can be one long curtain or two separate panels for notifications and toggles. Find an icon with a picture of scissors or a camera. Pressing on it instantly creates a snapshot of the current contents of the screen.
If the standard icon is not on the first page of the widgets, you can add it manually. To do this, click on the edit button (usually the icon of a pencil or gear in the corner of the panel) and drag the Screenshot element into the active zone. This action takes a few seconds, but significantly speeds up work in the future.
| Action. | The result | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Swipe top down. | Opening the curtain | Requires two hands or agility |
| Pressing the icon | Creating a screenshot | Silent method (depending on settings) |
| Editing the menu | Addition of a button | Customize once for all |
Gesture control: three fingers
One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is to take a screenshot with a three-finger gesture, which requires pre-activation in settings, but once turned on becomes the fastest way to capture information. It's ideal for models with large screens like the Redmi Note series.
To activate the function, go to the settings menu and select "More." There you need to find "Screenshot" or "Gesturies and buttons." Turn on the option "Screenshot with three fingers." After that, simply swiping three fingers from top to bottom of the screen will instantly save the image.
It is important to note that the gesture must be done confidently and quickly, and if you move your fingers slowly, the system may perceive this as normal page scrolling or not at all, and also make sure that there is no protective film on the screen with a poor oleophobic coating that can interfere with multi-touch.
⚠️ A three-finger gesture may conflict with the features of some reading apps or browsers where three-fingers are used for other actions.
Some versions of the firmware allow you to customize the capture area when using a gesture, so you can choose whether the entire screen will be saved or just a dedicated rectangular area, which is useful if you want to capture only a specific piece of correspondence or a graphic.
- 👆 Swipe three fingers from top to bottom across the screen.
- ⚙ Activate the function in the Settings section → Additionally.
- ✂ Select the mode: full screen or area highlight.
- 🚫 Turn off the gesture if it interferes with other applications.
☑️ Checking the setting of gestures
Extended features: long screenshot and timer
Modern versions of MIUI offer features that go beyond just saving a picture, one of the most sought-after features being a long screenshot (or scrolling shot), which allows you to capture the entire page of a site, long text messages in a messenger or a document as a whole, rather than just the visible part of the screen.
Immediately after you create a regular screenshot (by any means) at the top of the screen, you will see a toolbar, and you will find an icon that resembles a scroll or a down arrow, signed as "Scroll" or "Long screenshot." After you press, the system will automatically scroll down, stitching the frames into one long image.
You can stop it at any time by touching the screen, but there's a limit on the length of the final file, which depends on the screen resolution and the Android version, which is usually about 8-10 screens in a row, and if the content is longer, you have to take a few pictures or use specialized applications.
What to do if a long screenshot is cut?
Another useful feature is a screenshot timer, which allows you to delay the creation of a picture by 3 or 5 seconds, which is indispensable if you want to capture a pop-up menu, a context window or a moment in the game that disappears when you touch the screen.
Where to look and how to edit saved files
All images created are automatically stored in the device's internal memory. The standard path to the folder looks like Internal Memory/DCIM/Screenshots. In some older versions of the firmware, the folder may be simply called MIUI/screenshot. Files can be accessed through the standard Gallery application or any file manager, such as Explorer.
The built-in MIUI gallery editor has a wide range of features, and once you've created a picture or opened it in the gallery, you can click the "Change" button. There are tools available to crop, rotate, filter, hand-drawn and add text comments, and there is a function to blur sensitive information (faces, card numbers).
Screenshot files take up space in memory, so it is recommended to periodically audit. The system may suggest removing duplicates or old pictures. If you often take screenshots for work, it makes sense to set up automatic sync with the Mi Cloud or Google Photos cloud storage.
| Parameter | Default value | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| File format | PNG | Leave PNG for quality |
| Storage folder | DCIM/Screenshots | Don't change your path. |
| Quality. | Maximum. | Depends on screen resolution. |
| Synchronization | Off. | Turn on for safety. |
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Regular cleaning of the folder with screenshots frees up a significant amount of memory and speeds up the work of the gallery.
Format configuration and solution
In advanced system settings, you can change the format of the stored images. PNG, Because it provides lossless quality (without loss), which is important for text and diagrams. PNG-Files can weigh more than JPG. If you are critical to saving space, you can switch to JPEG, But the quality may be slightly down.
Sometimes users have a problem when a screenshot is not created, most often it is related to the protection of content, for example, in incognito browser mode, in banking applications or when watching videos on Netflix, the system blocks the creation of screenshots for security purposes, in which case the image will be in the place of a black square.
And also, voice control is something that you can use, and if you have Google Assistant or Mi AI on, you can just say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot." The phone recognizes the command and performs the action. It's convenient when your hands are busy, although it requires an active Internet connection to process the voice.
⚠️ Warning: When you try to take a screenshot in a banking app, you get a black screen. This is not a phone malfunction, but the app's data protection level.
To change the image format, go to the camera settings or special MIUI features (the path may vary depending on the Android version). There, find the "Screenshot Format" and select the desired option. The changes will take effect immediately for all subsequent shots.
- 📂 Check the file format in the settings (PNG or JPG).
- 🔒 Black screen in apps is protection, not bug.
- 🗣 Use voice commands for hands-free mode.
- ☁ Set up auto-delete old screenshots after 30 days.