How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Mi 9: the complete guide

The modern Xiaomi Mi 9 is a powerful multimedia center that users use not only for calls, but also for working with documents, games and social networks. In the process of operation, it is often necessary to capture the image from the screen: save correspondence, capture an error in the application or share an interesting moment from the game with friends. Understanding how to take a screenshot on the Xiaomi Mi 9 is a basic skill that every owner of this device needs.

Android’s MIUI operating system offers a variety of flexible image capture tools that go far beyond the standard button combination. You can use handy gestures, voice controls, or even create long panoramic snapshots of web pages. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the methods available so you can choose the most suitable for your situation and stop looking for information every time you need to save a frame.

Standard Method Through Physical Buttons

The most common and time-tested way to take screenshots on the Xiaomi Mi 9 requires no additional settings and works right out of the box. The mechanics of the process are simple and intuitive, making it an ideal option for fast image capture. You need to simultaneously press and briefly hold two keys: the volume button and the on/lock screen button.

It is important to keep the synchrony of pressing. If you press the power button earlier or later, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the turn off menu or simply change the sound level.A short and clear press of both buttons will cause the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), and at the top of the screen will appear a notification about the creation of the picture.

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screenshot is not created the first time. This can be due to too much pressure on the screen or, conversely, too short touch. Xiaomi Mi 9 is equipped with a responsive touch system, but the physical response of the buttons requires a certain skill.

Once you've successfully created a picture, you'll have a thumbnail in the corner of the screen, and if you click on it, you'll be taken to the editor, where you can immediately crop the image, draw an arrow, or add text before you send it, which is a standard behavior of the system that speeds up the user's workflow.

Use the Three Fingers function for quick capture

The MIUI shell is famous for its handy gestures, and one of the most useful is to take a screenshot of three fingers across the screen, which is especially relevant when using the phone with one hand is uncomfortable or when the buttons on the case may be damaged. However, by default, this feature is often disabled and must be activated manually.

To enable the option, go to Settings → Additional Features → Screenshots. Here you need to find the Three Finger Screenshot switch and activate it. After that, simply swiping three fingers vertically or horizontally across the display of the Xiaomi Mi 9 will instantly create a screenshot.

⚠️ Attention: Sensitivity can vary depending on whether you have a protective film or glass. If the gesture doesn't work, try to swipe your fingers a little faster or slower, but with a tighter press to the surface of the display.

The advantage of this method is that it's fast and you don't have to reach for the buttons on the end of the device, which is especially useful when you're watching horizontal video or reading books when the phone is on the table. You just swipe your hand and the image is saved.

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If a three-finger gesture conflicts with other actions in games, you can temporarily turn it off in settings to avoid accidental screenshots during intense play.

Note that this gesture does not work in all applications: In some banking programs or DRM-protected video services, the security system blocks the creation of screenshots regardless of the method chosen, giving a black screen instead of an image.

Control through notification panel and buttons

In some scenarios, using physical buttons or gestures can be uncomfortable, such as holding your phone in the other hand or wearing gloves. In such cases, the Xiaomi Mi 9 software interface comes to the rescue. The notification curtain, which is called by a top-down swipe, often has a quick screenshot button.

If you don't find this button in the top row, click on the edit icon (usually a pencil or three dots) in the top right corner of the Quick Settings menu. In the list of available widgets, find Screenshot and drag it to the active zone. Now, it takes just one tap to create a screenshot.

Alternatively, there is an alternative way to use the recent app menu: press the Menu button (square or three bars depending on the type of navigation) and in the list of running programs, find the "S" button or scissor icon above the app thumbnail.

The use of software buttons is especially important for people with disabilities who have difficulty performing complex manipulations of the device body, and the flexibility of the MIUI interface allows you to adapt control to any need.

Voice control and Google Assistant

AI technology allows you to control the Xiaomi Mi 9 with little or no touch. If your hands are busy or dirty, you can just ask your phone to take a screenshot.

Activate voice control with the phrase "OK, Google" or long press home button (if configured). Then clearly say the command "Take a screenshot" or "Screenshot of the screen." The system recognizes the request and captures the image, accompanied by an audible signal.

This feature requires an active Internet connection to work smoothly, as voice commands are often processed on the company’s servers, and make sure that the Google Assistant settings allow screen control.

This method may seem slow for everyday use, but it's indispensable in situations where physical contact with the screen is impossible, such as watching a recipe video in the kitchen when your hands are in flour, the voice command becomes a salvation.

Creating long screenshots and scrolling

One of the most popular features in the Xiaomi Mi 9 is the ability to create long screenshots (scrolling), which allows you to capture the entire web page, long correspondence in the messenger or the entire article, not just the visible part of the screen.

Immediately after you create a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described above), an additional button will appear at the top of the thumbnail that appears with a down arrow or the words "Scroll" written on it, and the phone will automatically begin to scroll down, gluing the image into one long tape.

You can stop the scrolling process at any time by touching the screen, automatically cropping the image at the bottom to avoid empty fields, and it's the perfect tool to save checks, tickets or instructions.

⚠️ Attention: The long screenshot function may not work properly in applications where content is loaded dynamically or has a complex layout.

The quality of the final image remains high, but it is worth remembering that very long panoramas can take up a significant amount of memory. the file format remains standard (JPEG or PNG), but the vertical resolution can reach tens of thousands of pixels.

Configuring the format and quality of preservation

Owners of Xiaomi Mi 9 with AMOLED-The screen often asks about the format of the stored images. By default, the system uses the format. JPEG to save space, but for screenshots with text or graphics is preferable PNG, which provides better quality without compression artifacts.

While there is no direct format switch for all screenshots in standard MIUI settings, you can influence this through third-party apps or ADB scripts. However, for most users, standard quality is more than enough.The screenshot resolution always matches the native screen resolution of the smartphone.

If you notice that screenshots take up too much space, check the camera and gallery settings. Sometimes the Screenshots album may include cloud sync in its original quality, which quickly consumes traffic.

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The optimal balance between file quality and size is achieved using the PNG format for documents and JPEG format for conventional images, although the system chooses the format automatically.

Regularly cleaning up the folder with screenshots helps keep the file system in order. MIUI has a handy tool for mass deleting or moving such files to hidden albums.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)