Modern Xiaomi smartphones, as well as sub-brands Redmi and POCO, are equipped with powerful displays that allow you to display huge amounts of information. However, a standard screenshot often crops up important data, leaving out the bottom of the page, a long message in the messenger or an article in the browser, for which the developers have implemented the feature “Scroll shot” or “Long screenshot”.
Creating a composite image allows you to capture all the correspondence in its entirety or save a recipe with step-by-step photos in a single file, which is much more convenient than taking a dozen individual frames. In the MIUI operating system and the new HyperOS, this process is automated, but has its own nuances that you need to know for quality results.
In this article, we will take a detailed look at all the available ways to create long screenshots, look at the differences in the interfaces of different versions of the shell and pay attention to the frequent errors that users encounter when trying to “stitch” an image.
What is a long screenshot and why do you need it?
Long screenshot (or scrolling shot) is a technology where smartphone software takes multiple consecutive screenshots as the user scrolls through the content and then automatically glues them together into a single vertical image, an indispensable tool for anyone working with documents, correspondence or news feeds.
This feature saves time and space in the gallery, and instead of sending five or ten separate files to the other person, you create one logically complete file, especially for users who need to document evidence of fraud, save important correspondence for the court, or just show their friends a long dialogue.
⚠️ Warning: The long screenshot function only works in apps that support scrolling. On a static desktop screen or in the settings menu where content is not moving, the Continue Shoot button may not appear or not work properly.
It’s worth noting that the quality of the final image depends on the resolution of the source screen and the stability of your actions during the process. If you scroll through the content too quickly or chaoticly, Xiaomi’s algorithm may not have time to process the frames, which will lead to artifacts at the joints.
Redmi Note (any series)
Xiaomi Mi/Xiaomi (Flagships)
POCO (F, X, M series)
Another model
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The basic way to create a scrolling shot through buttons
The most common and quick method familiar to most Android users is to use physical control buttons. On modern Xiaomi models without a physical home button, you need to simultaneously press the volume down and lock the screen button.
Once the characteristic shutter sound of the camera is heard and a smaller copy of the shot appears in the corner of the screen, do not let go immediately. In the lower right corner of the thumbnail (or below it, depending on the version of MIUI), an additional icon in the form of two arrows or the inscription “Scroll” will appear, which activates the long shot mode.
Once you press this button, the smartphone will automatically scroll down the screen, taking a series of pictures.The process will stop when it reaches the end of the page, or you can interrupt it manually by touching the screen or pressing the stop button that appears during the process.
Press Volume Down + Nutrition
Wait for the miniature to appear.
Press the "Scroll" button (arrows)
Touch the screen to stop.
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It is important to keep a rhythm if the automatic scrolling is not activated. Some older versions of the shell required manually scrolling through content after activating the mode, although in current HyperOS firmware, the system takes over this process.
Use of side menu and gestures
Xiaomi is constantly improving the user interface by adding new ways to interact with the system, one of which is a side menu or quick action panel called by a swipe, which is especially convenient when using physical buttons is difficult.
To activate, you need to take a regular screenshot in any convenient way (for example, triple tapping on the screen if this feature is enabled in the settings), and then select the option “Long shot” from the menu that appears. Alternatively, use the “Additional” menu, which is called by a swipe from the corner of the screen.
In Settings → Settings → Additional settings → Screenshot, you can activate the Triple Touch function. Once enabled, you can take normal three-finger tapping shots, and to create a long screenshot, hold your fingers on the screen or use the menu that appears.
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Use triple tap to quickly call the screenshot menu if the volume buttons are uncomfortable or have a tight stroke.
Some users prefer to use the Google Assistant or Xiao AI. The Take a Screenshot command can start the process, then you will need to manually select the scroll mode. This is convenient when hands are busy, but requires a good Internet connection for speech recognition.
Working with Mi Drop and gluing images
MIUI has long had a separate application or system module for working with long screenshots, which was sometimes hidden in the depth of the menu or called Long Screenshot, and in new versions, this feature is integrated directly into the gallery and preview menu.
If the standard automatic mode didn't work, you can use manual gluing, and you can do this by taking a few overlapping screenshots manually, making sure that the overlap area is about 20-30% of the height of the screen, and then you can select the collage creation function or a specialized gluing application in the gallery.
Xiaomi’s system algorithm analyzes the contents of the image and tries to find the optimal cut lines so that text and lines do not float. However, when manually creating a series of frames, it is important to keep the same scrolling speed and not change the zoom of the display in the process.
| Parameter | Automatic mode. | Hand glued |
|---|---|---|
| Speed. | Tall. | Low. |
| Quality of joints | Perfect. | It requires attention. |
| Difficulty | Minimum | Medium |
| Support for applications | Not all of them. | Anywhere. |
Using third-party apps from Google Play is also possible if the built-in functionality is not suitable for you. Programs like LongShot or Stitch & Share offer more flexible customization of cropping and retouching seams, but require additional permissions to access the screen.
Settings and fine tuning in MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi’s deep customization allows you to customize the behavior of screenshots to your needs. In the Settings → Additional settings → Screenshot (or Settings → Special Features → Screenshots in new versions) is the key management menu.
Here you can turn on the display of the toolbar after you take a picture, which is critical to access the scroll function. If this panel is disabled, the Long Shot button may not be available immediately after you create the frame, and you can also customize the format of the saved files and add watermarks.