The modern Xiaomi Mi 9 is a powerful multimedia center that we use every day for work, communication and entertainment. In the process of active use, there are often situations when you need to save an image from the screen, whether it is an important correspondence, a recipe, a map of the area or just a fun moment from the game. The Android operating system in the shell of MIUI offers many flexible tools for this task, far beyond the standard combination of buttons.
Flagship owners are often unaware of all the hidden features of their gadget, limited to basic features. However, understanding how to take screenshots correctly and quickly can significantly save you time and increase productivity. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to capture images on the display of your smartphone, as well as consider advanced editing functions.
We're going to talk about not only mechanical techniques, but also software solutions built into firmware, how to create long scrolling web pages, how to manage the clipboard, and what the subtleties of working with protected content are. Let's start with the simplest and fastest ways that every user should know.
Using hardware buttons to capture the screen
The most common and reliable method, which works on most Android devices, including the Xiaomi Mi 9, involves using a physical key combination. This method is versatile and works even in cases where the touch screen temporarily does not respond or the system is overloaded with background processes.
It is important to follow the correct clicking algorithm so as not to cause the shutdown menu or audio adjustment. Pressing should be short and simultaneous, lasting about one second. If you hold the buttons too long, the system will consider this as a command to call the emergency restart menu or Google Assistant, depending on the settings of your smartphone.
Once you successfully execute the command, you will hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera (if the sound is on) and the screen will blink. At the top of the display, a notification with a thumbnail of the shot will appear, which allows you to quickly move to edit or share a file.
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If you have a thumb, try to hold the phone in your hand so that the index finger is on the volume button and the big one is on the power button, this will ensure the most accurate simultaneous pressing.
It is worth noting that some modifications of the MIUI firmware can adjust the behavior of the buttons. For example, long-term holding of the volume button can be reassigned to create a screenshot, which is more convenient for users who often take many screenshots throughout the day.
Control through the Notification Center and the curtain
For those who are uncomfortable reaching for the side edges of the case or holding the phone with one hand, Xiaomi has introduced a software method through the control panel. This method is especially relevant when the device is lying on the table or fixed in the holder, and physical access to the buttons is difficult. You just unlock the screen and swipe down from the top edge of the display to open the notification curtain.
In the menu that opens, where the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and flight mode switches are located, you need to find an icon with a picture of scissors. Clicking on this element instantly takes a picture of the current contents of the screen. If you can't see this icon in the first row, swipe down the curtain or tap on the tiles editing pencil to add the Screenshot feature to the active widgets.
- 📱 Open the notification curtain with the swipe down.
- ✂️ Find the screenshot icon (scissors) among the labels.
- 📸 Click on the icon – sound and the screen blink.
- ⚙️ If necessary, add a shortcut to the control panel settings.
This method has its advantages, especially when it comes to maintaining privacy, you can take a picture without changing your hands, which can be important in certain situations, and it also eliminates the risk of accidentally pressing the lock button instead of volume.
☑️ Checking the Quick Access settings
Triple tapping and gestures in MIUI
The MIUI shell is famous for its rich gesture functionality, and the Xiaomi Mi 9 is no exception. One of the most convenient but often ignored methods is triple tapping on the screen. This feature allows you to take screenshots in literally one motion, making the process as intuitive and fast as possible.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the system settings. Find the "Additional" or "Extended settings" section, then select "Buttons and gestures." In the "Screenshot" menu, you will see the option "Triple tap." Select the "Take a screenshot" action and the function will be activated. Now the triple tap on any part of the screen (where possible) will save the image.
⚠️ Attention: The triple tapping feature may conflict with gestures in some applications, such as games or readers where the triple tap is used for zoom or other actions. If you notice strange interface behavior in certain programs, temporarily disable this gesture.
Another interesting option is to use the multitasking menu. If you swipe up and hold your finger (or click the menu button, depending on navigation), a list of running apps will open. At the top of each app's card, there's a scissor icon. By clicking on it, you'll take a screenshot of that particular window, even if it's rolled up or in the background.
Secret keyboard combination
Creating long screenshots (Scrollshots)
Often, the standard screen size of the Xiaomi Mi 9 is not enough to fit all the important information, such as long correspondence in the messenger, an article in the browser or a social media feed. For such cases, the system provides a feature to create long screenshots, or scrolling shots, which allows you to "stitch" several images of the screen into one long vertical bar.
The process starts as usual: you take a screenshot in any convenient way (buttons or gestures), immediately after that, a thumbnail appears in the upper right corner, and it will have a Scroll button (or an icon with arrows down) and click on it, and the screen automatically scrolls down to capture a new area, you can press this button until all the relevant content is captured, or wait for the end of the page.
| Parameter | Description | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum length | Depends on the permit. | Up to 100MB |
| File format | PNG (lossless) | Not shrinking. |
| Editing | Maybe immediately. | Cutting edges |
| Annexes | It works in browsers. | Not everywhere (YouTube) |
Once you've done the scrolling, the system will automatically process the image, and you'll get one long file that you can send to the person you're talking to or save to the gallery, which is very useful for preserving evidence of correspondence or instructions, where the context of the whole dialogue is important, not just the last message.
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A long screenshot is a single file, not a collage, so it is easier to send through messengers where there is a limit on the number of attachments.
Voice control and Google Assistant
In the age of artificial intelligence, smartphone control is increasingly moving to the voice plane. Xiaomi Mi 9 is equipped with a quality set of microphones and supports work with Google Assistant. This allows you to take screenshots without touching the screen, which can be useful if the user’s hands are busy or dirty.
To activate, you just say "Ok Google" (or press the assistant button) and say "Make a screenshot" (or "Make a screenshot"), and it recognizes the command, emits the audible signal, and saves the image, and this method works on all interfaces where the voice assistant is active, including the main screen and third-party apps.
- 🎙️ Activate voice control of a phrase or button.
- 🗣️ Say the command "Take a screenshot".
- 🌐 Works in Russian and English.
Although this seems convenient, it has its drawbacks: First, it requires you to say a command out loud, which is not always appropriate in public transport or in a meeting. Second, the assistant's response rate can be slower than that of mechanically pressing buttons. However, it is a great alternative for people with motor disabilities.
Editing and working with the clipboard
Once you've created a screenshot, MIUI offers a powerful built-in editor, and unlike many other shells, you can not just crop the image, but you can add text, arrows, stickers, or blur sensitive data (function "k" or blur), which allows you to prepare the screenshot for sending without opening third-party applications.
One of the most useful features is the clipboard, and you can activate the "Copy to buffer" option in the screenshot settings, so that the image is not stored in the gallery as a separate file, but is placed in RAM, and you can immediately paste it into a Telegram chat, WhatsApp or Word document, which is ideal for fast transfer of information without clogging the phone's memory.
⚠️ Note: Clipboard images are erased when you reboot your phone or copy another item (text or file) and don’t rely on the buffer as a permanent store of important data.
Also worth mentioning is the "Secure Folder" or "Second Space" feature, which is that if you take screenshots of sensitive information (banking apps, personal correspondence), the system can automatically hide their contents in preview notifications or require unlocking to view, which is part of Xiaomi's security ecosystem.
Problems with creating screenshots and their solution
Despite the stability of the Xiaomi Mi 9, users may encounter situations where screenshots are not created, most often due to Android security policy. Applications that work with protected content (Netflix, banking applications in incognito mode, incognito browser) block the ability to capture the screen, in which case you will see a black image instead of the expected content.
Another reason may be a lack of free RAM. If there are many heavy applications running in the background, the system may ignore the screen capture command to keep the operation stable, in which case it is recommended to close the extra tabs and try again. Also make sure that there is free space on the internal drive, although the screenshots weigh a little.
If screenshots stop working after a firmware update, try resetting special features. Sometimes third-party launchers or screen recording apps conflict. Rarely, cleaning the system cache through the Recovery menu helps, but this requires more in-depth knowledge.