Modern smartphones have long been universal tools for work, study and entertainment, and Xiaomi Redmi 5 is no exception. Often in the process of using the device there is an urgent need to save the image of the current picture on the screen: whether it is an important correspondence, an interesting article, a road map or an achievement in the game. Screenshot is the fastest way to capture information, and owners of budget but reliable models from a Chinese manufacturer should be able to do it instantly. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods for creating screenshots.
Many users who migrate from other operating systems or older versions of Android may have little difficulty finding the right feature. The MIUI interface, which is installed on Redmi 5 by default, has its own features and logic, different from the “pure” Android. However, the developers have provided many options for doing this task so that everyone can choose the most convenient way.
Also, it’s important to understand where images are saved and how to manage them. The right file organization in the gallery will help you find the information you need faster after a while. Below are step-by-step instructions that will help you master the creation of screenshots on Redmi 5 to perfection using both physical buttons and software solutions of the system.
Use of standard hotkeys
The most common and fast method that works on the vast majority of Android smartphones, including the Xiaomi Redmi 5, is to use a physical button combination. It requires no additional settings and is available immediately after the device is turned on. It is ideal in situations where you need to act quickly and the screen reacts to touch incorrectly.
To do this, you need to press two buttons simultaneously, Volume Down and Power, which are usually on the right side of the body, and the pressing needs to be short-term, almost instantaneous, and if you hold the buttons too long, the phone may perceive this as a command to call the emergency call menu or turn off the device.
⚠️ Attention: Do not push the buttons with excessive force. the button mechanism on the Redmi 5 is quite sensitive, and a sharp impact can damage the keys or body.
The success of the operation is confirmed by the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is not turned off) and a visual flash of the screen. In the upper corner of the display, a thumbnail of the image taken will appear, which can be immediately edited or sent, which is considered the most reliable method in all situations, since it is tied at the hardware level and does not depend on the software settings.
If you don't get the screenshot the first time, try changing the rhythm of the pressing, sometimes you need to synchronize the pressing with minimal delay or, conversely, press it at the same time, and we show that after several attempts, the necessary muscle memory is generated, and the process takes a fraction of a second.
Creating a screenshot through the notification curtain
The MIUI shell on Redmi 5 offers users a user-friendly graphical interface to manage basic functions. If using physical buttons is uncomfortable for some reason (such as a damaged volume button), you can always use controls in the notification curtain.
To take a screenshot of this, you need to unlock your phone and swipe from top to bottom to open the control center, depending on the firmware version, it can be one long swipe or two short ones, and you need to find an icon with the name of a screenshot or a picture of scissors, which is usually on the second or third page of the menu.
☑️ Checking the availability of the function
Once you click on the icon, the system automatically creates a copy of the image that is currently on the display, which is especially useful when the phone is on the table or you hold it with one hand, and it is physically difficult to reach the side buttons, but it is worth considering that this method requires more time to prepare than the key combination.
In some versions of MIUI, the screenshot icon may be hidden. To activate it, click on the menu edit button (usually the pencil or gear icon in the corner of the curtain). In the list of available toggles, find Screenshot and drag it to the active zone, and then the function will be available in one click.
Customizing gestures to create pictures
For those who prefer swipe and touch management, Xiaomi Redmi 5 features three-finger screenshots, a modern and ergonomic way that eliminates the need to reach for buttons or open menus, but by default, this feature is often disabled and needs to be activated manually in settings.
To enable this option, go to the Settings menu, then select the Additional (or Advanced Settings) section. Find Screenshot or Screenshot. Here you will be offered several options. You need to activate the switch opposite to the Three Fingers item. Once you have enabled this function, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom across the screen at any time.
- 📱 Open your phone settings and find the “More” section».
- 🖐 Select the "Screenshot" option and activate the "Three fingers" mode».
- 📉 Swipe three fingers on the screen from top to bottom to check the work.
- ⚙️ If necessary, change the capture area in the same settings menu.
This method is particularly useful when browsing long lists, web pages or messaging messages, allowing one hand to hold the phone and the other to perform a control action, and it is a salvation for users who have a physical power or volume button that has started to “stick” or work unstable.
What to do if the gesture does not work?
Screenshots via the menu of recent apps
In the Android operating system, as well as in the MIUI proprietary shell, there is another hidden but highly functional way to get a screen image, which is implemented through the multitasking menu, which is a list of running applications, and the good thing about this method is that it doesn't require remembering combinations or finding icons, but is integrated into the process of switching between tasks.
The idea is that when you swipe open the menu of running applications (a Menu button or a swipe from the bottom up with retention), there are additional control icons above each open window of the program, usually a lock icon (to anchor the application) and a Screenshot icon (often looks like a camera or scissors), clicking on it, you instantly get a snapshot of the window that is in focus.
The advantage of this method is that it allows you to take screenshots even in applications where standard methods can be blocked by security (though not in all), and it is convenient when you have already opened the task menu to close the application, and decided to save its state, which saves time and returns the user to the context of work faster.
It’s worth noting that in some custom firmware or older versions of MIUI for Redmi 5, this feature may be called differently or located in the “More” menu (three dots). If you don’t see the icon right away, take a closer look at the top of the app card. The MIUI visual interface is constantly changing, but the logic remains the same: window management is located next to the window itself.
Advanced features: long screenshot and editing
With an 18:9 aspect ratio, the Xiaomi Redmi 5 is great for consuming content that often doesn’t fit on a single screen. For such cases, MIUI has an Advanced Screenshot or Long Screenshot feature that allows you to stitch multiple screen images into one long tape, ideal for saving WhatsApp correspondence, browser articles or news feeds.
Once you've created a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described above), a thumbnail appears in the top corner, and it has a Scroll button (or an icon with arrows down), and when you press it, the system automatically scrolls down, grabbing new areas, and when you get to the right place, press the stop button, and the system processes the image and saves it as a single file.
Once you've created a picture, whether it's regular or long, you can immediately go to edit it. The built-in MIUI editor offers a wide range of tools: cropping, overlaying, hand-drawing, adding stickers and blurring sensitive information, which allows you to avoid taking a screenshot, and then open another editing app — everything is available out of the box.
It's important to remember the length limits for an extended screenshot. The system can't glue images indefinitely. Usually, the limit is about 10-15 screens, or a certain file size in pixels. If you try to capture a page that's too long, the system will automatically stop the process and save what it's captured.
Where screenshots and work with files are stored
Understanding the file structure of Android is essential for every user, especially when transferring files to a computer or cleaning up memory. On Xiaomi Redmi 5, all created screenshots are saved by default to the device's internal memory. They are automatically sorted by the system and are placed in a special album in the Gallery app.
To find your pictures, open the Gallery app. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see tabs, one of which is called Screenshots. It stores all the images taken by any of the methods described in chronological order. It's the easiest way for the average user. However, for deeper file work, it's also useful to know the direct path in the file system.
If you connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable or use a file manager (e.g., Xiaomi’s “Conductor” or Total Commander), the path to the folder will look like this:
/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/ScreenshotsSometimes, depending on the version of MIUI, the folder can be called simply Screenshots at the root of internal memory or be on the path /Pictures/Screenshots. Knowledge of this path is useful if you want to set up automatic synchronization of this particular folder with cloud storage (Google Photos, Yandex.Disk, Mi Cloud) so as not to take up space on the phone.
| Parameter | Default value | Possible changes |
|---|---|---|
| File format | PNG | JPG (via editor) |
| Storage folder | DCIM/Screenshots | Pictures/Screenshots |
| Permission | 1440 x 720 (HD+) | Depends on the scale. |
| Shutter sound | Included | Disabled in settings |
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Use cloud services to automatically download the Screenshots folder. This will free up Redmi 5’s internal memory, which is not huge in size, and protect data from loss when your phone breaks.
The solution: why the screenshot doesn't work
Despite the simplicity of the function, users sometimes face a situation where a screenshot is not created, this can be caused by a software failure, a lack of memory or limitations of specific applications. If the combination of buttons does not respond, and there is no icon in the curtain, it is worthwhile to conduct an initial diagnostic of the system.
First of all, check the memory space. If the internal storage is full (less than 100 MB left), the system can block the creation of new files. Also, try rebooting the device - this is a classic method that eliminates the temporary glitches of the MIUI interface. If the problem persists in only one application (for example, in a bank client), then this is data copy protection, and you can not bypass it with regular means.
⚠️ Warning: Attempting to take a screenshot in secure applications (banks, incognito browser mode) will either result in a failure or a black screen.
In rare cases, you may need to reset your interface settings. You can go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Screenshot and try to switch the creation modes and then return it to the same way. This will restart the relevant system services. If nothing helps, there may be a problem with the button hardware, and then you should consider using the software button emulators from the Play Market.
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If standard methods don’t work, check the free disk space and try to reboot your smartphone – this solves 90% of MIUI software conflicts.