Modern smartphones like the Xiaomi Redmi 9 have become an integral part of our digital lives, where visual information is exchanged every second. Users often face the need to capture an interesting message, save a screenshot of correspondence or capture an important moment from a game or application. Understanding how to take a screenshot on your device is a basic skill that greatly simplifies interaction with the MIUI operating system.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available screenshot techniques, from classic buttons to advanced shell features. You will learn not only about standard methods, but also about the hidden features, such as a long screenshot or voice control, that make using Redmi 9 even more comfortable. We will also touch on file storage issues and solve typical problems that owners of smartphones in this series may face.
The main operating system installed on Redmi 9 is based on Android with the proprietary add-on MIUI, which provides the user with a wide range of tools for working with the interface. Screenshots are saved in high resolution, corresponding to the matrix of your display, which allows you to take clear and detailed pictures of any content. Let's move from theory to practice and consider step-by-step instructions.
Classical method using physical buttons
The fastest and most time-tested way to capture the current image on the display is using a combination of hardware keys. On the side of your Xiaomi Redmi 9 are power control and volume control buttons that in conjunction give instant results. You need to simultaneously press the On and Volume Down button (the bottom of the pair).
It's important to keep the right tap rhythm: it doesn't have to be a long hold, it's a brief, clear click, and if you hold the buttons for too long, the phone might perceive this as a command to turn off or reboot, which will lead to a completion menu instead of a snapshot. Once you do that, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera, and a thumbnail of the image flashes in the top corner of the screen.
This method works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or locked, making it a versatile tool, and it should be noted that the pressing must be synchronous: if you press one button first and then the second, the system may not respond properly, and training your hand motor skills will help you perform this operation automatically without thinking about the process.
βοΈ Testing of the physical method
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the screenshot is not created due to the security mechanisms of some applications, for example, bank customers or incognito browser modes. In such cases, the MIUI security system blocks the ability to capture the image, and you can see a notification about the ban or just a black screen at the location of the picture, this is normal behavior designed to protect your personal data from leakage.
β οΈ Note: Do not try to take screenshots in the applications of banks with active protection mode, as the image may appear black square instead of confidential information, and in some cases the system will even notify the security service of the application about the attempt to capture the screen.
Control through the notification panel (Stork)
For those who prefer to control without using physical buttons or whose buttons may be faulty, MIUI has a handy option in the control panel, which requires a swipe from top to bottom to open the notification curtain, and then pull again to reveal the full list of shortcuts. Among the many icons, you need to find an icon called "Screenshot" or a picture of scissors.
If you don't see this icon on the first screen, swipe the shortcuts to the left or click on the edit button (usually a pencil or gear icon) to add missing items to the active zone. The quick access panel is fully customized to the user's needs, allowing you to highlight only the most popular features. This is especially convenient when the phone is in your hands in a horizontal position.
Using a software button eliminates the risk of randomly changing media volume while playing or watching video, which sometimes happens when using physical keys. After pressing the icon, a sound is heard in the curtain, and the screenshot is saved in the gallery. This method also allows you to take pictures when one of the physical buttons does not work or falls.
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If you use screenshots often, drag the Screenshot icon to the top row of control panel shortcuts so that it is always at hand, and remove rarely used features to the second screen.
It's worth considering that activating a screenshot through a curtain can be uncomfortable in games or applications with full-screen mode, since the control interface will block some of the content. In such situations, it's better to switch to voice control or a combination of buttons. However, for static pages, documents or websites, this method remains one of the most ergonomic.
Screen gesture drawing
MIUI is famous for its advanced navigation features, and one of the most convenient is to create screenshots using triple tapping. To activate this feature, go to the phone's settings, select the Additional Features section, and then find the Three Finger Snapshot. Once you turn on this option, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom across the screen.
This method seems magical only at first glance, but it needs to be adapted to it. The gesture needs to be sure, but not too fast for the sensor to register three touch points at once. If the system does not respond, check if the phone is wearing a too thick case that can interfere with the accurate determination of the multi-touch, or try to change the angle of the fingers.
The convenience of the triple tap is that you can take screenshots with one hand when the phone is on the table, or when the other hand is busy. In addition, in the gesture settings, you can often choose an additional action, such as starting editing immediately after you create a picture, which speeds up the process of processing the image, allowing you to immediately crop the extra or add notes.
There is also a variation of this method, where the screenshot is created with two fingers, but on Redmi 9 the standard is exactly triple touch. If the gesture stopped working after the system update, try to restart the device or reset the sensor settings in a special engineering menu, although this is extremely rare, in most cases the problem is solved by simple calibration or re-enactment of the function in the menu.
Voice control and Google Assistant
Modern technology allows you to control your smartphone almost without touch using voice commands. On Xiaomi Redmi 9, there is a Google assistant that understands the command "Take a screenshot" or "Make a screenshot." To activate, just say "OK, Google" (if the function is activated) or the assistant button, and then say the command.
This is ideal in situations where the user's hands are busy or dirty, such as while cooking a prescription on the phone or working in the garage. Voice control in MIUI works fairly stable, although it requires a good Internet connection to recognize speech in some configurations. You can dictate commands in Russian or English, the system understands both.
In addition to the standard assistant, some regions and firmware versions have Xiao AI, which can also take screenshots on command. However, for Russian-speaking users, integration with Google Assistant remains the most preferred and understandable. Voice control opens up new opportunities for people with disabilities, making the smartphone more accessible.
β οΈ Note: When using voice control in public places, keep privacy in mind as the command is spoken aloud and others can hear the contents of your request or see the screen reaction.
Long screenshot and extended features
One of the most popular features in Xiaomi Redmi 9 is the ability to create long screenshots, or βscroll.β After you take a regular screenshot in any of the ways described above, a thumbnail appears in the upper corner. If you press the Scrolling button (or the icon with arrows down), the phone will automatically scroll down the content, combining several frames into one long picture.
This feature is indispensable for storing long correspondence in messengers, articles in the browser or news feeds on social networks. The process continues until you hit the stop button or reach the end of the page.
In some applications, such as maps or certain kinds of web pages, automatic scrolling may not work properly by "jumping" or creating blurry joints. In such cases, it is better to take a few simple screenshots with a little overlap and glue them later in the editor. However, for most standard tasks, the built-in MIUI mechanism does fine.
The Secret to Quality Scrolling
Once you've finished creating a long screenshot, you can immediately go to edit it by cropping off unnecessary tops or bottoms. The system offers tools to highlight text, add arrows and stickers right at the moment of viewing. This makes Redmi 9 a powerful tool for creating instructions and reports.
Setting up the timer and save format
In advanced camera settings or through third-party apps, you can set up a screenshot timer, although in standard MIUI, this feature is often hidden or implemented through automation scenarios. However, you can set up an image save format. By default, the screenshots are saved in PNG format, which provides high quality lossless but takes up more space.
If memory savings are critical for you, you can consider converting or using applications that take pictures in the format. JPG. You can also find options in the settings to add watermarks with the phone model and the time to take a picture, which can be useful for bloggers or those who keep documentation. β Additional functions β Screenshot.
Remember to clean your screenshot folder regularly, as they tend to accumulate quickly and take up gigabytes of space.The built-in Cleanup tool in the Security app helps you find and delete duplicates or old images. The correct organization of files will help you find the information you need in the gallery faster.
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Optimizing screenshot storage: Regularly cleaning Screenshots folder and using cloud services to archive important images will save the phoneβs performance and make room for new data.
For those who need professional work with images, there is an opportunity to change the resolution of the screenshots created through the engineering menu or ADB-The average user needs standard settings that balance quality and file size, and the key is to understand where your data is stored once you've created it.
Where to find and how to edit screenshots
Once you have created a screenshot, it is automatically saved to the system folder, and you can find it through the Gallery app in the Screenshots album or through the file manager on the Internal Memory path. β MIUI β debug_log β screenshot (the path may vary depending on the version) MIUI, Mostly it's just pictures. β Screenshots: Quick access to the latest shot is possible through the notification bar immediately after it is created.
The built-in image editor in Xiaomi Redmi 9 offers a wide range of processing tools: you can crop the image, rotate it, apply filters, add text, hand drawings or ready-made stickers, and tools for blurring sensitive information (such as card numbers or addresses) before sending a screenshot to an interlocutor are especially useful.
For more complex editing, such as layering or masking, screenshots can be opened in third-party apps like Photoshop Express or Snapseed. Android makes it easy to transfer files between apps via the Share menu, making the process of creating and processing visual content on the phone almost as powerful as on a computer.
| Method | Speed. | Convenience | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons (Power + Vol-) | Instantly. | High. | It works always, even when the sensor is getting stuck. |
| Notification panel | Medium | Average. | It is convenient when the phone is on the table. |
| Three-finger gesture | Quickly. | High. | It requires addiction, may not work in covers |
| Voice command | Slowly. | Specific | Perfect for dirty hands or accessibility |
β οΈ Note: When sending screenshots to messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), pay attention to image compression. For transmission in original quality, always choose the option "Send as a file" or "No compression", otherwise details may be lost.