Modern Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have become an integral part of digital life, allowing you to instantly capture important moments, save correspondence or share achievements in games. The ability to quickly and efficiently take screenshots – a basic skill that greatly simplifies interaction with the device, whether it is Redmi Note 13, Redmi 12 or newer models of 2026. Despite the apparent simplicity, the HyperOS shell and earlier versions of MIUI offer many hidden opportunities for capturing images that many users do not even know.
There are several proven screenshot techniques, each suitable for different use cases. Some prefer the classic button combination, others find gesture control or voice commands more convenient. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods in detail so that you can choose the most suitable one for your smartphone use style.
Keep in mind that using screen capture features correctly helps not only in everyday communication, but also when technical support or transaction proof is needed. Understanding the intricacies of the system avoids unnecessary actions and saves time. Let's move from theory to practice and consider the basic methods of imagery.
Classical method: button combination
The most common and versatile way to capture a screenshot on any Android device, including Xiaomi, is to press physical buttons simultaneously, even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or the system is under stress.
It is important to keep the right timing: press the buttons sharply and release them almost immediately, literally in a split second. If you hold them too long, the smartphone can perceive this as a command to call the emergency menu or turn off the device. On models with a side fingerprint scanner that is combined with the power button, this method remains the only physical option for quick image capture.
⚠️ Warning: Don't push the buttons too hard and often, especially on the budget models of the Redmi A or Redmi C series, where the button mechanics may be less durable.
Once you've done the action, you'll hear the characteristic snap of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), and a thumbnail of the image will appear in the corner of the screen. The system will automatically save the file to the gallery in the Screenshots folder. This method guarantees 100% results on all firmware versions, from the old MIUI 10 to the current HyperOS 2.0.
Three fingers control: Gestures and settings
For those who prefer to control a smartphone with one hand or do not want to reach for the side keys, the system provides a convenient three-finger screen capture function. To activate this mode, you need to go to the settings, find the Additional Features section and select the Screenshots item.
Once the function is enabled, the process of creating a picture becomes intuitive: just swipe three fingers from top to bottom in the center of the screen. The system instantly responds to the gesture by taking a picture of the current display area. This is especially useful when browsing long web pages or documents, when you need to quickly save information without changing the grip of the device.
Note that sensor sensitivity can vary depending on the protective film or the thickness of the user's fingers. If the gesture doesn't work the first time, try swiping your fingers a little faster or slower, but more confidently. Also make sure that the Settings → Screen does not include gloved mode, which can reduce the accuracy of multi-touch gesture recognition.
☑️ Checking the gesture settings
Control panel and notification curtain
The third popular method that is often ignored by beginners is to use the system interface elements, and at the top of the screen, in the notification curtain and control panel, there's a special icon for creating screenshots, and to access it, you swipe from top to bottom to open the control center, where among the many switches you can find an icon that resembles a scissor or a rectangle.
This is ideal for situations where physical buttons are faulty for some reason or when the user is holding the phone with both hands and is uncomfortable intercepting the device to press the side keys.
However, this method has one significant drawback: at the time of opening the notification curtain, some of the content on the screen can be hidden or offset. If you need to capture a dialogue or a full-screen game, a pre-open panel can disrupt the composition of the frame, so this method is best used for static images where the top of the screen does not contain critical information.
The secret to fast re-shooting
Long screenshot: Scrolling the page
One of the most useful features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, or so-called panoramic shots, which is indispensable when saving long correspondence in messengers, lists of products in online stores or web pages with a large amount of text. After you have taken a regular screenshot in any of the above ways, select the Scrolling button in the thumbnail.
The system will automatically scroll downwards, capturing new areas and combining them into a single long image, and it continues until you touch the screen or reach the end of the page, allowing you to save the context of the conversation or the entire article, without having to take dozens of individual frames.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot. |
|---|---|---|
| Permission | Standard (e.g. 2400x1080) | Height varies (up to 10,000+ pixels) |
| File format | PNG / JPG | PNG (most often) |
| Use of memory | Minimum (100-300 KB) | Depends on length (1-5 MB) |
| Editing | Basic | Requires specialized applications |
When creating long screenshots, it is important that the content on the screen is static. If a new notification comes in the process of scrolling or a dynamic widget changes, the final image may be with artifacts or breaks. It is also worth considering that very long images may not display correctly in some messengers that compress the graphics, so it is better to use the document format for sending.
Voice control and additional methods
Modern versions of the HyperOS and MIUI shell are deeply integrated with Google Assistant and its own Xiao AI assent. This allows you to create screenshots without touching the screen at all. Just say the phrase "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or a similar command in Russian, if it is configured in the parameters of voice control.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the Google Assistant settings, find the Popular Commands or Routines section, and add the action “Take a screenshot.” After that, the control of the smartphone becomes fully voiced, which is especially true in situations where the hands are busy or dirty.
⚠️ Warning: Voice control requires an active Internet connection and a microphone enabled. In some secure applications (banks, incognito browser mode), the system can block the creation of a voice screenshot for security reasons.
Another exotic but working method is to use the back of the smartphone on models that support Double Tap or special tapping gestures. If the option is activated in the setting Additional → Special Options, double tapping on the back cover can be assigned to create a screenshot. However, on most Redmi models, this feature is assigned to other actions by default or is not available.
Where to find and how to edit saved photos
Once a screenshot is created, the system automatically stores it in the device's internal memory. You can find the images you created in the standard Gallery app, where a separate landscape folder called Screenshots is created for them. /internal_storage/DCIM/Screenshots or /internal_storage/Pictures/Screenshots.
The built-in image editor in Xiaomi allows you to perform basic processing immediately after you create a picture: cut the extra edges, draw arrows, add text or blot out confidential information. To access these tools, you need to click on the screenshot thumbnail immediately after you create it or open the image through the gallery and select Change.
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Use the “Lastik” feature in the screenshot editor to quickly remove unnecessary interface elements or hide personal data before sending the image to the interlocutor.
If you work with documents often, look for the ability to recognize text (OCR) directly from the screenshot. Newer versions of firmware, when you select a text area in the image, a copy button appears, which allows you to instantly transfer information from the image to the clipboard without having to manually reprint it.
Solution: Why the screenshot doesn't work
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the usual keyboard combinations or gestures stop working, most often due to security restrictions in specific applications, such as in banking applications, incognito browser mode or when viewing protected content on streaming services (Netflix, Kinopoisk), the system blocks the creation of screenshots, and the screen may appear black image instead of the expected frame.
Another reason could be overcrowded RAM or a temporary GUI failure, which is where a simple device reboot helps, and it’s also worth checking if Guest mode or guest profile is enabled, where some features may be limited to the main user settings.
Why does the screenshot appear black in some apps?
Can I take screenshots in a hidden chat Telegram?
How to change the format of saving screenshots from PNG to JPG?
Where is the clipboard history stored after copying the text from the screenshot?
Why does the image blur when you create a long screenshot?
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The ability to combine different methods of creating screenshots and know their limitations allows you to maximize the use of the capabilities of the Xiaomi Redmi smartphone in any situation.