How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Redmi 6A: the complete guide

Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi 6A, have become an integral part of our digital life, allowing you to instantly capture important moments, correspondence or errors in applications. Screenshot is the fastest way to save exactly what you see on the display, without having to take a separate photo from another device. For owners of budget but functional gadgets from Xiaomi, knowing all available methods for creating screenshots greatly simplifies interaction with the MIUI operating system.

In this article, we’ll take a look at every available way to create screenshots, from classic button combinations to advanced long-screenshot features that allow you to capture entire web pages. You’ll learn where images are stored, how to edit them immediately after you create them, and what to do if standard methods stop working. Understanding these nuances will help you maximize the power of your Redmi 6A in everyday tasks.

The MIUI shell interface offers a variety of personalization tools, and media management is no exception. We'll look not only at basic actions, but also at hidden settings that often go unnoticed by users. The flexibility of the system allows you to choose the most convenient method for you, whether it's one-handed control or using voice commands.

Using physical buttons to screenshot

The most common and versatile method, which works on most Android smartphones, including the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, involves simultaneously pressing two physical keys. You need to press the Volume Down and Power button simultaneously. You need to hold them for literally a fraction of a second until the characteristic camera shutter sound and visual screen flash appear. The key here is synchronization of the press: if you press the power button a little earlier, you can activate the turn off menu, not create a snapshot.

The button mechanics on the Redmi 6A are designed to be thousands of times pressed, but require a clear impact. If a screenshot doesn't work the first time, try changing the force or rhythm of the press. Some users prefer to press the volume button lightly and then quickly "finish" the power button, which often gives a better result than trying to press both keys with the same force at the same time. The physical response of the buttons in this model is soft enough that it requires some skill.

⚠️ Note: Do not keep the buttons pinched for too long (more than that). 2-3 second), as this may cause the device to restart or call emergency services if such a function is activated in the security settings.

Once you've successfully created an image, a little thumbnail will appear at the top of the screen, and if you don't do anything within seconds, it will disappear, and the file will automatically be saved to the gallery. However, if you click on this thumbnail, you'll see a built-in image editor that allows you to immediately crop the photo, draw arrows on it, or add text, which is especially handy when you need to quickly send an instruction or explanation to a colleague or friend.

It's also worth noting that when you use this method in some applications, such as banking clients or when you view DRM-protected content (Netflix, Spotify), instead of an image, you can get a black screen or a notification that you can't take a screenshot. This is a system-based data protection that can't be circumvented by standard means without superuser rights. In such cases, physical buttons will react with vibration, but the file will not be saved.

Three-finger method: fast gesto control

The MIUI shell is famous for its clever gestures, and creating a screenshot with three fingers is one of the most elegant ways. You don't have to reach for the buttons on the case to use it, which is especially true when the phone is on the table or you hold it in one hand. Just swipe three fingers from top to bottom down the center of the screen, visually accompanied by an animation of the "curl" of the screen, which gives a pleasant tactile sensation from interaction with the interface.

Before you use this feature, make sure it's activated in the system settings.The path to the switch can vary depending on the Android and MIUI version, but it's usually in the optional settings section.If the gesture doesn't work, check if it conflicts with other active controls, such as one-hand mode or special features.

The use of three fingers has its limitations and features. First, the method requires sufficient screen area to recognize touch, so on very small diagonals or using thick protective glasses, sensitivity can decrease. Second, this gesture cannot be used if you hold the phone with both hands, grasping the edges, since the palms will block the side areas of the display, preventing the correct recognition of the multi-touch gesture.

Too slow a movement can be perceived by the system as a normal scrolling of the page, too fast a movement that will not be recorded by the sensor. The optimal is a confident, medium-speed movement from the top edge of the display to the bottom. After training, this method becomes the fastest way to capture information, ahead of even a combination of physical buttons in response rate.

Control through notification curtain and side menu

For those who prefer visual control without memorizing combinations, Xiaomi has provided a convenient icon in the control center. To take a screenshot, just swipe top-down to open the "curtain" of notifications and find an icon, usually marked as "Screenshot" or having a scissor icon. Depending on the theme of the MIUI design, this element can be located in the top row of quick settings or require the disclosure of the full menu of switches.

Another useful feature is a side menu that can be swiped from the edge of the screen. If you set it up appropriately, there can also be a quick snap button, which is especially convenient when the standard curtain is occupied by other widgets or when you need to take a screenshot in an application where a top-down swipe calls up an internal menu (for example, in a browser or social networks).

Buttons have their advantages in situations where the physical buttons of a smartphone are damaged or crashed, and this is a real salvation if the volume button is no longer responsive to presses, but there is a disadvantage to this method: you can't take a screenshot if the screen is completely frozen or the system does not respond to touch, because in this case, the programming interfaces will also be inaccessible.

⚠️ Note: If the screenshot icon is missing from the notification curtain, click on the edit icon (usually a pencil or gear) in the corner of the Quick Settings menu and drag the Screenshot button from the list of hidden widgets to the active zone.

In addition, some firmware versions offer a screenshot function through the menu of running applications (the Menu button or the swipe below with a delay). In this mode, an additional button can appear next to the application window to capture the image, which allows you to quickly take a screenshot without returning to the desktop, which saves time when working with multiple windows at the same time.

Voice control and Google Assistant

In the era of smart assistants, screenshots can be created without even touching the screen. If you have Google Assistant or MIAI voice assistant enabled (depending on the region and firmware version), you can simply say a command. For Google Assistant, the phrase is “Ok Google, make a screenshot” or “Ok Google, take a screenshot” (if the interface language is Russian and the function is supported).

This is ideal in situations where hands are busy or dirty, such as during cooking or repairs, and voice control can be useful for people with disabilities who have difficulty performing accurate button presses or gestures, voice commands work even when the screen is locked in some configurations, allowing you to instantly capture the notification that has arrived.

It should be noted that voice commands require a stable Internet connection to operate, since request processing often takes place on the server side. In poor network coverage, the command may not be recognized or executed with a delay. In addition, in noisy command recognition, the accuracy of command recognition may decrease, which will require repeating the phrase in a clearer voice.

To activate this feature, you need to go to the Google Assistant settings and make sure that it includes the option to use voice when the screen is locked, and it is also recommended to configure Voice Match so that the phone only responds to your voice, which will add an additional layer of security and prevent accidental screenshots taken by unauthorized people or from the TV.

Long screenshot: capture of web pages and correspondence

One of the most useful features in MIUI is the ability to create “long screenshots” or scrolling shots, an indispensable tool for saving long articles, instant messengers or lists of products in online stores. After you have taken a regular screenshot of any of the ways described above, in the thumbnail (or in the edit menu), you need to click on the button with the down arrow or icon indicating the scrolling.

The system will automatically start scrolling down the contents of the screen, stitching the image into one long tape. You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or wait until you reach the end of the page. The quality of the final image remains high, and the text remains readable, making this method great for saving documents or instructions. The file format remains standard (PNG or JPG), but the proportions of the image will differ significantly from the standard ones.

However, long screenshots have limitations: They may not work properly in applications where content is loaded dynamically (infinite tape), or in applications with horizontal orientation. In such cases, the system can take several separate screenshots or interrupt the creation of a long image.

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When you take a long screenshot, try not to touch the screen during automatic scrolling, otherwise the process will stop. If you want to save a particular area, wait for it to appear and immediately release the button.

Where to look and how to edit saved photos

All the screenshots you create are automatically stored in the device's internal memory in a dedicated folder, and you can find them through the standard Gallery app in Screenshots. The path to files in the file system usually looks like a file system. /internal_storage/MIUI/screenshot or /internal_storage/Pictures/Screenshots, It's a little bit of a journey that you can use if you want to connect your phone to your computer and copy files through a Explorer.

The built-in MIUI editor offers a wide range of tools for image processing immediately after creation. You can cut the extra edges, which is especially true for long screenshots, add text comments, highlight important areas with a marker or blur sensitive information (such as card numbers or passwords).

If standard features aren’t enough, you can open an image in a third-party app, such as Google Photos or specialized editors. However, for most everyday tasks, the capabilities of the Xiaomi built-in gallery are more than enough. It is important to regularly clean the folder with screenshots, as they can take up a significant amount of memory, especially if you actively use the long-shot feature.

⚠️ Note: When deleting screenshots through the file manager, be careful not to delete system files with names similar to screenshots unless you are sure of their purpose.

To easily access the latest screenshots, you can set up a widget on your desktop or add a folder shortcut, which will speed up your search for the desired image if you often take many screenshots throughout the day, and in the gallery settings, you can also enable cloud sync so that your screenshots are automatically saved to the cloud and accessible from other devices.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)