How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: Full instructions for MIUI and HyperOS

Redmi and POCO users often have to capture the contents of the screen, whether it’s a text message, a screenshot of an error, or an interesting page in the browser. However, there are many nuances in the shells of MIUI and the new HyperOS that distinguish the process of creating a picture from standard Android. Users may have difficulty finding the right buttons or activating additional features, such as scrolling a page.

In this article, we’ll take a look at all the existing ways to create screenshots on Xiaomi devices, including methods for models without physical buttons and voice control. You’ll learn to take long page shots, edit images immediately after you create and customize handy gestures to speed up your work with the gadget.

We’ll look at not only standard algorithms, but also specific settings that can block screenshots from being created in some apps, and understanding these features will allow you to effectively manage multimedia content on your Xiaomi or Redmi without installing third-party software.

Standard Method Using Physical Buttons

The fastest and most familiar way to take a screenshot on any modern smartphone is by combining physical keys. On Xiaomi devices with or without a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, this method remains basic and works even when the touch layer is getting stuck.

To create a picture, you need to simultaneously press and briefly hold the Volume Down and Power button. It is important not to pinch them for a long time, otherwise instead of a screenshot, you can turn off the device menu or start a voice assistant if it is set to press for a long time.

Visual and audible confirmation of the success of the action will be the characteristic click of the camera shutter and the flash of the screen. In the upper corner, a thumbnail of the image will appear, clicking on which you can immediately go to edit or send a file.

⚠️ Attention: If you press the buttons too hard, the system may consider this as an attempt to force reset.

This method is universal and works 99% of the time, but it can be uncomfortable with one-handed use of a smartphone, and in such situations, it is better to use alternatives provided by the developers of the MIUI shell.

Using three-finger gestures

MIUI is famous for its sophisticated convenience features, and one of the most popular is to take a screenshot of a swipe, a technique that is particularly handy when the phone is lying on a table or in a horizontal position.

To activate this feature, you need to swipe three fingers from top to bottom across the screen, the motion needs to be smooth, but fast enough that the system recognizes it as a command, not as a casual touch, and once activated, you will hear the shutter sound and see the animation of the save.

If you don't have a three-finger swipe, you probably have the function disabled in the settings. To activate it, go to Settings → Additional Features → Screenshot and turn on the Three-Finger Swipe switch. You can also set up other settings related to screenshots.

Interestingly, some versions of the firmware offer an extended gesture, so if you continue to thumb down after you take a screenshot with your three fingers, you start creating a long screenshot (scroll) that allows you to capture entire web pages or long messages in messengers in one action.

• 📱 Swipe should be performed with three fingers at the same time, otherwise the system may perceive this as a normal scrolling page.
• ⚙️ The sensitivity of the gesture can be adjusted in the engineering menu, but standard settings are usually enough for stable operation.
• 🔄 The gesture does not work on the lock screen and in some secure applications, such as bank clients.

Creating screenshots through the Control Center

For users who are uncomfortable remembering keyboards or performing complex gestures, Xiaomi has designed a screenshot through the interface, ideal when the phone is mounted in the holder or lying on the surface.

To use this method, open the notification curtain. Depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS, you either swipe down the top for the second time, or just open the Quick Settings panel. Find an icon with a picture of scissors or a rectangle, which is called "Screenshot."

💡

If you don’t see the screenshot icon in the curtain, click on the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots) and drag the Screenshot icon from the list of available widgets to the active area.

Once you click on the icon, the system will instantly snap a snapshot of the current contents of the screen, which also allows you to take screenshots in situations where physical buttons may be blocked by a case or damaged.

Importantly, in the new versions of HyperOS, the control center interface has been redesigned, and the screenshot icon can be on the second page of the panel or hidden in the option menu if you haven’t previously added it to your favorites.

⚠️ Note: In some third-party design themes, the screenshot icon may be hidden or replaced. If you can't find it, switch to a standard theme temporarily MIUI.

Voice control and Mi AI assistant

Voice control technologies are becoming increasingly integrated into everyday smartphone use, with Xiaomi and Redmi devices being run by an integrated assistant that can execute system commands, including taking screenshots.

To use this method, make sure that Voice is activated. Usually, the assistant is called with the phrase “OK, Google” or “Hello, Mi AI” (depending on the region and language settings), or pressing the power button long-term if it is configured in the system.

Once the assistant is activated, say "Take a screenshot" or "Screenshot of the screen." The system recognizes the voice request, emits an audible signal, and saves the image to the gallery, which is ideal for people with disabilities or when hands are busy.

It is worth considering that the voice assistant requires an active Internet connection, since the processing of the request often takes place on the servers of the company. Without the network, the command may not execute or be recognized incorrectly.

• 🗣️ Voice commands work even in hands-free mode if the phone is connected to the charger and the screen is on.
• 🌐 Recognition of complex phrases may require a stable connection to Wi-Fi or mobile network 4G/5G.
• 🔒 In incognito browser or secure banking applications, a voice request to create a screenshot will be ignored by the security system.

Long screenshot and scrolling mode

One of the most sought-after features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which allows you to capture the content of a page that does not fit on a single screen, such as a long article, a spreadsheet or correspondence on WhatsApp.

There are several ways to activate this mode, and the easiest way is to click on the thumbnail that appears in the corner, after you have created a normal screenshot (by any of the methods described above), and the screen will automatically scroll down to capture new content.

You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or wait for it to automatically end when you reach the end of the page. The system will glue all the pieces together into one long, high-quality image.

Alternatively, use the Multitasking menu. Open the list of apps you have launched, find the right window, and click on the Three Dots button or screenshot icon. From the menu that appears, select the Long Screenshot or Full Screenshot option.

This is especially useful when you want to save the entire recipe, instructions or route of the navigator, the resulting image will have a non-standard aspect ratio, but it is perfectly readable when viewed with scrolling.

Where are the screenshots stored and how to find them

Once a screenshot is created, it is automatically stored in the device's internal memory, and by default, all screenshots are placed in a separate folder, making it easier to find them among the photos taken on the camera.

To find saved images, open the standard Gallery or Google Photos app. The Xiaomi Gallery app has a special album called Screenshots. In Google Photos, they are usually in the Library section» → «Folders on the device» → «Screenshots».

The physical path to files in the Android file system is as follows: Internal Memory → DCIM → Screenshots or Internal Memory → Pictures → Screenshots. The exact location may depend on the Android version and the specific smartphone model.

For user convenience, MIUI has a feature to sort screenshots by application. If you took a screenshot in the browser, it can be tagged accordingly, allowing you to quickly filter content by source of creation.

Table: Comparison of methods for creating screenshots

To quickly choose the most suitable method for you, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you understand which method will be most effective in different situations of using your smartphone.

As you can see from the table, button combinations remain the fastest and most reliable way, independent of external factors, but for users who value the aesthetics of interaction, gestures may be the preferred option.

Remember, you can combine these techniques, like taking quick snapshots with buttons, and using a multitasking menu or a sequel gesture to save long pages.

Frequent problems and their solution

Despite the system’s debugging, users may encounter situations where screenshots are not created, most often due to Android security policies, such as incognito mode on Chrome or in the applications of banks (Sberbank, Tinkoff, etc.), screenshots are blocked at the system level.

In such cases, the screen may simply blink, but the image will not be saved, or a notice of prohibition will appear, and this is normal behavior of the system aimed at protecting your personal data, and it is impossible to circumvent it with standard means without root rights.

💡

If a screenshot is not taken in a particular application, it is likely to be a protected content write protection (DRM) or a bank software security policy.

Another common problem is memory shortage, where if the internal storage is crowded, the system won't be able to save the new file, in which case you need to make room by deleting old videos or unnecessary applications.

It’s also worth checking the date and time settings, and if they’re downed, it can cause conflicts when saving timestamped files, although this is extremely rare in modern versions of MIUI.

• 🛡️ In banking applications, use the function “Export statement” or the built-in chat with support to get the necessary information.
• 💾 Clean Screenshots folder regularly, as long page shots can take up a significant amount of memory due to the high resolution.
• 🔄 Rebooting a device often resolves temporary software failures if gestures or buttons stop working.

Configure additional screenshot parameters

The MIUI shell allows you to flexibly adjust the behavior of the system when you take pictures, you can change the format of the save, turn on or off the shutter sound, and adjust the display of thumbnails.

To access the advanced settings, go to Settings → Additional Features → Screenshot. You can activate the Hide Status Bar option to prevent screenshots from displaying time, battery power and network icons, making the image cleaner and more presentable.

There's also a watermark feature that can be added to the lower right corner with the phone model and resolution, which can be useful for tech reviews or display performance, but for personal use, this option is often turned off.

⚠️ Note: Changing the format of the save or quality may affect the compatibility of the image with some editing applications. JPEG or PNG.

Newer versions of HyperOS offer the ability to quickly mark up screenshots immediately after creation, and by clicking on thumbnails, you can access the drawing, text and sticker tools, eliminating the need to open a separate editor.

Understanding all of these nuances makes your Xiaomi a powerful information tool: Experiment with different methods to find the one that will be the most natural and quickest for you to use every day.