How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: full ways for all versions of MIUI

Owning a modern Xiaomi smartphone requires fast recording of information, whether it is correspondence, a route map or an interesting article. Users often look for an answer to the question of how to take a screenshot of the screen, but there is much more than just pressing buttons in the shell of MIUI and the new HyperOS. Understanding all available options allows you to save time and avoid unnecessary mechanical load on the physical elements of the device body.

System engineers at the company have set up several levels of interaction with the Android operating system, which is tailored to the needs of the brand, which allows you to choose the most convenient way depending on the situation: whether you hold the phone with one hand, whether you use voice control or prefer classic combinations. Flexibility of interface settings is one of the key features that distinguish the manufacturer’s products in the market.

In this guide, we will take a look at every screenshot method available, from basic mechanical actions to advanced automatic scrolling features. You will learn how to set up gestures, use voice commands, and where to look for saved files once they are created. This information is relevant for most models, including the Redmi series, POCO and the flagship Mi line.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable way to do this is to work even if the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or the system is under stress, to create a picture, you need to simultaneously press and briefly hold the volume down and the power button, and to successfully perform the action is accompanied by a characteristic sound of the camera shutter and a visual flash of the screen.

It's important to keep the right spacing and pressing force. If you press the buttons too long, the system might think of it as a command to call the emergency call menu or turn off the device. A short touch lasting less than a second is optimal for a screenshot. This is universal and does not require any pre-tuning.

However, there is a risk of mechanical wear of buttons when used frequently, especially on older devices where keys may be limited. In such cases, it is recommended to switch to software management methods.

⚠️ Note: Do not attempt to take a screenshot while playing protected content (DRM) In apps like Netflix or banking programs, you’ll get a black image for data security reasons.

📊 What kind of screenshots do you use most often?
Button combination
Three fingers
Through the notification curtain
Voice commands

Gesture control: three fingers for instant snapshot

One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is the ability to create a screenshot with a hand movement, which is ideal for those who control the phone with one hand or who are uncomfortable reaching for the buttons on the case, and to activate this option, you need to swipe three fingers from top to bottom in the center of the screen.

By default, the function can be disabled, so it's worth checking the settings. Go to Settings, select Additional, then Screenshots. Here you need to activate the switch opposite to Three Fingers. Once turned on, the system will respond to the corresponding gesture in any interface, except for some secure applications.

Using gestures requires a certain skill, especially on large screens. The fingers must touch the display at the same time, and the movement must be smooth. If the system does not respond the first time, try changing the angle of inclination of the hands or the speed of the conduction. This software solution greatly speeds up the work with content.

☑️ Customization of gestures

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Use of control panel and notification curtain

The third way that is often overlooked by beginners is to use the interface elements of the operating system itself, and in the notification curtain that is called from top to bottom by the swipe is a quick access button, which can be called a Screenshot or have an icon.

This is especially useful when the user's hands are busy or dirty, and touching the screen with your fingers or buttons is not advisable. Just unlock the phone, open the curtain and tap the icon. The system will instantly capture the current image. In some versions of HyperOS, this element can be brought to the main widget screen.

Also worth mentioning is the shutdown menu, which is that if you press the power button, you'll see a menu of options on the screen, and the "Stop" and "Reset" buttons often include a camera icon that also takes a screenshot, an alternative path built deep into the interface's logic.

Why is the button in the curtain missing?
Sometimes the screenshot icon is hidden in the extended Quick Settings menu, and to get it back, you click on a pencil or three dots in the corner of the notification curtain, find the Screenshot icon in the list of available ones, and drag it to the active area.

Voice control via Google Assistant and Xiao AI

Modern technology allows you to completely eliminate tactile interaction when you need to take a picture. Voice assistants built into the Android system do a great job of this task. For owners of global versions of firmware, Google Assistant is relevant, and for Chinese versions and some regions, Xiao AI is relevant.

To use this method, just say the phrase "Ok Google, take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot." The assistant recognizes the command and performs the action by saving the image to the gallery, which is especially convenient while driving a car or when the phone is connected to an external display.

For voice control to work properly, you need a stable Internet connection and a pre-configured user profile, and the assistant settings must allow screenwork, a high-tech option that demonstrates the capabilities of artificial intelligence in everyday tasks.

Extended screenshot function (scroll)

One of the most popular features for document and web pages is the scrolling mode, or Long Screenshot. After you take a normal shot (in any of the ways described above), a thumbnail appears in the corner, and if you click on it, you will see a menu where you need to select the icon with the arrows down.

The system will automatically scroll down the page, gluing the image into one long tape, and you can stop the process at any time with a tap on the stop button or automatically when the content is over, an indispensable tool for saving correspondence, articles and tables.

Keep in mind that the quality of the final image may depend on the amount of data being processed. For very long pages, the system may suggest breaking the file into parts. Autoscrolling makes archiving information much easier.

💡

When creating a long screenshot, try not to touch the screen during the scrolling process, otherwise the system may see this as a stop or edit command.

Where to look and how to edit saved images

All images are automatically saved to the system gallery, and you can find them in the Gallery app on Screenshots. The path to files in the file system usually looks like a file system. /internal_storage/Pictures/Screenshots.

The built-in editor allows you to mark up, cut, add text or blot out sensitive data immediately after you create a frame. By opening the thumbnail, you can access a set of tools similar to full-fledged graphics editors, which allows you to avoid installing third-party applications.

Below is a table that systematizes the main characteristics of various methods of creating screenshots on Xiaomi devices:

MethodSpeed.ConvenienceDependence on settings
ButtonsTall.Average.No.
Gesture (3 fingers)Very high.High.Yes (on the menu)
The curtain/MenuMediumLow.No.
Voice.MediumHigh.Yeah (we need internet)

⚠️ Note: When the device overflows, the screenshot function may stop working.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why can’t you take a screenshot in some apps?
This is an Android security limitation: Banking apps, incognito browser mode, and some messengers block screenshots from being taken to protect the user's sensitive data, in which case you will receive a black image or a ban notice.
Can I change the format of the stored image?
By default, the system saves screenshots in PNG format for maximum quality. In some versions of MIUI, you can change the settings through the engineering menu or third-party utilities, but the format is fixed by standard means to ensure compatibility.
Where is the clipboard history stored after the screenshot?
Once a screenshot is created, its thumbnail temporarily appears in the clipboard or pop-up window.If you don't save it explicitly or edit it, it will still remain in the gallery, but access to quick editing through the pop-up will be lost after the next copy.
How to turn off the shutter sound when creating a screenshot?
In most regions, the sound of a screenshot is tied to the overall volume level of the media or system, which can be completely turned off by putting the phone in silent mode, but in some versions of the firmware (for example, in Japan), this limitation may be hardware and not software-enabled.

💡

The best way to use it every day is to adjust the gesture with three fingers, as it combines high speed and no load on the physical buttons of the device.