How to take a screenshot on a Xiaomi phone: all the ways for Redmi, POCO and Mi

You can take a screenshot on a Xiaomi phone in seconds — if you know the right keyboard combinations or the hidden features of MIUI. But what if the standard way Volume Down + Power doesn’t work? Or how to save a long web page as a whole? In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of creating screenshots on Redmi smartphones, POCO and Mi lines, including little-known tricks for advanced users.

Xiaomi differs from other brands in the flexibility of the MIUI firmware. Here, screenshots can be taken not only with buttons, but also with gestures, voice, and in some models – even with a three-finger swipe, while the functionality may differ depending on the version of the MIUI (12, 13, 14) and the phone model. We tested all methods on current devices in 2023-2026, so the instructions are guaranteed to work.

If you just switched from an iPhone or other Android smartphone, pay attention to the section about long screenshots - this is a unique feature of Xiaomi, which is not at the competition. AMOLED-screens will be useful advice on how to take a picture without displaying the navigation panel.

1. Standard method: Volume and power buttons

The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones - from the budget Redmi 12C to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

• 🔊 Loudness down (bottom button on left end)
• 🔄 Power (on/block button on the right end)

Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the characteristic shutter sound (if the sound is on) and see the save animation.

An important nuance: on some models (for example, POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+), the power button may be triggered with a delay due to the dual-press function to start the camera.

1. Press the buttons with a slight advance (first Volume down, then Power).
2. Turn off double pressing in Settings → Special features → Double pressing of the power button.

⚠️ Note: On devices with mechanical buttons (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Pressing too much can lead to artifacts in the picture.

2. Screenshot by gesture: three-finger swipe

The three-finger screenshot feature is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and newer, which is convenient when pressing buttons with one hand is uncomfortable (for example, on large phones like the Xiaomi 13T Pro).

To activate the gesture:

1. Go to Settings → Additional functions → Screenshot.
2. Activate the "Three-finger screenshot" switch.
3. Choose the direction of the swipe: down (recommended) or up.

Now just swipe your three fingers across the screen in the right direction and the screenshot is ready! The feature works even in games and full-screen applications.

⚠️ Note: On certain devices (e.g, POCO M5) The three-finger gesture may conflict with the navigation gesture function. If the screenshot doesn't work, check the gesture settings in the Settings → Display.

Voice assistant: "Take a screenshot"

If you have Xiaomi's voice assistant (or Google Assistant) on, you can take a screenshot with a voice command, which is especially useful when your hands are busy or the screen is dirty.

For activation:

1. Say “OK, Google” or hold the home button to launch the assistant.
2. Say the command: "Take a screenshot" or "Screenshot".

The screenshot will be saved automatically. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Lite), the voice assistant Xiaomi supports additional commands:

• 🗣️ "Screenshot and share" - immediately opens the sending menu.
• 🗣️ "Long screenshot" - captures the scrollable page.

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If the voice assistant doesn’t recognize the command, try to pronounce it more clearly or go to the assistant settings and update the language model.

Limitation: Voice screenshots don’t work in banking apps and some games due to security restrictions.

4. Long screenshot: How to capture the entire page

Xiaomi’s unique feature is the ability to create scrolling screenshots, which is useful for saving long chats, web pages or lists in apps, a feature available in MIUI 11 and later.

How to take a long screenshot:

1. First, create a regular screenshot in any way (buttons or gestures).
2. Immediately after the thumbnail appears in the lower right corner, click on it.
3. In the editor that opens, tap the “Scroll” icon (two arrows down).
4. Wait for the page to automatically scroll to the end, or stop the process manually.

Important: the feature does not work in all applications: browsers (Chrome, Mi Browser), instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), social networks (VK, Instagram), but may not work in games or banking programs.

5 Quick Action Panel (Quick Ball)

If you need screenshots often, set up the Quick Ball, a floating, round widget that appears on top of any application and gives you access to key features, including a screenshot.

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Additional features → Quick Ball.
2. Activate the slider and select Screenshot from the Quick Actions list.
3. Set up the transparency and position of the widget on the screen.

Now you just tap on Quick Ball and select the screenshot icon.

• 🎯 It works in any application, even if the buttons are blocked.
• 🔄 You can set a double press for an instant snapshot.
• 🖼️ Supports editing immediately after creation.

⚠️ Note: On models with notches in the screen (for example, POCO X4 Pro) Quick Ball can overlap part of the interface, in which case reduce the size of the widget in the settings.

6. Screenshot via ADB (for developers)

If you need to take a screenshot software (for example, for testing applications or remote control), you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting the phone to a PC.

Instructions:

1. Turn on the developer mode on your phone: go to Settings → About phone and 7 times tap on the MIUI version.
2. Activate debugging over USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command in the terminal: adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screenshot.png
4. Download the file to your computer: adb pull /sdcard/screenshot.png

This method is useful for:

• 💻 Automating screenshots (for example, for documentation).
• 🔧 Diagnostics of interface problems.
• 📊 Collect screenshots from multiple devices at the same time.

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ADB-screenshots are saved in maximum screen resolution without compression, which is useful for professional work with images.

7. Problem Solving: Screenshot Not Working

If none of these methods work, check the following points:

If the problem persists:

1. Update MIUI to the latest version in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Reset the settings of "Additional Features" in Settings → Additional → Reset settings.
3. Check your phone for viruses (some malware blocks screenshots).

For models with HyperOS (new interface from Xiaomi): the path to setting screenshots may be different. Look for them in Settings → System → More.

Frequently asked questions