Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones have powerful cameras and screens that capture any moment, but sometimes the user needs to save exactly what is displayed on the display. This can be a correspondence in the messenger, an interesting post on the social network or a confirmation of a bank transfer that needs to be sent to a colleague. The MIUI operating system and its new version of HyperOS have many ways to capture the screen, and the choice of a particular method often depends on personal preferences or the current situation.
Many device owners still use only the classic button combination, without even knowing the existence of more convenient tools such as swipes or voice commands. Understanding all the options available allows you to significantly speed up the work with the gadget and make the process of storing information as comfortable as possible. In this article, we will discuss each method in detail so that you can choose the most suitable system management option for yourself.
It’s worth noting that the shell interface may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and the model of your smartphone, but the basic principles remain the same for the entire range of brands. We will look at both standard features and hidden features that will help you take quality screenshots of any complexity. Let’s go from theory to practice and explore the main ways to create screenshots.
Use of physical buttons and power menus
The oldest and most time-tested method that works on all Android smartphones, including the budget models of the Redmi series and Xiaomi flagships. To implement it, you need to simultaneously press two physical keys: the volume button and the device’s switch on (lock) button. It is important to press them strictly at the same time, because with successive pressing you either change the volume or unlock the phone.
If you're used to a certain rhythm of pressing, it's going to be a reflex for you to take instant screenshots in any application, but on some models with curved edges or specific button locations, this may not be the most convenient method, especially when using one hand, in which case the system offers alternative interaction options.
Once you've successfully created a picture, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera (if the sound isn't turned off) and see a brief animation in the corner of the screen. In the upper right corner, you'll see a thumbnail that you can click on, you can immediately go to edit or send a file. If the thumbnail doesn't appear, check the notifications in the curtain, there will be a message about successful image saving.
⚠️ Warning: Do not keep the buttons pinched for too long, as prolonged holding of the power and volume buttons can activate emergency call mode for rescue services if this feature is enabled in the security settings.
There is also a second use case for physical controls, which is not available on all firmware versions, but is often found in default settings, which is to call a special quick action menu through a long press of the power button. In the window that opens, you will see several options, including a scissors icon or a screenshot icon.
- 📸 Classic method: simultaneous pressing of Volume and Power.
- 🖱️ Menu: long press of the lock button and selecting the item "Screenshot".
- 🔊 Sound adjustment: in some themes, you can configure the creation of a picture when swiping over the volume panel.
The use of physical buttons ensures that the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or freezes, making it the most reliable emergency option that every smartphone owner should know, but for those who value aesthetics and convenience, MIUI developers are more advanced tools.
Three-finger gesture control
One of the most popular features in the MIUI shell is the ability to create a screenshot by simply swiping three fingers across the screen, which is intuitive and allows you to take pictures without taking your eyes off the content, which is especially convenient when reading articles or watching videos. To activate this feature, you need to go to the system settings.
Find the Additional Features or Advanced Settings section, then select Screenshot. Here you need to switch the switch that allows you to take three-finger images. Once activated, you can simply swipe three fingers from top to bottom over any area of the display, and the system instantly saves the image.
This method is particularly popular with users of large smartphones, as it does not require twisting fingers to reach the top buttons. The gesture works in almost all applications, except for some banking programs with a high level of security, where the creation of screenshots is prohibited by privacy policies.
⚠️ Warning: If a three-finger gesture doesn’t work, make sure that the settings don’t include One-Hand mode or other specific control modes that can intercept multi-touch gestures.
Some firmware versions also allow you to customize the capture area when using a gesture, so you can set the system to automatically crop the image or apply certain filters immediately after you take a screenshot, saving time if you need to quickly process the graphics.
For those who are used to certain patterns of movement, the three-finger gesture is the second natural reflex after scrolling through the tape, minimizing the mechanical impact on the buttons, prolonging their life, and making interaction with the interface smoother and more modern.
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To make the gesture with three fingers work more clearly, try to touch the screen with the entire area of your fingers, not only their tips, and conduct a confident movement from top to bottom.
Control panel and notification curtain
A third way that is often ignored by beginners but highly valued by power users is to use a control panel (curtains). By swiping from top to bottom of the screen, you get access to a quick menu where among the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons is the Scissors icon or Screenshot.
This is ideal in situations where physical buttons are busy (like a game controller) or when gestures don't activate for some reason, just lower the curtain, press the icon, and the current image is stored in the gallery, which takes literally a couple of seconds.
In addition, some versions of HyperOS have a side menu feature (Sidebar), which can be called a swipe from the edge of the screen. This floating window also often places tools to take screenshots, making them available at any time without having to reach for the top or bottom of the screen.
- 🔽 Swipe from top to bottom to open control center.
- ✂️ Search for Scissors Icons among Quick Switches.
- 📱 Use the side menu to access tools.
Using software buttons in the notification curtain is also useful if the physical buttons of your smartphone are backlashed or not working correctly, which completely eliminates mechanical impact on the device if you need to save information from the screen.
Voice control and Google Assistant
In the age of artificial intelligence, voice control is becoming increasingly relevant. If your hands are busy or you are far from the device, you can simply pronounce a command, and Google Assistant or the built-in voice assistant XiaoAI (in Chinese versions) will take a screenshot for you.
To activate, you just have to say, "OK, Google," or press the assistant button, and then say, "Take a screenshot," or "Take a picture of the screen," and the system recognizes the command, emits an audible signal, and saves the image, which is especially useful for people with disabilities or in situations where the phone is on the table.
Voice control requires an active Internet connection to process the request on Google servers, so make sure the network is stable. Otherwise, the assistant may not understand the command or execute it with a delay.
⚠️ Warning: Voice commands may not work in high-privacy apps or in game mode where the microphone is busy playing or communicating with people.
Using a voice assistant frees your hands and allows you to do things without interrupting your current routine, especially when cooking, when you need to save a recipe, or when you're working, when your hands are dirty.
Long screenshot and page scrolling
Often, a single screenshot is not enough to capture an entire correspondence, article or long list of products in an online store, in which case the function "Long screenshot" or "Scroll" comes to the rescue. After you create a regular screenshot (by any of the above methods), a thumbnail appears in the corner.
In this thumbnail, you click on the down arrow button or the Scrolling icon. The screen automatically starts to move downwards, capturing a new area of the image until you stop the process or reach the end of the page, resulting in one long vertical image.
This feature is built into MIUI by default, and doesn't require third-party apps to be installed. It automatically glues multiple frames together, removing the joints and making the image readable, and it's an indispensable tool for saving receipts, dialogs and web pages.
☑️ Algorithm for creating a long screenshot
When creating long screenshots, it is important to consider that dynamic content (video, animation) may not be displayed correctly.Static text and images are saved perfectly, but it is better to avoid capturing moving elements for a clean result.
Editing and saving pictures
Once a screenshot is taken, the system prompts you to immediately go to edit it. Xiaomi's built-in image editor allows you to trim extra edges, add text, highlight important areas with a marker or blur sensitive data (such as card numbers or addresses).
To access the editor, click on the thumbnail immediately after you create the image or open the image through the gallery and select "Change." There are various drawing tools, stickers and framing options available, and you can also change the file format or quality before sending it.
All screenshots created are automatically sorted into a separate Screenshots folder in the gallery, making them easier to find and manage, and you can quickly delete failed attempts or share files through instant messengers without leaving the application.
| Method | Speed. | Convenience | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons (Loudness + Power) | Tall. | Average. | Always. |
| Three fingers | Very high. | High. | Requires customization |
| Notification curtain | Medium | High. | Always. |
| Voice command | Low. | Average. | We need the Internet. |
The choice of editing method depends on your goals, and if you just want to send a picture to a friend, standard cropping is enough, and if you're preparing an instruction or a report, built-in markup tools will help you to focus on the main thing.
Where are the screenshots stored?
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The fastest way is to gesture with three fingers, the most reliable is to button, and for long pages, the scroll function is indispensable.