How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: all the ways and settings

Owners of modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face the need to quickly save an image from the screen. Whether it is an important dialogue, a payment receipt or a funny moment from the game, a screenshot is an indispensable tool. However, the variety of MIUI and HyperOS shells, as well as differences in hardware buttons can confuse even the experienced user.

In this article, we will take a look at all the screenshot techniques that exist, and not only will you learn about standard keyboard shortcuts, but also hidden features like automatic scrolling for long pages and tapping shots, and understanding these nuances will allow you to work with the device as efficiently as possible.

We'll also address file storage issues and solving typical issues when a feature stops working. Android system settings provide flexible tools that often go unnoticed. Let's take a look at how to unlock the full potential of your screen camera right now.

Classical Method Through Physical Buttons

The fastest and most reliable way to work on 99% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices is to use a physical key combination, which is independent of the firmware version or sensor settings, and you need to press and hold down the Volume Down button and Power button for a short time at the same time.

It's important to keep the press synchronized. If you press the power earlier, you might have a shutdown menu or a voice assistant. If you hold the volume, you'll just change the sound level. The perfect rhythm is a simultaneous, clear click with both fingers.

After the action is successful, you will hear the characteristic shutter click (if the sound is on), and a thumbnail will appear at the top of the screen. The system will automatically prompt you to edit the image, add notes or immediately send it to the messenger.

⚠️ Warning: Do not press the buttons too long. Prolonged retention of the combination can lead to forced device restart or activation of Recovery mode, which will require additional time to start the system.

For left-handed or large-handed users, this method may seem inconvenient, as it requires both hands or the complex position of the fingers of one hand, and in such cases, it is better to turn to software solutions, which we will discuss later.

Use of gestures and control panel

The MIUI shell offers more modern and ergonomic ways of interacting, and one of the most popular is a three-finger gesture, which you just swipe three fingers down from top to bottom on the screen at any given time, and it instantly creates a snapshot without having to reach for the buttons.

However, this feature requires pre-activation in settings. By default, it can be disabled to prevent accidental positives. To enable the option, go to the Settings menu → Additional settings → Screenshot and activate the Gesture Switch with three fingers.

The second software method is to use the control panel, swipe from top to bottom (usually with two fingers or once depending on the curtain settings) to open the control center, find an icon with scissors or a screen symbol, and clicking on it will create a snapshot of the current content.

• 📱 The three-finger gesture allows you to take screenshots with one hand without changing the grip of the device.
• 🔽 Notification curtain gives access to the feature even if the physical volume button is faulty.
• ⚙️ In gesture settings, you can select an action for a long press, for example, running an editor.

The use of gestures is especially important for models with large diagonals, where it is physically difficult to reach the top buttons, and it reduces wear and tear of the mechanical elements of the body, which prolongs the life of the smartphone.

The “Long Screenshot” function for web pages

Often, one image is not enough to capture the entire article, correspondence in the messenger or table. For such cases, Xiaomi has an advanced screenshot (or scrolling) feature. After creating a normal shot (by buttons or gesture), a thumbnail appears in the corner.

This thumbnail has a button with down arrows or a Scrolling icon, and you click on it, and you automatically move the screen down, and the system will flip through the content itself and glue the images into one long image.

You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or you can wait until the algorithm reaches the end of the page, and it's an indispensable tool for saving checks, long dialogues, and instructions.

⚠️ Attention: The long screenshot function may not work properly on lazy load pages where content is only loaded when scrolled. In such cases, the final image may be cropped or contain empty areas.

Once you have completed a long shot, the system will prompt you to save the file. The weight of the image can be significant, so keep an eye out for the free space in the device's memory.

Voice control and special features

For users who are uncomfortable using their hands, or in situations where the phone is attached to the holder, voice control is ideal.The Google Assistant or built-in Mi AI (depending on the region) can execute the command "Take a screenshot" or "Make a screenshot."

That it worked, you have to activate the appropriate permissions. Usually, just say "Ok Google," and then say the command. Also in the Settings section → Special features you can configure the hands-free control, where a screenshot will be one of the available actions.

Another exotic but useful method is to use a floating window, where in some firmware versions, when you press the menu button (if you have one), or through the multitasking menu, you can call additional tools where there is a snapshot button.

• 🗣️ Voice commands work even when the screen is locked (with resolution settings).
• 🖐️ Gesture management is available in the menu of special opportunities for people with disabilities.
• ⏱️ You can set a timer to take a picture 3 or 5 seconds after the command.

Using voice assistants requires a stable internet connection for speech recognition, although basic commands can be processed locally on newer Snapdragon processors.

Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them

Understanding the file structure of Android will help you quickly find the images you took. By default, all the images are stored in internal memory./DCIM/Screenshots or MIUI/screen_shot, depending on the gallery version.

The Screenshot Gallery app has a separate album, which allows you to automatically sort them from other photos taken by the camera, and you can create smart albums where the images will be taken by certain attributes, such as date or tags.

To make room, check the Screenshot folder regularly, often accumulating hundreds of unwanted images, receipts and memes, and using cloud services like Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud will automate backups.

💡

Use the Cleanup feature in the Security app, which automatically finds similar screenshots and suggests removing duplicates, freeing up valuable disk space.

If you connect your phone to your computer, look for the Pictures/Screenshots folder. When sorted by date, the last files will be at the top of the list.

Typical problems and their solution

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where screenshots are not created, the most common reason is application security policy, banking programs, incognito browser modes and streaming services (Netflix) block the creation of screenshots to protect data.

In these cases, you'll see a black image or a message that the action is impossible, and you can't get around it with software using regular MIUI tools, because that's a system limitation of Android.

Another reason is a lack of RAM, and if you have dozens of heavy applications open, the system may ignore the command to take the image, close the background processes, and try again.

• 🚫 In banking applications, screenshots are blocked at the security level.
• 💾 Lack of memory can interrupt the file saving process.
• 📱 Sensor failure requires calibration or reboot of the device.

⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer saved in all applications at once, check access rights. You may have accidentally denied the Gallery app or System Services access to the storage in your privacy settings.

In rare cases, resetting interface settings helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, find the System Interface and clear its cache. This will return the standard behavior of buttons and menus.

💡

If a screenshot is not taken in a particular application (e.g. a bank), it is not a malfunction of the phone, but an intentional data protection by the app developer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)