How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi: all the ways for smartphones and tablets

Screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones are not just screen savers, but tools to capture important information, share data, or even prove in controversial situations. Despite the apparent simplicity, many users face difficulties: the combination of buttons does not work, the gesture is not recognized by the fingers, the screenshot is saved in the wrong place, especially for new models with MIUI 14/15, where the interface and settings may differ from previous versions.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to create screenshots on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from classic button combinations to hidden features for advanced users, how to take a screenshot on a locked screen, how to change the format of save (PNG/JPEG), and what to do if standard methods do not work, and at the end, answers to frequent questions and solutions to typical problems.

1. Classic method: power and volume buttons

The most versatile method that has worked on all Xiaomi models since 2014 is the simultaneous pressing of physical buttons.

1. Open the screen you want to capture.
2. Press the power button (on/off) and the volume button at the same time.
3. Hold them for 1-2 seconds until you hear the shutter sound or see an animation of the screenshot.

On newer models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), the combination with the volume button may also work, depending on the firmware. If the first option didn't work, try the alternative.

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On some devices (such as the POCO F5), you can first press the volume button for convenience and then power it, reducing the risk of accidentally turning off the screen.

Where to look for a saved screenshot? By default, files appear in the gallery, in the Screenshots folder or (if the system is in Chinese), and you can find them through any file manager along the way:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/

2. Screenshot by gesture: three fingers down

MIUI's signature feature is the ability to take screenshots with a three-finger wiring gesture across the screen, which is enabled by default on most devices, but if it doesn't work, you can manually activate it:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Additional functions → Gestures.
• 👆 Find the option "Screenshot by gesture" (or on Chinese firmware).
• ✅ Turn on the switch and select the gesture direction (usually down).

How does it work in practice? Just swipe three fingers down on the screen at the same time. The speed of movement should be medium — too slow or fast touch may not work. On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12T), the gesture can be adjusted to other actions, for example, to record the screen.

Check if the function is included in the settings|Make sure there is no sign blocking on the screen (e.g. in games)|Try to make a gesture from different parts of the screen|Reboot the phone if the gesture is not recognized-->

The advantage of this method is speed and convenience, especially when one hand is holding the phone and the other is uncomfortable pressing buttons. However, on devices with curved screens (for example, Xiaomi Mix Fold 3), the gesture can be triggered accidentally when scrolling pages.

3. Screenshot via notification panel

If the physical buttons are not working (e.g., the power button is broken) or the gesture is disabled, you can use the Quick Settings Panel, which is suitable for all versions of MIUI, including MIUI 15:

• 📲 Swipe your finger down to open the notification bar.
• 🔍 Find the Screenshot icon (usually a scissor or a rectangle with lightning). If it's not there, click on the pencil icon (Edit) and add it to the panel.
• 📸 Slip on the icon - the screenshot will be taken instantly.

On some firmware (e.g., the global version for POCO X5), the icon may be called Screen capture or hidden behind the Edit button. If the notification bar does not open on the locked screen, this method will not work - you will need to unlock the device.

Important: If the notification bar is stuck or does not respond to touch, try restarting the system interface. To do this, hold the power button for 10 seconds before restarting or follow the command in ADB:

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.CLOSE_SYSTEM_DIALOGS

4.Voice Assistant and Google Assistant

For those who prefer to control their phone with their voice, there are two options for creating touchless screenshots:

Method 1: Google Assistant

• 🎤 Say “OK Google” or hold the Home button to activate the assistant.
• 🗣️ You can dictate the command: “Take a screenshot” or “Take a screenshot".
• ✅ Confirm the action if required.

Method 2: via XiaoAI (for Chinese firmware)

• 📢 Activate the assistant with a long hold of the Home button or voice: "".
• 📷 Say: "" (meaning screenshot").

The voice method is convenient when hands are busy or the screen is dirty. However, it requires an Internet connection (to process the command) and may not work in power saving mode. The POCO M6 Pro and other models with pure Android (without MIUI) only runs Google Assistant.

5. Screenshot via PC (ADB and Mi PC Suite)

If your smartphone screen is damaged or doesn't respond to touch, you can take a screenshot with your computer. There are two reliable ways to do this.

Method 1: ADB (for advanced users)

• 🖥️ Install. ADB Tools on PC.
• 🔌 Connect the phone to the computer by USB (Turn on the debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI, tap 7 times on the assembly number).
• 📌 In the command line, execute:

adb devices


adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screen.png




adb pull /sdcard/screen.png

Screen.png will appear in the ADB folder.

Method 2: via Mi PC Suite (official software)

• 💻 Download and install Mi. PC Suite.
• 📱 Put the phone on. USB, Allow access to data.
• 🖼️ In the program, select File Management → Screenshot.

ADB-The method is universal and works even on locked phones (if debugging was previously enabled). PC Suite is easier for beginners, but requires official firmware and may not support customization. ROM.

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Screenshots via ADB are saved in PNG format without compression, which is useful for further image processing.

6. Hidden features: long screenshot and editing

Xiaomi offers advanced features for working with screenshots that many users do not notice:

📜 Long (scrollable) screenshot

If you want to capture the entire web page or chat:

1. Take a regular screenshot in any way.
2. Immediately after the miniature appears in the lower right corner, tap on it.
3. Select the “Scroll” (or ) option and select the area to capture.

✏️ Quick editing

After the screenshot was taken:

• Slip on the thumbnail in the corner of the screen.
• Use tools to crop, add text or pattern.
• Click "Ready" to save the changes.

🔄 Change in the format of conservation

By default, screenshots are saved to PNG, but you can change the format to JPEG (less weight, but with loss of quality):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Gallery settings.
2. Find the option "Screenshot Format".

On Xiaomi 14 Ultra and other flagships, you can save in WEBP - this format takes up even less space with high quality.

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To turn off the screenshot thumbnail in the corner of the screen, go to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Floating notifications and turn off the option for the Screenshots app.

7. Problem Solving: Screenshot not taken

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

On devices with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware (such as LineageOS), standard methods may not work.

• 🛠️ Installation of Magisk module with a patch for screenshots.
• 📱 Use of third-party applications (such as Screenshot Touch).

8. Alternative applications for screenshots

If the standard methods do not suit, you can install third-party utilities.

• 📸 Screenshot Easy – Supports gestures, timer and editing.
• 🎮 Screen Master – optimized for gamers (screenshots in games without lags).
• 🖼️ LongShot – specializes in long screenshots of web pages.

Before installing, check the application permissions – some utilities require access to Special Gesture Capabilities. MIUI may also need to disable battery optimization for stable operation:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application → Autostart and Without restrictions.

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The side of the application may conflict with the built-in MIUI functions. If standard gestures stop working after installation, disable the third-party utility.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions