Screenshots are one of the most basic yet sought-after features in today’s smartphones. Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO users often face the challenge of saving information from a display, whether it’s messaging, an interesting moment in the game, or an in-app bug. The standard MIUI shell and its new version of HyperOS offer a variety of methods to accomplish this task, far beyond just clicking buttons.
In this detailed guide, we’ll take a look at all the ways you can take screenshots, including hidden gestures and process automation, and learn not only to capture an image, but also to edit it quickly, and share it in a few clicks, and understanding these tools will help you manage content more effectively on your device.
Some methods may seem obvious, but others can make life much easier, especially if hardware buttons are not working properly or busy. We will look at the nuances of working with the clipboard and the features of saving long pages in the browser. It is important to note that on different versions of Android (10, 11, 12, 13, 14), the location of some menu items may vary slightly, but the logic of the work remains the same.
Classical Method Through Physical Buttons
The most common and reliable way that every smartphone owner knows is to use a combination of hardware keys. On Xiaomi devices, you need to simultaneously press the Power button and the Volume Down button. You don't need to hold them for long, you need to press them short enough and clearly, and the system instantly responds to the action with the characteristic sound of the camera shutter and a visual flash of the screen.
If you don't get a shot the first time, try changing the rhythm of the tap. Often the problem is that you're holding a clamp too long, which the system might see as a shutdown menu call, or you're de-synchronizing your fingerstrokes. Physical buttons work even when the touchscreen doesn't respond temporarily, making it a backup option in case of interface failures.
⚠️ Note: When using volume buttons frequently to create screenshots, make sure that the protective case does not block access to the keys and does not create excessive pressure on them, which can lead to sticking.
Once you've successfully created an image, you'll have a thumbnail in the top corner of the screen, and if you click on it, you'll be taken to an editor where you can cut it right away or draw it, and if you don't do anything, within a few seconds, the thumbnail will disappear and the file will be saved in the gallery.
☑️ Checking the efficiency of buttons
Use of notification curtain and control centre
For those who prefer software solutions, the MIUI shell offers a handy widget in the notification curtain. To take advantage of this method, unlock the device and swipe from the top edge of the screen down to open Control Center. In the quick action list, you need to find an icon with a picture of scissors or a camera, which is called "Screenshot".
This is especially true if the on or volume button is faulty, or if you hold the phone with one hand and reach the side edges inconveniently. In some versions of the firmware, the icon may be hidden in the second page of the Quick Settings menu. To return it, click on a pencil or three dots in the corner of the curtain and drag the screenshot icon to the active panel.
The advantage of the method is that you don't have to remember keyboard combinations. However, there is a disadvantage: if the screen is locked, you first have to unlock the device, which takes longer than using hotkeys. However, for Xiaomi Pad tablets, where buttons can be awkwardly placed, this option becomes the main option.
- 📱 Open the notification curtain with the swipe down.
- ✂️ Find the screenshot icon in the control center.
- 🖼️ Wait for the characteristic sound and the appearance of miniatures.
- ⚙️ If necessary, add the icon through the Quick Settings editing menu.
💡
If you use the curtain frequently, place the screenshot widget at the very top of the quick action list for instant access without scrolling through.
Drawing with a finger on the screen (Three fingers)
One of the most convenient features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is to create a screenshot by swiping three fingers across the screen. This option is not active by default, so you need to turn it on in the settings. Go to the Settings menu → Additional Features → Screenshot and activate the Three Finger Screenshot switch.
Once activated, just swipe three fingers from top to bottom in any part of the display, and the system will take a picture. This is ideal for users who often display content on the screen or hold the phone in one hand. The gesture works quickly and intuitively, but requires some habit, so as not to touch the edges of the screen and not cause random scrolling.
It is worth considering that in some applications with a horizontal orientation or in games, the gesture may not work properly due to the peculiarities of processing the multi-touch. In such situations, it is better to switch to the classic method with buttons.
Screenshots via voice assistant and apps
Modern smartphones allow you to control many functions with your voice. The built-in Google Assistant or Mi AI can take a screenshot on command. Just say "OK, Google, take a screenshot," or activate the assistant with a button and voice a command. This is useful when your hands are busy or dirty.
In addition, many third-party apps and browsers have built-in content saving features. For example, Chrome or standard MIUI browser has a Long Screenshot feature available through the menu (share). In messengers like Telegram or WhatsApp, you can often simply save a media file, but it is necessary to save the entire correspondence.
Using voice control requires a stable internet connection for speech recognition unless the commands are recorded locally, and make sure the microphone is not closed or contaminated, otherwise the command may not execute the first time.
⚠️ Note: When using voice assistants for screenshots in banking applications, the security system can block the action and display a black image in order to protect confidential data.
Create long screenshots (scrolling)**
Often, a single screen is not enough to capture the entire article, correspondence or table. For such cases, Xiaomi implemented a Scrolling screenshot function. After creating a normal screenshot (in any of the ways described above), an additional button with arrows down or the inscription “Scroll” will appear under the thumbnail.
And if you click on that button, you'll automatically scroll through the page, and the system will actually scroll down, stitching images into one long band, and it will stop when you touch the screen, or when you reach the end of the page, and it's an indispensable tool for saving recipes, instructions, or long dialogues.
The quality of the final image depends on the speed of updating the screen and the complexity of the graphics on the page. If dynamic elements (video, advertising) are encountered along the way, they may not be displayed correctly, in such cases it is better to take several regular screenshots with a little overlap.
Why can't the scroll button appear?
Where are screenshots stored and how to edit them
All images created are automatically stored in the device's internal memory, and can be found through the Gallery app in the Screenshots album or through the file manager along the Internal Memory path. → DCIM → Screenshots (in some versions, the path may be Pictures) → Screenshots. The files are formatted. PNG, This ensures high quality without losing details.
The built-in MIUI editor allows you to perform basic manipulations immediately after you create it. You can crop an image, add text, draw arrows or blur sensitive information (such as card numbers or addresses), and the Magic tool (AI) even automatically removes redundant objects or improves text quality.
For more serious processing, files can be transferred to a computer or opened in third-party applications like Photoshop Express or Snapseed.