How to Take a Screenshot on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Methods and Settings

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to quickly save an image from the screen. Whether it is an important message, an error in the application or an interesting moment in the game, the ability to take screenshots is a basic skill. The MIUI operating system or the new HyperOS has many ways to accomplish this task, and the choice depends on your device model and personal preferences.

Standard methods work consistently, but there are hidden features and additional settings that not everyone knows about, such as creating long screenshots of entire pages or using voice commands, and understanding all the options available will allow you to manage content on your phone much more efficiently and faster.

In this article, we will take a look at every method available, from the classic button combination to process automation. We will also look at where files are saved and what to do if standard methods stop working. This guide will help you master the clipboard and gallery of your device at a professional level.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The most common and reliable way to capture a screenshot on any Android smartphone, including the Xiaomi lineup, is to use a physical key combination. This method works even when the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or the system is under stress, you need to press the Power button and Volume Down button at the same time.

It's important to press the buttons briefly, literally with a light touch. If you hold them for too long, instead of taking a screenshot, you can start a shutdown menu or Recovery mode. Once you do the action successfully, you will hear the characteristic sound of the camera shutter, and at the top of the screen will appear a smaller copy of the image taken.

⚠️ Note: On some older models or certain firmware settings, the button combination may be changed. If the standard method does not work, check the special features settings.

Once you've created a picture, you'll see a thumbnail in the corner of the screen, and if you click on it, you can immediately go to editing, cropping, or sending it to the messenger, and if you don't do anything, the thumbnail will disappear in a few seconds, and the file will automatically be saved to the gallery.

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For convenience, press the buttons with the thumb of one hand, covering the upper end of the device, this allows you to take a screenshot with one hand without involving the second.

Use of notification curtain and control menu

The second most popular method, which doesn't require memorizing combinations, is to use the control panel. Swipe down from top to top to open the notification curtain, and find the Screenshot icon (sometimes labeled "Screenshot"), which is especially convenient when the phone is lying on the table or fixed to the holder.

If you don't find the button right away, it may be hidden in the second page of the menu. Swipe left on an open curtain or press the edit button (usually a pencil or three dots) to add a shortcut to the main panel. In the HyperOS interface, the layout of the elements may differ from the classic MIUI.

The advantage of this method is that it eliminates random clicking of other buttons, you can clearly see what you are going to do, and you can often choose the Long Screenshot mode from the control menu immediately, if this option is displayed separately in your version of the shell.

• 📱 Open the notification curtain with a swipe from top to bottom.
• 🔍 Find an icon with a picture of scissors or a camera.
• ✍️ If necessary, edit the location of the buttons in the menu editing mode.

Screenshots with three fingers and other gestures

One of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell is to take screenshots with a three-finger gesture, and you just have to swipe your three fingers from top to bottom across the screen in any area you can, and this action instantly creates a snapshot of the current content of the display.

To activate this feature, you need to go to the settings. The path usually looks like: Settings → Additional features → Screenshot with three fingers. Make sure the switch is in the active position. This method is ideal for users with large smartphones, where reaching the volume buttons can be difficult.

There are other gesture controls that depend on the version of the system, such as some use cases or with a keyboard connected, which can work alternative combinations, but the three-finger gesture remains a unique feature of the Xiaomi ecosystem, which greatly speeds up the work.

Voice control and Google Assistant

If your hands are busy or your phone is far away, a voice assistant will come to the rescue. Most global firmware versions have Google Assistant installed. Just say the phrase "Ok Google, take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot," and the system will execute the command.

For users who prefer Xiaomi’s native assistant (Mi AI), the situation is more complicated, since it fully works only on Chinese firmware versions and requires knowledge of Chinese. However, standard Android voice input understands commands in Russian if the corresponding function is enabled in Google settings.

This technique could be useful for people with disabilities or in situations where physical contact with the screen is undesirable, and the accuracy of recognition depends on the diction and noise level in the room.

• 🗣️ Activate the assistant with a phrase or long button.
• 📸 Say a clear command, “Take a screenshot».
• ✅ Check the result in the gallery or in the pop-up window.

Long screenshot and extended functions

Often, a single screen isn't enough to save a messaging message or a browser article. Xiaomi has a Long Screenshot (or Scrolling) feature. After you create a normal shot (by any of the above methods), a thumbnail appears in the corner, and underneath it is a button with two down arrows or the words "Scroll".

By pressing this button, the system automatically scrolls down the page, taking a series of images and gluing them together into one long picture. You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen. The maximum length of this image is limited by the resolution and memory of the device.

Also worth noting is the Quick Access Band feature, which, after you take a screenshot, you get a tool bar at the bottom, where you can immediately select the long shot mode without waiting for the thumbnail to appear, which speeds up the process several times.

Where to look and how to edit saved files

All images created are automatically saved to the system folder, and you can find them through the Gallery app in Screenshots. /internal_storage/DCIM/Screenshots or /internal_storage/Pictures/Screenshots.

The built-in image editor in MIUI allows you to quickly trim extra edges, add text, stickers or blur sensitive information before sending. Screenshots in the built-in editor are processed faster and better than in third-party applications, because they use the native engine of the system.

If you take a lot of screenshots, it is recommended to periodically clean this album, as it can take up a significant amount of space, and you can also set up automatic upload to the Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud cloud, so as not to lose important data when changing your device.

⚠️ Warning: When cleaning your memory through the Security system tool, be careful: screenshots can be labeled as junk if you haven't used them in a long time.

What to do if screenshots are not created

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where none of the methods work, most often the problem is overflowing memory or application conflict, first check the vacant storage space, if the memory is 99% occupied, the system will not be able to create a new image file.

The second reason could be security restrictions: Some apps, like banking clients or streaming services (Netflix, Kinopoisk), prohibit screenshots from being taken at the system level, in which case you get a black screen or a notification that you can't do anything, and it's not a phone bug, it's content protection.

In rare cases, resetting special features or upgrading to the latest version helps. Make sure your Xiaomi has the latest version of Android and security patches installed.

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If a screenshot doesn’t work in a particular app, it’s likely copy protection (DRM) rather than a phone malfunction.