Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which run MIUI shells or the new HyperOS, offer users many advanced tools to capture images from the screen. Screenshots are often used to save correspondence, fix errors in applications or transmit important visual information to friends. However, the standard method with buttons is not suitable for everyone, especially when you need to take a picture of a long page or perform an action with one hand.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to create screenshots, from classic keyboard shortcuts to hidden gestures that make life much easier. You will learn how to automatically save scrolling pages into a single file and what system settings can block the creation of screenshots in certain applications. Understanding these nuances will allow you to work with the device as efficiently as possible.
Let's look at not only basic methods, but also specific scenarios where standard features might not work, and we'll also touch on security and privacy by explaining why some banking apps turn black when you try to copy an image, which will help you avoid panic and adjust your device to suit your needs.
Classical methods and key combinations
The most common and reliable way to capture the current state of the display is to use physical control buttons. Most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models need to press the on and off button at the same time. Hold them for a short but clear enough press, if you did everything right, the device will emit a characteristic sound of the camera shutter, and in the corner of the screen will appear a thumbnail.
An alternative that is often forgotten by users who have switched from other brands is to use the multitasking menu, which is to open a list of running apps (a bottom-up latency swipe or a Menu button), find the right window, and click on the crossed arrow icon or camera at the top of the preview, a method that is especially convenient when the physical buttons of the smartphone are faulty or locked.
⚠️ Note: On some older models or in specific modes (e.g. "Game"), the button combination may be reassigned. Check the button settings in the "Additional Settings" section if the standard method fails.
You can also take a screenshot through the quick access panel, swipe down from the top of the screen to open the "Stork," and find the scissor icon there, and you can move it to the top row for quick access, which is ideal if you're holding your phone in a dock or with one hand, when you can't physically reach the side keys.
Use of gestures and additional buttons
The MIUI shell is famous for its flexibility in setting up controls, and taking screenshots is no exception. One of the most useful features is Triple tapping. To activate this mode, go to Settings → Additional settings → Special Features → Gestures and select the action "Take a screenshot." Now three quick taps on the screen will save the image.
Another handy tool is the floating ball button, which is a virtual sphere that hovers above the interface and contains shortcuts for common features, and by activating it in the feature menu, you can take screenshots with one tap without looking for physical buttons, which is especially true for models with large diagonals, where reaching the top corner of the screen can be difficult.
For voice users, integration with Google Assistant or the built-in Mi AI is available. Just say "Screenshot" or "Screen" and the system will execute the command. It is important to note that the voice assistant must have the Internet active and permissions must be given in the microphone settings.
How to take a long screenshot (scrolling)
The Scrolling Screenshot feature is one of the most popular features among Xiaomi users, allowing you to save the entire page of a website, instant messenger correspondence or document as a whole, not just the visible part of the screen. After you create a regular screenshot (in any of the ways described above), in the upper right corner of the thumbnail, click on the icon that resembles a scroll or arrows down.
Once you click, the system automatically scrolls down, grabbing new areas. You can stop the process at any time by touching the screen, or wait for the end of the page. If you scroll too fast or get stuck, try holding your finger slightly on the screen, controlling the speed. The quality of the final image remains high, which is convenient for reading documents.
☑️ Checklist for a long screenshot
Note that not all apps support this feature. Some programs have dynamic or secure content, making automatic scrolling impossible. In such cases, the system will simply take a few normal screenshots or stop at a certain area. For Chrome web browsers or the built-in MIUI browser, this function works almost flawlessly.
Configure formats and folders of saving
By default, all images are saved in PNG format, which provides high quality lossless, but takes up more space. If you have a critical amount of memory, you can change the camera settings or use third-party applications to convert, although the MIUI system itself is tightly tied to PNG for system screenshots. The path to saved files is always standard: Internal drive → DCIM → Screenshots.
Newer versions of HyperOS offer more flexible screenshot notification management, so you can adjust how you behave after you create a snapshot: whether to show a preview, hide it in a second, or display the full editor right away. This is set up in Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Screenshot.
| Parameter | Default value | Possible changes |
|---|---|---|
| File format | PNG | It doesn't change (systemic) |
| Storage folder | DCIM/Screenshots | You can move it manually. |
| Shutter sound | Included | Depends on the "Do Not Disturb" mode. |
| Auto-scrolling | Manual launch | No auto-start. |
It’s important to keep in mind folder structure, especially if you’re using Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud cloud sync. Screenshots often stand out in a separate category, making it easier to find them, but can lead to duplication if different backup rules are set up for different folders.
Editing and markup immediately after creation
Once you've created a screenshot, you have a floating preview window in the corner, and if you click on it, you'll see an embedded editor that offers powerful tools, you can crop the image, add text, draw arrows, or highlight important areas with a marker, and these tools are faster than opening a separate gallery app.
One of the unique features is that you can see text recognition (OCR) right in the screenshot, and once you've created the image, click on Text or Recognise, and the system will highlight all the text fragments, which can be copied to the clipboard, translated into another language, or sent as a separate document, which is an indispensable tool for students and office workers.
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Use the Magic Erase tool in the screenshot editor to quickly remove unnecessary objects or watermarks from the image before sending.
There's also a feature that adds a time stamp or a device model, which is useful when you create instructions or error reports. All changes are saved either as a new file or on top of the original, depending on the option you choose when you leave the editor. Remember to save the changes, otherwise they will be lost.
Why you can’t take a screenshot: limitations and mistakes
Often, users are faced with a situation where a screenshot is not created or a black screen is saved. This occurs in applications with increased data protection, such as banking clients, incognito browsers or streaming services with a high level of security. DRM-Android security system blocks capture of window content FLAG_SECURE, Preventing the leakage of confidential information.
Another reason could be a lack of RAM or a crowded drive, and if there is less than 100MB of free space left on the disk, the system may not have time to save the clipboard to the file, in which case, clear the cache or delete unnecessary files, and the problem may lie in the software failure of the interface SystemUI itself.
⚠️ Attempts to bypass the protection of screenshots in banking applications using third-party software can be regarded by the security system as a virus attack, which will lead to blocking access to the account.
If screenshots are no longer saved in all applications, try restarting the device. In more complex cases, cleaning the Gallery app cache or resetting the interface settings helps. Sometimes, the conflict is caused by installed design themes that are not fully compatible with the current firmware version.