The Xiaomi Mi 8, despite its age, remains a popular device due to its balanced performance and functional shell MIUI. One of the basic but critical tasks for any user is the ability to quickly capture information from the screen. This can be correspondence, route map, ticket or just a funny moment from the video. Device owners often look for an answer to the question of how to take a screenshot on the Xiaomi Mi 8, so as not to miss an important point.
There are many ways to do this, from the classic button combination to the advanced gestures of the system, and understanding all the methods available will save you time and maximize the potential of your smartphone, and we will look at each option in detail so that you can choose the most convenient for your situation.
It’s important to note that the phone’s software is constantly updated and some features may change their location or name, but the basics of how it works remain the same throughout many versions of Android and the manufacturer’s shells. Below we’ll take a detailed look at current screenshot techniques.
Classical method using physical buttons
The fastest and most time-tested way to take a screenshot of the Xiaomi Mi 8 is to use a physical keyboard, which works even if the touch screen is temporarily unresponsive or frozen. You need to press and hold the volume down and the lock button at the same time. Pressing should be synchronous, but not too long, otherwise the shutdown menu can be activated.
Once you've done the action, you'll hear the characteristic shutter sound of the camera, and in the upper right corner of the screen, a thumbnail of the image will appear, indicating that the screenshot is stored in the device gallery, and the file is automatically placed in the Screenshots album, where it can be edited or sent.
If you don't work the first time, try changing the rhythm of the press, sometimes you need a slight delay between clicks or, conversely, a sharper click, the main thing is not to pinch the buttons too long, so as not to cause other system functions.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to take screenshots while watching videos with protected content (DRM), For example, on Netflix or online cinemas, in such cases, you will get a black screen instead of an image, because this is a security limitation of the Android system.
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If the volume buttons are tight, try pressing the lock button first and adding the volume button down after a split second, which will help avoid activating the reboot menu.
Use of control panel and gestures
The MIUI shell offers an alternative method that is particularly convenient if it is difficult to reach the buttons with one hand. You can use the control panel called by the swipe down from the top of the screen. Among the many icons, find an icon with a picture of scissors. Pressing it instantly takes a snapshot of the current contents of the display.
You can also activate gesture control in the system settings, and to do that, go to Settings, select Additional, and find Buttons and gestures. Here, you can use the Three Finger Screenshot feature, and you can take pictures by just swiping three fingers from top to bottom of the screen.
This technique looks spectacular and works very quickly, but requires some training for accuracy of movement. If the gesture doesn't work the first time, make sure you touch the screen with all three fingers at once and draw the line fast enough.
- 📱 Scissor icon in notification curtain is the easiest visual method.
- 🖐️ Three-finger gestures – a modern solution for fast work without buttons.
- ⚙️ Sensitivity setting – allows you to adapt the screen response to your touch style.
Voice control and Google Assistant
Modern smartphones, including the Xiaomi Mi 8, have powerful voice assistants. You can take a screenshot just by saying a command. If you have Google Assistant activated, say, "OK, Google, take a screenshot" or "Take a screenshot." The system recognizes the command and performs the action without having to touch the screen.
This method is especially useful in situations where hands are busy or dirty, and voice control can be a salvation if the physical buttons of the device are worn out and do not respond well to pressing, a stable Internet connection and an activated microphone are necessary for the function to work.
Some versions of MIUI also have its own voice assistant, Xiao AI (although it may not be available or require additional customization in global versions), which works similarly to Google’s products, allowing you to control your phone with voice.
What to do if the voice is not recognized?
The feature of a long screenshot on Xiaomi Mi 8
One of the most popular features in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the ability to create long screenshots, which allows you to capture all correspondence in the messenger, a long article in the browser or a social media feed in one file. After you create a regular screenshot (in any of the ways described above), a preview appears in the upper right corner.
Without waiting for the preview to disappear, click on the down arrow button or the Scrolling icon (may look like two arrows). The smartphone will automatically start scrolling the screen content down, stitching the image into a single long stripe. The process will stop when you touch the screen or reach the end of the page.
The resulting file will have a non-standard aspect ratio and may weigh more than a normal image, which is worth considering when sending via messengers, since some platforms can compress the quality of such files.
| Parameter | A typical screenshot. | Long screenshot. |
|---|---|---|
| Permission | 1080 x 2244 pixels | 1080 x variable height |
| File format | JPG/PNG | JPG/PNG (large size) |
| Use of the | One photo, one dialogue. | Articles, correspondence, websites |
| Processing | Instant. | It takes time to glue. |
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A long screenshot is not just a large image, but the result of software gluing several frames in real time, so it is not recommended to interrupt the process during its creation.
Where to find and how to edit the photos
Once you have created a screenshot on the Xiaomi Mi 8, the system automatically saves it to internal memory, and you can find the file through the standard Gallery app. Usually, the screenshots are placed in a separate album called Screenshots or Screenshots, which is sorted by date of creation.
The built-in image editor in MIUI offers a wide range of processing tools. You can cut the edges, draw arrows, add text or blur sensitive information (such as card numbers or addresses). To access the editor, open the image and click the "Change" button at the bottom of the screen.
The Android file system also allows you to find originals through Explorer. The path to files usually looks like this: Internal memory → MIUI → Gallery → cloud → screenshots or Internal memory → Pictures → Screenshots. Knowledge of the path is useful when connecting your phone to a computer for mass copying files.
- 🗂️ Gallery album automatically sorts files by time.
- ✏️ The editor allows you to hide personal data before sending.
- 💾 Files take up space in memory, they must be deleted periodically.
Troubleshooting and troubleshooting
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a screenshot is not created, most often because a particular application prohibits the creation of copies of content, this is typical of banking applications, incognito browser mode or secure video players, in which case the system blocks the capture of the screen for security reasons.
Another reason may be a lack of free memory: If the storage is crowded, the system will not be able to save the new file. Check the space in the memory settings and if necessary, clear the cache or delete unnecessary files.
There may also be software failures in the MIUI shell itself. If none of the methods work, try restarting the device. In rare cases, you need to reset the button settings in the special features menu.
⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer saved after the system update, check the permissions for the Gallery app and the Screenshot system service.