How to take a screenshot on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8: The complete guide

Modern smartphones have long evolved from simple means of communication to powerful multimedia centers, where every user is faced with the daily need to capture an important moment, save correspondence or copy translation details. For owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, the question of creating a screenshot is often the first thing to learn after buying a device. This is a basic feature, but it has many nuances that are not known to all owners of gadgets based on MIUI.

Unlike many other Android smartphones, the MIUI shell offers advanced image-processing functionality that allows you to not only capture a picture, but also instantly edit, share or create long panoramas. Understanding all the methods available will save you time and improve the efficiency of your smartphone in everyday tasks. In this article, we will discuss each of the ways in which you can use it, and also answer frequent questions.

Software capabilities should not be ignored, as mechanical buttons can wear out over time, and knowledge of alternative methods will be extremely useful. We will look at both standard combinations and hidden features that make a regular screenshot into a convenient tool for working with documents and web pages.

Classical Method: A Combination of Physical Buttons

The fastest and most time-tested way to get an image of the current contents of the display is to use the device's physical keyboard. On the Redmi Note 8, as on most modern Android smartphones, two specific buttons are responsible, located on the side of the case, you need to simultaneously press and briefly hold the Power button and Volume Down button.

It is important to keep the right rhythm of pressing: it should not be a sequential action, namely a one-time click with both fingers. If you press the buttons too long, the system may consider this as a command to force a reboot or call the emergency services menu, which is standard security behavior.

⚠️ Warning: Do not push the buttons with excessive force, as mechanical switches on the side of Xiaomi have a limited pressing resource, and aggressive use can lead to their premature failure.

The success of the operation is confirmed by the characteristic sound of the camera shutter (if the sound is on), a short vibration and the appearance of a thumbnail of the shot taken in the upper right corner of the screen, and it is at this point, while the thumbnail is visible, you have a few seconds to choose the next steps: edit, send to the messenger or simply save.

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If you take a screenshot with one hand, try first to press the volume button with your thumb, and then quickly pick up the power button with your index finger of the same hand – this requires training, but is very convenient.

Use of notification curtain and control menu

For those users who prefer software interfaces to physical touching of buttons, or in cases when one of the buttons is faulty, the method through the control panel is ideal. This method is especially relevant if you keep the phone in the docking station or in an uncomfortable position when it is difficult to reach the side edges.

To use this method, you need to swipe from top to bottom to open the notification panel, and then unlock the full control screen (curtain), making another swipe or clicking on the appropriate extension icon. Among the many shortcuts, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and flashlight, you need to find an icon called "Screenshot" or a picture of scissors.

• 📱 Open the swipe notification curtain from the top edge of the screen.
• ✂️ Find the screenshot icon in the second row of quick access shortcuts.
• 🖼️ Press it once – sound sounds and a copy of the screen will be saved.

If you don't see the right shortcut on the first screen, it's probably hidden. Click on the edit button (usually a pencil icon or three dots in the corner of the shortcut menu), find the Screenshot in the tool list and drag it to the active zone. After that, it will always be on hand in one touch.

Activation and use of gestures (Three fingers)

The MIUI shell is famous for its convenience, and one of the most useful features for navigation is to take screenshots using gestures.This method allows you to take a screenshot of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 with just one hand movement, which is especially appreciated by gamers or users who love minimalism.

By default, this feature can be disabled, so you need to activate it in the system settings. The path to this option may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI, but most often it is in the additional settings section. Once enabled, you can swipe three fingers across the screen from top to bottom to instantly capture the image.

To activate the function, follow the following steps: go to the Settings menu, select Additional Features (or "Advanced Settings"), then find the Screenshots section. Here you need to put the switch in the active position opposite to "Three-finger screenshot".

⚠️ Attention: A three-finger gesture may conflict with control in some games or drawing applications that use multi-touch gestures.

Once activated, simply swipe your three fingers across the screen anywhere on the display, and the system will instantly react with vibration and sound, one of the most elegant solutions in the Xiaomi ecosystem, keeping the other hand from the device body.

Long screenshot function for web pages

One of the most sought-after features in modern smartphones is the creation of so-called “long” or “scrollable” screenshots, which is indispensable when you need to save a whole long correspondence in the messenger, an article in the browser or a news feed that does not fit on one screen.

The process begins as a simple screenshot of any of the methods described above (by buttons, gesture or curtain) and immediately after you take a picture and a thumbnail appears in the corner, an additional button will appear on it with a down arrow or the words "Scroll".

Algorithm of action:


1. Take a regular screenshot.




2. Immediately press the "Scroll" button (down arrow).




3.The screen will automatically scroll down, capturing a new area.




4 Press the stop button when the desired area is reached or wait for an automatic stop.

The system itself will stitch together multiple sequential images into one long image, so you can control the process by stopping scrolling at any time if the information you need has already entered the capture area, and this allows you to create perfectly smooth and readable images of large volumes of text.

Voice control via Google Assistant

In the age of artificial intelligence, smartphone control is increasingly shifting to the voice plane, and if your hands are busy, like you're cooking a prescription on your phone or holding a device in one hand and the other is busy, Google Assistant, which is built into Android by default, will come to the rescue.

To use this method, make sure you have Google Assistant set up and activate the activation function by saying “OK, Google” or the assistant button. Just say “Take a screenshot” or “Take a screenshot” and the system automatically captures the current image.

• 🎙️ Activate the voice assistant (button or phrase).
• 🗣️ Say the command "Take a screenshot".
• 📸 Wait for confirmation and shutter sound.

This may seem less convenient in quiet places like a library or a meeting, but it demonstrates a high level of integration of software services into the operating system, and it is a great option for people with disabilities who find it difficult to use small physical buttons.

Where screenshots are stored and how to manage them

Once you’ve learned how to take screenshots, it’s important to understand where they’re saved and how to work with them. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 uses the standard Android folder structure by default, but with the MIUI file system in mind.

All images created are automatically fed into the Gallery system app, where they are grouped into a separate album called Screenshots, which allows you to keep them separate from the photos taken by the camera and the video, making it easier to search and sort files.

If you prefer to work with files through Explorer, the path to the folder will be as follows: Internal memory → DCIM → Screenshots. Sometimes, depending on the firmware version, the folder may be called simply Screenshots at the root of internal memory or in the MIUI folder.

In the gallery, you can click on a thumbnail and use the built-in editor immediately after you create a screenshot, which allows you to cut the edges, draw arrows, add text, or blur sensitive data (such as card numbers or passwords) before sending a file to an interlocutor.

Solution: Why screenshots are not saved

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the usual combination of buttons do not work, or the picture taken does not appear in the gallery, most often due to software security restrictions or a lack of free space on the device.

First, check the memory space. If the internal storage is full, the system will not be able to physically write a new file. Second, some applications (bank clients, incognito browser modes) block the creation of screenshots for security purposes. In such cases, the screen may blink, but the file will not save, or you will see a notification of a ban.

⚠️ Note: If screenshots are no longer saved in all applications, try clearing the Gallery app cache or checking for system updates, as this may be due to a software failure.

Also worth checking is the permission settings. Make sure the system and interface have the rights to write to the device's memory. Resetting to factory settings can help in the extreme case if the problem is deep system errors, but make sure to back up important data before doing so, as this process will remove all information from the phone.

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If the screenshot is not taken in a particular application (e.g. a bank), it is not a malfunction of the phone, but a security mechanism that is impossible and does not need to be bypassed by conventional means.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)