Where to look for screenshots on Xiaomi Redmi: all possible storage locations

You took a screenshot on your Xiaomi Redmi but can't find it? This problem is familiar to many smartphone users of the brand - files sometimes "hide" in non-obvious folders or even disappear after MIUI updates. In this article, we will examine all possible storage locations for screenshots on Redmi devices (including Note, Pro, K and A models), and explain why the pictures can disappear and how to recover them.

Xiaomi’s smartphone features a customized MIUI shell that sometimes changes standard file retention paths. For example, on “clean” Android, screenshots are usually in the Pictures/Screenshots folder, while Redmi may not have them at all. We analyzed the behavior of different versions of MIUI (12 to 14) and identified 5 main places where the system stores screenshots, including hidden directories and cloud backups.

1. Standard folder of screenshots in MIUI

On most Xiaomi Redmi devices, screenshots are saved by default in the folder:

/storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots

To get there:

1. Open the Files app (Blue folder icon).
2. Go to the Images section → Screenshots.
3. If there is no folder, check the Category → Screenshots section.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 13 For the global version, the folder may be called Screenshot (without ending). -s). Also, after the system update, the path can be reset to the standard Android placement: /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Screenshots.

Check the folder. `Pictures/Screenshots`

Look in `DCIM/Screenshots`

Look in. `Download` (Sometimes the screens are stored there after failures)

Check the "Recent" section in the Files app-->

2. Alternative folders: where else can screenshots be saved

If the standard directory does not contain images, check these places:

• 📁 Download folder: /storage/emulated/0/Download. Screenshots made through Google Assistant or third-party apps sometimes get there.
• 🖼️ gallery MIUI: Open the Gallery appendix» → tab → Scroll down to the Screenshots section (may be hidden under the button More).
• 🔍 Application folder: Some launchers (e.g, POCO Launcher: Create their own directories: /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.mi.android.launcher/screenshots.
• 📱 Internal memory (root): Rarely, but screens may lie right at the root of memory: /storage/emulated/0/screen_capture.png (file name depends on date).

On devices with dual applications (MIUI function), screenshots from “cloned” messengers (for example, the second Telegram or WhatsApp) are saved in:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/[ Application Packet]_clone/files/Screenshots

3. Cloud Copies: Where to Look for Screenshots in Mi Cloud and Google Photos

If you enabled sync, the screenshots could automatically upload to the cloud.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14, autoload screenshots to Mi Cloud is disabled by default:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Accounts → Mi Cloud.
2. Select the Gallery → Autoload.
3. Activate the option to Download screenshots.

Yeah, just Mi Cloud.

Yes, only Google Photos.

I use both services.

I'm not syncing screenshots.

I don't know how it works.-->

4. Hidden folders and system directories

Sometimes screenshots are placed in hidden folders that are not displayed in the standard file manager.

1. Install a file manager with hidden file support (such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Enable the display of hidden folders in the application settings.
3. Check these directories: /storage/emulated/0/.thumbnails/screenshots/storage/emulated/0/Android/.cache/screenshots/data/media/0/Pictures/.screenshots

Screenshots can also be “lost” in the cache folders of system applications:

• 📱 /data/data/com.android.systemui/cache/screenshots (Root rights are required)
• 🖼️ /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/com.miui.gallery/cache

💡

If you can't see the folder `.thumbnails`, Try to connect your phone to your PC through USB file transfer mode (MTP) and enable the display of hidden elements in Windows Explorer (the View tab» → «Hidden elements»).

5 Why screenshots are missing and how to recover them

Screenshots can disappear for several reasons:

• 🗑️ Cache Cleanup: The Gallery or Files app sometimes removes "temporary" screens when cleaning the cache.
• 🔄 Update MIUI: After major updates (e.g., with the MIUI 13 by 14) conservation pathways can be reset.
• 📱 Resetting: When you return to factory settings, screenshots remain in memory, but disappear from the gallery (you need to manually scan the folders).
• 🛠️ Memory Optimizers: Applications like Security or Clean Master can remove duplicate screenshots.

To recover lost images:

1. Use data recovery software (DiskDigger, Recuva for PC), connect your phone in MTP mode and scan the internal memory.
2. Check the cart in Google Photos (stores files for 60 days) or Mi Cloud (30 days).
3. If the screenshot was sent to the messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp), check the folders: /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images/Sent /storage/emulated/0/Android/media/org.telegram.messenger/Telegram/Telegram Images

💡

If screenshots disappear after each update MIUI, Turn off automatic memory optimization in the settings: `Settings → Battery and productivity → Optimizing memory` → Turn off the option “Cleaning when simple».

6. How to change the folder to save screenshots

If you are not satisfied with the standard location, you can change it:

Method 1. Through MIUI settings (not working on all versions):

1. Open Settings → Additional → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot.
2. Choose a Save Path (if the option is available).
3. Specify a new folder (for example, DCIM/CustomScreens).

Method 2. With the help of third-party applications:

• 📲 Install Screenshot Touch or Screen Master from Google Play.
• In the application settings, select Save to and specify your folder.
• Assign a new keyboard shortcut for screenshots (so that it doesn’t conflict with the system one).

Method 3. via ADB (for advanced users):

If you have access to ADB, you can change the way the team saves:

adb shell settings put system screenshot_save_path "/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/MyScreens/"

⚠️ Note: After restarting or updating MIUI And not all firmware versions support this command.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

Problem 1: Screenshots are not saved at all.

• Check the available space on the device (needs a minimum of 500 MB).
• Restart your phone – sometimes it helps when the system crashes.
• Update MIUI to the latest version (old firmware has save bugs).

Problem 2: Screenshots are saved but not displayed in the gallery.

• Open the Gallery app → click on three dots in the top right corner → Update media files.
• Install an alternative gallery (e.g. Google Photos or Simple Gallery).
• Check if files are hidden: in Files, click on three lines → Settings → Show hidden files.

Problem 3: Screenshots are kept in low quality.

This is because of compression in MIUI to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Buttons and gestures → Screenshot.
2. Turn off the option to compress screenshots (if any).
3. Or use third-party apps for screenshots (they don't compress images).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions