Modern smartphones allow you to consume huge amounts of information, and often a standard screen size is not enough to cover all the important correspondence, article or table. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 users often face the need to capture a long dialogue in the messenger or save a recipe with step-by-step photos in one file. Standard screenshot cuts off the extra, leaving the boundaries of the frame the essence, which forces you to take many individual pictures.
Fortunately, the MIUI shell installed on your device provides a built-in tool for creating so-called panoramic screenshots, which allows you to automatically scroll through the contents of the screen and “stitch” the image into a single long, high-quality file.
In this article, we will take a look at the algorithms that will help you create these images easily, and we will also discuss the technical limitations of file formats and situations where automatic scrolling may not work the first time, and understanding these nuances will save you time and nerves when working with content.
Preparation of the device for creating a panoramic image
Before you start to take action, you need to make sure that your Redmi Note 9 is ready for the correct function of the screenshots. Sometimes users forget about the basic settings, which leads to unexpected results, such as no shutter sound or inability to find the saved file. Checking these parameters takes less than a minute, but eliminates further searches for the causes of problems.
Make sure the device has enough free space in memory. A long screenshot, especially if it contains a lot of text and graphics, can weigh significantly more than a normal screen photo. If the storage is crowded, the system may simply not have time to process and save the final file, interrupting the process halfway through.
☑️ Check before creating a screenshot
Also worth noting is the current screen mode: If you have a child-only mode or specific security profiles enabled, access to the clipboard and gallery may be limited. In standard MIUI mode, no additional permissions are required for the basic image capture function, but system failures sometimes block access to the file system.
⚠️ Note: If you have Incognito enabled in your browser or are in a bank application with increased security, the creation of screenshots will be blocked by the Android security system.
Basic method through a combination of buttons
The most common and quick way to take a screenshot on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 is to use a physical key combination, which works in almost all applications and interfaces where there is no prohibition on copying content. The mechanics of action are simple, but require a certain synchronization of the presses to successfully start the process.
You need to press the volume down and the power button at the same time, and you don't need to hold them for too long, otherwise you might have a shutdown menu or voice assent instead of a screenshot, and you just need a short, confident press of about half a second, and once you hear the characteristic shutter click, and you have a thumbnail in the top corner, you can release the buttons.
Once you've created a normal image, you'll see a floating window with a preview in the top right corner (or bottom, depending on the firmware version), and that's where the key to creating a long image is. If you just ignore that window, it'll disappear in a few seconds, and it'll be saved as normal. To activate the scrolling mode, you'll have to press the button with the down arrow or the Extend icon that appears next to the thumbnacle.
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Press volume and power buttons not strictly at the same time, but with a minimum interval of a fraction of a second – this often helps to avoid triggering the lock menu instead of a screenshot.
Once the mode is activated, the system will automatically start scrolling down the screen contents, capturing new areas.The process will continue until you hit the stop button or reach the end of the page.It is important not to touch the screen during automatic scrolling, as this can knock down the positioning algorithm.
Use the Multitasking and Gesture Menu
For those who find it uncomfortable or difficult to physically press buttons, MIUI provides alternative methods, especially if the buttons on the body are backlashed or you use your smartphone with one hand in an uncomfortable position. Alternative methods are often ignored by users, although they may be more ergonomic in everyday use.
The first option is to use a recent app menu. Swipe from the bottom up (or click the menu button) to open a list of running programs. At the top of the app preview window, there's usually a scissors icon or a camera icon. By clicking on it, you'll create a snapshot of the current screen without having to reach for the side edges of the case.
The second option is to use three fingers. This function must be pre-activated in the settings. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Keyboards → Screenshot and select the option “Put three fingers down.” Once activated, just swipe three fingers down the screen at any time to capture the image.
Regardless of the method chosen, the mechanism for creating a long screenshot remains the same: after the preview appears, you need to press the expansion button. If you use gestures, make sure that there is enough space on the screen for a swipe, otherwise the system can recognize the action as a normal scrolling page, rather than a capture command.
| Method | Action. | Where to find previews | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buttons | Loudness down + Nutrition | Upper right corner | It always works, it requires two hands. |
| Task menu | Swipe up → Camera icon | In the preview window | Comfortable for one hand |
| Three fingers. | Swipe three fingers down | It pops up right away. | Requires settings, wide screen |
| Assistant | Voice command | Depends on the answer. | It only works with Google Assistant enabled. |
Customization and activation of the three finger function
The three-finger screen capture feature is one of the most convenient features of the MIUI shell, but it is often turned off by default, and this is done to prevent accidental triggers during normal use of the interface, for example, when you flip through news feeds or play, activating this option greatly speeds up the workflow.
To enable, go to Settings, then select Additional Settings. In the list that opens, look for Keyboards or Special Opportunities (the name may vary depending on the Android version). Here you need to find the screenshot bar and select the option "Three fingers down."
Once activated, the system will show a training animation. Try to swipe three fingers across the screen. If everything is set up correctly, you will hear the shutter sound and see a flash of the screen. Now, creating long screenshots will be a matter of one movement, which is especially valuable when using a Redmi Note 9 smartphone with its large display.
⚠️ WARNING: When using the three-finger method, make sure your fingers are dry and clean.Wet hands or a protective film with poor oleophobicity can cause the touchscreen to not recognize the simultaneous touch of three points and the command will not work.
If you notice that the game reacts strangely, you can temporarily turn off the feature in the same settings menu or just be careful with the movements.
Technical limitations and file formats
Creating panoramic images is a resource-intensive task for the processor and memory of a smartphone. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 has enough power to process such files, but there are software limitations set by the developers of Android and MIUI. Understanding these limits will help to avoid situations where the screenshot ends in a mid-word.
The main limitation is the maximum resolution of the final file. The system cannot create an image of infinite height. Usually the limit is about 65,535 pixels on one side, but in practice, the firmware can stop scrolling much earlier if the file becomes too heavy.
Also, the format of the save matters: Long screenshots are saved in PNG format to keep the text clear, which provides good quality, but increases the file size. If you take a screenshot of a very long page, the final file can take up several megabytes, which is worth considering when transmitting via compressed messengers.
What to do if the screenshot is cut?
It is also worth considering that dynamic content (video, animated stickers, live widgets) can be displayed incorrectly on a long screenshot - either frozen in one frame or creating artifacts.
Where to find and how to edit long screenshots
Once a long screenshot is successfully created, it is automatically saved to the gallery, and can be found in Screenshots, unlike regular photos, long screenshots are often marked with a special icon or simply stand out in their elongated format in the preview.
The built-in MIUI editor allows basic processing of these files. You can cut edges, add text, or color over sensitive information with a marker. However, for complex operations, such as gluing several long screenshots into one ultra-long file, built-in tools may not be enough.
For advanced work, it is recommended to use specialized applications such as LongShot or Tailor, which can automatically find common areas at the junction of two screenshots and perfectly combine them, which is useful if you need to screen an article that does not fit even the maximum scroll limit of MIUI.
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Long screenshots take up more space and may shrink worse in messengers – check the image quality before sending to ensure that the text remains readable.
Remember to periodically clean the folder of screenshots. The accumulation of heavy panoramic images can quickly exhaust the free space, especially if you have a version of a smartphone with 64 GB of memory. Regular cleaning will ensure the speed of the system.
Frequent problems and ways to solve them
Despite the system’s fine-tuning, users sometimes encounter bugs, and the most common problem is that the “Extend” button doesn’t appear or is inactive, often in applications that don’t support the standard Android screenshot API, or on screens where content is protected from copying.
Another problem is that you're scrolling, and if you're automatically jiggling or smearing a long screenshot, try to reduce animation in the developer settings, or just reboot the app, and sometimes the background processes interfere with smooth scrolling.
If screenshots are no longer saved at all, check the permissions for the Gallery or System UI application. Perhaps after the firmware update, the device memory rights have been reset. Restoring these rights to the Settings menu → Applications → All applications usually solve the problem.