Screenshots on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are one of the most popular tools for capturing important information, saving moments from games or correspondence. However, many users face the problem: where exactly are these images stored? Depending on the version of MIUI, device model and system settings, the path to the folder may differ, and even after updating or resetting the location sometimes changes without notice.
In this article, we will not only reveal the standard ways to store screenshots on all current versions of the firmware, but also show how to find them through the built-in tools of Xiaomi, why pictures can “disappear” from the gallery, and how to reconfigure the save to a folder convenient for you. We will pay special attention to the nuances of working with MIUI 14 and new models based on HyperOS, where the logic of file storage has undergone changes.
Standard ways to store screenshots on Xiaomi
By default, all screenshots taken by button combination or gesture are saved in the system folder, which is located depending on the version of MIUI and the type of memory (internal or microSD card).
- 📁 Internal memory: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ — mainline MIUI 12–14 HyperOS.
- 📁 Memory card (if selected as primary storage): /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Pictures/Screenshots/, where XXXX-XXXX — Unique MicroSD identifier.
- 📁 Outdated versions (MIUI 10–11): /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Screenshots/ — It is found on the old Redmi Note. 7/8.
- 📁 For root users: the real way — /data/media/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ (Only available through Root Explorer).
Important: On some models (like the POCO F3 or Xiaomi 12T), the folder can be duplicated in DCIM/Screenshots for compatibility with some applications. If you don't find pictures on the standard path, check both directories.
How to find screenshots through standard MIUI tools
You don't want to go through the file manager? MIUI has a few built-in ways to quickly open the folder with pictures:
- Through notification: after creating a screenshot, tap on the notification that appears - a preview will open with the "Open folder" button.
- Through the gallery: open the Gallery app, go to the album Screenshots (or Screenshots on English firmware).
- Through File Manager: Run Files → Categories → Images → Screenshots.
- Through Search: In the file manager, type *.png or a screenshot in the search bar – the system will show all relevant files.
If the Screenshots album is not displayed in the gallery, check the app settings: sometimes MIUI hides system folders for the "purity" of the interface. To regain visibility, go to Gallery Settings → Albums → Show hidden folders.
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On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU), a folder with screenshots may be called Screenshot without the end of an "s." If you don't find it, try both.
Why screenshots don’t show up in the gallery (and how to fix it)
The situation where screenshots are saved but not shown in the Gallery is typical for Xiaomi.
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshots are in the file manager, but not in the gallery | Gallery does not scan system folders | Update gallery data: Settings → About the program → Update media files |
| Files are displayed as "empty" | Damage to miniatures (.thumbnail) | Remove the.thumbnails folder at the root of internal memory and restart the device |
| Screenshots are saved in DCIM, but not in Pictures | Failure in storage settings | Reset the Gallery app settings in Settings → Apps |
| The files are.jpg instead of.png. | Third-party software re-recorded settings | Check out screenshot apps (like Screenshot Easy) and turn them off |
If the problem persists, try alternative galleries (like Google Photos or Simple Gallery) that scan files regardless of system settings. Also check if files are hidden: in the file manager, turn on the display of hidden items (Settings → Show hidden files).
What to do if screenshots are saved in.webp format?
How to change the folder of saving screenshots
By default, MIUI does not allow you to select an arbitrary folder for screenshots through standard settings.
- Through ADB (without root: adb shell settings put global screenshot_save_path /storage/emulated/0/New Folder/Note: The folder must exist in advance and the path must be provided without spaces.
- Third-party apps: Screenshot Ultimate or Screen Master let you select a save folder in your settings.
- Automotive Move: Use Automate or Tasker to create the rule: “If a new file in Screenshots → move to MyScreenshots.”
- Symbolic links (root): su ln -s /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots /storage/emulated/0/MyPape/Screenshots
⚠️ Attention: changing system pathways through ADB It can lead to errors in the work MIUI, If you specify a non-existent directory, back up your data before you experiment.
Create a target folder in the file manager|Check the free space on the disk|Take backup of important screenshots|Install ADB-driver (for method 1)-->
Where to store screenshots in the new versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS
With the release of MIUI 14 and the transition to HyperOS (starting with Xiaomi 13 and POCO F5), the logic of file storage has changed.
- 📁 The main path: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ (changeless).
- 📁 Duplicate for the cloud: /storage/emulated/0/MIUI/CloudBackup/Screenshots/ — It is created when synchronization with Mi Cloud is activated.
- 📁 For game screenshots: /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/GameScreenshots/ — If you are using the Game Turbo.
Important: In HyperOS, screenshots taken through the “three fingers down” gesture can be saved in a separate folder. /Pictures/SwipeScreenshots/. This is done to separate the images by way of creating. If you don't find a part of the screenshots, check this directory.
Also in the new versions, the option “Smart Storage” has appeared, which automatically archives old screenshots (over 30 days) in the /Pictures/Screenshots/Archive/ folder. To disable this, go to Settings → Warehouse → Free space → Settings → Smart storage of screenshots.
How to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Xiaomi
You can delete the screenshot by mistake, and you can restore it in a number of ways, depending on how long ago it happened:
- 🗑️ Basket MIUI: open the gallery → Albums. → The files are stored there for 30 days.
- 🔍 Through File Manager: Check the folder /Pictures/.recycle — Sometimes deleted files are moved there.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: If sync was enabled, go to i.mi.com → gallery → Basket.
- 🛠️ Third-party utilities: DiskDigger, Recuva (requires root for deep scanning).
⚠️ Note: if you used the “Clean” function in the cart MIUI, The files are permanently deleted (as opposed to simple deletion), in which case only specialized recovery software will help, but the odds depend on how much data was written to the disk after deletion.
To improve the chances of recovery:
- Turn off the internet immediately (to avoid overwriting data by cloud services).
- Do not save new files to the device.
- Use Airplane Mode to prevent background activity of applications.
Tips for organizing and optimizing screenshot storage
Screenshots can quickly clutter your memory, especially if you're actively using them. Here's how to keep them under control:
- 📂 Sort by folder: create subfolders in Pictures/Screenshots/ (For example, Work, Games, Social Networks and move files manually or through Automate.
- 🗃️ Archiving: Use ZArchiver to compress old screenshots into.zip (saves up to 70% of space).
- ☁️ Cloud Storage: Set up automatic booting in Google Drive or Mi Cloud via Settings → Synchronization.
- 🧹 Auto-cleaning: in MIUI 14 Settings function appears → Warehouse → Make room → Auto-clean screenshots (deletes pictures older than 30 days).
For advanced users: If you often take screenshots of long pages (via scrolling), use LongShot or Scroll Capture – they allow you to save such pictures to a separate folder and immediately convert to PDF.
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Clean your screenshot folder regularly, which is one of the main reasons for the junk files taking up space on Xiaomi devices.