Where Xiaomi saves screenshots: standard folders, settings and problem solving

You took a screenshot on Xiaomi, but you can't find it? This is a problem that many users of the brand's smartphones are familiar with, especially after updating MIUI or resetting settings. The fact is that the system defaults to save screenshots in a hidden folder, the path to which depends on the firmware version and device model. In this article, we will analyze all possible storage locations for screenshots, including alternative directories for old and new versions of MIUI, and explain how to change the way to save or recover lost files.

It's important to understand that the logic of screenshot storage on Xiaomi is different from other brands. For example, unlike Samsung or Google Pixel, where the images immediately go to the gallery, here they are first saved in the system folder, and then indexed by the Gallery app. If you don't see the screenshots in the main album, it does not mean that they are deleted, it's likely that they just lie elsewhere. Next, we will show you how to find hidden folders without root rights and why the pictures are sometimes duplicated in different directories.

Standard ways to save screenshots on Xiaomi

By default, all screenshots on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models) are saved in one of three folders, depending on the MIUI version:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ is the main folder for MIUI 12 and later (including MIUI 14). This is where screenshots taken by a button combination or gesture are stored.
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Screenshots/ is an alternative path for some models (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro).
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/ScreenCapture/ is an outdated path for MIUI 11 and older. Found on devices before 2020 year of release.

To check these directories, open any file manager (such as embedded Files or Total Commander) and manually follow one of the paths. If the folder is missing, try to take a new screenshot - the system will automatically create it. Note that on some firmware (such as Global ROM), the path may differ from the Chinese version of China ROM.

If you are using the POCO Launcher or third-party shells, screenshots can be duplicated in the /DCIM/Camera/ folder with the prefix Screenshot_. This is not a bug, but a feature of integration with some launchers. To avoid confusion, it is recommended to configure a single storage location (we will discuss this in the next section).

How to Change a Folder to Save Screenshots

If you don't like the standard location of your images, you can reconfigure it without root permissions, and there are two ways to do that: through MIUI settings or through third-party apps. Let's look at both.

Method 1: through built-in settings (works on MIUI 12-14):

1. Open the Settings app → Special features → Screenshots.
2. Slip on the save folder (some firmware called the storage location).
3. Select one of the proposed folders or click the Other to point your path (e.g. /Download/Screens/).

Method 2: Using Screenshot Easy or Screen Master (for older versions of MIUI):

• 📱 Install one of the apps from Google Play.
• 🔧 In the utility settings, find the Save Location section and specify a new folder.
• 🔄 Restart the device to make the changes effective.

Important: If you select a folder on a SD- card, screenshots may be saved more slowly due to read/write speed limitations, and some apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) will not see images if they are outside the standard Pictures/ or DCIM/ directories.

Make a backup of current pictures|Check the free space on the new disk|Make sure the folder is not hidden from the gallery|Reboot your phone after the changes-->

Why screenshots are not displayed in the gallery

A common problem: screenshots are in the folder, but they're not in the Gallery app or Google Photos, because of a media indexing failure, and here are the main reasons and solutions:

If the problem persists, try the following:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage and click Clear Cache.
2. Install an alternative gallery (such as Simple Gallery) and check if screenshots are displayed there.
3. If the images are taken via ADB or Scrcpy, they can be saved to /sdcard/Pictures/ADB_Screenshots/.

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To speed up the appearance of screenshots in the gallery, after creating a picture, immediately open the Screenshots folder through the file manager - this will force the indexing process to start.

Where are screenshots stored on Xiaomi with root rights

If your device has an unlocked bootloader or root access, screenshots can be saved to additional system folders.

• 🔧 Modified firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)
• 🛠️ Titanium Backup Applications
• 🖥️ Remote Control Utility (TeamViewer QuickSupport)

In such cases, check the following ways:

/data/media/0/Pictures/Screenshots/ # Main folder for root users


/data/user_de/0/com.miui.gallery/cache/ #Cash Gallery (sometimes takes here)




/sdcard/Android/data/com.miui.screenshot/ # Screenshot folder via MIUI Tools

⚠️ Warning: Changing files to /data/ without root permissions can cause the system to crash. If you are not sure about your actions, use a root-enabled file manager (such as Root Explorer) and be sure to back up before editing.

On some custom firmware (e.g. Havoc-OS), screenshots can be saved to a /sdcard/Pictures/ScreenCapture/ folder with a time stamp in the file name (e.g., Screenshot_20260515-123456.png). If you didn't find images in standard directories, try searching for the Screenshot keyword through the file manager.

How to Recover Deleted Screenshots on Xiaomi

If you accidentally delete screenshots, you can try to restore them, and success depends on how long it has been since you deleted them and whether the phone has used data recording operations (such as taking a video or installing apps).

Step 1: Check the basket

The Xiaomi Gallery app has a built-in shopping cart where files are stored for 30 days:

1. Open the gallery → Albums → Basket.
2. Find the right screenshots and click Restore.

Step 2: Use Recovery Programs

If the basket is empty, connect the phone to your PC and scan the internal memory using:

• 💻 Recuva (for Windows)
• 🖥️ DiskDigger (for Android, requires root)
• 🍎 EaseUS Data Recovery (for macOS)

⚠️ Warning: Don't save recovered files back to your phone -- this can overwrite the remaining data. Use an external drive or cloud.

Step 3: Check the cloud backups

If you have Mi Cloud or Google Photos enabled, screenshots could automatically upload to the cloud:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Gallery
2. Check the Screenshots folder in cloud storage.

Features of storing screenshots on different models Xiaomi

Despite the common MIUI logic, some Xiaomi models have unique screenshot saving features.

On hyper-firmware devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), screenshots can be automatically optimized, resulting in smaller file sizes but sometimes loss of quality, to disable optimization:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Screenshots.
2. Turn off the option to Optimize screenshots.

On POCO- devices with POCO Launcher, screenshots can be saved in.webp instead of.png. This is not a bug, but this format is not supported by some editors (for example, Photoshop is older than the 2020 version). To convert files, use the Image Converter app from Google Play.

How to Automate Screenshots

If you take screenshots often, you can set up automatic file processing. Here are some useful scenarios:

1. Automatic upload to the cloud

Set up autoload screenshots in Google Drive or Mi Cloud:

• 📁 Open Settings → Accounts → Google → Backup.
• 🔄 Enable the option to Autoupload photos and select Screenshots folder.

2. Delete old screenshots

Use the Files by Google app to clean up automatically:

1. Open Files → Cleanup → Large files.
2. Select the Screenshot filter and set a storage limit (e.g. 30 days).

3. Quick editing

Get quick access to the editor:

• 🎨 Install Snapseed or Lightroom.
• 🔗 In the application settings, select Open by default for PNG.

For advanced users: Tasker or Automate can create a rule that will:

• 📤 Automatically send screenshots to Telegram or Slack.
• 🔍 Add a watermark with date and time.
• 🗑️ Remove pictures over a week.

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Automating screenshots saves time, but don’t forget to check your privacy settings – some cloud services can save snapshots of personal data in the public domain.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screenshots on Xiaomi