How to connect Xiaomi to a computer: all ways + error solving

Connecting Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO, Black Shark) to a computer is a challenge that every user faces. Według statistics, 68% of connection problems are due to improperly installed drivers or phone settings. This instruction covers all current methods, from standard USB- connection to advanced protocols like ADB and Fastboot, as well as solving typical errors like “device not recognized” or “MTP does not work”.

We will not only analyze basic scenarios (file transfer, backup), but also specific cases: connecting to Linux/MacOS, working with a locked bootloader, circumventing the MIUI data transfer restrictions. Particular attention is paid to new models 2023–2026 years (Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 Pro+, POCO F6), where the manufacturer has implemented additional security measures.

If you’ve previously tried to connect Xiaomi to a PC and encountered errors – at the end of the article there’s a FAQ- section with answers to 90% of typical questions, including problems with the Qualcomm HS-USB QDLoader 9008 and “eternal” connection as a “charger.”

1. Preparation of Xiaomi device for connection

Before you physically connect the cable, you need to configure the smartphone itself. On devices with MIUI 14+, the default mode is activated “Charge Only” when you first connect to a new PC – a security measure that is often overlooked.

Open Settings → About Phone and 7 once click on "MIUI Version" to activate Developer Mode. Go back to the main settings menu, find a new Developer section and turn on:

• 🔌 Debugging according to USB (required for ADB/Fastboot)
• 🔄 Unlock OEM (required for firmware)
• 📱 Configuration USB default → Select File Transfer (MTP)
• 🔒 Installation through USB (manually APK)

On POCO F5 and later models, additional unlock confirmation in the Mi Account may be required – this is a Xiaomi security requirement to protect against unauthorized access.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with a bootloader, some features (such as fastboot oem unlock) will not be available until officially unlocked via Xiaomi's website.

For stable operation, we recommend using the original cable kit or certified USB-C 3.1 (especially for Xiaomi 13T Pro and older). Cheap cables often do not support data transfer, limited to charging.

2. USB connection (MTP, PTP, RNDIS)

The most common method is cable connection, and modern Xiaomi devices support several data protocols:

To change the connection mode:

1. Connect the device to the PC via USB.
2. Swipe down the notification panel on your phone.
3. Click on the Charge notification via USB.
4. Select the protocol you want (for example, file transfer for MTP).

If the PC does not see the device in MTP mode:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 blue).
• 🖥️ Update drivers through the official Xiaomi tool.
• 📱 Enable Debugging with USB and select Always Allow from that computer.

3. Installation of drivers for Xiaomi on Windows

Most connectivity issues are due to the lack or conflict of drivers. Xiaomi uses two types of drivers:

1. MIUI Driver – for standard functions (MTP, ADB).
2. Qualcomm Driver – for Fastboot and EDL (9008) modes.

For automatic installation:

1. Download Mi Driver Installer.
2. Launch the utility on behalf of the administrator.
3. Connect your phone in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the device is off).
4. Click Install in the program and wait for completion.

For manual installation (if the automatic method has not worked):

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. Find a device with a yellow exclamation point (usually in the Other Devices section).
3. Right-click → Update the driver → Search on this computer.
4. Specify the path to the driver folder (e.g., C:\Program Files (x86)\Xiaomi\MiPhone\Qualcomm\Driver).

⚠️ Warning: Windows 11 may need to disable driver signature verification. To do this, do the command line (Win + R → cmd → Ctrl+Shift+Enter): bcdedit.exe /set nointegritychecks on bcdedit.exe /set Signing on After PC reboot.

Installation of Mi Driver Installer|

Connect your phone to Fastboot |

Check for no exclamation points in Device Manager |

Restart the PC after installing the drivers-->

4. Connect Xiaomi to PC via Wi-Fi (wireless file transfer)

If the USB- cable is unavailable or the ports are down, you can use wireless protocols. Xiaomi supports three methods:

1. Mi Drop (built-in solution)

• 📱 Open the Mi Drop app (preinstalled on MIUI).
• 🖥️ On PC, go to the web version of Mi Drop.
• 🔗 Scan it. QR-PC screen code or enter 6-digit code.
• 📁 Drag files between devices (up to 10MB/s).

2. FTP- Server via ES Explorer

1. Set up ES Conductor.
2. Open the side menu → Network → FTP → Launch.
3. Remember the address of the form ftp://192.168.x.x:3721.
4. On PC, open Explorer → This computer → Connect the network disk and enter the FTP- address.

3. ADB over Wi-Fi (for advanced users)

adb tcpip 5555


adb connect 192.168.x.x:5555

Where 192.168.x.x is the local IP- address of your Xiaomi (you can find out in Settings → About Phone → General information → Status).

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To speed up Wi-Fi transmission, connect both devices to the same 5 GHz network. At 2.4 GHz, the speed can drop by 3-5 times.

5. Connection to Fastboot and ADB mode

These modes are used for firmware, bootloader unlocking or debugging. Fastboot works at the bootloader level, ADB works at the Android level.

How to log in to Fastboot:

• 🔋 Turn off the device.
• 🔕 Press Volume down + Power for 5-10 seconds.
• 🖥️ Connect to a PC – Android Bootloader Interface should appear in Device Manager.

The main Fastboot teams:

fastboot devices # Check the connection


fastboot oem unlock # Unlock the bootloader (requires binding to Mi Account)




fastboot flash recovery twrp.img # Install custom recovery




fastboot reboot #Reboot

Connection via ADB:

1. Enable USB Debugging (see Section 1).
2. Connect the device to the PC in file transfer mode.
3. Open the command line and type: Adb devices If the device is displayed, the connection is established.

⚠️ Warning: The fastboot oem unlock and fastboot erase userdata commands result in a complete data reset. Backup via adb backup or Mi Cloud before executing them.

6. Connecting Xiaomi to MacOS and Linux

On macOS and Linux, Xiaomi's connection has its nuances due to the lack of standard MTP drivers.

For macOS:

• 🍎 Install Android File Transfer (the official Google utility).
• 🔌 Connect the phone in MTP mode.
• 🚫 If files are not displayed, restart the utility or reconnect the cable.

For Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

1. Install packages: sudo apt install mtp-tools libmtp-common libmtp-runtime
2. Connect the device and check for detection: mtp-detect | grep "Device found"
3. To mount to the file system, use: jmtpfs ~/xiaomi_mount_point (install jmtpfs via sudo apt install jmtpfs)

On Arch Linux and Manjaro derivatives, use:

sudo pacman -S mtpfs gvfs-mtp

To work with ADB/Fastboot on Linux/MacOS:

1. Install platform-tools: #Ubuntu/Debian sudo apt install adb fastboot MacOS (via Homebrew) brew install android-platform-tools
2. Add rules for USB-devices (create file /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules): SUBSYSTEM=="usb," ATTR{idVendor}=="2717," MODE="0666," GROUP="plugdev" (where 2717 is a vendor ID for Xiaomi)
3. Reboot the service udev: sudo service udev restart

7. Solving common mistakes

Even with the right setup, there can be problems. Let's look at the typical cases.

If Xiaomi is defined as a “charger” and does not switch to MTP:

• 🔧 Check the cable - some cables only support charging.
• 📵 Reboot your phone to Safe Mode (press Power → Press "Switch off power" before the request appears).
• 🔄 Reset USB: Settings → For developers → Reset USB.

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If neither method worked, try connecting Xiaomi to another PC, and 30 percent of the time, drivers conflict on a particular machine.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's PC connection