How to instantly transfer a photo from Xiaomi phone to another Android: all ways 2026

Transferring photos between Xiaomi smartphones often turns into a headache: speed leaves much to be desired, files lose quality, you have to download additional applications. Meanwhile, owners of devices of this brand have unique advantages - built-in tools from the manufacturer that work faster and more stable than third-party solutions. In this article, we will analyze 8 proven methods, including little-known MIUI chips that will allow you to transfer pictures in seconds without loss of quality and unnecessary manipulation.

Xiaomi is a very special brand that is actively developing its own ecosystem, from the Mi Cloud to Mi Share technology (similar to AirDrop), which are optimized for devices of the Redmi, POCO and Mi line, so they work much more efficiently than universal solutions like Bluetooth or email. But even if you have different models — for example, Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra — all of the methods described below will remain relevant. The main thing is to properly configure the transmission parameters and avoid typical errors, which we will also tell you about.

1. Mi Share - branded AirDrop for Xiaomi

Mi Share (formerly Xiaomi Quick Share) is the brand’s answer to Apple’s AirDrop, which allows files to be transferred between Xiaomi devices at up to 10MB/s (under ideal conditions, up to 20MB/s), without an internet connection, with the main advantage of no file size restrictions and maintaining the original quality of photos.

To use Mi Share, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Connection and sharing → Mi Share on both phones.
• 🔄 Enable device visibility ("Visibility for all" or "Contacts only" option»).
• 📷 Select photos in the gallery, click Share and select Mi Share.
• 🔍 On the second phone, confirm receipt of files.

Important: If you have MIUI 14 or newer, the feature may be called Quick Share (because of the rebranding), also make sure that both devices are enabled with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which are used to create a direct connection. If the transmission is interrupted, try turning off the power saving mode in the battery settings.

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If Mi Share doesn't find the second device, restart both phones and try again. Often the problem is solved by resetting the "Mi Share" app cache in the settings.

2. Transfer via Mi Cloud: Cloud storage without limits

Mi Cloud is a cloud storage from Xiaomi that is integrated into MIUI firmware. It allows you to sync photos between devices automatically, but there are nuances: only 5 GB of space is available for free. However, for a one-time transfer of a pack of photos, this is enough with your head. The main advantage is that you do not need to configure anything if you are already logged into the same Mi Account on both phones.

Instructions for transfer via Mi Cloud:

• ☁️ On the first phone, open the gallery. → Albums. → Select a photo. → Share. → Mi Cloud.
• 📤 Upload files to the cloud (Photo folder or create a new one).
• ☁️ On the second phone, open the Mi Cloud. → Photos and download the necessary pictures.

Note that if you are using Google Photos in parallel with Mi Cloud, you may experience a sync conflict, in which case you should turn off autoloading in Google Photos while you are transferring. Also check that both devices have enabled the option of Sync Gallery in the Mi Cloud settings.

Bluetooth 3: Slowly but without internet

Bluetooth is the most versatile, but also the slowest way, and rarely exceeds 1-2 MB/s, but it works even without network access and requires no additional applications, suitable for transferring 1-2 photos, but inconvenient for large packs.

How to transfer photos via Bluetooth:

1. 🔵 Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings) → Bluetooth).
2. 📱 Make one device “visible” (detectable or device search option»).
3. 🤝 Connect the phones to each other (code confirmation may be required).
4. 📷 In the gallery, select a photo. → «Share» → «Bluetooth» → Select the second device.

Transfer speed depends on the version of Bluetooth: on Xiaomi 12T with Bluetooth 5.3, the process will go faster than on Redmi 9A with Bluetooth 5.0. If the transfer is suspended, try to reduce the distance between the phones to 1-2 meters or remove obstacles (walls, metal objects).

4.Wi-Fi Direct: Mi Share alternative for older models

If you have an older Xiaomi model (like the Redmi 5 or Mi A1) that doesn't have Mi Share, you can use Wi-Fi Direct. This protocol creates a direct connection between devices over Wi-Fi, without a router, and transfer speeds up to 5-10 MB/s, which is 5 times faster than Bluetooth.

Algorithm of action:

• 📶 On the first phone, open the settings. → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔍 On the second phone, enable device search via the same path.
• 🤝 Connect to the device found (confirmation may be required).
• 📷 In the gallery, select a photo. → «Share» → «Wi-Fi Direct» → Select the second device.

Important: Turn off Wi-Fi Direct after transmission, as it continues to consume battery power. If the connection does not set up, check that both phones have turned off Wi-Fi power saving mode (in battery settings).

Disable mobile data on both phones |

Make sure that Wi-Fi is not connected to another network|

Charge phones at least 30% |

Shut down. VPN (can block the connection)-->

5.Messaging: Telegram and WhatsApp for fast sending

Send photos via messenger is the easiest way if you already have Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber installed.

• 📌 WhatsApp compresses the photo to 16 MP (maximum resolution) 1920×1080).
• 📌 Telegram allows you to send files up to 2 GB without compression (if you choose File instead of Photos»).
• 📌 Viber limits file size to 200MB.

How to send a photo without loss of quality:

1. In Telegram: select a photo → click “File” (not “Photo”) → send.
2. On WhatsApp: Use the Document feature instead of Gallery.

Critical nuance: if you send a photo as “Photo” in Telegram, the service will compress it to 10 MP, even if the original weighs 50 MP. To avoid this, always choose the option “File” when sending via the messenger.

6. OTG Cable: The Most Reliable, But Inconvenient Way

Transfer via OTG cable (or USB-C to USB-C adapter) is the only method that guarantees 100% speed and no compression. Suitable for transferring hundreds of photos or videos in original quality. Minus - you need a physical cable and a little time to set up.

Step-by-step:

1. 🔌 Connect the phones with a cable. OTG (One phone should be in mode «USB-host»).
2. 📱 On the source phone, select the "File Transfer" mode» (MTP) plug-in.
3. 📂 On the second phone, open a file manager (such as Mi File Manager) and copy a photo from the folder. DCIM/Camera.

The transfer speed depends on the USB version: USB 3.1 (in Xiaomi 11T Pro) gives up to 50 MB / s, and USB 2.0 (in Redmi 8) - only 5 MB / s. If the phone does not recognize the connection, check that the cable supports OTG (not all cheap cables can do this).

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Cable OTG — The only way to send a photo to RAW-All wireless methods (including Mi Share) can convert RAW into JPEG, lose data.

7.LAN (FTP-server: for advanced users

If you need to transfer gigabytes of photos (for example, after a vacation), you can deploy them. FTP-It takes a little bit of technical knowledge, but it gives you speeds of up to 30MB/s over the LAN.

Instructions:

1. 📱 Install the application on the first phone FTP Server (e.g., Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. 🌐 Launch it. FTP-server and record IP-address (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.100:2221).
3. 📡 Connect the second phone to the same Wi-Fi network.
4. 📂 In the file manager of the second phone enter IP-address of the first and download the photo.

The advantage of this method is that you can pack files without manually selecting them, but make sure that the phone server is off sleep, or the connection will break, and don't use public Wi-Fi networks, which is not safe.

8 Google Photos: Automatic synchronization

Google Photos is a universal solution if you don't want to mess with settings. The service automatically uploads all photos to the cloud and syncs them between devices. 15 GB is available free (shared with Google Drive), but photos are compressed to 16 MP if the High quality is selected.

How to set up:

• ☁️ Install Google Photos on both phones and sign in to one account.
• ⚙️ Enable autoboot: Settings → Backup and synchronization.
• 📱 On the second phone, the photos will appear automatically in the application.

If you need to maintain the original quality, select the option "Original Quality" in the backup settings. 15 GB is filled up very quickly, for example, 1000 photo RAW-format will take about 10-15 GB.

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To save space in Google Photos, convert before downloading RAW-photo JPEG It's going to be lightroom mobile or snapseed, and it's going to be pretty much the same as the file size. 3-5 once.

Comparison of photo transfer methods between Xiaomi

As you can see from the table, Mi Share and OTG cable are the best options for Xiaomi in terms of speed and convenience. Bluetooth and instant messengers are suitable only for single files, and Google Photos is convenient for automatic synchronization, but not for single transfer.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with the most reliable methods, users face problems, and here are the most common mistakes and solutions.

⚠️ Warning: If Mi Share doesn’t find the second device, check that both phones have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, and turn off the device. VPN. Sometimes it helps to reset or reset network settings (Settings). → System system → Resetting the network).

Another common problem is that you interrupt Wi-Fi Direct or Mi Share transmissions, and this happens because of:

• 🔋 Low battery charge (less than 15%).
• 📵 Interference from other Wi-Fi networks (such as in a cafe or office).
• 🛑 Power saving mode that disables background data transmission.

If the photos are transmitted but lose quality, check:

• 📸 File format: HEIC (iPhone is not supported on Xiaomi without conversion.
• 🔍 Messenger settings: WhatsApp photos are always compressed.
• ☁️ Cloud settings: Google Photos selects High Quality mode».

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Before transferring large files, disable battery optimization for Mi Share applications, Gallery and Files in Battery Settings → Battery Optimization. This will prevent connection breakdown.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions