How to instantly transfer files from one Xiaomi to another: all working ways

Why Standard Methods Don’t Always Work – and What to Do

Transferring files between Xiaomi smartphones only seems like a trivial task, and users face unexpected limitations in practice: Mi Share refuses to see a second phone, Bluetooth transfers files at the speed of a dialapap of the 90s, and cloud services require authorization and eat up mobile traffic, often because of incompatibility of MIUI versions, default features, or a banal lack of memory on the receiving device.

This article will not just list the methods, but will help you choose the best method, taking into account the type of files, their volume and current conditions. 50 Gigabyte photo from Redmi Note 12 Xiaomi 14 Ultra will only be suitable for direct cable. USB-C or a local Wi-Fi Direct network, and for several documents enough and QR-We tested all the current methods on devices with Mi Drop. MIUI 14/15 and identified critical nuances that are not written in the official instructions.

Important: If you’re switching from Android to iPhone (or vice versa), most of the methods in this article won’t work — you’ll need specialized tools like Move to iOS or Send Anywhere. POCO and Black Shark).

1. Mi Share (Mi Drop) - a proprietary way from Xiaomi

This is the most integrated method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and later. The principle is simple: creating a local Wi-Fi network between devices, over which files are transferred at speeds up to 10-15 MB / s (the real speed depends on the model and firmware versions), the main advantage is that there are no restrictions on file sizes (unlike Bluetooth) and no Internet connection is required.

How to turn on:

• 📱 Open the Files app (or Mi File Manager) on both phones.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Mi Share section (in some versions - Send files).
• 📤 On the sender phone, select files and click Send → Mi Share.
• 📥 On the receiving phone, click Receive Files and scan QR-screencode.

⚠️ If Mi Share doesn’t find a second phone, check it out:

1. Both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled (even if the transmission is over Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth is needed to initialize the connection). 2. In the Mi Share settings (in the menu Still → Settings) there is a “Visibility for all nearby devices” box. 3. There is enough free space on the receiving phone (Mi Share will not show an error, but the transfer will be interrupted by 99%).

Enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones

Update the Files app to the latest version

Clear the cache of the Files application in the settings

Check the free space on the receiver phone

Disable VPN (it blocks local connections)

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The transmission speed depends on the model:

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If Mi Share permanently breaks the connection, try restarting both phones and turning on Flight mode for 10 seconds – this resets the network settings without losing data.

Direct USB-C cable (OTG) - for large volumes

This is the fastest transfer method if you have modern smartphones with a USB-C port. The speed reaches 40-60 MB / s (4-5 times faster than Mi Share), and most importantly - does not drain the battery (unlike wireless methods), Suitable for transferring tens of gigabytes of photos, video to 4K or backups.

What you need:

• 🔌 Cable USB-C — USB-C (better off USB 3.1. for maximum speed).
• 📱 The receiver phone must be enabled mode OTG (In most Xiaomi, it is activated automatically when connected).
• 🔋 Charge at least 30% on both devices (when transferring large files, the phone may run out of charge).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the cable to both phones.
2. On the sender phone in the notification curtain, select File Transfer (or USB-accumulator).
3. On the receiving phone, open the File Manager → USB-accumulator.
4. Copy the files as if they were a regular flash drive.

⚠️ Attention: When transmitting through OTG Do not remove the cable until you have finished copying, which can damage the file system on the receiving phone. If the process is stalled, first safely disable the drive in the notification curtain.

Mi Share (Wi-Fi Direct)

Bluetooth

USB-C Cable (OTG)

Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)

Other ways

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3. Bluetooth - when there is nothing else

This is the most versatile, but also the slowest way, and rarely exceeds 1-2 MB/s, and when transferring large files, the connection can break down, suitable only for small documents (up to 50 MB) or a few photos.

How do I tell you?

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. Make phones visible to everyone (in the Bluetooth menu → More → Visibility).
3. On the sender phone, select a file → Share → Bluetooth and select the second phone.
4. Confirm the reception on the receiving phone.

Limitations of Bluetooth in Xiaomi:

• 🚫 Maximum file size: 1 GB (but in practice, the transfer is terminated after 200-300 MB).
• ⏳ Speed drops when battery charge is low (below 20%).
• 🔄 You can’t transfer folders – only individual files.

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Bluetooth in Xiaomi uses the OBEX protocol, which is inferior in speed even Wi-Fi Direct. For the transfer of video or a large number of photos, it is better to use other methods.

4. Local Wi-Fi network (FTP-server)

If Mi Share is not working and the cable is not available, you can create a new device. FTP-The server on one of the phones and connect to it from the second through a browser or file manager. the speed is comparable to Mi Share (8-12 MB / s), but the method is more stable on older versions. MIUI.

Instructions:

1. Install the FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer app on the sender phone.
2. Run it in. FTP-server (on the Network menu) → Launch. FTP-server).
3. Remember the address of the species ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On the receiving phone, open File Manager → Network Storage → FTP and enter the address.

⚠️ Attention: FTP-Do not use this method to transmit sensitive data (passwords, bank documents) on public Wi-Fi networks. For security, limit access to a password in the settings FTP-server.

5. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Drive

The cloud is convenient if you need to not only transfer files, but also save backup, but this method has critical shortcomings:

• 📶 Requires a stable Internet (with a weak signal, the download can stretch for hours).
• 💾 Free Storage Limit: 5GB in Mi Cloud and 15GB in Google Drive.
• ⏱ Download/download time: for example, 10 GB of photo at a speed of 10 Mbps will be transmitted ~2.5 hours.

Comparison of services:

How to transfer via Mi Cloud:

1. On the sender phone, upload files to Mi Cloud (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud).
2. On the recipient phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and download the files.

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If you want to transfer files to a phone with another Xiaomi account, share the link in Mi Cloud (available for files up to 2 GB).

6.Alternative Apps: Send Anywhere, Snapdrop

If standard methods don’t work, third-party applications often bypass MIUI limitations and offer additional features (e.g., P2P transmission without servers).

Top.-3 apps:

• 📲 Send Anywhere: Transfer by 6-digit code or QR, speed up to 20 MB/s, there are no limits on file size.
• 🌐 Snapdrop: works via a browser (no need to install), but requires a single Wi-Fi network.
• 🔗 LocalSend: Open source, transfer encryption, supports folders.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party apps, turn off battery optimization for them in Xiaomi settings (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start, otherwise the transmission may be interrupted.

7. Transmission via computer (intermediate storage)

If both phones can be connected to a PC or laptop, this method becomes the most reliable for large amounts of data, the speed depends on the USB port (for example, USB 3.0 gives up to 100 MB / s), and the risk of file loss is minimal.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the first phone to the PC in File Transfer mode.
2. Copy the data onto the computer.
3. Turn off the first phone, connect the second.
4. Transfer the files to the second phone.

⚠️ Note: When copying large numbers of small files (e.g. thousands of photos) use archiving (ZIP/RAR). This will speed up the process in 5–10 by reducing the number of I/O operations.

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If your PC doesn’t see your Xiaomi phone, update your ADB and MTP drivers via Mi PC Suite or manually through Device Manager.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions