Xiaomi’s Mi Cloud cloud storage automatically backs up your photos, protecting them from accidental loss, but when you want to return them back to your device or save them to your computer, users often face difficulties: This article will help you understand how to efficiently extract photos from the Xiaomi cloud to any device, whether it is a Redmi Note smartphone. 12, Xiaomi Pad 6 smack Windows/MacOS.
We'll look at all the current methods, from standard recovery through the Gallery app to circumventing the limitations of large data volumes, and focus on hidden features (such as selective downloading via the web) and solving typical problems — when photos are not displayed in the cloud or sync is suspended. If you're looking for a way to transfer pictures from Mi Cloud to Google Photos or another service, here you will find the answer.
1.Preparation: checking synchronization and vacant space
Before you try to download photos, make sure they are actually uploaded to the cloud. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud. The Gallery section should show the date of last sync and the amount of time it takes. If it's empty or it says 0 B, then backup photos were never enabled.
Also check:
- 🔄 Synchronization status: in Settings → Account. → Mi Cloud → The gallery should have a green cloud icon on the light, and gray or red is a sign of error.
- 📱 Free space on the device: to download 100 photos in original quality will be required ~500-800 MB. Check the settings → Memory.
- 🌐 Internet connection: Mi Cloud blocks downloads when the connection is slow (below 2 Mbps.
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If the Mi Cloud settings show an error "Synchronization stopped", restart it manually: open the Gallery → Albums. → Cloud and Pull the Screen Down for Update.
If your photos were previously synced but are now missing from the cloud, check:
- 🗑️ Have you removed them from the Gallery on your phone (remote erasure is enabled by default – photos disappear from the cloud 30 days after deleting from the device).
- 🔒 Previous articleMi Cloud Free Account Stores Photos for Only 6 Months Without Activity.
2. Method 1: Recovery of photo through the Gallery app
The easiest method is to use the built-in recovery feature in the Gallery app. It is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO on MIUI 12–14.
Instructions:
- Open the Gallery app.
- Go to the Albums section and select Cloud (the cloud icon in the top panel).
- Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Restore.
- Tag the desired photos or click Select all.
- Click Restore and confirm the action. Photos will appear in the Camera or Download folder.
Limitations of the method:
- ⚠️ Restores photos only to the device from which they were downloaded.
- ⏳ With a large number of pictures (500)+) process.
- 📶 Requires a stable Wi-Fi connection (when using the mobile Internet download is blocked).
Check the Wi-Fi connection|Restart the Gallery app|Update. MIUI last-minute|Clear the Gallery cache in Settings→Annexes-->
Important: If you use two Xiaomi accounts on the same device, photos from the cloud will only be available for the profile you synced with.
3. Method 2: Download via the web version of Mi Cloud
If you want to save a photo to a computer or other device, use the Mi Cloud web interface, which works even if the original smartphone is lost or reset.
Step-by-step:
- Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Xiaomi account.
- On the left menu, select Gallery.
- Tick the necessary photos or click Allocate.
- Click on the download icon (↓) top-panel.
- Files will be uploaded to ZIP-- Uncamp it after downloading it.
Advantages of the method:
- 🖥️ Works on any device (PC, Mac, other smartphone).
- 📁 Allows you to download folders, not one file.
- 🔍 There is a search function by date or keywords (e.g., "beach" or "2023").
Through the Gallery app|Through the web version of i.mi.com|Synchronization with Google Photos|Another way.-->
Please note:
- 📦 When you download more than 500 photos, the service automatically breaks them into several archives of 2 GB.
- 🕒 The server's storage time is 24 hours. Download it immediately after generation.
⚠️ Note: if you changed your Xiaomi account password less than 72 hours ago, your Mi Cloud access via your browser will be temporarily blocked for security reasons.
4. Method 3: Automatic sync with Google Photos
If you prefer Google Photos as your primary storage, you can set up automatic photo transfer from Mi Cloud to Google Drive, which is suitable for backup or migration between services.
How to set up:
- Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
- Open the Settings. → Backup and synchronization and enable the function.
- Return to the Xiaomi Gallery, select the Cloud section.
- Click Share (arrow icon) and select Google Photos.
- Confirm the download. Photos will appear on your Google account in 5 to 30 minutes.
Features of the method:
- ☁️ Photos will be saved in original quality if you have a space in Google Photos (free – 15 GB).
- 🔄 Sync works only one way: from Mi Cloud to Google Photos, not back.
- 📅 Photo creation dates will be saved, but Xiaomi albums will be converted into regular folders.
| Service | Max. Free seat. | Supported formats | File restriction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Cloud | 5GB | JPG, PNG, HEIC, GIF | 50MB |
| Google Photo | 15GB (common with Gmail and Drive) | JPG, PNG, HEIC, RAW, WEBP | 200 MB (or 15 GB for RAW) |
| Yandex Disc. | 10GB | JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC | 50GB |
How to transfer photos from Mi Cloud to iCloud (for iPhone users)
5. Method 4: Use MIUI File Explorer for selective copying
If you only need individual photos, not the entire gallery, use File Explorer in your home. MIUI. This method allows you to copy files directly from cloud storage to local memory.
Instructions:
- Open the Explorer app (folder icon).
- Go to Mi Cloud (may be called Cloud).
- Open the Gallery or Camera folder.
- Hold your finger on the desired photo to highlight, then click Copy.
- Go back to the root directory, select the internal memory or SD-map, then destination folder (e.g. Download).
- Press Insert.
Advantages:
- 📂 You can copy individual files, not the entire folder.
- 🔄 It works without the Internet if the photos are already cached on the device.
- 📲 Supports batch renaming (hold multiple files) → Rename).
⚠️ Attention: in some firmware MIUI (for example POCO F5) The Mi Cloud section in Explorer is hidden. To see it, update the Explorer app through the Play Market or enable the display of hidden folders in the settings.
Method 5: Export through ADB (for advanced users)
If standard methods do not work (for example, due to a synchronization failure), you can extract a photo from the cloud using the help of the cloud. ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires command line skills and is suitable for recovering data after a phone reset.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Xiaomi drivers.
- 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock the developer mode, then turn on Settings → Additionally. → For developers).
- 🔑 Authorization in the same Xiaomi account that the cloud is linked to.
Photo extraction commands:
adb shell
am start -n com.miui.gallery/.activity.CloudAlbumActivity
After opening the cloud gallery, use:
input swipe 500 1500 500 200 # Scroll up to upload photos
input tap 900 200 # Click on "Select all"
input tap 500 2000 # Click on "Download"Alternative method (if the gallery does not open):
adb pull /sdcard/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/ C:\Xiaomi_Cloud_Photos\💡
Use it. ADB Incorrect commands can result in deletion of data or account locking.
7. Solving typical problems when downloading photos
Even with the right settings, users are faced with errors, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Photos are not displayed in the cloud | Sync is disabled or photos are deleted | Check the Settings. → Account. → Mi Cloud → Gallery: If photos are deleted, restore them in the basket (stored for 30 days). |
| The "Not enough space" error | There is no free space on the device or in the cloud. | Clear the cache (Settings) → Memory. → Clean up) or buy extra space in the Mi Cloud. |
| Downloading interrupted | Unstable Internet or traffic restriction | Connect to 5GHz Wi-Fi or use it VPN (For example, Warp from Cloudflare). |
| Photos downloaded in low quality | The settings include “Saving traffic” | Turn off the option in Settings → Account. → Mi Cloud → Synchronization settings. |
If the photo is downloaded but not opened:
- 🔧 Check the file extension: sometimes Mi Cloud saves the photo as.jpg.download.
- 🖼️ Use image recovery apps like Photo Recovery.
- 📱 Update Gallery and Mi Cloud to the latest version in Play Market.
8. Alternative services for photo backup
If Mi Cloud is not satisfied with the volume or speed, consider alternatives:
- 🌍 Google Photos: 15GB free, automatic sorting by person/place, but quality compression after June 1, 2021.
- 📁 Yandex Disk: 10 GB free, integration with MIUI via the Disk app.
- 🍎 iCloud: 5GB free, optimized for the Apple ecosystem (if you also have a Mac or iPad).
- 🔗 Syncthing: Free P2P-Synchronization between devices without cloud.
How to transfer photos to another service:
- Download photos from Mi Cloud to PC (see Method 2).
- Upload them to the new service via a web interface or desktop application.
- Set up automatic sync on your smartphone (for example, in Google Photos, enable Backup).
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To automatically upload photos to two clouds at the same time (for example, in Mi Cloud and Google Photos), use the AutoSync app from the Play Market.