How to transfer photos from Google Photos to the gallery on Android Xiaomi: all working ways

Transferring photos from Google Photos to the standard Xiaomi smartphone gallery (including the Redmi and POCO models) is a challenge that users face when switching to a new device or cleaning up cloud storage. Although both apps sync with a single Google account, files downloaded via the web version or other devices do not always automatically appear in the phone’s local memory. In this article, we will examine 5 proven transfer methods, including hidden MIUI features that speed up the process by 2-3 times compared to standard downloads.

Complicating the problem is that Xiaomi uses its own MIUI shell, which can block background data loading or restrict application access to folders. For example, when trying to save photos through the Save to Device menu in Google Photos, files sometimes disappear or duplicate. We tested all methods on devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS to ensure that instructions for modern firmware are up to date.

Why are photos from Google Photos not displayed in the Xiaomi Gallery?

Before you start a transfer, it is important to understand the cause of the problem, and 80% of the time it is associated with synchronization settings or MIUI features:

• 📁 Files saved in a hidden folder: Google Photos by default downloads media in /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Google Photos that Xiaomi’s standard gallery may not automatically scan.
• 🔄 Auto-import disabled: In the settings of the Xiaomi gallery there is an option "Scan" SD-Map and clouds that are often turned off by default.
• 🚫 Limitations MIUI: The shell blocks the background activity of applications to save charge, which interrupts the loading.
• 🔒 No recording rights: Starting with Android 11, apps require separate permission to access Download and Pictures folders.

Another common reason is to optimize storage in Google Photos, and if you have High Quality Mode enabled, the originals may not be downloaded to the device, but only displayed in the cloud, and you can check this in the application settings: Google Photos → Account → Download quality.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi with global firmware (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ 5G), Some system folders can be protected from changes. Before transfer, check the free space in the Settings section. → Memory – if there is a lack of space, files will be downloaded, but will not appear in the gallery.

Method 1: Save through the Google Photos app (the easiest one)

This method is suitable for transferring individual photos or small albums (up to 50 files), its main advantage is that it does not require a connection to a PC or third-party programs, but there is a caveat: MIUI can block background load if the phone is discharged below 20%.

1. Open the Google Photos app and find the photos you want.
2. Click on the photo and hold your finger to select multiple files (or tap on three dots in the upper right corner and select "Select").
3. In the top panel, click on the icon "⋮" (three-point) → "Save it to the device".
4. Wait until the download is complete. Progress will be displayed in the notification.

By default, the files will be saved to /Pictures/Google Photos folder. To show up in the Xiaomi Gallery, follow the following steps:

1. Open the File Manager app from Xiaomi.
2. Go to the Pictures folder → Google Photo.
3. Select all files, press "⋮" → "Move" and select the folder DCIM/Camera.

Turn off battery saving mode for Google Photos|Check the free space on the device|Update the gallery manually (swipe down)|Reboot your phone if files don’t show up-->

If photos still do not appear in the gallery after moving, clear the cache of the Gallery application: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Gallery → Clear the cache.

Method 2: Automatic synchronization via Google Drive

This method is suitable for transferring large amounts of data (e.g. the entire photo library), requiring Wi-Fi connection and free space on Google Drive, but avoiding manual saving of each album, the main advantage is that the files will be saved in the original resolution, even if compression is enabled in Google Photos.

1. Open Google Photos on your Xiaomi smartphone.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Sync and make sure the feature is enabled.
3. Return to the main menu, click on your avatar → “Storage Management”.
4. Select "Save to Disk" and confirm export.
5. Open the Google Drive app, find the Google Photos folder and download it to your device.

Once you download the archive, unpack it through the standard Files app (Xiaomi supports ZIP without third-party software). Then move the photos to the DCIM/Camera folder, as described in the first method.

⚠️ Note: If you have two-factor authentication enabled in your Google account, when you download a large archive (>2 GB) the system may request re-entering of the code. Prepare backup codes or disable 2FA portability.

Method 3: Using a PC (for mass transfer)

If you have to transfer thousands of photos (like when you buy a new Xiaomi), the most reliable way is to download them to your computer and then transfer them to your phone, which eliminates the risk of connection failure or synchronization errors. USB-cable and 10-15 minutes of time.

1. On PC, open your browser and go to photos.google.com.
2. Sign in with the same Google account as you do on your smartphone.
3. Select the photos you want (click Ctrl+A for everyone).
4. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → "Download".
5. Wait for Google to prepare the archive (it can take up to 30 minutes for large libraries).
6. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
7. Copy the downloaded archive to the Internal Storage/DCIM/Camera folder on your phone.

If the photos are not displayed in the gallery after copying, perform a forced scan:

On your phone, open the Files app → click on three → Settings dots → Scan SD- Card

Save through the Google Photos app|Synchronization with Google Drive|Transfer over PC|Other methods-->

To speed up the process, you can use Google Backup and Sync (for Windows/macOS), which automatically syncs selected folders to the cloud. However, MIUI, when connecting via USB, sometimes requires additional permission to access files in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then return to Settings → Additional → For Developers → USB Default Configuration → MTP).

Method 4: Through third-party file managers (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work (for example, because of a “failed to save” error), alternative file managers such as Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer can be used to access hidden folders and force the Android media database to be updated.

1. Install the Solid Explorer app from Google Play.
2. Open it and provide all the permissions requested.
3. Go to /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/Google Photos.
4. Select the files you need, click "Copy".
5. Go to /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera and paste files.
6. Return to the main menu of the application, click on three dots → “Media scanner”.

The advantage of this method is the ability to transfer files between internal memory and SD-In addition, Solid Explorer supports cloud storage, so you can directly copy files from Google Photos to the gallery without intermediate downloads.

For users of Xiaomi with root rights, another option is available - using the adb command to force the media base to update:

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MEDIA_SCANNER_SCAN_FILE -d file:///storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera/

Method 5: Sync with Mi Cloud (Xiaomi only)

If you use a proprietary Mi Cloud, you can transfer photos from Google Photos to it and then sync with the gallery. This is a good way for Xiaomi owners who are already using the brand ecosystem. However, note that free storage in Mi Cloud is limited to 5 GB.

1. Download photos from Google Photos on PC (as in Method 3).
2. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
3. In the "Gallery" section, click "Download" and select the downloaded files.
4. On your smartphone, open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery and enable synchronization.
5. Wait for the download to be completed (progress is displayed in notifications).

This method is convenient because photos are automatically optimized for the Xiaomi ecosystem (e.g. albums and tags are supported).

• 📸 Maximum size of one file is 20 MB (for video – 500 MB).
• 🔄 During synchronization, metadata (shoot date, geotags) may be lost).
• 📱 Requires a stable Internet connection on your phone and PC.

💡

If photos are displayed in low quality after sync with Mi Cloud, check the compression settings in the Gallery app: Settings → Download quality. By default, the Traffic Savings mode is turned on, which reduces the resolution.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When transferring photos, Xiaomi users often face typical problems, and we have collected the most common errors and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check the following points:

1. Update Google Photos and Gallery to the latest version.
2. Make sure that the phone has the latest firmware installed (MIUI 14 or HyperOS).
3. Try temporarily disabling VPN or firewall (they can block access to the cloud).

💡

Xiaomi HyperOS devices (2026) have a Quick Transfer feature that automatically copies photos from Google Photos to the gallery when you first start. To use it, go to Settings → Memory → Quick Data Transfer.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions