How to quickly send photos from a Samsung phone to Xiaomi: all the ways 2026

Sharing photos between smartphones of different brands is a challenge that every second user faces, especially for owners of Samsung and Xiaomi devices, whose ecosystems are not always perfectly compatible. In this article, we will examine all possible ways to transfer photos from Samsung to Xiaomi, from classic methods to little-known life hacks that will save your time and nerves.

The main problem with this transfer is different versions of Android, branded shells (One UI from Samsung and MIUI from Xiaomi) and manufacturer restrictions. For example, standard Bluetooth on Xiaomi often runs slower than on Samsung, and the Nearby Share feature (analogue of AirDrop) may not be supported on older models. We tested all methods on current firmware in 2026 and selected only those that work stably.

Important: if you're transferring a lot of photos (like a vacation archive), some methods can take hours or even days, in which case you'll be able to use cloud services or physical cable transmissions optimally, and instant messengers or Wi-Fi Direct will be suitable for single shots.

1. Bluetooth Transfer: A Simple, But Not Perfect Way

The most obvious method is to use Bluetooth, which doesn't require internet and works on all smartphones, but has serious limitations.

• 🐢 Low speed - transmission 10 High resolution photos can be used 5-10 minute.
• 📶 Size Limit: Some Xiaomi models do not accept files larger than 50MB.
• 🔄 Loss of quality – when transmitted via Bluetooth, photos can automatically compress.

How to send photos via Bluetooth:

1. On Samsung, open a gallery, select a photo and click Share → Bluetooth.
2. On Xiaomi, turn on Bluetooth in settings (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth) and make the device visible.
3. On Samsung, select your Xiaomi from the list and confirm the transfer.
4. On Xiaomi, accept the incoming file in the notification.

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If Bluetooth doesn’t find the device, try restarting both smartphones or temporarily turning off power saving mode.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12) have Bluetooth file reception disabled by default. To enable it, go to Settings → Additionally. → Transfer files over Bluetooth and activate the option.

2. Wi-Fi Direct: faster than Bluetooth, but with nuances

Wi-Fi Direct is a technology that allows devices to share files directly over Wi-Fi without a router.Transfer speeds are 5-10 times faster than Bluetooth, but setting up requires more action.

Instructions for Samsung and Xiaomi:

1. On Samsung, open Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
2. On Xiaomi, go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Wi-Fi Direct.
3. On Samsung, select your Xiaomi from the list and confirm your connection (Xiaomi will receive a confirmation request).
4. In the Samsung Gallery, select a photo, click Share → Wi-Fi Direct and send files.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 and later, the Wi-Fi Direct feature may be hidden. To find it, search for the "Wi-Fi Direct" settings or use the Quick Tools app).

3. Cloud services: reliable but dependent on the Internet

If you have a stable Internet, the most universal way is to upload photos to the cloud on Samsung and download them to Xiaomi.

• ☁️ Google Photos – automatically syncs photos if both devices have the same account.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud is a Xiaomi cloud, but requires registration and may restrict free space.
• ☁️ Yandex Disk or Mail.ru Cloud – popular in Russia, give 10-20 GB free.
• ☁️ Telegram Saved Messages – you can send a photo to your favorites and download it on another phone.

Step-by-step instructions for Google Photos:

1. On Samsung, install Google Photos (if not installed).
2. Sign in to your Google account and enable autoboot (Settings → Backup and Sync).
3. Wait for the photo to be uploaded to the cloud (you can speed up by connecting to Wi-Fi).
4. On Xiaomi, install Google Photos, log in to the same account and download the desired photos.

⚠️ Note: If you are sharing sensitive photos, delete them from the cloud after downloading to Xiaomi. Google Photos can do this through the cart (Photos) → Basket → Clean up).

4. Messengers: fast, but with limitations

Send photos via messenger is the easiest way if you already have an installed application.

• 📸 WhatsApp compresses photos up to 16 MP and weighs 16MB.
• 💬 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, but compresses photo when exceeding 10MB.
• 📱 WeChat is suitable for transfer between Chinese smartphones, but requires registration.

The best option for high-quality transmission is Telegram:

1. Open Telegram on Samsung and create a chat with you (or use Save Messages).
2. In the gallery, select a photo, click "Share" → "Telegram" → select chat.
3. When sending, select "File" rather than "Photo" to avoid compression.
4. On Xiaomi, open Telegram, find the photo you sent and save it to the gallery.

⚠️ Note: If you send a series of photos (for example, 50+ Telegram can block the sending as “suspicious activity” in which case, break the files into pieces. 20-30 piece.

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Telegram is the only messenger that allows you to send photos in original quality, if you choose the option “Send as a file”.

5. OTG cable + flash drive: for large volumes without Internet

If you need to transfer hundreds of photos or videos (for example, an archive from a vacation), the most reliable way is to use the data. OTG-This method is independent of Internet speed and works even on older smartphones.

What you need:

• 🔌 OTG-Adapter (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on your Samsung connector).
• 💾 A flash drive with sufficient memory (recommended) USB 3.0 for speed).
• 📱 File Manager (e.g. Mi File Manager on Xiaomi or My Files on Samsung).

Instructions:

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X5) work-in OTG You need to enable the option in the settings: Settings → Additionally. → OTG-linkage.

If your Samsung doesn’t support OTG (check the specifications of the model), use a microSD card: transfer the photo to it through the adapter, then paste the card to Xiaomi (if there is a slot) or connect through the card reader.

Specialized applications: fast transmission without restrictions

If standard methods don't work, you can use file transfer applications. The best options for Samsung and Xiaomi are:

• 📲 Xender – works via Wi-Fi Direct, supports folder transfer, speeds up to 40 MB / s.
• 📲 Send Anywhere – generates 6-digit code for receiving files, does not require registration.
• 📲 Snapdrop – web service (works through the browser), you do not need to install the application.
• 📲 LocalSend – an open analogue of AirDrop, supports encryption.

Example of transfer via Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both smartphones from Google Play.
2. On Samsung, select a photo in the gallery → “Send Anywhere” → “Share” →
3. Click “Send” and you will get a 6-digit code.
4. On Xiaomi, open Send Anywhere, enter the code and confirm acceptance.

⚠️ Note: When using Xender on Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ A warning may appear about "suspicious activity" due to Xiaomi's security policy.To avoid blocking, temporarily disable Virus Protection in your security settings.

7. Nearby Share vs Mi Share: Which is better for Samsung and Xiaomi?

Both technologies (Google’s Nearby Share and Xiaomi’s Mi Share) are designed to quickly transfer files between devices, but their compatibility with Samsung is different.

How to turn Nearby Share on Samsung:

1. Open Settings → Google → Devices and Sharing → Nearby Share.
2. Enable the feature and select visibility (“All contacts” or “Hidden”).
3. On Xiaomi, also enable Nearby Share (the path may vary depending on the version of MIUI).
4. In the Samsung Gallery, select a photo → Share → Nearby Share and select your Xiaomi.

If Nearby Share is not working:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 📶 Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both smartphones.
• 🔒 Make sure there are no restrictions on background activity on Xiaomi (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start).

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Samsung to Xiaomi