Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with cameras with a resolution of tens of megapixels, which allows you to create photos of studio quality. However, the internal memory of the device sooner or later becomes insufficient, and the user faces the question of backup. Transferring media files to a PC is not only a way to free up space, but also a guarantee of safety of important moments in the event of a breakdown of the gadget.
Owners of shell-based devices MIUI And the new HyperOS has a number of effective ways of doing this, and the way you choose it depends on how many photos you have, how many cables you have, how fast you can connect to the Internet. USB wirelessly.
In this article, you will find detailed step-by-step instructions that will help you quickly transfer image archives to your hard drive, analyze both standard Windows and macOS tools, and specialized software from the Chinese manufacturer.
The classic way through USB-cable
The most reliable and fastest method is the direct connection of the smartphone to the personal computer. USB-The cable that came with the device, or the high-quality analogue with data support. Cheap charging cables often don't have the necessary contacts inside the connector, making file transfer impossible.
Once the device is connected to the PC port, you need to unlock the smartphone screen. Android defaults to charging only for security purposes, so manual mode selection is mandatory. At the top of the screen, a notification will appear, which is often hidden in the swipe menu down.
Click on the USB Charge notification and select File Transfer or MTP from the menu that opens. A new drive will appear on the computer screen in My Computer with the name of your model. You can now drag and drop photos like a flash drive.
Note that photos from the main camera are usually stored along the path Internal Drive → DCIM → Camera. Screenshots and images from messengers can be in the Screenshots or Pictures folders, respectively.
☑️ Checking before connection
⚠️ If your computer can’t see your phone, try connecting the cable to another. USB-port, preferably to the connector on the back of the system unit. USB-Hubs may not provide enough voltage for stable operation.
Wireless transmission via Mi Drop
The proprietary utility Mi Drop (known in some regions as ShareMe) allows you to transfer files without using wires. This application is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and uses Wi-Fi Direct technologies to create a high-speed communication channel between devices.
To get started, make sure that both your computer and smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Launch the app on your phone, select the photos you want, and click the Send button. Your computer should appear on the list of available devices.
If the PC is not displayed in the list, you need to click on the phone screen "Connect the computer." FTP-server and will give an address that must be entered in the address bar of any conductor on the computer (for example, in "My computer»).
- 📡 The transmission speed reaches 20-30 MB/s, which is much faster than Bluetooth.
- 🔒 Data is transmitted over the local network and does not leave the limits of your router.
- 📱 Supports transfer of files of any size without quality compression.
This method is especially convenient when there is no cable at hand, but you need to quickly throw a few dozen pictures, and it is important to make sure that the smartphone screen does not go out during the process, as some energy saving settings can break the connection.
What if Mi Drop doesn’t find the computer?
Using Xiaomi Cloud Cloud Storage
Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers its own cloud-based data synchronization solution. Xiaomi Cloud allows you to automatically upload photos to the cloud immediately after they’re created, providing real-time backup.
To use this method, you need to log into your Mi Account on your smartphone and activate the gallery sync. The path to settings usually looks like this: Settings → Mi Account → Cloud → Gallery. After activation, all new images will fly to the server.
To access files from your computer, you just need to open your browser and go to the official website of the cloud service. After logging in, you will see all your photos, which can be selected and downloaded by archive or individually.
The main limitation of this method is the amount of free storage. The basic tariff provides only 5 GB of space, which is equivalent to about 1000-1500 high-resolution photos. Large archives will require a paid subscription.
| Parameter | Free fare | Paid rate (200 GB) | Paid tariff (2 TB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume of space | 5GB | 200GB | 2000 GB |
| Cost | 0 rub. | ~149 rubles/month. | ~599 rubles/month. |
| Storage period | Indefinitely | Indefinitely | Indefinitely |
💡
Use the “Clear Local Copies” feature in sync settings to free up space on your phone, leaving the photo only in the cloud.
Sync with Google Photos and Disk
An alternative to the native cloud is Google’s service, which is integrated into Android by default. Google Photos offers limitless (with some quality limitations) or large disk space for users of the Google ecosystem.
The setup process is simple: open the Google Photos app, click on the profile avatar and turn on “Autoboot and Sync.” Select the Express quality for space saving or the Original for maximum quality.
On your computer, go to photos.google.com, and all your photos will be available there. You can use Google Takeout to transfer them to your hard drive, which allows you to upload the entire archive of photos to a single archive.
This is ideal for those who already use Gmail and other Google services, but it is worth considering that at the original rate, photos take up space in your Google Drive, the limit of which is 15 GB on a free account.
Transfer through FTP-PC-server
For advanced users who do not want to install unnecessary applications on a PC, there is a method of creating a computer. FTP-This allows you to manage your phone files directly from Windows Explorer without cables.
There are many file manager applications for Android (e.g. Mi Explorer, FTP Server) that have PC Access, and activating it, the phone will give you an address of the type ftp://192.168.1.5:2221.
By typing this address into the address bar of a Windows folder, you'll have full access to the smartphone file system, and you can copy the photo folders to your computer at high speed.
- 🖥️ It does not require installing drivers on the computer.
- ⚡ It works faster than cloud services because it is a direct transmission. LAN.
- 🛡️ Fully controlled by the user, data does not pass through third-party servers.
Solution: phone not visible or connection cut off
Sometimes the transfer process can encounter technical difficulties, most often the problem lies in a damaged cable or the lack of necessary drivers in the Windows operating system.
If the phone is only charging when you connect, but is not defined as a drive, try pressing the volume button (plus or minus) while you connect the cable. On some versions of MIUI, this forcefully opens the USB mode selection menu.
It’s also worth checking if USB debugging is included in the developer menu, although it’s not usually required to transfer files easily, and enabling this feature sometimes helps the system re-recognize the device.
⚠️ Note: If the connection breaks frequently, check the port. USB Ports on the front of the system unit often have poor contact or do not provide stable power.
In rare cases, antivirus software can block an MTP connection. Try temporarily disabling a firewall or adding the device to the exclusion list, and rebooting both your smartphone and your computer also helps.
💡
The most stable result is always the original cable and USB 3.0 port (blue) on the motherboard.
Comparison of transmission methods
The best way to do this depends on your current environment: if you want to move 100 GB of data, the cable will be out of competition in speed, and for a couple of photos, it's more convenient to use the cloud or messenger.
Wireless is good for its versatility, but it requires a stable router. Wired methods are more reliable, but they tie you to the place. Combine these approaches for maximum efficiency in your archive.
Remember to back up regularly. Losing your smartphone doesn't have to mean losing your memory of important events. Regular backup to your computer is the best digital hygiene strategy.