Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to free up internal storage of the device. Modern cameras create high-resolution files that take up a significant amount of memory, slowing down the system.
There are many ways to do this, from a classic wired connection to modern wireless technology, and the best choice depends on the amount of data you transmit, the availability of a cable and the speed of your local network. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods in detail and eliminate possible synchronization errors.
Regardless of which version of the MIUI shell you have or HyperOS, the basic principles remain the same. However, the menu interface may vary slightly depending on the year of the model release, and we will look at universal solutions that are suitable for most of the current devices of the brand.
Connection through USB-cable: the classical method
The fastest and most reliable way to transfer large amounts of data is to use USB-This method does not require an Internet connection and provides a stable copy speed, which is limited only by the capabilities of the ports of your computer and phone.
After the devices are physically connected, the USB mode system notification will appear on the smartphone screen. By default, Charge Only mode is active, which does not allow access to the file system. You need to click on this notification and select File Transfer or MTP option.
⚠️ Warning: If the computer can't see the phone, try replacing the cable. Cheap wires often only support charging and don't have data lines.
Once you select the correct mode, a new drive will appear on your PC screen in either My Computer or This Computer, and when you open it, you will see the device's internal memory. Photos are usually stored in the DCIM folder and then in the Camera subfolder. Screenshots can be found in the Pictures → Screenshots directory.
Copying is done by standard drag and drop or clipboard, and when working with thousands of files, it is better to copy them in small portions, so as not to overload the clipboard with the operating system and avoid process freezes.
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Use it. USB-port 3.0 (blue) on your computer for maximum data transfer speed, especially if you copy video to 4K.
Configuring wireless transmission over Wi-Fi
If the cable is lost or the phone connector is shattered, wireless technology comes to the rescue. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, this often uses the built-in Mi Drop app (known as Xiaomi Share) or third-party utilities that create FTP-This allows you to work with your phone files like a regular folder on your computer over a network.
One of the most convenient built-in tools is the Remote Control feature in a standard Explorer. To activate it, open the Explorer app, click on the menu (three bars) and select the appropriate option. FTP-server and will give the address that you need to enter in the address bar of any browser or conductor on the PC.
- 📱 Make sure your phone and computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- 🔒 When first connected, you may need to confirm access on the smartphone screen.
- ⚡ Transfer speed depends on your router’s power and 5GHz standard support.
This is convenient because it doesn't require you to install any additional software on your computer, you get full access to the file system, and you can manage files, delete them, or rename them directly from your PC keyboard, but for hundreds of gigabytes of data, it can be slower than a direct cable connection.
Cloud storage and synchronization
Cloud technology allows you to forget about wires and provide automatic backup. Xiaomi Cloud offers basic functionality, but for storing photos and videos, it is often more convenient to use Google Photos or Yandex.Disk. These services have Android applications that work in the background.
To set up automatic upload, open the Google Photos app, go to the settings and activate Autoboot and Sync. After that, all new images will be automatically sent to the cloud. On your computer, you just need to open your browser and go to the service site to access all the images.
⚠️ Warning: Free cloud storage rates have a volume limit (usually 15GB).When overflows, sync will stop until you vacate space or pay for a subscription.
The advantage of this method is data security: even if the phone is lost or broken, your photos will remain safe, and it also frees up space on the device automatically - many services offer a "Free Space" feature that removes the originals already uploaded to the cloud from the phone's memory.
How to save traffic when synchronizing?
Specialized software for management Xiaomi
For advanced users, there are programs that provide deep access to the system. The official Mi PC Suite was once the standard, but now it is outdated and does not work well with new versions of Android, and is replaced by universal managers like AirDroid or MyPhoneExplorer.
These software not only allow you to copy photos, but also manage contacts, messages, and even broadcast the screen of your smartphone to your computer monitor, and installing such software requires you to debug over USB, which is on the Developer Menu, and this hidden menu is activated by tapping the build number seven times in the About Phone section.
Working with such programs requires care. Incorrect actions in system files can lead to unstable operation of the device. However, for regular backup of important data, the functionality of these tools is indispensable. They often allow you to create complete images of the system or sample memory partitions.
Comparison of data transmission methods
To make it easier for you to choose the right method, we have prepared a comparison table that will help you assess the pros and cons of each method depending on your current conditions and tasks.
| Method | Speed. | Convenience | We need the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB-cable | Tall. | Medium (wire required) | No. |
| Wi-Fi (FTP) | Medium | High. | No (network needed) |
| Cloud. | Depends on the network. | Very high. | Yes. |
| Bluetooth | Very low. | Low. | No. |
As you can see from the table, cable is the best way to do a one-time transfer of a large archive. For daily operation and synchronization of small portions of photos, cloud services are ideal. LAN-The method is a middle ground for those who do not want to depend on the volume of the cloud, but appreciate the lack of wires.
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For regular backup, combine methods: use the cloud for important photos, and make a full backup video once a month via USB.
Solving and eliminating errors
Often, users are faced with a situation where the computer sees the phone as a charger, but does not display files. In this case, you need to check the drivers. In Windows Device Manager, find an unknown device or device with an exclamation mark, right click and select "Update driver".
Another common problem is the file system format.If you transfer files larger than 4GB to an external drive via your phone, make sure it is formatted in NTFS or exFAT. The old FAT32 format doesn't support files of this size and the copying will be interrupted.
- 🔄 Restart both devices if the connection is broken.
- 🔌 Clear the connector. USB in the phone from dust and pile with a toothpick.
- 🛡️ Disable the antivirus on your PC during transfer if it blocks the connection.
If the problem lies in the software failure of the shell MIUI, Try resetting your settings. USB. Go to the menu for developers, find the item "Configuration" USB by default and select MTP. It can also help to disable the item “Debugging by” USB», if it was included without necessity.