How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all methods with detailed instructions

Transferring photos from Xiaomi phone to computer is a challenge that every user faces. Whether you need to free up the memory of your smartphone, make a backup or edit pictures on the big screen, choosing the right method saves time and nerves. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer photos, from classic USB connection to modern wireless technologies, taking into account the features of MIUI firmware and different models (Redmi Note 12, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.).

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally convenient, for example, cable transmission is the fastest, but requires a physical connection, and cloud services allow you to access files from any device, but depend on Internet speed, and we analyzed each option according to speed, reliability and complexity of settings, so you can choose the best one for your situation.

If you’ve tried to copy photos before but have encountered errors (e.g., your computer can’t see your phone or files aren’t displayed), there’s a section in the article that addresses typical problems, and we’ve compared the speed of transferring different methods in a spreadsheet to save time when working with large amounts of data (e.g., when transferring 10+GB photos from Xiaomi 13 Ultra).

1. Transfer of the photo through USB-cable (the fastest way)

Connecting your phone to your computer via cable is the most reliable and fastest method, especially if you need to transfer a large amount of photos (for example, after a vacation). The transfer speed depends on the USB version: modern Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) use USB 3.2, which allows you to achieve speeds up to 10 Gbps (provided that a compatible port on a PC).

To avoid connection problems, follow this instruction:

• 🔌 Connect your phone to your computer with the original cable (cheap analogues may not support high-speed data transfer).
• 📱 On the phone screen will appear a notification "Charging through" USB" — tap him.
• 🔄 Select the "File Transfer" mode (or "FTP", If you need to have enhanced functionality).
• 🖥️ On your computer, open "This Computer" (Windows) or "Finder" (macOS) - the phone will appear as a removable disk.

Is the original Xiaomi| cable used?

Is File Transfer Mode on the Phone Enabled?|

Is firmware updated? MIUI last-minute|

Is the “Only Charging” mode disabled in the developer settings (if enabled)-->

Photos are stored in the DCIM → Camera folder (for images taken with the main camera) or Pictures (for screenshots and uploaded images).

• 📁 Select all the necessary files (for example, using Ctrl)+A), then drag them to a folder on your computer.
• ⚡ To speed up, turn off the preview in Windows Explorer (in the View menu" → "Parameters" → "Always show icons, not sketches").
• 🔄 If the transfer is interrupted, try to turn off the screen lock on the phone while copying.

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If your computer can’t see your phone, try connecting the cable to another. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0, marked in blue) Also check if access to files in the settings is blocked. MIUI: Settings → Annexes → Permits → File management

2. Wireless transmission via Mi Share (Wi-Fi Direct)

Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology for fast file transfer between devices over Wi-Fi Direct. The advantage of the method is that you do not need Internet or cable, and the speed reaches 20 MB / s (depending on the phone model and PC), Suitable for transferring small batches of photos (up to 1-2 GB).

How to use Mi Share:

1. 📱 On your phone, open Files (File Manager app), select photos and click Share".
2. 🔍 In the list of options, select "Mi Share" (or "Fast Transfer" on new versions). MIUI).
3. 🖥️ On your computer, open your browser and go to the address ftp://[IP-telephone address (it will appear on the phone screen).
4. 📥 Enter a password (if required) and download files.

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Does not work on computers without Wi-Fi Direct support (check in Device Manager).
• ❌ Maximum size of one file – 2 GB.
• ❌ MacOS may require additional software (e.g. ForkLift).

3. Use of cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud, Yandex.Disk)

Cloud storage is convenient if you need to regularly sync photos between devices or have access to them from any gadget. Xiaomi offers its own solution - Mi Cloud, but it has limitations: free available only 5 GB, and download speed depends on Xiaomi servers (sometimes slower than Google Photos).

Comparison of popular services:

Instructions for Google Photos (recommended for most users):

1. 📱 Install Google Photos from Play Market.
2. 🔄 Enable "Backup and Synchronization" in the application settings.
3. ☁️ Select boot quality: "Original" (retains original resolution) or "High" (compression up to 16 MP, does not take up space in the cloud).
4. 🖥️ On your computer, open photos.google.com, select a photo and click "Download".

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If you want to save space in the cloud, choose HEIC (takes up 2 times less space than JPEG at the same quality).However, make sure that your computer supports this format (Windows 10/11 requires the installation of HEIF Image Extensions extension).

4. Bluetooth transmission (slowly but without internet)

Bluetooth is the most versatile, but also the slowest, and transfer speeds usually don’t exceed 1-2 MB/s, so it’s only suitable for a few photos (e.g., 5-10 shots), and the advantage is that it works even without Wi-Fi or mobile network access.

Step-by-step:

1. 📱 On the phone, open the "Files", select a photo and click "Share" → "Bluetooth".
2. 🔵 Turn on Bluetooth on your computer (on Windows: Start) → Parameters → Devices → Bluetooth).
3. 🔄 Confirm device pairing (code must match on both screens).
4. 📥 Accept the file on your computer (usually saved to the Downloads folder").

Limitations:

• ❌ Slow speed (not suitable for video or large number of photos).
• ❌ MacOS may require additional software (e.g. BlueTooth File Exchange).
• ❌ Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Poco) F4) Limit the transfer of files in Bluetooth size of 100 MB.

Po Po Po USB-cable|

Through the Cloud (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)|

Over Wi-Fi (Mi Share, FTP) |

Bluetooth |

Another way.-->

5. FTP-server on the phone (for advanced users)

If you want complete freedom to manage files (for example, for automatic synchronization or work with large archives), you can run it. FTP-It's a server right on your phone, and it allows you to access the Xiaomi file system like a network drive, and the speed depends on the Wi-Fi router, but it's usually 10 to 50 MB/s.

How to set up FTP-server:

1. 📱 Install the app FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer from Play Market.
2. 🔧 Open the side menu and select "FTP-server" (or "remote access").
3. 🔄 Start the server and write down the address (for example, ftp://192.168.1.100:2221) login/password.
4. 🖥️ On your computer, open "Windows" or "Finder" (macOS), enter the address in the address bar and connect.

It's important: FTP-The connection is not encrypted by default. If there are other devices on your network, use it. SFTP (via the Termux or MiXplorer application for data protection.

6. Transfer via email or messengers (for single files)

If you need to send 1-2 photos and you don't have a cable or Wi-Fi, you can use email or instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp).

• 📧 Email: most services (Gmail, Mail.ru) limited the size of the investment of 25 MB.
• 💬 Telegram: 2GB limit per file, but compresses the photo by default (to disable compression, send as "File", not "Photos").
• 📱 WhatsApp: maximum size of 100 MB, strong image compression.

Instructions for Telegram (recommended for high-quality transfer):

1. 📱 Open the chat "Saved messages" in Telegram.
2. 📎 Press "Clip" → "File" and select photos.
3. 🖥️ On your computer, open the web version of Telegram, find the sent files and download them.

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To avoid compression in Telegram, before sending the photo to the format PNG (via Gallery or Lightroom). PNG It shrinks without loss, but takes up more space.

7 Problem Solving: The computer can't see the Xiaomi phone

If you're connecting over USB, the phone doesn't show up in the conductor, the reasons can range from a faulty cable to a driver conflict. Here's a checklist for diagnosis:

• 🔌 Check the cable: try another (preferably original) cable, and cheap cables often don't transmit data, they just charge.
• 🔄 Change the connection mode: on the phone in the notification "Charging through" USB" select "File Transfer" (MTP).
• 🖥️ Update the drivers: on Windows download Mi PC Suite from the official Xiaomi website.
• 🛠️ Put the debugging on. USB (If nothing helps: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Slip 7 times, then Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.

If the problem persists, check:

• ⚠️ Is the “Only Charging” mode enabled in the developer settings.
• ⚠️ Does not block access to antivirus (for example, Avast or Kaspersky).
• ⚠️ Is the connector damaged? USB on your phone (try connecting another device).

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On macOS, you may need to install Android File Transfer (the official software from Google) to access Xiaomi files. android.com/filetransfer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi to PC