Xiaomi smartphones today have huge amounts of internal memory, but even 512 GB or 1 TB are filled sooner or later. At this point, every user faces the question: how quickly and without unnecessary wires to transfer photos, videos or documents to a computer? Cable connection is often uncomfortable, connectors wear out, and the cord itself can simply get lost at the most inopportune moment.
Fortunately, Xiaomi’s ecosystem and Android offer a variety of built-in and third-party wireless data solutions. Using a local Wi-Fi network allows you to achieve high speeds comparable to USB 2.0, while maintaining complete freedom of movement. In this article, we will discuss in detail the most effective ways to synchronize your device with your PC.
You’ll learn about native MIUI and HyperOS shell features that often go unnoticed, and take a look at proven third-party utilities.We won’t rely on cloud storage with their traffic limits, but instead focus on direct data transfer within your home network, which guarantees privacy and speed.
Use of built-in FTP-server-in-conductor
One of the most elegant and underrated ways is the built-in function. FTP-This method does not require installing additional software either on your smartphone or on your computer, making it ideal for fast file transfer “here and now”. You will need only a stable connection of both devices to the same Wi-Fi router network.
To activate the function, open the standard Explorer app on your phone. In the program interface, look for the menu icon or the Remote section where FTP Access is hidden. Once enabled, the system will generate a special address that usually looks like a sequence of numbers and dots, for example, ftp://192.168.1.55:2121.
- 📱 Open the “Conductor” app on Xiaomi smartphone.
- 🌐 Make sure your PC and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- 🚀 Click the “Start Server” button in the menu FTP.
- 💻 Enter the displayed address in the address bar of any window "My computer».
Once you enter the address in Windows Explorer (Win+E), your phone folder will appear as a regular disk, you can copy, delete and move files from computer to phone and back at the maximum speed that your router supports, and this solution is especially convenient for working with large video files that do not require compression.
⚠️ Attention: Protocol FTP Do not encrypt data by default, use this method only on trusted home networks and do not leave the server running when connecting to public Wi-Fi at cafes or airports.
Why is FTP better than the cloud for large files?
Mi Drop (Mi Share) for cross-platform work
Xiaomi has developed its own solution called Mi Drop (in newer firmware versions integrated into the Mi Share feature), which was originally designed to quickly transfer files between phones. However, there is an official version of the PC client that allows you to exchange data between the smartphone and the computer over the air, this solution is based on the Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth protocols for initial pairing.
The main advantage of this method is the absence of the need to enter IP-Once you install the app on your computer and activate the function on your phone, the devices will find each other automatically. 20-30 MB/s, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth and many cloud services.
The setup process requires care, because you want to allow access to the file system, and you create a folder on your computer to receive files that you can change the path to in your program settings, and it's a convenient way to back up photos and documents regularly.
Configure Sharing Through SMB (Networked Environment)
SMB (Server Message Block) is the standard for file sharing on Windows networks. Unlike FTP, it allows you not only to access your phone files from your PC, but vice versa - to open your computer's network folders directly from your Xiaomi phone, which turns your smartphone into a full-fledged media center or remote file management.
To implement this scenario, you need to set up a shared folder on your computer. Right-click on the folder, select Properties, go to the Access tab and open Sharing. On your phone in the Explorer app, select Add Network Storage or SMB, and the system will automatically find your computer on the LAN.
| Parameter | Description | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|
| Host name | Name of the computer or IP-address | Control Panel → System |
| Port port | Port for SMB connection | Default 445 or 139 |
| Login. | Windows username | User accounts |
| Password. | Password from Windows account | Sign-in password |
It is important to note that when you upgrade Windows, security settings can be reset and access over SMB can be blocked by the firewall, in which case you will need to re-allow the sharing of files in the network settings, this method is ideal for streaming video from computer to TV via your phone or for automatic uploading of photos.
⚠️ Attention: For work SMB If the computer is displayed as "Public Network", Windows can block incoming connections. Switch the network profile to "Private Network».
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To speed up SMB, disable SMB signature encryption in the Windows registry if you are on a fully secure home network, which can increase the interface response speed.
Third-party applications: Solid Explorer and WiFi File Transfer
If Xiaomi’s standard tools don’t seem functional enough, the Google Play store offers powerful alternatives, with Solid Explorer, a file manager that has a built-in plugin for creating FTP/SFTP servers with advanced security and authorization settings, being the leader in this area.
Another popular solution is the WiFi File Transfer app, which has a web interface, and once you run the server on your phone, you can manage files through your browser on your computer (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) without installing any software on your PC. It's touch-sensitive, but it's also mouse-friendly.
- 🔒 Support for the protocol SFTP traffic-encrypting.
- 🎨 Beautiful and clear web interface for file management.
- ⚡ Ability to work and transfer files in the background.
- 📂 Support for archiving and unpacking ZIP/RAR fly-by.
Using third-party apps gives you the flexibility to set up ports, usernames and passwords. You can create guest access for friends so they can upload photos from the party to your computer without having access to the phone's system files. It's a great trade-off between convenience and security.
☑️ Checking the security of Wi-Fi connection
Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Photos
While the issue was Wi-Fi transmission without the internet, you can’t ignore cloud technologies that use Wi-Fi for background synchronization.Mi Cloud is deeply integrated into Xiaomi’s system, allowing you to synchronize contacts, notes, gallery and voice recorder. For large amounts of data (4K video), this method can be slow, but for documents it is ideal.
Google Photos offers unlimited (in compressed quality) or limited (in original) storage. By setting up automatic upload over Wi-Fi, you can be sure that your photos will be saved even if you lose your phone. On your computer, you just open your browser and go to photos.google.com to access all the pictures.
The difference between local transmission and the cloud is latency: Local Wi-Fi is instantaneous, whereas the cloud takes time to load and index, but the cloud provides access to data from anywhere in the world where the Internet is available, which is critical for many users.
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Combine methods: Use local Wi-Fi (FTP/SMB) to handle heavy video files right now, and cloud services to store important documents and photo archives long-term.
Problem Solving and High Transfer Speed
Even with modern Wi-Fi standards, users may experience low transmission speeds or connection breaks. Often the problem lies in the router's frequency range. 2.4 GHz standard has a long range, but low speed and high noise. 5 GHz band is highly recommended for file transfer.
Also worth checking the power saving settings on Xiaomi phone. MIUI system is known for its aggressive battery optimization and can "kill" the process of transferring files in the background if the screen goes out.
If the speed is still low, try to bring the phone closer to the router or reboot the network equipment. Sometimes resetting the network settings on the phone helps, but this will require re-entering the passwords from Wi-Fi. Connection stability is more important than maximum theoretical speed.
⚠️ Note: When you transfer a large number of small files (thousands of photos), the speed will be much lower than when you transfer one large file. ZIP-archive before sending to speed up the process.