How to quickly and safely transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all the ways of 2026

Transferring photos from Xiaomi smartphone to computer is a challenge that every user faces. Whether you want to free up memory on your phone, make a backup or edit pictures on the big screen, choosing the right method of transferring will save time and nerves. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways, from classic USB connection to modern cloud solutions and wireless technologies.

Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark) are unique in their MIUI shell, which can impose restrictions on file transfers, such as when a computer doesn’t see the phone as a removable disk, or when photos are copied in low resolution, and we’ll show you how to get around these nuances and choose the method that suits your situation.

It is important to consider the file format: modern Xiaomi smartphones save photos in HEIF/HEIC (to save space), which not all computers support out of the box.

1. Transfer of the photo through USB-cable: the classical method

The most reliable and versatile way is to connect your phone to your computer via cable, but even here there are pitfalls, especially on devices with MIUI 12 and later, where charging only can be enabled by default.

To make the transmission work correctly:

• 🔌 Use the original Xiaomi cable or a certified USB-Type C (cheap cables often don’t support data transfers).
• 📱 On the phone when connecting, select File Transfer mode (MTP) plug-in.
• 🖥️ On a Windows PC, you may need to install Mi drivers PC Suite (download from the official website of Xiaomi).
• 🔄 If your computer can’t see your phone, try restarting both devices or using another device. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0).

After successful connection:

1. Open this computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
2. Find a Xiaomi device in the Disk List (usually called Mi Phone or phone model).
3. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (there are photos taken by the camera).
4. Copy the files you want to use on your computer (you can drag and drop or use Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V).

⚠️ Note: MacOS may require additional Android File Transfer software installation as the system does not support MTP Download it from the official Google website.

I'm using the original cable.|Checking the regimen. MTP phone-on|Installing Mi. PC Suite (if necessary)|Try different ones. USB-port-->

2 Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi: no cables and restrictions

If you don't want to mess around with wires, Wi-Fi is a great alternative, and there are several ways to do this:

Method 1: Integrated MIUI "Transfer Files" function

Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has a built-in wireless transmission tool:

1. Open the Files app on your phone.
2. Select the desired photos, click Share → Transfer files.
3. Select the computer and follow the instructions on the screen (scanning required). QR-code PIN).

Method 2: Third-party applications

Popular utilities for wireless transmission:

• 🌐 Snapdrop – works through the browser, does not require installation (ideal for single transfer).
• 📲 Send Anywhere – generates 6-digit code for fast file sharing.
• 🔗 Pushbullet – synchronizes notifications and files between devices.

The advantage of wireless methods is that they do not depend on cables and can transfer files in their original quality (as opposed to instant messengers, which compress images), but the speed depends on the stability of the Wi-Fi network.

Po Po Po USB-cable|Google Drive (Mi Cloud) and Mi Drive (Google Drive)|Wi-Fi (Snapdrop, Send Anywhere)|Through messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)|Another option-->

3. Cloud Services: Backup and Access from Any Device

Cloud storage is convenient because it allows you not only to transfer photos to your computer, but also automatically back them up, freeing up space on your phone.

To automatically upload photos to the cloud:

1. Open the application of the selected service on the phone.
2. In the settings, enable the option Autoupload photos (in Google Photos this is Backup and Synchronization).
3. Choose the download quality: Original (saves all details) or High (compression to save space).

⚠️ Note: When using Mi Cloud on phones with MIUI Global may need to link Xiaomi’s account to a phone number from supported regions (China, India, Europe) or cloud redundancy may be limited.

Important for MIUI 14+ users: In newer versions of the shell, the autoload function in Google Photos can be blocked by system optimizations. To fix this, add the app to the list with No Restrictions in Battery Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.

4. Transmission via messengers and social networks: fast, but with loss of quality

If you need to send a few photos urgently, you can use messengers, but this method is only suitable for a small number of files, because:

• 📉 Most messengers compress photos (for example, WhatsApp reduces the resolution to the same size). 1920×1080).
• 🚫 In Telegram, photos are sent in a compressed form, if you do not use the Send as a file function.
• 🔒 Social media (VK, Instagram is even more damaging to quality.

How to minimize losses:

• 🤖 In Telegram, click the photo and select Send without compression (available in the desktop version).
• 💬 In Viber, use the function to send as a document.
• 📎 In WhatsApp, you can send a photo as a document (through a clip in the chat).

This method is not suitable for sending large numbers of photos, it is better to use the cloud or USB. However, if you need to send 1-2 pictures to friends, instant messengers remain the fastest solution.

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To preserve EXIF-data (photo meta-information: date, camera model, geolocation), send files only as a "document" or through the cloud.

5. Memory card use: an alternative for microSD slot devices

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro), you can transfer photos directly through the adapter:

1. Remove the microSD card from your phone.
2. Insert it into the SD→USB adapter or directly into the card reader slot on your computer.
3. Copy files from the DCIM folder.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed (especially when used) UHS-I map).
• 🛡️ No risk of damaging data on your phone (as opposed to connecting to a phone) USB).
• 🔄 You can use the card as a portable storage device.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi 11 Ultra) have default photos saved to internal memory even if the card is installed. To change this, go to Camera Settings → Warehouse → Map. SD.

If the computer does not see the memory card:

• Check the format: Xiaomi typically formats cards in exFAT or FAT32. Windows supports both, and macOS may require installing drivers for exFAT.
• Try another card reader – some cheap adapters don’t read cards with a capacity of more than 32 GB.

Advanced methods: ADB, FTP-server and synchronization through software

For power users, there are more flexible ways to transfer photos that allow you to automate the process or bypass the limitations of MIUI.

Method 1: Transmission via ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

If the phone is not defined as a removable drive, you can copy files via ADB:

1. Turn on Developer Mode on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Activate Debugging by USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command in the terminal: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/C:\Photos\Xiaomi (replace the path with the desired one).

Method 2: FTP-phone-side

Apps like this FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer is now available FTP-server directly on the phone:

1. Install one of the apps from Google Play.
2. Launch it. FTP-server in application settings.
3. Connect to it via Windows Explorer or Finder by entering the view address ftp://192.168.x.x:port.

Method 3: Synchronization with Mi PC Suite

The official software from Xiaomi allows not only to transfer files, but also to manage backups:

• Download Mi PC Suite from Xiaomi website.
• Connect your phone over USB and select File Transfer mode.
• In the program, go to the Files tab and copy the necessary photos.

7 Problem Solving: Why your computer can't see photos of Xiaomi

Sometimes, even when connected correctly, photos are not displayed or copied in full.

If the photo is saved in HEIC/HEIF format and does not open on PC:

• 🖼️ Install CopyTrans HEIC for Windows (free software for viewing).
• 🌐 Convert the photo into JPG directly on the phone with apps like HEIC to JPG Converter.
• 📱 In the settings of the Xiaomi camera, you can change the format of the save on JPEG (Camera settings → Format → JPEG).

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If the photos are not copied due to read errors, try moving them to another folder on your phone before transfer. Sometimes the F2FS file system (used in the new Xiaomi) conflicts with MTP.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi