How to transfer photos from Xiaomi Redmi to your computer USB-cable: full guide 2026

Transfer photos from Xiaomi Redmi to your computer via USB-cable seems like a simple task – until you encounter typical problems: the phone is not defined as a drive, Windows requires drivers, and the phone is not defined as a drive. MIUI It's a very strong way of just charging. In this article, we're going to look at all the working ways of sending a photo through the computer. USB, including hidden settings MIUI, Solving connection errors and alternative methods for cases where the standard protocol MTP refuses to work.

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones (including Note 12, Redmi 10, Redmi A2 and others) are aggressively optimizing background activity, which sometimes blocks data transfer over USB. We tested the instructions on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and identified key points that the manufacturer does not advertise, such as why the phone stops showing up in This Computer after the system update, or how to turn on the developer mode to force MTP activation.

If you’ve already tried connecting Redmi to a PC and received a message saying “Device not recognized” or “Drivers not installed”, don’t be quick to blame the cable – 80% of the time the problem lies in the settings of the phone itself. Next, you will find step-by-step solutions for Windows 10/11, macOS and Linux, as well as ways to circumvent the limitations of MIUI, which are not described in the official documentation.

1.Phone Preparation: Enable File Transfer Mode

Before you connect Xiaomi Redmi to your computer, you need to activate the data mode on the phone. By default, when connecting via USB, the smartphone charges, but does not open access to files. Here is how to fix this:

Step 1: Connect your phone to your PC using the original USB cable (or a certified USB-Type C/Micro-USB, depending on the model). Using cheap cables often leads to data transmission errors.

Step 2: Unlock the phone screen is a prerequisite for activating the mode MTP (Media Transfer Protocol: Some Redmi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) may require input PIN-code even after unlocking.

Step 3: In the top notification bar, a message will appear, “Charge via USB.” Tap it, the connection mode selection menu will open. Select File Transfer (or File Manager, depending on the version of MIUI).

Use the original USB-cable|Unlock the phone screen|Notification: "Charging through" USB"|Select the "File Transfer" mode"-->

If you don’t have File Transfer on the menu, it means that your Redmi has disabled the MTP protocol. The solution is to enable it manually through the hidden developer settings (instructions in the next section).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (For example, the global version for Redmi Note 11 file transfer mode can be called «MIUI If this item is inactive, update the firmware or use alternative methods from section 4.

2. Solve the problem: "The phone does not appear in the conductor"

Frequently, you plugged Xiaomi Redmi into your computer, you chose file transfer mode, but the phone doesn't appear in the Windows or MacOS section.

• 🔌 Problem with cable or port: Try another USB-cable (preferably from the kit) or connect to the back port of the system unit (on laptops – avoid it) USB-Cheap cables often only support charging.
• 🖥️ There are no drivers. MTP: Windows 10/11 They are usually installed automatically, but sometimes manual installation is required. Download the official drivers from Xiaomi's website ("Drivers" section»).
• 📱 MIUI Blocks the connection: In the phone settings go to Settings → Connections and sharing → USB-Connect and enable the option "File Transfer».
• 🔄 Antivirus conflict: Temporary shutdown of an antivirus (such as Avast or Kaspersky) can help – some programs block the antivirus. MTP as a “suspicious device».

If the phone is still undetectable, reset the USB settings on your smartphone:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version (this activates the developer mode).
3. Return to the main settings menu, select “Advanced” → “For developers”.
4. Find the option "Configuration" USB by default and set the value "File Transfer (MTP)».
5. Connect your phone to the PC again.

On macOS, to access Xiaomi Redmi files, you will need to install Android File Transfer (official site: android.com/filetransfer). Linux (Ubuntu, Mint) usually recognizes Redmi automatically via gvfs-mtp, but you may need to install the package:

sudo apt install mtp-tools libmtp-common

3. Alternative ways to transfer photos without MTP

If the standard MTP protocol fails (for example, due to the Device Not Recognized error), use one of the methods you have tested:

Method 1: PTP Mode (for photos)

The PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) protocol is originally designed to transmit photos from cameras, and it often works more stable than MTP:

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. In the USB Charging notification, select Image Transfer (PTP).
3. The phone will be displayed on the computer as a digital camera, and the photos will be available in the DCIM folder.

The disadvantage of the method: transfer other types of files (video, documents) will not work.

Method 2: FTP-server via Wi-Fi

If USB-connection is completely denied, transfer the photo over the local network:

1. Install the FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer app on your phone.
2. Turn it on. FTP-server in application settings (usually in the "Network" or "Remote Access" section»).
3. On PC, open the Explorer and enter the address of ftp://192.168.x.x: port (the data will be displayed in the app).

Advantage: Transfer speeds are higher than Bluetooth and no cable is required.

Through USB-cable|Wi-Fi (FTP/HTTP)|Through the Cloud (Google Photo)|Bluetooth|Another way.-->

Method 3: Cloud Services (for large volume)

If you need to transfer hundreds of photos, upload them to the cloud:

• ☁️ Google Photos: automatically syncs all photos (set up in-app backup).
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Xiaomi's built-in cloud (5GB for free) Available via Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• ☁️ Telegram: send a photo to your “Saved messages” and download to PC.

⚠️ Note: When transferring over the cloud, the original photos may be compressed (for example, Google Photos in High Quality mode reduces resolution). To maintain the original quality, use Mi Cloud or upload files to the archive.

Table 4: Comparison of photo transfer methods with Xiaomi Redmi

Critical information: On Xiaomi Redmi models with MIUI Global Stable 14.0.5+ firmware (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro), you may need to verify your trust in the device when you first connect to a PC via USB. If you miss this window, the MTP mode does not activate, you will have to reconnect the cable.

5. Frequent errors and their solutions

Let’s analyze the typical problems when transferring photos from Xiaomi Redmi to PC and how to fix them:

Error: "Device not recognized" (Code 43)

Cause: Driver conflict or damaged USB-port.

Decision:

1. Turn the phone off the PC.
2. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
3. Find “Other Devices” in the list → “Redmi” with a yellow exclamation point.
4. PCM → «Update the driver» → «Search for drivers on this computer» → «Select from the list» → «MTP-device».

Error: Phone is connected, but folders are empty

Reason: MIUI hides system folders or no access rights.

Decision:

• On your phone, open Settings → Applications → Permissions → File Management and give access to the Explorer (or Mi File Manager) app.
• Connect your phone again and check the DCIM (photo) and Pictures (screenshots) folders.

Mistake: «USB-device not recognized" (macOS)

Reason: There is no MTP support in newer versions of macOS.

Solution: Install Android File Transfer or use OpenMTP (alternative software with support) MIUI).

💡

If the phone is defined as a "portable device" but doesn't open files, try rebooting both the phone and the computer, which solves the problem 30 percent of the time without any additional settings.

6.Transmission optimization: how to speed up the process

Transferring hundreds of photos over MTP can take a long time. Here's how to speed up the process:

• ⚡ Use it. USB 3.0: Connect the cable to the blue port on your PC (if any). 5-10 MB/s 30-40 MB/s.
• 📁 Archive photos: Create on your phone ZIP-file-box DCIM (via Mi File Manager, then transfer one file.
• 🔄 Turn off sync: Before transferring, turn off automatic photo uploading to Google Photos or Mi Cloud – this will reduce the load on the phone’s processor.
• 🛠️ Activate Aircraft Mode: This will prevent background app updates that may slow down transmission.

For maximum speed, use the command line (Windows):

robocopy E:\DCIM\Camera D:\Redmi_Photos /E /Z /ZB /R:3 /W:3 /MT:16

Where:

• E:\ is the letter of your Redmi disk.
• D:\Redmi_Photos — PC-folder;
• /MT:16 Multithreaded mode (accelerates copying).

7 Security: How to protect photos when transferring

Sending photos over USB or Wi-Fi can be vulnerable to data interception.

• 🔒 Encrypt sensitive photos: Archive them with a password before transfer (for example, through the use of a password). 7-Zip or RAR).
• 📡 Avoid public networks: Do not share photos FTP/Wi-Fi At cafes or airports, use the mobile internet (4G/5G).
• 🚫 Turn off autoconnection: In settings MIUI Turn off the option “Auto-connection to” USB» (Settings → Connections → Additionally), so that the phone does not go into data transfer mode without your knowledge.

If you are transferring a photo to your desktop, use virus testing:

1. Copy the files into a separate folder on your computer.
2. PKM folder → «Scan with Windows Defender (or your antivirus).
3. Only after checking, transfer the photo to the main library.

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Never connect Xiaomi Redmi to a public service. USB-Attackers can use them to steal data through a "Juice Jacking" attack".

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions