How to quickly and safely transfer photos from Xiaomi Redmi to your computer via USB: 5 proven ways

Why? USB-Connection is the most reliable way to transfer photos from Xiaomi

In the era of cloud storage and wireless technologies, connecting a smartphone to a computer through USB-But for owners of Xiaomi Redmi (be it Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 or earlier models), this method remains the most stable and fast way to transfer a large amount of photos. RAW or video in resolution 4K, They weigh a few gigabytes.

Main advantages USB-transfers before alternatives:

• 🔌 Maximum speed to 480 Mbps when used USB 2.0 before 5–10 Gbps USB 3.0/3.1 (Depends on the Redmi model and PC port).
• 📦 There are no limits on the volume – unlike email or instant messengers, where files are cut to 25-50 MB.
• 🔒 Privacy – data is not uploaded to third-party servers (like Google Photos or iCloud).
• 🛠️ Additional features: you can charge your phone at the same time or flash it through Fastboot.

However, many users face problems: the computer can't see the phone, files are not copied, or the error "Device not recognized." In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios - from the basic settings. MTP-mode prior to solving rare failures related to drivers or settings MIUI.

Preparation for transfer: what to check before connecting

Before you connect Xiaomi Redmi to your computer, make sure that three key conditions are met: ignoring them leads to 80% of connection errors:

1. Cable: Use the original Xiaomi USB cable or a certified USB-C/USB-A with data support. Cheap charging cables often don’t have contacts to share files.
2. PC port: connect the cable to USB 3.0 (blue connectors) for maximum speed. USB-Hubs and front panels of the system unit - they may not provide sufficient power.
3. Transfer mode: The phone must be enabled with MTP (Media Transfer Protocol).

Critical: if you connect Redmi to your computer for the first time, the system may ask permission to access the data, and the phone will be notified "Allow access to data?" - be sure to confirm, otherwise the PC will only see charging.

Use the original Xiaomi cable

Connect to USB 3.0 (Blue Port) on PC

Unlock the phone screen

Enable MTP mode in the notification curtain

Confirm access to data on the phone-->

Step-by-step: how to turn on MTP mode on Xiaomi Redmi

By default, when you connect to a PC, Xiaomi Redmi can go to Charge Only mode. To transfer files, you need to manually activate MTP. Here's how to do this:

1. Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable.
2. Unlock the Redmi screen (importantly, the mode will not change without unlocking).
3. Swipe down the notification curtain and find the notification "USB to transfer files" (or "Charge over USB").
4. Tap on the notification and select File Transfer (MTP).

If no notice appears:

• 🔄 Reconnect the cable (sometimes changing the port to the PC helps).
• 📱 Reboot your phone – it will reset temporary disruptions MIUI.
• ⚙️ Check the developer settings: go to Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI, Tap 7 times according to version, then return to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and make sure that the option "Debugging by" USB" Disabled (it may conflict with the MTP).

Important for Windows 10/11: If your computer still can’t see files after selecting MTP, install Xiaomi drivers manually, download them from the official MIUI Download site (the “Drivers” section), or use the Mi PC Suite program.

The solution to the problem: the computer does not see Xiaomi Redmi via USB

If, after all the manipulations, the PC still doesn't recognize the phone, the reasons may go deeper.

⚠️ Note: If you are using MacOS to work with MTP You'll need some extra software, like Android File Transfer, which is the official Google app, and without it, macOS won't be able to recognize your phone as a storage device.

Linux users (Ubuntu, Mint, etc.) may need to install mtp-tools:

sudo apt-get install mtp-tools


sudo apt-get install libmtp-common mtpfs

After installation, reconnect the phone.

Alternative ways to transfer photos from Xiaomi to PC (if USB does not work)

If USB connectivity is still not possible, use one of the backup methods, which are less convenient but save in critical situations:

• 🌐 Mi Cloud: upload photos to the Xiaomi cloud (up to 5 GB for free), then download them to your PC via your browser at i.mi.com.
• ☁️ Google Photos: automatically syncs all images to your Google account. On your PC, open photos.google.com and download the archive. Note: original quality is only available when you pay for storage.
• 📶 FTP Wi-Fi: Use applications like FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer FTP-Connect to it from your PC via File Explorer → Network environment.
• 📱 Bluetooth: suitable for transferring 1-2 photos, but inefficient for large volumes (speed) ~1 MB/s).

Comparison of transmission speed (on the example of 1 GB of photos):

• USB 3.0: ~2-3 minutes.
• Wi-Fi (FTP): ~10-15 minutes (depending on the router)
• Google Photos: ~20–40 minutes (download + download).
• Bluetooth: ~30-60 minutes.

💡

If you often transfer photos from Redmi to your PC, create a shortcut for the DCIM folder on your desktop. To do this, open This computer, find your phone, right-click on the DCIM folder and select "Create a shortcut." Now you can access the photo in one click!

How to speed up the transfer of photos: optimization of the process

Even with the right USB 3.0 connection, the transfer speed may be lower than expected.

1. Turn off cloud sync on your phone (Settings) → Background loading in Google Photos or Mi Cloud slows down USB-transmission.
2. Use archiving: before copying, pack the photo in ZIP-archive through a file manager (e.g. Total Commander) which will reduce the number of small files and speed up the process.
3. Close any unnecessary programs on your PC, especially torrent clients or antiviruses that scan your connected devices.
4. Format the memory card in exFAT (if you use it to store photos), which is faster than FAT32 when working with large files.

For maximum speed on Windows, it is also recommended:

• 🔧 Disable "Optimization of delivery" in the settings → Update and security → Optimizing delivery.
• 🔌 Connect the phone to the port USB 3.1 Gen 2 (usually marked in red or orange).
• 📁 Copy files via Total Commander or TeraCopy – they bypass the limitations of standard Windows Explorer.

⚠️ Note: if you connect Xiaomi Redmi to MacBook via adapter USB-C → USB-A, Transfer speeds can drop by 2-3 times. Use high-quality adapters with a chip. VLI VL812 (For example, from Anker or Baseus).

Transmission security: how not to lose photos and catch a virus

Transferring files between devices always carries risks, from accidental deletion to malware infection.

• 🛡️ Check files for viruses after copying to your PC. Use VirusTotal or the built-in Windows Defender.
• 🔄 Backups before mass-deleting photos from your phone, such as copying them to an external drive or to the cloud.
• 📂 Don’t edit files directly from your phone via your PC. First, copy them to your hard drive, then open them in Photoshop or Lightroom.
• 🔑 Encrypt sensitive data. If you transfer personal photos, file them with a password (for example, through a password). 7-Zip algorithmically AES-256).

Pay special attention to the MIUI settings:

• Turn off the “Show Hidden Files” option in the phone’s file manager to avoid accidentally copying system data.
• In Settings → Applications → Permissions, check which programs have access to the storage. Revoke the rights of suspicious applications.

💡

Never take it out. USB-cable during file transfers – this can cause damage to the Redmi file system and data loss. Always use the Safe Device Removal feature in the Windows tray or Extract in macOS.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about the transfer of photos from Xiaomi Redmi