How to transfer files from Xiaomi to your computer: the complete guide

Owning a modern smartphone involves constantly creating a huge amount of content, from high-quality images in RAW format to voluminous videos in 4K. Sooner or later, every Xiaomi user faces a lack of internal storage and the need to make room.

There are many ways to sync devices, and the choice of the optimised method depends on your goals, the availability of cables at hand and the amount of information you transmit. You can use a classic wired connection that provides maximum speed, or use wireless technology to quickly transfer a couple of photos. Understanding the nuances of the Android file system and the MIUI shells or HyperOS will avoid common errors.

In this article, we will take a look at all the current methods of data copying, evaluate their advantages and disadvantages, learn how to properly configure your phone to work in storage mode, what hidden features a standard conductor offers, and why cloud services can become your main tool for working with documents.

Preparation of a smartphone and computer for data transmission

Before you start to take action, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to interact. Often users plug in the cable and wonder why the computer doesn't see the phone or sees it only as a charger. USB-port.

On the computer, you should check the availability of free USB-If you are using a laptop, it is advisable to use the ports of the back panel of the system unit, as they provide more stable power and data transfer speed. If you are using a laptop, make sure that it is connected to the network or has enough battery power so that the process does not interrupt due to energy saving.

⚠️ Note: Use only the original cable or a certified high-quality analogue. Cheap cables often only support charging and do not have internal contacts to transmit data, which will lead to a connection error.

On the smartphone side, Xiaomi also needs to do a number of things: Unlock the device screen before connecting the cable. In some firmware versions, when you first connect to a new PC, the system will ask for permission to debug or access data - you need to confirm the action. Make sure that the phone is on the screen, as in sleep mode some ports may turn off to save energy.

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For a quick check of the quality of the cable, try connecting the phone to the computer: if only charging is happening without a notification of the phone. USB-The cable is likely damaged or does not support data transmission.

Method 1: Classical connection through USB-cable

The most reliable and fastest method to transfer files from shaomi to your computer is the use of USB-It doesn't require the Internet, it works with even gigabytes of data, and it allows you to manage your phone's file system like a flash drive, which is ideal for making full backups or moving video archives.

Once you physically connect your devices, look at the smartphone's notification panel, and you'll see a message like "Charge via USB" or something similar. Click on it to open the mode selection menu. By default, the phone often goes into "Charge Only" mode, which hides its contents from external devices.

In the menu that opens, select File Transfer (MTP) or Photo Transfer (PTP). MTP is preferred because it allows access to all folders and memory partitions. PTP mode is primarily for cameras and may not display some system directories, but is sometimes useful if MTP is unstable on older Windows operating systems.

Once you select the mode on your computer screen, a new device will appear in Windows Explorer (or Finder on macOS), with the name of your model, and as you go inside, you will see two main sections: internal memory and, if available, a microSD card, and this is where all your data is stored, which can now be copied, deleted or moved.

Method 2: Wireless Wi-Fi transmission over ShareMe

If you don’t have cable or computer connectors in hand, wireless technology comes to the rescue. Xiaomi smartphones pre-installed ShareMe (formerly Mi Drop), which allows you to create a local Wi-Fi network for file sharing, a method especially convenient for fast transfer of photos and videos without loss of quality, which often suffers when sent via instant messengers.

To get started, open the ShareMe app on your phone and click Connect to PC. The app will prompt you to choose the type of network: password protected or open. It is recommended to use password protection so that neighbors in the office or cafe do not have access to your data. After running the server on the screen of the smartphone will appear FTP-address, for example, ftp://192.168.1.55:2121.

This address needs to be entered in the address bar of any conductor on your computer. Your computer and phone need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. Once you press Enter, the phone's file system opens. You can drag and drop files with your mouse, backing up on the fly. The speed of transfer depends on the power of your router and support for 5GHz Wi-Fi standards.

Method 3: Using Mi Cloud Cloud and Google Drive

Cloud technology blurs the boundaries between devices, allowing you to access files from anywhere in the world. Xiaomi ecosystem offers a service Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the system. It automatically synchronizes the gallery, contacts, notes and voice recorder. For the user, this means that photos taken on the phone automatically appear in the web version of the cloud on the computer.

To work with Mi Cloud, go to your phone’s settings, select “Mi Account” and enable synchronization of the data you want. On your computer, just go to the service’s official website and log in. This method is ideal for documents and important photos, but has a limit on the amount of free storage (usually 5 GB).

The alternative is Google Photos and Google Drive. Google Photos can compress images to save space or save originals by taking up your account quota. On your computer, you can access it through your browser, and it's a great way to organize an automatic backup that doesn't require user input after you first set up.

Compare the main characteristics of cloud and local methods in the table below:

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Cloud services are indispensable for synchronizing small files and documents in the background, but it is better to use cable or local Wi-Fi to transfer tens of gigabytes of video.

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