How to quickly transfer files from Xiaomi to your computer: all ways 2026

Transferring files from a Xiaomi or Redmi or POCO phone to a computer is a challenge that every user faces, whether you want to free up your device’s memory, back up photos or just move documents to work, there are a lot of options, but not all of them are equally convenient: somewhere you need a cable, somewhere you need a stable Internet connection, and some methods may not work at all because of the security settings of MIUI.

In this article, we will discuss 5 Proven data transfer methods – from classical connection to USB We're going to focus on the typical problems of why the computer can't see the phone, how to get around the limitations. MTP-Windows protocol 11/10, And what to do if files are copied too slowly. MIUI 14/15 They work on models from Xiaomi. 11T Redmi Note 13 Pro+.

1. File transfer via USB-cable: step-by-step instruction

The most reliable and quick way is to connect your phone to your PC via cable, but even here, users often face problems: the computer does not recognize the device, files do not appear or copy with errors.

To start, check the cable type: Xiaomi’s original data-enabled cable is preferable to cheap ones that sometimes only work for charging. Also make sure you use a USB 3.0 port (usually blue) on your computer, which will speed up large files by 5-10 times.

• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC with a cable. On the Xiaomi screen, a notification will appear "Charge through" USB".
• 📱 Tap on the notification and select the mode "File transfer" (MTP). If there is no such item, go to Settings → Connection and sharing → USB-connection.
• 🖥️ On your computer, open "This Computer" or "File Manager" (macOS/Linux). The phone should be displayed as a removable disk.
• 📁 Go to the Internal Storage folder (or SD-card if you use a memory card) and copy the files you want.

If the phone is not detected, try the following steps:

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F5) regime MTP It may be blocked due to security policy, in which case, restart the phone and reconnect.

Make sure the cable supports data transfer (not just charging)

Switch USB mode on your phone to "File Transfer (MTP)"

Update MTP drivers on your computer (via Device Manager)

Deactivate "Debugging by" USB" In the developer settings (if included)

Try another one. USB-port (preferably 3.0)

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2. Wireless transmission via Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop)

Mi Share is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology for fast file transfer between devices without the Internet. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol and allows you to send files at speeds up to 20 MB / s (in ideal conditions), the main advantage is the absence of the need for cables or cloud services.

To use Mi Share, both devices must support this feature, which is available out of the box on the phone, and the official Mi PC Suite app will be installed on the PC (you can download from Xiaomi website), the alternative is to use the browser version via web.mishare.xiaomi.com.

• 📱 On the phone, open Settings. → Connection and sharing → Mi Share.
• 🖥️ On PC, launch Mi. PC Select the "Mi Share" section and select the "Mi Share" section".
• 🔄 On the phone, click "Send", select files and wait for the PC to appear in the list of devices.
• ✅ Confirm the acceptance of files on the computer.

The transfer speed depends on the phone and PC model. For example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra with Mi PC Suite 4.0 files are copied 3-4 times faster than on USB 2.0.

⚠️ Note: Mi Share does not support folder transfers, only individual files, to transfer entire directories (e.g. folders) DCIM (c) use an archiver or USB-cable.

Po Po Po USB-cable

Through Mi Share/Wi-Fi Direct

Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)

Other wireless technologies (Bluetooth, AirDrop)

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3.Use of cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Drive, Telegram

Cloud storage is convenient for transferring files if you don’t have a cable on hand or need to share data with multiple devices. Xiaomi offers its own service – Mi Cloud, but it has a limit of 5 GB of free space. Alternatives are Google Drive (15 GB), Yandex Drive (10 GB) or even Telegram (up to 2 GB per file).

Let’s look at the Mi Cloud example:

1. On the phone go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the desired file types (e.g., Gallery or Notes).
3. On PC, open i.mi.com and log in under the same account.
4. Select the "Gallery" or "Files" section and download the necessary data.

For large files (video, backups), it is better to use Google Drive:

• 📱 Install the Google Drive app on your phone.
• 📁 Press "+" → Download and select files.
• 🖥️ On PC, open drive.google.com and download the downloaded data.

Cloud services have the advantage of accessing files from any device, but there are also disadvantages:

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If you need to transfer a file urgently, but the Internet is slow, reduce the resolution of the photo before downloading. In the Xiaomi gallery, select a photo → Edit → Change the size → set 1024×768 pixels. This will reduce the weight of the file by 5-10 times.

4. FTP file transfer over a local area network (for advanced)

If you need to transfer files regularly and in large volumes (for example, for backup), setup FTP-This method allows you to access Xiaomi files as a network drive using any FTP-Customer (e.g. FileZilla or Total Commander).

This will require:

1. Install an application on the phone FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer (they have built-in) FTP-server).
2. Connect your phone and PC to a single Wi-Fi network.
3. Launch in the appendix FTP-server and record the address (for example, ftp://192.168.1.100:2221).
4. Open up on PC. FTP-Customer and connect to the specified address.

Advantages of the method:

• 📥 The ability to transfer folders completely without archiving.
• 🔄 Two-way synchronization (you can upload files to your phone).
• 🛡️ Traffic encryption (in some applications).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Requires customization and knowledge of the basics of work with FTP.
• 🐢 Speed depends on the quality of the Wi-Fi router.
• 🔒 Not all files can be accessed due to restrictions. MIUI.

5. Bluetooth transmission: when justified

Bluetooth is the slowest way to transfer files, but it can help if there is no cable or Wi-Fi at hand. The speed usually does not exceed 1-2 MB / s, so it is suitable only for small files (documents, contacts, small photos).

Instructions for Windows:

1. On your phone, turn Bluetooth on to the Quick Settings Panel.
2. On PC, open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and add a new device.
3. Confirm the pairing on both devices.
4. On your phone, select a file → Share → Bluetooth and select your PC.

For macOS, the process is similar, but instead of Devices, you need to open System Settings → Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 10C) When you transmit files via Bluetooth, you may lose metadata (shoot date, geotagged data). If it's critical, use other methods.

6.Alternative methods: ADB, OTG and memory card

If the standard methods don't work, you can use less obvious solutions. Let's look at three options:

6.1. Transfer via ADB (for developers)

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool allows you to manage files on your phone via the command line, a tricky method, but it saves you when other methods are not available (for example, when the screen is damaged).

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your PC (download from Google’s website).
2. On your phone, turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times to activate Developer Mode).
3. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable “Debugging by USB”.
4. Connect the phone to your PC and type in the command line: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Photos\ This will copy the DCIM folder (pictured) to the C: drive.

6.2. Use of OTG-cable

If you have OTG-You can transfer files to a flash drive, and then you can connect them to a PC, and this is a method that's convenient for transferring large amounts of data without a computer.

Removal of the memory card

If you have a microSD card installed in your phone, you can remove it and connect it to your PC via a card reader, which is the fastest way for memory card-enabled devices (like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+).

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ADB is the only way to access files on a broken-screen phone unless USB debugging is enabled in advance.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring files from Xiaomi to PC