How to upload photos to Xiaomi Cloud: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Cloud (or Mi Cloud) has become an integral part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, offering users up to 10GB of free backup space for photos, videos and documents. However, many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones are faced with questions: how to upload photos to the cloud, what settings to use for automatic synchronization, and what to do if files are not displayed after downloading.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer photos, from standard sync through the Gallery app to manually download from your computer through the Mi Cloud web version. Particular attention will be paid to hidden image compression settings that save space in the cloud without loss of quality.

If you’re using Xiaomi on MIUI 14/15 or later, part of the interface may have changed — we’ve taken these nuances into account and provided up-to-date screenshots (2026).

1. Preparation for download: checking the account and free space

Before you start uploading photos, make sure your Mi Account is active and linked to the device. Without this, sync with Xiaomi Cloud is impossible. You can check the status in the Settings menu → Xiaomi Account.

Pay special attention to the available space in the cloud. 5-10 GB is provided by default (depending on region and stocks), but this will only last for ~2-3 thousand photos in original quality.

• 📱 Check the current rate: go to Mi Cloud → Warehouse.
• 🔍 Delete unnecessary backups (such as old copies of Notes or Contacts).
• 💾 Estimate the amount of photos: in the Gallery, select an album and see its size in properties.
• 🔄 Set up automatic deletion of old files (option available in Cloud Settings) → Storage management).

If there is not enough space, consider the options:

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with firmware for the Chinese market (China) ROM), Access to Mi Cloud can be restricted without linking the Chinese phone number, in which case it is recommended to reflash the device on Global. ROM use VPN service-access.

2. Method 1: Automatic synchronization through the Gallery

The easiest method is to enable automatic uploading of photos to the cloud directly from the standard Gallery app, which is suitable for most users, as it does not require manual actions after setting up.

Instructions for MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS:

1. Open the Gallery app.
2. Slip on the profile icon (or three dots in the upper right corner) → Settings.
3. Select Cloud Sync (or Mi Cloud in older versions).
4. Activate the Autoupload Photos switch.
5. Specify options: Download quality: Original or High (compression). Network: Wi-Fi only (recommended) or Wi-Fi and mobile data. Folders for sync: choose which albums to download (e.g., exclude Screenshots).

Once activated, all new photos will automatically upload to the cloud, synchronization time will depend on Internet speed and file size, for example, an album of 500 photos (3-5 MB each) at a Wi-Fi speed of 50 Mbps will download in 15-20 minutes.

Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi|Check the free space in the Mi Cloud|Disable battery saving mode for Gallery app|Choose the optimal compression quality-->

💡

If the photos aren’t synced, try manually updating the data: open Gallery → Albums → Cloud and pull the screen down for an update.

Method 2: Manual download via Mi Cloud application

If you only need to upload certain photos (such as from a trip or an important event), it’s more convenient to use manual mode.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Mi Cloud app (if not, download it from Google Play or AppGallery).
2. Sign in to your Mi Account account.
3. Go to the Gallery (or Photos) section.
4. Click on the + (or Download) icon in the lower right corner.
5. Select photos from the local gallery and confirm the upload.

⚠️ Note: When downloading manually through mobile data, the operator can block the transfer of large files (more than 50 MB.

Method 3: Download photos from a computer

If the photos are stored on a PC or laptop, they can be uploaded to Xiaomi Cloud via the web version of the service, which is convenient for mass download (for example, transferring an archive of family photos).

How to do this:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. In the menu on the left, select Gallery (or Photos).
3. Click Download and select files from your computer (JPG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP formats are supported).
4. Wait for the download to complete (progress is displayed in the lower right corner).

Limitations of the web version:

• 🚫 Maximum file size: 100MB (for free accounts).
• 📂 You can’t download folders – only individual files (use the archiver for batch downloads).
• ⏳ Speed depends on your ISP (uploading 1GB of photos can take 10–30 minutes).

Once uploaded, the photos will be available on all devices associated with your Mi Account. To organize the files, create the albums directly in the web interface:

Gallery → Create an album → Specify the title → Drag a photo

5. Method 4: Synchronization through third-party applications

If standard methods do not fit (for example, due to MIUI limitations for your region), you can use third-party tools.

• 📲 Google Photo + Mi Cloud: Upload photos to Google Photos, then export them to Xiaomi Cloud via the web version.
• 🖥️ AirDroid: Transfer photos from your PC to your phone, then sync with the cloud.
• 🔄 Sync for Mi Cloud (App for Automatic Synchronization with Advanced Settings).

Example of settings through Google Photos:

1. Upload photos to Google Photos (via the app or web version).
2. Open Google Photos on your phone, select an album and click Export.
3. Save files to a local folder (such as Downloads).
4. Open the gallery. → Mi Cloud and upload exported photos.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party services (e.g. Google Photos), photos may be recompressed, which will worsen the quality. To avoid this, upload files in the original resolution and disable storage optimization in Google Photo settings.

6. Solving Photo Uploading Problems

Even with the right sync setting, users often encounter errors, and let's look at typical situations and how to fix them.

If photos are loaded but take up too much space, check the compression settings:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery
2. Select the download quality.
3. Compare options: Original: retains original resolution (up to 50MB per photo); High: compression to ~80% quality (saves ~40% of space); Standard: strong compression (suitable for previews).

Automatic synchronization through the Gallery|Manual download via Mi Cloud|Web version from a computer|The side of the application (Google Photos, AirDroid, etc.)-->

7 Storage Optimization: How to Free up Space in the Cloud

Over time, Xiaomi Cloud is filled with unnecessary duplicates, screenshots and old photos. To make room, use these tips:

• 🔍 Search for duplicates: In the web version of Mi Cloud, sort files by date and delete repetitive frames.
• 🗑️ Recycle Bin Cleanup: Deleted files are stored in the Recycle Bin for 30 days – clean it manually (Gallery) → Basket → Clean up).
• 📁 Archiving old photos: Download important photos to your hard drive and then delete them from the cloud.
• 🔄 Auto Clean: Enable the option to Remove from the device after booting (saves space on the phone).

For mass file management, it is convenient to use filters in the web version of Mi Cloud:

Gallery → Filter → File Type (Photo/Video) → Date → Size

For example, to find all photos larger than 10MB (which take up the lion’s share of space), apply a filter:

1. Open i.mi.com.
2. Go to the Gallery → Filter → Size → More than 10 MB.
3. Mark the unnecessary files and delete them.

💡

Regularly cleaning up unnecessary files in the cloud not only frees up space, but also speeds up syncing of new photos.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Cloud