How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all working ways

Transferring photos from Xiaomi’s smartphone to your computer is a challenge that users of the brand regularly face. Despite its apparent simplicity, the process can be complicated by the lack of drivers, improper connection settings or operating system limitations. MIUI. In this article, we will analyze all current methods of photo transfer, from the classical to the most popular. USB-cable to cloud services, taking into account the features of different models - from Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

It's important to understand that the way you choose is not just about convenience, but also about the amount of data you have. RAW Bluetooth will take hours, but USB-We tested each method on real devices and included a speed comparison table in the article so you could choose the best option.

If you've encountered errors like "Device not recognized" or "No folder access," there's a section in the article that addresses typical problems, and for those who appreciate automation, we've added instructions to set up automatic sync via Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

Transfer through USB-cable: step-by-step instruction

The most reliable and fast way is to connect your smartphone to your PC via the original USB Type-C cable (or Micro-USB for older models), which can be as fast as 480 Mbps (USB 2.0) or 5-10 Gbps (USB 3.0+), which is critical when working with large amounts of data.

Before connecting, check:

Make sure the cable is working (try charging your phone)

Use USB 3.0 port on your PC (usually blue)

Turn off Charging mode in Xiaomi notification curtain

Update MIUI drivers on PC (see Problem Solving)

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1. Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. In the Xiaomi notification curtain, you'll see a "Charge via USB" alert — tap it.
2. Select File Transfer (or MTP) mode. On some MIUI 14+ firmware, this option may be called File Manager.
3. On a PC, open This PC (Windows) or Finder (macOS). Your Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive (e.g., Redmi Note 13 Pro).
4. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (or Pictures if the photos are saved in the gallery).

Tip for Windows 10/11: If the device is not identified, try connecting via another port or install the drivers manually via Mi PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi).

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To speed up the transfer, turn off the Charging Optimization mode on your phone in Settings → Battery. This will prevent the USB speed limit due to power saving lights.

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

Mi Share is Xiaomi’s proprietary Wi-Fi Direct file sharing service, with the advantage of not needing a cable, but speeds of 10-15MB/s (depending on the router model), but additional software will be required to transfer files to PCs.

How it works:

• 📱 On your smartphone: open the Mi Share app (or find it through a search in the menu). Select photos and click "Send».
• 💻 On PC: Install Mi PC Suite or use the web version of share.huami.com (works in the browser).
• 🔗 Connect devices to a single Wi-Fi network or activate hotspot on your phone.

Important: Mi Share automatically compresses photos when transferring if their size exceeds 10 MB. To maintain the original quality, use the "No Compression" settings in the send menu.

3. Cloud services: Google Photos vs Mi Cloud

Cloud storage is convenient for backing up and accessing photos from any device. Xiaomi offers two main options: Mi Cloud (5 GB free) and Google Photos (15 GB within Google Account).

Instructions for Google Photos:

1. Install the app from Google Play and log in to your account.
2. In the settings, turn on “Backup and Synchronization”.
3. Choose the quality “Original” (for saving without compression) or “High quality” (free, but with loss of quality).
4. On PC, open photos.google.com and download the photo.

Warning for Mi Cloud: the service can automatically convert HEIF/HEIC photos to JPEG when uploaded. To avoid loss of quality, in the Xiaomi gallery settings, turn off the option “Optimize for the Web”.

Google Photo

Mi Cloud

Yandex Disc.

iCloud

Another option

I don't use clouds.-->

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

If you want high speed without clouds, you can customize it. FTP-This method requires minimal technical skills, but provides speeds up to 50-80 MB / s on the local network.

Step-by-step:

• 📱 Install the app on Xiaomi FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer (there is a built-in version) FTP-server).
• 🌐 In the application, select a folder with a photo and activate «FTP-server. Remember the address (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.10:2221).
• 💻 On PC, open the Explorer → enter the address in the address bar → enter the login / password (specified in the application on the phone).

⚠️ Attention: Do not use FTP Public networks (cafes, airports) are transmitted without encryption and can be intercepted by attackers. For security, enable the option "LAN Only" in the server settings.

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FTP is ideal for transferring large archives (for example, backup photos over several years), but requires stable Wi-Fi.

5. Alternative methods: Bluetooth, email and instant messengers

These methods are suitable for transferring a small number of photos (up to 10-20 pieces), their main plus is simplicity, minus - size and speed restrictions.

Comparison of alternative methods:

• 📧 Email: Send your photos to your post office (25MB limit for Gmail) Suitable for sending 1-2 snapshots.
• 💬 Telegram: Upload photos to Save Messages or send a bot @SaveFilesBot (limit — 2 GB per file).
• 📲 Bluetooth: Up to 1-2MB/s. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices, pair them and select Send Files from the phone menu.
• 🌍 Social networks: Upload the photo to a private album VKontakte or Facebook, then download to PC.

For Xiaomi with MIUI 13+, there is another life hack: the Quick Transfer feature in the menu (share access), which works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol and allows you to send files to other Xiaomi devices without the Internet, but this method is not suitable for PCs.

6. Solving typical problems when transferring photos

Even with the right settings, Xiaomi users can encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Note: If you are connected through USB The phone is constantly rebooting, this may indicate a faulty cable or Type-C port issue. Try another cable and check the port for damage (such as contamination or bent contacts).

For POCO and Redmi models with custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience), additional MTP mode settings may be required.

1. Go to Settings → System → For developers.
2. Activate the option “Debugging by USB”.
3. Select the File System (MTP) connection mode manually.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi to PC