How to transfer photos and videos from Xiaomi to Xiaomi: all the ways of 2026

Transferring photos and videos between smartphones of the same brand seems to be a simple task — until you face restrictions on speed, volume or compatibility. Xiaomi owners have a unique advantage: exclusive technologies like Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) and deep integration with Mi Account services. But even here there are pitfalls: for example, when you transfer via Bluetooth video in 4K resolution automatically compressed to Full HD, and cloud services can limit free traffic.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer media files between Xiaomi devices – from standard (cable, memory card) to branded (Mi Share, Mi Cloud). Particular attention will be paid to the transfer speed, quality preservation and nuances of working with different models (for example, why the Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra settings Mi Share are different).

1. Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) – a proprietary way from Xiaomi

Mi Share is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology, optimized for file transfer between the brand’s devices. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which provides speeds up to 10-15 MB / s (3-5 times faster than Bluetooth), the main advantage is the lack of quality loss: 4K@60fps videos and photos in RAW are transmitted without compression.

To take advantage of Mi Share:

• 📱 Open the Files app on both devices.
• 🔍 Select files, click Share. → Mi Share.
• 🔄 On the second phone, confirm acceptance in the notification.
• ⚡ Wait for the transfer to be completed (the progress indicator will be displayed on both screens).

Important: On models older than the Redmi Note 10 (2021), Mi Share may be called Mi Drop, but the functionality is identical. If the feature does not appear, check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

⚠️ Warning: If Mi Share does not find the second device, disable Mobile Data on both phones – the technology may conflict with an active Internet connection. Also make sure that the devices are on Wi-Fi (even without a network connection).

2. Bluetooth Transfer: When Speed Is Not Important

Bluetooth is the universal but slowest way, with transmission speeds rarely exceeding 1-2MB/s, and files over 500MB can be transmitted with errors, but it is suitable for small photos or documents if there is no cable at hand.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. On the sender phone, select files in the gallery, click Share → Bluetooth.
3. Select the target device from the list.
4. Confirm reception on the second phone.

Limitations:

• 🚫 Video in the video 4K Automatically convert to Full HD (Maximum bitrate - 15 Mbit / s).
• 📛 File names in Cyrillic can be displayed as???.jpg (solved by renaming before transfer).
• ⏳ Transmission of the album 100 photo ~10-15 minute.

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If Bluetooth is permanently breaking the connection, try reducing the distance between devices to 1 meter and turning off power saving mode in Settings → Battery → Performance mode.

3. OTG cable usage: maximum speed and reliability

Connection through USB-C OTG-cable (or adapter for older models with Micro-USB) is the fastest and most stable method. 40-60 MB/s (depending on version) USB: 2.0 vs 3.0). Suitable for transferring large video files (e.g., recordings from Xiaomi) 13 Pro in 8K).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-cable.
2. Connect the second end to the sender phone (it will be determined as the USB-accumulator).
3. On the sender phone, select File Transfer Mode (not Charge!).
4. Copy files through any file manager (such as Google Files or Xiaomi’s standard Files app).

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed in 10-20 higher than Bluetooth.
• 🔄 No file size restrictions (suitable for 10-weight video)+ GB).
• 📁 The folder structure is maintained (e.g, DCIM/Camera).

⚠️ Attention: On models with MIUI 14 and newer when first connected via OTG There may be a request to unlock OEM Unlock in Settings → For developers. It's okay to confirm the action, otherwise access to files will be restricted.

4. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Photos

Cloud storage is convenient for backup and transfer files at a distance. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud service (5 GB for free), but it has regional restrictions: for example, in Russia access to it is closed from 2022.

Comparison of services:

Instructions for Google Photos:

1. Install Google Photos on both phones.
2. On the sender phone, upload files to the album (select Original Quality to avoid compression).
3. On the receiver phone, log in to the same Google account and download files.

5. MicroSD Memory Card: for large archives

If both phones support memory cards (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or POCO X5 Pro), transferring files over a microSD is one of the most reliable ways.

• Class 10/UHS-I: Up to 30MB/s.
• UHS-II: Up to 90MB/s (but requires smartphone support)

How to transfer files:

1. Put the card in the sender phone.
2. Copy files into a folder on the card (for example, DCIM/Transfer).
3. Remove the card and insert it into the receiver phone.
4. Transfer the files to internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 13+ When you first connect the memory card, you may be asked to format into internal memory, so you can opt out of this, otherwise the card will be encrypted and not read on another device.

Alternative methods: FTP-server and local area network

For advanced users, transmission methods over a local network are suitable:

• 🌐 FTP-server: Applications like FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer is now available FTP-server on one phone and connect to it from another via Wi-Fi. Speed - up to 20 MB / s.
• 📡 Local area: Use Send Anywhere or LocalSend, which creates a temporary network between devices without Internet access.

Example of FTP settings:

1. Install FX File Explorer on the sender phone.


2. Go to the FTP section in the side menu.




3. Click "Run Server" (default address: ftp://192.168.x.x:2221).




4. On the second phone, connect to this address via any FTP- client (e.g., ES Explorer).

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FTP-The server is the only way to transfer files between Xiaomi and other brands (such as iPhone or Samsung) without loss of quality and without cloud services.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on priorities:

• 🏆 Maximum speed: OTG-cable FTP-server.
• 📶 Without Internet: Mi Share or memory card.
• 🌍 Transfer at a distance: Google Photos or Yandex.Disk.
• 🔄 Quality preservation: OTG, Mi Share or FTP (Bluetooth and clouds can compress).

For most Xiaomi users, the best option is Mi Share (for hand-to-hand transfer) or OTG-Cloud services should only be used for backup or if devices are physically far apart.

FAQ: Frequent questions