How to transfer photos from Xiaomi Redmi to your computer: all the ways of 2026

Why is the standard method of c USB-The cable may not work.

You took hundreds of photos on your Xiaomi Redmi, but when you connect to your computer, the DCIM folder is empty or the phone is not even identified as a drive? This problem is familiar to many users of the brand. The MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) protocol that modern Android devices use often conflicts with Windows drivers - especially on older versions of the OS or when connecting via USB 3.0 ports.

Another common reason is the developer settings, which by default disable debugging by USB. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 Pro models+ newer USB-Debugging is automatically blocked after updating MIUI, If you don't use it 30 times+ And the owners. POCO F5 A bug occurs when a phone is identified as an β€œunknown device” due to a conflict with Mi’s proprietary software PC Suite.

In this article, we will discuss not only the classic method of cable, but also alternative methods - from transmission over a local network to the use of cloud services Mi Cloud and Google Photos. MIUI, blocking access to files on the PC without notifying the user.

Method 1: Transmission through USB-cable (Step-by-step with pictures)

This is the most reliable method if you set up the connection correctly. On Xiaomi Redmi with MIUI 14+, the algorithm is different from standard Android, so watch the nuances:

  1. Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable (not a cheap replacement!) and use the USB 2.0 port on your computer, which is more stable with MTP.
  2. On your phone screen, select File Transfer (MTP) mode. If this window is not available, unlock the screen!
  3. On PC, open This Computer β†’ find the Redmi device in the Devices and Disks section.
  4. Go to Internal Storage β†’ DCIM β†’ Camera (or MIUI β†’ Camera on new models).

⚠️ Attention: If the folder DCIM empty, but there is a photo on the phone - check the settings of hidden files in the MIUI. Go to Settings. β†’ Memory. β†’ Settings β†’ Show hidden files.

Use the original Xiaomi |Unlock the phone screen |Select MTP mode on the Redmi |Check USB 2.0 port connection |Disable Mi PC Suite in Task Manager-->

On Redmi models 10C/11A and budget series may require additional action: press the notification USB-In the menu and in the connection, select additional β†’ Enable the transfer of media files. MIUI charge-saving.

Model RedmiFeatures USB-connectionTypical errors
Redmi Note 12/13Requires fingerprint confirmation at first connection"Device not recognized" (code 43 in Device Manager)
POCO X5 ProAutomatically switches to charging mode after 5 minutes of inactivityDCIM folder disappears after phone sleep
Redmi A2/A2+You need to enable USB debugging even for MTPThe β€œNo Access” Error When Trying to Copy Files

Method 2: Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (without cables)

If USB-The port on your phone or computer is damaged, or you often send photos β€” set up transmission over the LAN. This method works 30% faster on Redmi with Wi-Fi 6 support (Models 2022).+ year-end).

You'll need:

  • πŸ“Ά One Wi-Fi router (phone and PC must be on the same network)
  • πŸ–₯️ Programme FTP-server on the phone (for example, FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer)
  • πŸ”— Any file manager on a PC (Windows Explorer, Total Commander)

Instructions:

  1. Install FX File Explorer from Google Play.
  2. Launch the application β†’ Network β†’ FTP-server β†’ Launch.
  3. Write down the address of the view ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
  4. On the PC, enter this address in the address bar of the conductor.
  5. Copy photos from /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera.

πŸ’‘

To speed up the transfer, turn off Adaptive Brightness and Autosynchronization in the battery settings on your phone, which will reduce the load on the processor during copying.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 13 and below FTP-The server automatically shuts down after 15 minutes of inactivity. FX File Explorer checks the Keep alive box.

Method 3: Using Mi Share (Fast Transfer to Windows)

Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is Xiaomi’s proprietary file-sharing technology between devices, which works via a direct Wi-Fi hotspot and transmits photos at up to 20 MB/s (on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ with Wi-Fi 6E), the main plus is that you do not need to connect to the router.

How to use:

  1. On your phone, open Settings β†’ Connection and Sharing β†’ Mi Share.
  2. Select a photo in the gallery β†’ Share β†’ Mi Share.
  3. Download Mi PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi).
  4. In the program, select Mi Share β†’ Accept files.
  5. Scan it. QR-PC screen code with a phone camera.

Limitations of the method:

  • ❌ It does not work on a PC without Windows 10/11 (No drivers for Mi Share)
  • ❌ Maximum size of one file – 1 GB
  • ❌ Nana POCO M5s redmi 10A You need to manually enable Visibility for everyone in the Mi Share settings

Po Po Po USB-cable|Wi-Fi (FTP/HTTP)|Mi Share or AirDrop|Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Another option-->

Method 4: Cloud Services – When They Are More Beneficial Than Cable

If you need to migrate your photos to multiple devices or back up, cloud services will be the best solution. There are two options available on Xiaomi Redmi by default:

1. Mi Cloud (branded Xiaomi cloud)

  • πŸ”Ή 5GB free (expands to 100GB for 199)β‚½/month)
  • πŸ”Ή Automatic synchronization of photos in the background
  • πŸ”Ή Access from PC via web interface

How to set up:

Settings β†’ Xiaomi Account β†’ Mi Cloud β†’ Gallery β†’ Enable autoboot

2. Google Photo.

  • πŸ”Ή 15GB free (shared with Gmail and Drive)
  • πŸ”Ή Compression of photos up to 16 MP without limiting the volume
  • πŸ”Ή Smart search by person/place

⚠️ Attention: Redmi with MIUI 14 Google Photos may not sync the photo in the background. To fix this, go to Settings β†’ Annexes β†’ Application management β†’ Google Photo β†’ Battery β†’ No restrictions.

ServiceLoading speedLimitationsBetter for you.
Mi CloudUp to 5MB/s5GB limit, no photo editingBackup copies
Google PhotoUp to 10MB/sCompression at free rateLong-term storage
Yandex Disc.Up to 3MB/s10GB limit, slow loadingTransmissions to Russian PCs

Method 5: Transfer via memory card (for slot microSD models)

If your Redmi supports memory cards (like the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G or POCO X4 Pro), the easiest way to do this is to remove the microSD and paste it into your computer via a card reader, which is especially convenient for large volumes (1,000+ photos).

Step-by-step:

  1. Transfer the photo to the memory card through the Gallery β†’ Select β†’ Save it on. SD-map.
  2. Remove the card from the phone (pre-mounted in the storage settings).
  3. Insert the microSD into the card reader and connect to the PC.
  4. Copy files from the DCIM or MIUI/Camera folder.

⚠️ Note: On a Redmi with a hybrid slot (e.g. Redmi 10 2022), the memory card is blocked if a second one is inserted. SIM. Before retrieving, restart the phone with the second one disabled. SIM-card!

What to do if your computer does not see the memory card?
1. Check the map format: Xiaomi Redmi formats the microSD in exFAT by default, and older PCs don't support it. Reformat to FAT32 (max 4GB file). 2. Update card reader drivers through Device Manager β†’ USB 3 controllers. Try another card reader - cheap models often don't read UHS-I cards (Class 10).

Solving problems: phone not identified or photo not copied

If none of these methods work, check out these points:

1. Problems with drivers on PC

  • πŸ”§ Remove old drivers through Device Manager β†’ Portable devices β†’ Xiaomi Redmi β†’ Delete.
  • πŸ”§ Install official drivers from the Xiaomi website (section "PC Suite").
  • πŸ”§ Disable the driver signature in Windows (for this, restart the PC with the Shift key pressed).

2. Phone-side errors

  • πŸ“± Reset the settings. USB: Settings β†’ System system β†’ Resetting settings β†’ Reset the settings USB.
  • πŸ“± Turn on Debugging. USB In Settings β†’ The phone. β†’ Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) β†’ Additionally. β†’ For developers.
  • πŸ“± Check the.nomedia file in the photo folder – it hides media files from the scanner.

Hardware malfunctions

  • πŸ”Œ Try another one. USB-Cable (original from Xiaomi or certified) USB-IF).
  • πŸ”Œ Connect the phone to another USB-port (preferably) USB 2.0 on the back of the PC).
  • πŸ”Œ Check the phone port for physical damage (wiggle the cable – if the connection is interrupted, you need to replace the connector).

πŸ’‘

If the phone is defined as a β€œCharger” instead of a β€œMedia Device,” the problem is with the MIUI settings. Go to Settings β†’ Connection & Sharing β†’ USB and manually select File Transfer (MTP) mode.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi Redmi to PC

Can I transfer photos from Redmi to Mac without any additional software?
Yes, but with nuances. macOS only supports MTP through Android File Transfer (the official software from Google). Download it from android.com. Redmi with MIUI 14+ may need to enable Developer Mode and allow debugging over USB. Alternatively, use AirDrop via the Snapdrop app (works in the browser).
Why are some files missed when copying photos?
This is due to: Hidden files (with the.nomedia extension or a dot at the beginning of the name); damaged photos (check them on the phone - if they do not open, delete); file system restrictions (for example, FAT32 does not support >4 GB files); Solution: copy the photos one by one or convert them to JPEG through the Gallery β†’ Edit β†’ Save as.
How to transfer photos from Redmi to PC without loss of quality?
To maintain the original quality: πŸ–ΌοΈ Use it. USB-Cable or memory card – they don’t compress files. πŸ–ΌοΈ In Google Photos, select Original Quality (paid after 15GB). πŸ–ΌοΈ Turn off optimization. MIUI: Settings β†’ gallery β†’ Photo optimization β†’ Off. ⚠️ On the Redmi Note. 11S The newest photo is saved by default in HEIF (For better compression format, convert them to PC compatibility JPEG gallery β†’ Exports.
How long does it take to transfer 1000 photos (5 MB each)?
Approximate time (depending on the Redmi model and PC): Method Speed Time for 5 GB USB 2.0 10-15 MB/s 6-9 minutes USB 3.0 30-40 MB/s 2-3 minutes Wi-Fi (FTP) 5-8 MB/s 10-15 minutes Mi Share 15-20 MB/s 4-6 minutes On Redmi K60 Pro with USB 3.2 and Redmi Note 12 Turbo with UFS 3.1 copy speed can reach 50 MB/s.
Can I automate the transfer of photos when connecting to a PC?
Yes, for this: On PC, create a.bat file with the command: xcopy E:\DCIM\Camera\*.jpg C:\Users\YourName\Pictures\Redmi_Photo /E /C /H /R /Y (Replace E: with the letter of your phone. Put the file in the boot (Shell:Startup folder). USB-debugging ADB Adb shell settings put global settings stay_on_while_plugged_in 3 (This will turn off the screen lock when you connect to USB). ⚠️ Automatic copying only works if the phone is unlocked and mode is selected. MTP.