How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to iPhone: all ways with pros and cons

Moving from Xiaomi to iPhone is not just about changing the ecosystem, it's also about moving data. Photos are often the main headache: there are many, they take up space, and standard methods like AirDrop between Android and iOS don't work. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to transfer photos, from cloud services to direct connections, with speed, security and limitations.

Many users mistakenly think that transfer requires special programs or root access, but in fact, there are enough standard tools that you already have on your devices, the main thing is to choose a method that suits your data and technical capabilities, for example, 50 photos will suit Telegram, and 10 GB will require a cloud or cable.

We tested every way on Xiaomi 13 Pro devices (MIUI 14) and iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 17.4) to give accurate recommendations on speed and possible problems. The only method that is guaranteed to transmit all metadata (date of shooting, geotags) without distortion is direct transmission through the cable using a file manager. Other ways can lose or change them.

1. Transfer via cloud services: Google Photos vs iCloud

Cloud storage is the most versatile way, but with nuances, the main advantage is that you don't have to connect devices to each other, and files will be available on any gadget, minus the dependence on Internet speed and possible limitations on volume.

Compare two popular services:

Instructions for Google Photos:

1. On Xiaomi, install the Google Photos app (if not installed).
2. Log in to your Google account and enable Backup and Sync in the settings.
3. Select folders with photos (for example, DCIM/Camera) and wait until the loading is complete.
4. On iPhone, install Google Photos, log in to the same account and download files via Photos → Library.

⚠️ Note: If you have High Quality compression enabled in Google Photos, the photos will be compressed to 16 MP resolution, even if the originals were larger!

For iCloud, the algorithm is different:

• 📱 On Xiaomi, upload a photo to iCloud Drive via your browser (iCloud.com).
• 📤 Use the “upload files” function in the iCloud Drive section.
• 📱 On the iPhone, files will appear in the Files app (iCloud Drive folder), from where they can be saved in Photos.

2. Direct transmission by cable: no internet and restrictions

This is the most reliable method for large volumes (from 5 GB and above), because it does not depend on network speed and does not compress files.

• 🔌 Cable USB-C → Lightning (or adapter if ports don't match).
• 💻 Computer (Windows/Mac) or file manager on Xiaomi (e.g. MiXplorer).

Step-by-step instructions without computer (only for Xiaomi with support) OTG):

Make sure there is enough space on the iPhone|Connect the cable. OTG Xiaomi|Open the file manager (such as Files or MiXplorer)|Connect iPhone as you do USB-device-->

1. Connect iPhone to Xiaomi via Lightning Adapter → USB-C (or USB-A, If Xiaomi has a microUSB connector).
2. The iPhone will display a “Trust this computer” notification, click Trust.
3. On Xiaomi, open the file manager, find the folder with the photo (DCIM/Camera) Copy the files to the Internal folder Storage/DCIM iPhone.

If your iPhone doesn’t appear as a removable drive, use your computer:

• 🖥️ Connect both phones to the PC.
• 📁 Copy photos from Xiaomi to any folder on your computer.
• 📱 Open iTunes (or Finder on Mac), select your iPhone and upload photos in the Files section.

⚠️ Note: When copying files with Cyrillic names via Windows (e.g., "Vacation" 2023.jpg") They may not show up correctly on your iPhone.

💡

If you have a Mac, use the Android File Transfer app to access Xiaomi files. It's free and officially supported by Google.

3. Wi-Fi transmission: no wires or clouds

If you don't have cable or slow Internet, a local Wi-Fi network is a good alternative.

• 📶 Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📱 Application for file transfer (such as Send Anywhere or LocalSend).

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on both phones (official website).
2. On Xiaomi, select a photo, click Send and generate a 6-digit code.
3. On iPhone, enter this code in the Receive field.
4. Confirm the transfer – the files will be saved to the iPhone gallery.

Advantages of the method:

• ⚡ Speed up to 10 MB/s (depending on the router).
• 🔒 There are no limits on volume (unlike clouds).
• 📱 No registration required.

Disadvantages:

• 📶 A stable Wi-Fi network is required (transmission will be interrupted if the transmission is interrupted).
• 🔋 The battery charge will last for 1-2 hours of continuous transmission.

4.Use of messengers: fast, but with limitations

If you want to flip a small number of photos (up to 1-2 GB), messengers are the easiest option.

The best choice is Telegram:

1. Create a personal chat with yourself (Saved Messages).
2. On Xiaomi, select a photo in the gallery, click Share → Telegram.
3. Select Saved Messages chat and send files as documents (to avoid compression).
4. On your iPhone, open the same chat and save the photo to the gallery.

WhatsApp and Viber have a similar algorithm, but keep in mind:

• 📉 Quality will deteriorate (especially in photos with text or small details).
• 🕒 When sending a large number of photos, delays are possible.

💡

Messengers are only suitable for 10-20 photos, and use a cloud or cable for archives.

5. Specialized Apps: Move to iOS and Alternatives

Apple’s official app, Move to iOS, promises to transfer data from Android to iPhone, but it doesn’t work well with Xiaomi devices.

• 🚫 Often breaks the connection at the stage of photo transfer.
• 📶 Requires iPhone reset to factory settings.
• 📁 Transfers photos in compressed form (quality as in WhatsApp).

If you decide to try it,

Reset your iPhone to factory settings (Settings) → Mainstream → Transfer or discharge)|Install Move to iOS on Xiaomi from Google Play|Connect both phones to charging|Make sure there is enough space on the iPhone-->

1. At the iPhone setup stage, select Data Transfer from Android.
2. On Xiaomi, open Move to iOS and enter the code from your iPhone.
3. Select Photos and Videos in the Data List for Transfer.
4. Wait until it is completed (may take up to 1 hour per 10 GB).

Alternatives to Move to iOS:

• 📱 Copy My Data – transfers photos without resetting the iPhone, but paid.
• 📱 SHAREit – works on Wi-Fi Direct, but often cuts quality.

⚠️ Note: Apps like SHAREit and Xender can request access to contacts, messages, and geodata!

6. Computer Transfer: For Advanced Users

If you prefer full control of the process, manual porting over a PC is the best option.

• 🔐 Save all metadata (date, geotags, EXIF).
• 📊 The ability to sort photos before the penosom.
• 🛡️ No risk of loss of quality.

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Copy the folder. DCIM/Camera (and other folders with photos on the desktop.
3. Connect your iPhone and open iTunes (or Explorer on Windows 11).
4. In the Photos section, select Sync photos and specify the copied folder.
5. Click Apply – the photo will appear in the gallery of the iPhone.

For Mac, the algorithm is simpler:

• 🖥️ Use Android File Transfer to access Xiaomi.
• 📁 Copy the photo into a folder on your Mac.
• 📱 Open Photos on Mac, import files and sync with iPhone via iCloud.

Warning for Mac users:

⚠️ Note: When importing via Photos on Mac, the file creation date may be lost to the current date. To avoid this, use Image Capture (included in macOS) and select Save Original Files.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have put all the methods in a table with key parameters:

Selection recommendations:

• 📸 Up to 50 photos → Telegram or messengers.
• 📂 1-10 GB → Google Photos and Wi-Fi (Send Anywhere).
• 💾 More than 10GB → cable OTG computer.
• 🔄 We need metadata. → cable or computer.

FAQ: Frequent Questions and Problems