How to transfer photos from the phone Xiaomi Redmi 4X on the computer: all working methods

Transfer of photos with Xiaomi Redmi 4X It may seem like a trivial task on a computer, but in practice, users face unexpected challenges: outdated drivers, incorrect connection settings, or operating system limitations. MIUI This article will not just list the ways, it will analyze each method according to the specifics of the Redmi model. 4X (codenamed Santoni, its version of Android 6.0/7.1 and the specifics of the work with Windows/macOS/Linux.

We will pay special attention to the problems characteristic of this model: why the computer does not see the phone as a drive, how to circumvent the restrictions. MTP-protocol in older versions MIUI, What alternative methods are guaranteed to work even in case of failure USB-If you tried to copy the photo through a wire, but you got an error "Device not recognized" or "MTP-The device is not installed – here you will find solutions.

Transfer through USB-cable: step-by-step instructions with Redmi bugs in mind 4X

The most obvious way to connect your phone to your PC via cable often fails due to Redmi features. 4X. The problem lies in unstable work. MTP-Media Transfer Protocol based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and MIUI 8/9. Here's how to do it right:

First, prepare the phone:

• 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit – cheap analogues often do not transmit data, only charge.
• 📱 Unlock the phone screen and open the notification curtain – there will be an option “Charge through” USB".
• 🔄 Click on the notification and select "File Transfer" (MTP). If this paragraph is not - see the block "What to do if there is no mode" MTP" below.
• 🔒 Some of the scalings require permission to USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers.

On the computer:

• 🖥️ Windows 10/11 It's usually installed automatically. If the phone isn't detected, download Mi. PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi).
• 🐧 On Linux, install mtp-tools and libmtp via the terminal: sudo apt install mtp-tools libmtp-common
• 🍎 MacOS will require Android File Transfer (download from the official website).

Use the original cable|Unlock the phone screen|Select the "File Transfer" mode in the curtain|Install Mi. PC Suite (for Windows)|Update drivers manually (if necessary)

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Once connected, open "This Computer" (Windows) or "Android File Transfer" (macOS). 4X It should be displayed as a removable disk. Path to photo: Internal memory → DCIM → Camera or SD-map → DCIM.

⚠️ If the process of copying files freezes by 99%, turn off optimization MIUI In Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization and Select “No Limits” for Media Storage".

2. Alternative methods if USB doesn't work

If the computer is not able to see Redmi 4X You can't be quick to blame the phone:

• 🔌 Damaged port. USB on your phone or PC (try another connector).
• 🛠️ Driver conflict (especially if other Xiaomis have been connected before).
• 📵 Blocking MIUI — Some of the firmwares are limited MTP battery-saving.

In such cases, one of the alternative methods will help:

Transmission over Wi-Fi (without wires)

This method will require the Mi Drop application (pre-installed on the MIUI) Send Anywhere (from Google Play:

1. Install Send Anywhere on your phone and computer.
2. On the phone, select a photo. → "Send" → "Send Anywhere".
3. A 6-digit code or QR is generated.
4. On PC, enter the code in the web version of the service (send-anywhere.com) or in the desktop application.

Transmission speed: ~5-10 MB/s (depends on the router) Suitable for 100-200 photo.

2.2 Cloud Services: Google Photos vs Mi Cloud

Google Photos is a universal option:

• 📱 Install the app on Redmi 4X and enable "Backup".
• 🖥️ On PC, open photos.google.com – all photos will be there.
• ⚠️ Restriction: Free only 15 GB (total limit of Google Drive).

Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud) is a lesser known but reliable way to:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud.
• 📷 Enable "Synchronization of the gallery".
• 🖥️ On PC, open i.mi.com → "gallery".
• ✅ Plus: 5GB free, photos are not compressed.

Through USB-cable|Wi-Fi (Send Anywhere, Mi Drop)|Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)|Bluetooth|Another way.

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Bluetooth: Slowly but without internet

If you need to pass 5-10 cable-free photo:

1. 📱 On the phone: Settings → Bluetooth → insert.
2. 🖥️ On PC: enable Bluetooth (in Windows via "Settings" → Devices").
3. 🔗 Compatible devices (confirmation code is usually 0000 or 1234).
4. 📷 In the gallery of the phone, select a photo → "Share" → "Bluetooth".

⚠️ Cons: speed ~1 MB/s, maximum file size — 10-50 MB (depends on the Bluetooth version).

3 Problem Solving: The computer doesn't see Redmi 4X

If you are connected through USB Your phone is not defined as a storage device, follow these steps:

Critical feature of Redmi 4X: firmware MIUI 8th regime MTP It's disabled by default and doesn't appear in the notification curtain. To turn it on, go to Settings. → Additionally. → Regime. USB and choose "MTP". If this item is not - update the firmware to MIUI 9+.

4. Transmission of photo with SD-maps: nuances for Redmi 4X

Redmi 4X Supports microSD up to 128GB, but there are pitfalls when working with a memory card:

• 📁 The default photo is stored to internal memory. To change the path, open the Camera. → "Settings" → "Memory" → choose "SD-map".
• 🔄 If the card is formatted as internal memory (Adoptable Storage function), the computer will only see it in mode. MTP, but not as a disc.
• 🚫 Don't take it out. SD-card during transfer – this can damage the file system (especially if the card is formatted in exFAT).

To copy the photo from SD-PC-card:

1. Connect the phone in MTP mode.
2. On the computer, open "This computer" → "Redmi 4X" → "SD-map" → "DCIM".
3. If the folder DCIM Empty – check the camera settings (see paragraph 1 above).

⚠️ Attention: If SD-The card is formatted as a portable storage device, and you can take it out and paste it into the card reader of your computer, but if it's used as an internal memory, the extraction will cause the system to crash!

5 Automation: synchronization of photos without manual copying

If you are tired of manually throwing photos, set up automatic synchronization:

5.1 Google Photos with Auto-Loading

Advantages:

• 📸 Infinite storage for high quality photos (compression up to 16 MP).
• 🔍 Convenient search by persons, places, objects.
• 🖥️ Access to any device via photos.google.com.

How to set up:

1. Install Google Photos from Google Play.
2. Launch the application → "For you" → "Backup settings".
3. Enable Backup and Sync and select High Quality (free) or Original (counted from 15GB).
4. Specify which folders to sync (for example, Camera and Screenshots only).

5.2. Mi Cloud with autoboot

Mi Cloud is less popular, but better integrated with the MIUI:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Mi Account. → Mi Cloud → gallery.
• 🔄 Enable "Automatic synchronization".
• 🖥️ Photos will be available at i.mi.com in the Gallery section".

⚠️ Restriction: Free only 5GB, but photos are not compressed (unlike Google Photos).

Syncthing: Private sync without clouds

If you don’t trust cloud services, use Syncthing, an open source software for synchronizing files over a local network:

1. Install Syncthing on PC and phone (there is an Android version).
2. Add a folder with a photo (for example, /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera) Syncthing on your phone.
3. On the PC, specify the target folder (for example, D:\Xiaomi Photos).
4. Connect your devices to a single Wi-Fi network and sync will start automatically.

✅ Pros: there are no limits on the volume, data does not go to the Internet.

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If Syncthing can't see the phone, check that Redmi is on the phone. 4X Enabled Developer Mode and allowed Local Network in Syncthing settings.

6. Backup photo before resetting or selling phone

If you are planning to drop the Redmi 4X To the factory settings or sell it, be sure to save the photo. Regular copying on a PC does not guarantee safety - files can be damaged or lost. Use double backup:

1. Local copy: copy the photo to your PC and external hard drive.
2. Cloud Copy: Upload photos to Google Photos and Mi Cloud (in case one service crashes).
3. Check: Open a few random photos on your PC to make sure they are intact.

For complete confidence, use the utility ADB (Android Debug Bridge):

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera D:\Redmi4X_Backup

This command will copy all the photos from the Camera folder to the folder D:\Redmi4X_Backup PC-only. ADB circumvention MIUI It can also copy hidden files.

⚠️ Note: After resetting settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Recovery and reset) all photos on internal memory will be deleted without recovery! SD-Remove it before resetting the map.

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Use at least two independent methods for reliable backup (e.g, USB + cloud).

7.Photo optimization before transfer

If you need to save space on your PC or speed up transfers, optimize your photos directly on Redmi. 4X:

• 📏 Size resizing: Use the Photo Compress (Google Play) app to reduce resolution. 12 MPP (4000×3000) before 2 MPP (1600×1200) — The weight of the file will decrease in 10 once.
• 🗑️ Removing duplicates: Files by Google will find duplicate or blurred photos.
• 🎨 Conversion to JPEG: photo-format HEIC (It is rare but occurs, use it. HEIC to JPG Converter for conversion.

For batch processing on PC:

• 🖥️ FastStone Photo Resizer (Windows) – Change the size of hundreds of photos in a few clicks.
• 🐧 ImageMagick (Linux/macOS) — console utility for mass compression: mogrify -resize 50% -quality 85 *.jpg (reduces the size in 2 time and compress with quality 85%).

FAQ: Frequent questions about sharing photos with Redmi 4X