How to quickly transfer a photo from one Xiaomi Redmi phone to another: all the ways 2026

Transferring photos between Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces. Whether you bought a new device, want to share memories with a friend or just reserve photos, there are many options for transferring data. But which one to choose? The speed, convenience and security of files depends on the method - and it is easy to get confused in the settings.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 proven ways to transfer photos between Redmi devices (including the Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 10C, POCO X5, and others). From wireless to wired connections, you’ll learn how to transfer images without loss of quality, even if you don’t have access to the Internet or computer. And we’ll reveal hidden MIUI features that speed up the process by 2-3 times compared to standard methods.

1. Mi Share - a proprietary way from Xiaomi (the fastest)

Mi Share (formerly called Mi Drop) is a MIUI-built solution for instant file transfer between Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices. The main advantage is the speed of up to 10 MB / s (5 times faster than Bluetooth) and no restrictions on file size.

To use Mi Share, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Files app on both phones (or swipe down the screen and find the Mi Share widget).
• 📤 On the sender phone, select photos, click "Share» → «Mi Share».
• 🔍 On the receiver phone, enable visibility in Settings → Connection and sharing → Mi Share.
• 🔗 Confirm the connection on both devices – the transfer will begin automatically.

Important: If Mi Share doesn’t appear on the menu, upgrade to the latest version of MIUI or install the Mi Share app from Google Play (for older models).

Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones |

Update MIUI to the latest version|

Turn off the power saving mode |

Allow access to files in the application settings-->

⚠️ Note: If a transfer is interrupted, check if the antivirus (such as Avast or 360 Security) blocks access to files.

2. Bluetooth is a universal but slow method

Bluetooth is a classic way of sharing data that works on all smartphones, including Xiaomi Redmi. However, it has a significant disadvantage: the transfer speed rarely exceeds 1-2 MB / s, and when sending dozens of photos, the process can take several minutes.

How to transfer photos via Bluetooth:

1. Activate Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Bluetooth).
2. On the sender phone, select a photo → “Share” → “Bluetooth”.
3. Select the recipient device from the list and confirm pairing (you may need to connect the device for the first time). PIN-code, usually 0000 or 1234).
4. Take the file on the second phone.

Tip: To speed up the process, archive the photo in.zip before sending it. To do this, select the pictures in the Files app, click "More" → "Squeeze".

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If Bluetooth is permanently shut down, check your power saving settings: go to Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode and turn off Bluetooth restrictions.

3. Wi-Fi Direct - Mi Share alternative for older models

If your Redmi doesn’t support Mi Share (like the Redmi 4X or Redmi Note 5), use Wi-Fi Direct, which creates a direct network between phones, delivering speeds of up to 8MB/s.

Instructions for setting:

• 📶 On the sender phone: Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct (or settings) → Connection and sharing → Wi-Fi Direct).
• 🔍 On the Recipient Phone: Enable Device Search in the Same Menu.
• 🔗 Connect to the device found (no password required).
• 📤 Send a photo through the "Share" menu» → «Wi-Fi Direct».

The advantage of Wi-Fi Direct over Bluetooth is the lack of quality loss during transmission RAW-High-resolution photos or images (e.g., with Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ 200 MP).

4. Cloud services: Mi Cloud, Google Photos, Yandex.Disk

If you have access to the Internet, cloud storage is one of the most reliable ways to transfer photos. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud service with 5 GB of free space, but for large libraries it is better to use Google Photos (free up to 15 GB in high quality) or Yandex.Disk (10 GB).

Instructions for Mi Cloud:

1. Register for Mi on both phones (Settings → Mi Account).
2. On the sender phone: Gallery → Select a photo → Share → Mi Cloud → Download.
3. On the receiver phone: open Mi Cloud → Photo → Download and download files.

Warning: When downloading to Mi Cloud, photos are compressed to 2048×2048 (if Storage Optimization is enabled). To avoid loss of quality, turn it off in the cloud settings.

Mi Cloud|Google Photo|Yandex.Disk.|iCloud|Other-->

5. Wired connection: OTG-cable

To transfer a large amount of photos (for example, 500)+ The most reliable way to use the images is the use of OTG-This guarantees 100% quality and speed up to 40 MB/s (when using a cable or computer). USB 3.0).

Method 1: OTG-cable (direct phone-to-phone connection)

• 🔌 Buy it. OTG-plug-in USB-C (Micro-USB for older models).
• 📱 Connect one phone to another via cable.
• 📁 On the sender phone, select the "File Transfer" mode» (USB for transmitting files in the notification curtain).
• 🔍 On the receiving phone, open the files → USB-device and copy the photos.

Method 2: Through a computer (Windows/macOS/Linux)

1. Connect both phones to the PC.
2. On each device, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
3. Open this computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS), find the DCIM or Pictures folders.
4. Drag the photo from one phone to another.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through OTG Make sure the receiver phone has enough battery power.Some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) They can be discharged faster due to the power of the second device.

6. Messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber

If you need to send a few photos urgently, and there are no other ways you can get them, messengers will do, but there are limitations to this method:

• 📉 WhatsApp and Viber are compressing photos to 1280×1280 (loss).
• 📊 Telegram retains original quality, but limits the file size to 2 GB (for channels – 200 MB).
• ⏳ Speed depends on the Internet connection.

How to send a photo without compression in Telegram:

1. Open a chat with yourself (Saved Messages).
2. Click Paperclip → File and select a photo (not through Gallery, otherwise there will be compression!).
3. Download the file to the second phone.

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To transfer without loss of quality, use Telegram in File mode, not Photo.

7 Special Applications: Send Anywhere, Xender, SHAREit

Third-party apps often offer more flexible settings than built-in MIUI tools. For example, Send Anywhere allows you to transfer files over a 6-digit key without registering, and Xender supports cross-platform sharing (including iPhone and PC).

Top.-3 photo-transfer applications:

Warning: Some apps (e.g. SHAREit) may request excessive permissions (access to contacts, SMS).

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi Redmi