How to quickly transfer photos from Xiaomi phone to your computer: all ways (2026)

Transfer photos from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It seems like a simple task to get to a computer — you don't have connection errors, slow transmissions, or format incompatibility — in 2026, users have at least 7 working synchronization methods, but each of them has nuances, from transfer speeds to operating system requirements. For example, direct USB-cable remains the most reliable method, but only if you properly configure the data mode in the phone, and cloud services like Mi Cloud or Google Photos save time, but are limited by the amount of free storage.

In this article, we will analyze all current methods - from the classical connection through the MTP-protocol to little-known tricks with FTP-We will pay special attention to the typical problems: why the computer does not see the phone through the phone USB, How to circumvent restrictions MIUI pass on RAW-So, what do you do when you're copying your photos in low resolution, and for convenience, we've compiled a comparative table of speed and compatibility for each method, which will help you choose the best option for your tasks.

Transfer through USB-cable: step-by-step instruction

The most versatile way, which works on all Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 7 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra) and does not require Internet connection. However, many users are faced with the fact that the computer does not recognize the device – the problem is often the wrong connection mode or outdated drivers.

To avoid errors, follow the algorithm:

• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable (cheap Chinese cords often don’t support data transfer).
• 📱 On the phone screen, select File Transfer Mode (MTP) (Not "charging!" MIUI 14+ This item may be called a file manager.
• 🖥️ On your computer, open This computer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). The phone should appear as a removable disk.
• 📁 Go to the folder. DCIM → Camera (or Pictures for screenshots) and copy files.

Use the original Xiaomi cable|Update. MIUI last-minute|Install the drivers. ADB (Windows)|Unlock the phone screen before connecting-->

An important nuance for Windows 10/11: If the phone is not identified, check Device Manager for an exclamation mark next to the MTP-The device:

1. Right-click on the device → Update the driver.
2. Select Search for drivers on this computer.
3. Specify the path to the folder with Xiaomi drivers (usually they are installed automatically when you first connect).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 12+ When you first connect to a new PC, you may need to confirm a trusted device. Without this, access to files will be blocked!

2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (FTP-server)

If USB-cable is lost or you want to transfer photos without wires, you can start FTP-This method works on all Xiaomi models and does not require installation of additional programs on a PC. The transfer speed depends on the router: on Wi-Fi 6 (for example, on Xiaomi 13 Pro), it reaches 50-70 MB / s, and on old standards (Wi-Fi 4) - 10-20 MB / s.

Instructions for MIUI:

• 📱 Open the File Application (or File Manager).
• 🔍 Go to section. FTP (on some firmware it is hidden - tap on three points in the upper right corner).
• 🔄 Press Launch. FTP-- Remember the address of the view. ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
• 🖥️ On your computer, open the Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and enter this address in the address bar.

To speed up the process:

• 🚀 Connect your phone and PC to a single 5GHz network (faster than 2.4GHz).
• 🔒 Turn it off. VPN On both devices, it can block local connection.
• 📶 If the server is disconnected by itself – check the settings of energy saving. MIUI (Disable optimization for the Files application).

3. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Photos

Cloud storage is convenient for regular backup or transfer photos to multiple devices. However, each service has pitfalls: Mi Cloud is integrated into MIUI, but offers only 5 GB for free (versus 15 GB for Google Photos), and Google Photos compresses images when choosing the High Quality option.

Mi Cloud:

• 📱 Enable synchronization in Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery.
• 🖥️ Go to i.mi.com from your computer and download photos.
• ⚠️ If photos are not uploaded, check if Wi-Fi Sync is enabled in your account settings.

Google Photos:

• 📱 Install the app, log in to your Google account and enable autoboot.
• 🖥️ Open photos.google.com, select a photo and click Download.
• 🔍 To download the originals, select Original Quality in Storage Settings.

💡

If you want to download a lot of photos from Google Photos, use Google Takeout – the service allows you to export the entire gallery to the archive at a time.

⚠️ Note: When using Google Photos in High Quality mode, photos with a resolution above 16 MP will be compressed! This is critical for owners of Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 200 and 50 MP cameras, respectively.

Snapdrop and AirDroid: Transfer without registration

Services like Snapdrop and AirDroid allow you to transfer files directly in the browser without installing programs, the main advantage is cross-platform (works even on Linux), and the disadvantage is the limitation on file size (usually up to 1-2 GB at a time).

Snapdrop (recommended):

1. Open snapdrop.net on your phone and computer (in one Wi-Fi).
2. On the phone, select a photo in the gallery → Share → Snapdrop.
3. On the PC, confirm the file's acceptance.

AirDroid:

• 📱 Install AirDroid from Google Play.
• 🖥️ Register at web.airdroid.com.
• 🔗 Connect the devices to QR-login.

💡

Snapdrop does not require registration and operates over a local area network, making it the fastest and safest way among wireless alternatives.

5. Bluetooth transmission (only for individual files)

Bluetooth is suitable for 1-2 photos, but is categorically inefficient for large volumes: speeds rarely exceed 1-2 MB / s, and on Windows, pairing errors often occur.

How do I tell you?

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone (Settings → Bluetooth) and PC.
2. Connect the devices (confirm the code on the phone).
3. In the gallery, select a photo → Share → Bluetooth → select a computer.
4. On PC, confirm the file acceptance (in Windows, files are saved in Downloads).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 When transmitted via Bluetooth, photos are automatically converted to JPEG quality ~85%. RAW-Files (for example, with Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) will not be transmitted!

6 Special programs: Mi PC Suite and alternatives

Xiaomi’s official software, the Mi PC Suite, simplifies file management but is unstable on newer versions of MIUI. Alternatives like Xiaomi ADB/Fastboot Tools or Scrcpy are more suitable for advanced users, but bypass the limitations of standard methods.

Mi PC Suite:

• 📥 Download the program from the official website.
• 🔌 Put the phone on. USB and select the File Transfer Mode.
• 📁 In the program, go to the Files section. → DCIM.

For experienced users, ADB:

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/ C:\Photos\Xiaomi

This command will copy all the photos from the Camera folder to the specified directory on the PC.

• Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times) → Additional → For Developers.
• Install ADB drivers on the PC.

7 Problems and Solutions: Why are photos not shared?

Even with the right settings, the photo transfer can be interrupted.-5 causes and solutions:

Exclusive lifehack for Xiaomi: If the phone is not defined in any way, try developer mode → USB default configuration → select File Transfer (MTP).

FAQ: Frequent questions