How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to Xiaomi: all ways without loss

Transferring photos between Xiaomi smartphones only seems trivial at first glance.In practice, users face speed limits, loss of quality or compatibility problems between models of different generations - from Redmi Note 7 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer photos, including little-known Mi Share chips and optimization for large archives (10,000+ images).

Special attention will be paid to the preservation of EXIF-data (meta-information about the location and time of shooting), which is often lost when transmitted via messengers, and also understand how to circumvent the MIUI restriction to send file packets over 500 MB. All methods are tested on current firmware HyperOS and MIUI 14/15.

1.Mi Share is Xiaomi’s built-in Internet-free transmission tool

Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi, optimized for file sharing between the brand’s devices. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which guarantees speeds up to 10-15 MB / s (3-5 times faster than Bluetooth) and no quality losses.

To take advantage of the function:

• 📱 Open the Files app on both smartphones → Go to the tab Transmit.
• 🔄 On the sender device, select photos, click Send → Mi Share.
• 🔍 On the second phone, confirm the receipt of files in the notification that appears.
• 🔗 Wait for the connection to be created (usually takes 5-10 seconds) and the transfer to start.

Limitations of the method:

• ⚠️ Maximum size of one package - 1 GB (if exceeded, break files into parts).
• ⚠️ On older models (Redmi) 5/6) may require an update MIUI beforehand 12+.
• ⚠️ When transferring between Xiaomi and POCO Sometimes resets the connection – restart Mi Share on both devices.

Turn off the power saving mode on both phones

Make sure that the distance between the devices does not exceed 5 meters.

Close background applications that use Wi-Fi (e.g. YouTube)

Make sure there is enough space on the receiving phone (Mi Share doesn't show a warning!)

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2. Cloud services: Xiaomi Cloud vs Google Photos

Cloud storage is convenient for transferring large amounts of photos (for example, the entire gallery), but has nuances with image compression and free space limits.

Instructions for Xiaomi Cloud:

1. On the sender phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery → turn on synchronization.
2. Wait for the photo to be uploaded (progress is displayed in notifications).
3. On the second phone, log in to the same Xiaomi account and download files through Mi Cloud → Gallery.

⚠️ Note: If you use Google Photos in Original Quality mode, the free 15GB will run out quickly. To save space, archive your photos in the photo before uploading. ZIP via Files application (option to Compress in the menu of allocated files).

Xiaomi Cloud

Google Photo

Yandex Disc.

iCloud (for iPhone owners)

Another option-->

3. Transmission via OTG cable: for large archives without loss

If you need to transfer tens of gigabytes of photos (for example, from Xiaomi Mi 11 to Xiaomi) 13T), The most reliable way is to connect the phones directly through the OTG-adapter (or cable) USB-C to USB-C). This method:

• 🚀 It guarantees speeds up to 40-60 MB/s (4 times faster than Mi Share).
• 🔒 It stores all metadata, including EXIF, Live Photos and Albums.
• 📁 Allows you to selectively copy folders (e.g., Camera or Screenshots only).

Step-by-step:

1. Buy it. OTG-adapter (stands) ~200–300 ₽) cable USB-C to USB-C supportive OTG.
2. Connect the adapter to the receiver phone and the second end to the source phone.
3. The source phone will display a notification “USB is used for file transfer” – click on it and select File Transfer (MTP).
4. On the receiver phone, open the Files app → USB-drive and copy the required folders.

Tips for speeding up the process:

• 🔋 Connect both phones to charge – transferring large volumes drains the battery.
• 📂 Pre-sort photos by folder (for example, by year) – so it is easier to control the process.
• 🔄 If the transmission is interrupted, try another cable (cheap). OTG-Adapters may overheat).

4. Messengers and social networks: a fast, but not safe way

You can send photos via Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber in a couple of clicks, but this method is only suitable for a small number of pictures (up to 50-100 pieces).

• 📉 Quality compression – messengers automatically reduce the resolution (for example, Telegram compresses the photo to the maximum resolution). 1200px long-sided).
• 🕒 File size limit: WhatsApp has a maximum of 16MB per photo, Viber has a maximum of 200MB per packet.
• 🔍 Loss of loss EXIF-Data – geotags and shooting times are often reset.

If you still decide to use the messenger, follow these rules:

• 📎 In Telegram, send photos as a file (not as an image) – so they will not shrink.
• 🔗 In WhatsApp, use the Document function to transfer originals.
• 📂 For a package, archive the photo in ZIP (through the Files → Select → Squeeze).

⚠️ Note: Never send it through messengers RAW-files (expanded.DNG or.ARW) — They will turn into unreadable broken files. For those formats, use Mi Share or OTG-cable.

5. Local area network (FTP/HTTP-server: for advanced users

If both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, you can organize the transfer through the built-in FTP-server HTTP-This is a useful way to do things when you're sharing:

• 🌐 You need to transfer photos to multiple devices at the same time.
• 📡 Internet speed is slow and Mi Share is not stable.
• 🔧 Access to files from a PC is required (for example, for backups).

Instructions for FTP-server (through the Files application):

1. On the sender phone, open the files → Network → FTP-server.
2. Click Launch and the address of the view ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx appears.
3. Set the second phone up. FTP-client (e.g. Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer) and connect to the specified address.
4. Copy the desired files to the local storage.

For HTTP-Sharing (without additional applications):

1. In the Files, highlight the photos. → Share. → HTTP-server.
2. A link is generated – open it on the second phone in the browser.
3. Download files through the web interface.

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If FTP-The server is not running, check if the firewall is blocking it. MIUI. To do this, go to the Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Autostart and enable the option for the Files application.

6. Solving problems: why photos are not transmitted or quality is spoiled

Even with proven methods, users are faced with common errors, and we will discuss the most common ways to eliminate them:

If none of the methods work, check:

• 📱 Version MIUI — on firmware older than 2020 (MIUI 11 and below) may not have current transmission protocols.
• 🛠️ Developer settings – sometimes enabling the debugging option helps USB (even for wireless transmission).
• 🔄 Network reset – if you have a problem with Mi Share or FTP, Reset network settings in Settings → SIM-maps and networks → Resetting Wi-Fi settings.

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To transfer photos between Xiaomi and POCO (or other sub-brands), use Mi Share – it works more stable than universal solutions like Nearby Share from Google.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions