How to transfer photos from Xiaomi phone to computer: all the ways of 2026

Transferring photos from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO to your computer seems like a simple task — until you encounter connection errors, slow speeds or protocol incompatibility. In 2026, users have at least 7 working ways of transferring, but each of them has nuances, from MIUI limitations on access to files to driver problems on Windows 11. This article will help you choose the best method depending on your phone model, data volume and technical capabilities.

We tested all the methods on current devices – from the budget Redmi 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra – and found that transferring over USB-C 3.1 to a PC with Thunderbolt 4 is 3-5 times faster than on Wi-Fi Direct, but requires the correct configuration of the connection mode in MIUI. And cloud services, despite the convenience, can block the download of files larger than 15 GB without a paid subscription. Below are detailed instructions with explanations of the “pitfalls” of each method.

Transfer through USB-cable: step-by-step setting for MIUI

The most reliable way, but often users are faced with the fact that the computer “can’t see” the phone or offers only charging, the problem lies in the MIUI settings: by default, Xiaomi smartphones block access to files via USB for security.

1. Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable (cheap analogues may not support data transfer). Use the USB 3.0 port on your computer for maximum speed.
2. The phone will display a notification “Charge via USB” and tap it and select File Transfer (or MTP).
3. If the option is inactive, go to Settings → Connections & Sharing → USB and enable USB Debugging (older versions of MIUI may require Developer Mode activation via 7 taps on the build number in About Phone).

On Windows 11/10, the phone will appear as a removable disk in this computer. Open the Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera folder, which stores all the photos taken by the regular camera.

• 📁 Use Total Commander or FastCopy instead of standard conductor – they support multithreaded copying.
• ⚡ Connect the phone to the port USB 3.1 Gen 2 (speeds up to 10 Gbps) instead USB 2.0 (480 Mbps).
• 🔄 If the transmission is interrupted, disable Battery Optimization for Media app in the settings MIUI.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi models 13T And newer, when you first connect to a PC, you may need to confirm access through Mi Account. If you don't have a Mi Account set up, the system will block file transfers.

Use the original Xiaomi cable|Set the regimen on MTP notice-curtain|Disable battery optimization for Media"|Check the drivers on your PC (install Mi if necessary) PC Suite)-->

2 Wireless Wi-Fi transmission: When the cable is not at hand

If you do not have a cable or need to transfer a photo to a laptop without USB-Ports, use built-in functions MIUI It's a little bit slower than a third-party application. USB (speedily ~5–10 MB/s, but does not require physical connection.

Method 1: Built-in FTP-server MIUI

The feature is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and newer:

1. Open the File Explorer (File app) on your phone.
2. Go to the FTP section (Network tab at the bottom of the screen).
3. Click Start Server and write down the address of the view ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On a PC, open Windows Explorer, enter the address in the address bar and press Enter.

Method 2: Send Anywhere (Snapdrop)

The third-party services are convenient for a single transfer of a small number of files:

• 🌐 Snapdrop works through a browser (no need to install the application). Open snapdrop.net on your phone and PC, select files and confirm the transfer.
• 📲 Send Anywhere – supports transfer of folders up to 10 GB without registration. Generate a 6-digit code on your phone and enter it on your PC.
• ⚡ LocalSend is an open-source analogue of AirDrop for Android/Windows. It works on a local network without the Internet.

⚠️ Note: When transmitting over Wi-Fi on models POCO F5 Redmi Note 12 Pro+ can trigger a constraint MIUI To avoid a cliff, turn off Adaptive Battery Savings in the battery settings.

FTP-server MIUI|Send Anywhere|Snapdrop|LocalSend|Other-->

3. Cloud services: pros and cons for Xiaomi users

Cloud storage is convenient for backup, but has limitations, such as Google Photos compresses images when downloading free, while Mi Cloud is only available to Mi Account holders and is limited to 5GB of free space.

Comparison of cloud services for Xiaomi

• ☁️ Mi Cloud - integrated into MIUI, It automatically syncs photos from the gallery.
• 📷 Google Photos - free to store photos in "high quality" (compressed to 16 MP). Plus: convenient search by objects in pictures.
• 💾 Yandex Drive – gives 10GB for free, but the Android app can slow down on weak smartphones (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3).
• 🌍 Mega – 20 GB free, but encrypts files only when manually downloaded via the browser.

To upload the photo to the cloud:

1. Open the cloud service app on your phone.
2. Select the Camera or DCIM folder from the download menu.
3. On PC, log into the same account through a browser or desktop application and download files.

For automatic sync in Google Photos:

1. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
2. Enable the Backup option and select Original Quality (if you need to keep the original resolution).

4. Memory card transfer: Is it relevant in 2026?

Many Xiaomi models (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO X5 Pro) support microSD cards up to 1TB. Transferring a photo to a card and then connecting it to a PC via a card reader can be faster than USB if:

• 🔹 You're using the map. UHS-II (speed of reading up to 300 MB/s).
• 🔹 Your computer is equipped with a card reader. USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt.
• 🔹 Photos are stored on the default map (check in camera settings: Storage) → Memory map).

If the photos are stored in internal memory, transfer them to the map first:

1. Open Explorer on your phone, find the DCIM folder.
2. Select files, click Copy and select the memory card as your destination.
3. Remove the card (pre-mounted it in the storage settings) and paste into the card reader of the PC.

⚠️ Note: On phones with dynamic memory (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) Some of the internal memory can be emulated as a memory card, in which case, retrieving the map through the settings will result in data loss!

💡

If the card reader does not define the microSD, try formatting it to exFAT via your phone (Settings → Storage → Format as internal memory → exFAT).

5.Using Mi PC Suite: The Official Solution from Xiaomi

Mi PC Suite is a proprietary utility for managing Xiaomi smartphones from a PC, which allows you not only to transfer files, but also to install firmware, back up data and manage messages.

• ⚠️ Unstable on Windows 11 (may require Core Isolation protection to be disabled).
• ⚠️ Doesn't support models POCO past 2021.
• ⚠️ Transmission speed is limited ~15 MB/s even for USB 3.0.

To transfer the photo to the Mi PC Suite:

1. Download the utility from the official website and install.
2. Connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer mode.
3. In the program, go to the Files → Internal Storage → DCIM tab.
4. Select the desired photos and click Export on PC.

If the Mi PC Suite does not recognize the device:

• 🔌 Reinstall the driver through Device Manager (update) ADB Interface and MTP Device).
• 🔄 Turn on Developer Mode and activate Debugging by USB.
• 🖥️ Run the program on behalf of the administrator (right click on the shortcut) → Launch on behalf of the administrator).

💡

Mi PC Suite is convenient for backup, but for regular photo transfer it is better to use USB in MTP or FTP-server mode.

6. Alternative methods: for experienced users

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on custom firmware or after resetting), try these options:

Method 1: ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

It allows you to copy files through the command line. It requires USB debugging enabled:

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

Where C:\Photos\Xiaomi is a folder on the PC to save photos.

Method 2: Streaming on DLNA

If you want to quickly show a photo on a large screen without copying:

1. Install the BubbleUPnP app on your phone.
2. On PC, open a player with DLNA support (such as VLC).
3. In BubbleUPnP, select a folder with a photo and send it to your PC via Render.

Method 3: SSH-server (for root users)

If you have root access, you can set up SSH-server via Termux:

pkg install openssh


sshd

Then connect to your phone via IP via WinSCP or FileZilla.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

Even with the right settings, Xiaomi users face typical problems:

If none of the methods worked, reset the network settings on your phone:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
2. Confirm the reset and restart the device.
3. Repeat the connection attempt.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions