How to quickly transfer information from Xiaomi to your computer: USB, Wi-Fi, cloud and hidden features MIUI

Transferring data from your smartphone to your PC is a challenge that every Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO user faces. Whether you want to free up your device’s memory, back up important files, or just edit your big screen photos, there are plenty of options, but not all of them are equally convenient: you’ll have to mess with drivers, wait for a cloud download, and sometimes even face connection errors.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods - from the classical USB-cable to little-known functions MIUI, We'll focus on speed, data security, and solutions to common problems (like when a computer can't see a phone), and then we'll end with a method comparison table so you can choose the best one for your task.

If you're a Mac user, don't miss the Android File Transfer section, which has nuances that are rarely reported to owners of older models (e.g. Redmi). 4X or Mi A1) You will need advice on setting up MTP-And for those of you who value privacy, we're going to show you how to get away from the cloud and transfer files directly over the local network.

We warn you that not all methods are equally fast, for example, transferring 10 GB of photos over the Mi Cloud can take hours, while the transfer of photos over the Mi Cloud can take many hours. USB-It takes 10 to 15 minutes for cable, but it saves the cloud if you don't have a wire!

1. Classical method: transfer through USB-cable

The most reliable and fast method is to connect your phone to your PC through USB-But even here, there are pitfalls, from the lack of drivers to the wrong mode of data transfer.

Check the cable first: often the problem lies in cheap, unoriginal cords that only support charging, not data transfer. - Xiaomi's original cables (especially the one with the kit) POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12) If you're using a cable from another device, make sure it supports it. USB 2.0/3.0 He has all the necessary contacts.

Next is the phone settings:

1. Connect your phone to your PC with a cable.
2. On the screen of the phone will appear a notification “Charge via USB” – tap it.
3. Select the "File Transfer" mode" (MTP). If this item is not, go to Settings. → Connections and sharing → USB and turn on MTP manually.
4. On a PC, open either “This Computer” (Windows) or Android File Transfer (Mac) – the phone should appear as a removable drive.

If the computer does not see the device:

Check the cable on another device

Install Mi drivers PC Suite (from official website)

Restart your phone and PC

Try another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0)

Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times, then return to Additional → For Developers)

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The transfer speed depends on the USB version:

• 🔌 USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps (~60 MB/s – suitable for photos and documents.
• ⚡ USB 3.0/3.1: before 5–10 Gbps (~600–1200 MB/s – perfect for video 4K and large archives.

Important: Some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro) may require unlocking the screen to confirm a trusted device when they first connect.

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To speed up copying, archive the folders with photo / video directly on the phone (for example, in.zip) – so the files will be transferred in a single block, without delay for each individual element.

2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (without cable)

If you're not on hand USB-And if you're a cable user, or you're a frequent file transferer, Wi-Fi methods will come to the rescue, slower than wired connections, but more convenient for regular use. MIUI and third-party applications.

Method 1: Built-in "Fast Exchange" (Mi Share) This method only works between Xiaomi devices or with a Windows PC 10/11 Mi-fixed PC Suite.

1. On the phone, open Settings. → Connections and sharing → Quick exchange.
2. Turn on the function and select "Send".
3. Select files (photos, videos, documents) and click "Send".
4. On PC, open Mi. PC Suite, go to the section "Fast Exchange" and confirm acceptance.

Speed depends on the router: on Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) — up to 30–50 MB/s, on Wi-Fi 6 – up to 80–100 MB/s. But keep in mind: when transferring large files (>1 GB) connection may be interrupted.

Method 2: Applications like LocalSend or Snapdrop

• 📱 Install LocalSend (available on Google Play) on your phone.
• 💻 Open the LocalSend web version on PC (works in the browser without installation).
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📤 On your phone, select files. → "Send" → Select a PC from the list.

LocalSend has the advantage of having no file size restrictions (unlike Mi Share, where the limit is 1GB), and works on any device, including Mac and Linux.

USB-cable

Mi Share (built-in exchange)

LocalSend/Snapdrop

Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)

Don't transfer files to PCs.-->

3. Cloud Storage: Mi Cloud, Google Drive and Alternatives

Cloud services are convenient for backups, but have two downsides: speed limits (especially at free rates) and privacy risks.However, this is the only way to migrate data if the phone is physically unavailable (for example, lost but synced to the cloud).

Mi Cloud is a proprietary solution from Xiaomi that automatically saves:

• 📸 Photo and video (if the "Upload" function is enabled in the Gallery) → Settings → Mi Cloud).
• 📞 Contacts, notes, SMS (synchronized into settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud).
• 📁 System backups (full backup in Settings) → Additionally. → Backup and reset).

How to download files on PC:

1. Go to the Mi Cloud website and log in.
2. Select a section (such as "Gallery" or "Files").
3. Mark the desired items and click "Download".

The limitations of Mi Cloud:

• 📉 Free available only 5 GB (to expand you need to pay).
• 🔒 Files are encrypted, but Xiaomi can theoretically access them (see privacy policy).

Alternatives:

• 📁 Google Drive: 15GB free, but syncing photos through Google Photos compresses the originals.

4. Transfer of contacts, SMS Notes (export to readable format)

Photos and videos are easy, but contacts, messages and notes often have problems. Xiaomi stores them in proprietary formats, so it will take additional steps to migrate to the PC.

Contact:

• 📱 Open the "Contact" appendix" → "Contact management" → "Imports/Exports".
• 📤 Select "Export to file" →.vcf format (universal for importing to Outlook, Gmail or Excel).
• 💾 The file will be saved in the Download folder - transfer it to the PC in any convenient way (USB, email, cloud).

SMS and call log:

V MIUI No built-in exports SMS, But you can use third-party applications:

• 📲 SMS Backup & Restore (save to.xml or.csv).
• 📧 SMS to Email (sending messages to the mail).

Call Logs Backup & Restore is available.

Notes:

Annex “Notes” to the MIUI It syncs with Mi Cloud, but you can't export notes manually:

1. Sync notes with Mi Cloud.
2. On PC, open note.mi.com and manually copy the text.
3. Or use Google Keep (there is export in.docx).

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For a full backup. SMS and calls before resetting your phone use Mi Mover (built into Settings) → Additionally. → Backup – it stores data in an encrypted archive.

5. Data portability to Mac: features and solutions to problems

Mac users often find that Xiaomi’s phone is not defined as a removable drive, due to the lack of support. MTP It's just a simple solution in macOS out of the box:

Method 1: Android File Transfer (official solution)

1. Download Android File Transfer from Google.
2. Connect your phone to your Mac via USB, select mode MTP.
3. Run the program - it will display the file system of the phone.

Challenges and solutions:

• ❌ "Unable to connect: Restart your phone and Mac, try another cable.
• ❌ Folders are not displayed: in the phone settings, allow access to "Memory" for Android File Transfer.
• ❌ Slow transmission: connect to the port USB-C on a Mac (if any).

Method 2: OpenMTP (alternative to newer versions of macOS)

If Android File Transfer is not working (relevant for macOS) Ventura/Sonoma), install OpenMTP:

• 🔧 Free and open replacement with support MTP and PTP.
• 🚀 It works faster than standard Google solution.

Method 3: Wi-Fi transmission (for Mac)

Use LocalSend or Snapdrop (see section 2) – they are cross-platform and do not require drivers.

killall AppleMobileDeviceHelper

This will reset the cache of connections and often solve the problem.-->

6. Hidden functions MIUI fast-transfer

V MIUI There are some little-known tools that make it easier to move files, and most people don't know about them, but they can save time.

The "Clone of the Phone" (Mi Mover)

It’s a built-in app for migrating data from one phone to another, but it can be used for backup on a PC as well:

1. Connect your phone to your PC via USB.
2. Open Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Local Backup.
3. Select data for backup (contacts, SMS, applications, settings).
4. The backup file will be saved in the folder MIUI/backup/AllBackup — copy it to the PC.

Regime "USB-accumulator" (UMS)

On some models (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro) you can turn on the mode UMS, It's a flash drive that makes a phone a full-fledged flash drive:

1. Connect the phone to the PC.
2. In the notice of USB choose "USB-storage device” (if any).
3. The phone will reboot and its memory will be available as a removable disk.

⚠️ Note: In this mode, the phone cannot be used for calls or applications while it is connected to the PC.

Transfer through FTP-server

For advanced users: you can start FTP-server on the phone and connect to it from the PC:

1. Install FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.
2. Turn on the built-in. FTP-server (usually in the Network or Remote Access menu").
3. On PC, connect to the address. ftp://[IP-telephone address (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.100).

7. Comparison of methods: speed, reliability, convenience

To choose the best way, focus on this table:

Conclusions:

• 🏆 For large volumes (video, backups): USB-cable FTP.
• 📶 For regular transfer of small files: LocalSend or Mi Share.
• ☁️ For backup: Mi Cloud or Google Drive (if speed is not critical).

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If you need to transfer data from a phone that is not turning on, the only option is to remove the microSD card (if it was installed) and connect it to the PC via the card reader.

8. Solving typical problems in data transfer

Even with the most reliable methods, sometimes there are failures. Here are the most common problems and solutions:

Problem 1: The computer can’t see Xiaomi via USB

• 🔌 Check the cable and port (try another one) USB-PC-connector).
• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🖥️ Install drivers: For Windows: Mi PC Suite. for Mac: Android File Transfer or OpenMTP.
• 📱 On the phone, turn on the debugging. USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → Tap 7 times, then additionally → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Problem 2: Slow transmission by USB

• ⚡ Connect to the port. USB 3.0 (usually blue).
• 📵 Turn off cloud sync during copying.
• 🗑️ Archivate files before transfer (e.g. to.zip).

Problem 3: Mi Cloud does not download files

• 🌐 Check your internet connection (better to use Wi-Fi).
• 🔋 Make sure there is enough charge on the phone (synchronization consumes a lot of power).
• 📡 In Mi Cloud settings, disable Traffic Savings".

Problem 4: You can’t export your contacts.

• 📱 Make sure that your contacts are saved to your Xiaomi or Google account, not to your Google account. SIM-map.
• 🔄 Try exporting through Google Contacts (synchronize your Google account on your phone).

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with an unlocked bootloader or custom firmware, some features (such as Mi Cloud or Mi Cloud) MTP) In this case, it is recommended to use LocalSend or Adb pull (for advanced users).

⚠️ Note: When transferring files over public Wi-Fi networks (such as at a cafe or airport), use LocalSend in “Trusted Device Only” mode to avoid data leakage.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer from Xiaomi to PC