How to transfer photos from Google Photos to a gallery on Xiaomi: all working methods

Transferring photos from Google Photos to the standard Xiaomi gallery (or Redmi/POCO) is a challenge that many users face, and the reasons range from wanting to free up cloud storage to having to edit images in native smartphone apps, but not everyone knows that it’s not easy to download through a browser – files can lose their original resolution or metadata (film date, geotags).

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer photos with preservation of quality, including methods for devices with MIUI 12/13/14 and older versions. We will focus on the nuances of working with compressed and original versions of files, as well as problems of synchronization after moving. If you are using Xiaomi 12T Pro, Redmi Note 11 or earlier models like POCO F3, the instructions are suitable for everyone.

Why are photos from Google Photos not displayed in the Xiaomi Gallery?

The problem is how MIUI scans media files. The standard gallery (com.miui.gallery) only looks for images in certain folders of internal memory, while Google Photos defaults to save uploaded files to:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/ — browser-based;
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/Download/ — if the web interface was used;
• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Google Photo/ - when automatically downloaded through the application.

In addition, MIUI ignores files with the.webp extension (which Google Photos uses for compressed copies) and hidden folders with a dot at the beginning of the name (for example,.thumbnails). If you downloaded photos through the Chrome browser or Mi Browser, they could get into the Download folder, which the gallery does not scan automatically.

Method 1: Save through the Google Photos app (the easiest one)

This method is suitable for single photos or small packets (up to 50 shots at a time) and retains original resolution, but may not transfer metadata (e.g. geolocation).

1. Open the Google Photos app and find the image you want.
2. Tap the “More” icon** (three dots in the upper right corner) → select Save to the device.

⚠️ Note: If you have enabled Storage Optimization in Google Photo settings, saved files can be compressed to 16 MP resolution (even if the original was larger). → Make room.

Disable "Storage Optimization" in the settings|Check the free space on the device (minimum 10% of the photo volume)|Select an album or date for batch saving|After saving, update the gallery manually-->

Method 2: Export via Google Drive (for large archives)

If you want to move hundreds or thousands of photos, it's more convenient to use Google Drive as a stash, which saves folder structure and metadata, but takes longer.

Instructions:

1. On your computer, open photos.google.com and select the photos you want (or the album as a whole).
2. Press More. → Export to Google Drive.
3. Wait for the export to be completed (it can take minutes to hours).
4. Install the official Google Drive app on Xiaomi (if not already installed).
5. In the application, find the Google Photos folder, highlight files → Save to the device.

💡 Useful advice: If you have Xiaomi with support OTG, Connect the flash drive or external SSD Download the photo directly to the drive so that you don't clog up your internal memory.

Method 3: Using a file manager (for power users)

This method gives you complete control over the process, but requires manual file search, which is suitable if you know exactly where the photos are stored, or if previous methods have failed.

Steps:

1. Install a file manager with support for hidden folders (such as MiXplorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the folder where the photo was saved: 📎 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Google Photos / if saved through the application; 📎 /storage/emulated/0/Download/ — if downloaded through the browser; 📎 /storage/emulated/0/Pictures/ — manually.

Copy

/storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera/

Google Photos Import

Insert the files and wait for the copy to be completed.

Open the gallery and update it (pull the screen down).

⚠️ Note: If you are copying files with the.webp extension, the gallery MIUI You can't show them. Convert them to.jpg with WebP to. JPEG Converter (available on Google Play).

Method 4: Automatic synchronization via Mi Cloud (only for the MIUI 12+)

If your Xiaomi is running MIUI 12 or later, you can use the built-in sync with Mi Cloud to automatically transfer photos, a method that is suitable for regular backups, but not for one-time transfers.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable Gallery Sync and select Download Originals (not “Optimized”).
3. In the Google Photos app, select the desired photos → Share → Save to Mi Cloud.
4. Wait for the download to be completed (notification will appear in the curtain).
5. Open the Xiaomi gallery and go to the Mi Cloud section – photos will be available for viewing and editing.

🔍 Important: Note that Mi Cloud only provides 5GB for free. If your archive is larger, you'll either have to pay for the expansion or use other methods.

1. Open the album in Google Photos.

2. Click "More" → "Compress copies."

3. Select size (e.g. 12 MP instead of the original 48 MP).

4. synchronize already compressed versions.-->

Method 5: Transfer over a computer (most reliable)

This method guarantees 100% quality and metadata, but requires a PC or laptop, suitable for transferring the entire archive or sample albums.

Step-by-step:

1. On your computer, open Google Photos and select a photo to export.
2. Click More → Download (files are archived in ZIP).
3. Unpack the archive in a separate folder.
4. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode in the Notification Curtain).
5. Copy the unpacked files to the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder on your phone.
6. Securely remove the device and update the gallery.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even if you follow the instructions, users are having problems. TOP-5 mistakes and their solutions:

🔧 On some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note) 10 Pro Gallery ignores files with non-standard names (e.g, IMG_20230515_123456789.jpg). Rename them in format IMG_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.jpg via file manager.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions