Transferring photos and videos from Xiaomi’s phone (or Redmi smartphones, POCO) to your computer is a task that every user sooner or later faces: someone wants to free up the device’s memory, someone wants to back up important memories, and someone urgently needs to edit files in Photoshop or Premiere Pro. Regardless of the reason, the copying process can turn into a headache if you do not know the nuances: from hidden MIUI settings that block data transfer to the limitations of file formats.
In this article, we will look at 5 proven ways to transfer media files, from classic USB connections to cloud services and wireless protocols, focusing on common errors (for example, when a computer “can’t see” a phone) and optimal settings to speed up transfers, and at the end, answers to frequent questions, including problems with HEIC and MOV formats, which often occur to Xiaomi owners.
1. USB Transfer: Step-by-step instructions for MIUI
The most reliable and quick way is to connect your phone to your PC via cable, but even here, Xiaomi users are facing pitfalls: by default, MIUI blocks access to files due to security policies. Let's take a step-by-step look at the process.
First, prepare:
- 🔌 Original. USB-cable (cheap analogues may not support data transfer).
- 🖥️ Windows computer 7/10/11 Mac OS (or macOS) requires Android File Transfer).
- 📱 Xiaomi phone with unlocked screen (in lock mode file transfer is impossible).
Follow the algorithm further:
- Connect your phone to your PC with a cable. The Xiaomi screen will display a “Charge via USB” notification.
- Tap on the notification and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
- Open This Computer (My PC in Windows 7) on your computer and the phone will appear as a removable drive.
- Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (photos and videos are stored here).
- Copy files to the desired directory on the PC (for example, to the desktop).
Make sure the cable supports data transfer (not just charging)
Unlock the phone screen
Select MTP mode in Xiaomi notification
Check that the PC has ADB drivers installed (if the phone is not detected)
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If your computer can’t see your phone, try:
- 🔄 Reconnect the cable to another USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 for speed).
- 🔧 Update drivers through Device Manager (under Portable Devices»).
- 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).
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If the transfer is too slow, try disabling MIUI optimization: go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization and add Media Storage app to exceptions.
2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (Mi Drop, FTP, AirDroid)
If you don't have a cable on hand or prefer to do without wires, wireless protocols will come to the rescue. Xiaomi has a built-in solution called Mi Drop, as well as support for standard methods like FTP or third-party applications like AirDroid.
Method 1: Mi Drop (built-in application)
This is a proprietary service from Xiaomi, which allows you to transfer files between devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Open the Mi Drop app on your phone (if not, download it from Google Play).
- Click Send and select a photo/video.
- Select Computer and follow the instructions on the screen (scanning required). QR-code from drop.mi.com).
- On PC, open the browser, click on the specified link and download files.
Method 2: FTP-server (for advanced users)
If you want complete freedom of access to files, set up FTP-phone-side:
- Install the FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer app.
- In the app menu, find the option FTP-server and activate it.
- Remember the address of the species ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
- On PC, open Explorer, enter the address in the address bar and log in (login and password from the application).
| Method | Speed. | Limitations | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Drop | Mean (5-10 MB/s) | Limiting 1GB at a time | ⭐ |
| FTP | High (15-30 MB/s) | Requires customization | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| AirDroid | Low (2-5 MB/s) | Traffic Limit in the Free Version | ⭐⭐ |
Mi Drop
FTP-server
AirDroid/Sharinga
Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)
Another option-->
3. Cloud storage: Google Photos, Mi Cloud, Yandex.Disk
Cloud services are convenient for backing up and accessing files from any device, but each solution has nuances, from volume constraints to privacy concerns.-3 variant.
Google Photo
The most popular solution is because of automatic synchronization and user-friendly interface.
- 📱 Install the Google Photos app on your phone.
- 🔧 In the settings, enable Backup and Sync (select Original or High Quality).
- 🖥️ On your computer, open photos.google.com, highlight files and click Download.
What to do if Google Photos compresses a video?
Mi Cloud
Xiaomi's proprietary cloud offers 5GB for free, but has download speed limits.
- Register for a Mi Account (if you haven’t already).
- Go to Settings. → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
- Activate synchronization for the Gallery.
- On PC, open i.mi.com, log in and download files.
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Cloud services are ideal for backup, but are not suitable for transferring large amounts of data (such as video to 4K) due to traffic and speed limitations.
4. Transfer through a memory card (microSD)
If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (Redmi Note, POCO X, etc.), you can save time by copying files to a microSD and then inserting them into your computer through a card reader, a method that is especially relevant for owners of phones with a small amount of internal memory.
Step-by-step algorithm:
- Insert the memory card into the phone (if it is not already installed).
- Open the Files app and go to the Device section.
- Find the DCIM folder (or the one where your photos/video are stored) and select the files you want.
- Click Copy, then go to the Memory Map section and paste the files.
- Remove the microSD from the phone, insert it into the card reader and connect it to the PC.
Advantages of the method:
- 🚀 Maximum speed (up to 90 MB/s when used) UHS-I map).
- 🔄 Ability to transfer files between multiple devices without connecting to a PC.
- 📁 There is no risk of data loss in case of transmission failure (as in the case of a data transfer) USB or wifi).
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If your phone doesn’t see the memory card, check the format: Xiaomi supports FAT32 and exFAT. For cards larger than 32 GB, use exFAT (formatting will delete all data!).
5. Specialized programs (Mi PC Suite, Syncthing)
For users who regularly sync data between Xiaomi and PC, it is more convenient to use specialized software. Consider two options: an official solution from Xiaomi and an open cross-platform application.
Mi PC Suite
The official Xiaomi utility allows you not only to transfer files, but also to manage contacts, messages and firmware updates.
- 📥 Download Mi. PC Suite from the official website (pcsuite.mi.com).
- 🔌 Put the phone on. USB and select the File Transfer Mode.
- 🖥️ In the program, go to the Files section and copy the media to the desired folder on the PC.
Syncthing
Free open source software for synchronizing files between devices over a local network, suitable for automatic backup:
- Install Syncthing on PC and phone (available on Google Play).
- Add the photo/video folder in the sync settings.
- Connect your devices to a single Wi-Fi network and wait until synchronization is complete.
⚠️ Attention: When using Mi PC Disable Antivirus – Some versions of the program may be recognized as potentially dangerous due to Xiaomi drivers.
6. Problem Solving: HEIC, MOV and Transmission Errors
Even after successful file transfer, Xiaomi users often face the challenges of opening media on PCs. Let’s look at typical cases and ways to solve them.
Problem 1: Photos in HEIC format won’t open on Windows
Xiaomi phones (especially newer models) save photos in HEIC format, which is not supported by Windows by default.
- 🖼️ Set the extension HEIF Microsoft.
- 🔄 Convert files to JPG via the Gallery app on the phone (select a photo) → More. → Convert to JPG).
- 📁 Use online converters (heictojpg.com).
Problem 2: Videos are not played in MOVs
The MOV format (used in iPhones, but sometimes in Xiaomi for certain modes) may not be supported by standard players.
- 🎬 Install. VLC Media Player or PotPlayer.
- 🔧 Convert to MP4 via HandBrake or FFmpeg.
Problem 3: The computer can't see the phone when connected
If your PC doesn’t recognize Xiaomi, check:
- 🔌 Try another cable or port.
- 🔧 Update drivers through Device Manager (Controllers section) USB).
- 📱 Turn on Debugging. USB (see section 1).
- 🔄 Reboot both devices.
⚠️ Note: If you are connected to USB phone starts to discharge (instead of charging), turn off in the settings Optimized charging (Settings) → Battery. This is due to the limitation of current in the data transmission mode.