Xiaomi’s current smartphones have impressive high-resolution cameras that take up a significant amount of internal memory. Sooner or later, everyone is faced with a situation where the storage is full and you don’t want to vacate space by removing valuable footage, at which point you can directly connect an external drive to back up important images instantly without using cloud services or a computer.
The process of transferring data on devices with a MIUI or HyperOS shell is as simple as possible and does not require obtaining superuser rights or installing complex software. It is enough to have a compatible adapter or OTG cable, as well as the flash card itself, to turn your smartphone into a powerful tool for working with files. The system automatically recognizes the connected device, providing access to the file structure through the built-in conductor.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the stages of connection, look at the nuances of working with different file system formats and answer the questions that arise when reading errors. You will learn not only to copy individual images, but also to perform mass movement of entire albums, preserving the original quality and metadata of photos.
Preparation of equipment and compatibility check
Before you start, you need to make sure that your hardware supports On-The-Go technology. Virtually all modern Xiaomi smartphones, from the budget models of Redmi to the flagships of the Mi series, have built-in OTG support, however, the physical connector may differ. Owners of devices with a USB Type-C port will need a suitable adapter or cable with two different connectors, whereas older models with Micro-USB need a specific adapter.
An important aspect is formatting the external drive. Android systems that underlie the MIUI shell natively support FAT32 and exFAT file systems. If your flash drive is formatted in NTFS format, which is standard for Windows, the phone may suggest formatting it, which will delete all data. exFAT file system is optimal for carrying large volumes of photos and videos, since it supports files larger than 4 GB, unlike FAT32.
Also worth paying attention to is power consumption: connecting energy-intensive external hard drives (HDD) Directly to the smartphone may not be possible due to lack of current in the port. USB-hub with its own power or limited to compact flash drives (SSD Flash, which consumes less energy.
Physical connection USB-storage
The process of connecting the smartphone and the external storage does not require complex manipulations, but the right sequence of actions will help to avoid software failures: first you need to insert a flash drive into the OTG adapter, and then connect the entire design to the charging port of the phone, which allows the system to correctly identify the new device and start the necessary drivers.
After connecting, you should hear a characteristic system sound, and an icon will appear at the top of the screen (in the notification curtain). USB-If that doesn't happen, check the density of the contacts and make sure that the smartphone case doesn't prevent the plug from entering the connector completely. Sometimes port pollution can cause unstable contact, so careful cleaning can solve the problem.
In some cases, especially on older versions of MIUI, you may need to manually activate the function in settings. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → OTG and make sure the switch is active. On newer versions of HyperOS and fresh MIUI builds, the connection is automatically done without the need for additional settings.
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If the charging indicator starts flashing or the phone quickly discharges after connecting the flash drive, immediately turn off the drive. This may indicate a short circuit in the OTG cable or a malfunction of the USB drive itself.
Working with the "Conductor" application
The main tool for file management in the Xiaomi ecosystem is the built-in Explorer application, which has a user-friendly interface and allows you to quickly move between internal memory and connected ones. USB-Once you've successfully connected your flash drive, open the app and find the icon in the list of available storage. USB-disk.
To transfer photos, go to internal memory, usually marked as “Internal drive” or the name of the device model. You will need a DCIM → Camera folder, where all the pictures taken on the main camera are stored by default, select the desired files with a long press or use the “Select All” function in the control menu.
After allocating files, click on the Copy or Move button in the bottom menu. USB-Create a new folder for structuring data (for example, «Backup_2026») and click "Insert." The operation of copying large amounts of data can take time, during which it is not recommended to turn off the device.
☑️ Algorithm of photo transfer
Set up automatic backup
Shell MIUI It offers a convenient automatic backup feature that can be useful for regular data retention, and although it is more commonly associated with the Mi Cloud, it allows you to choose local storage, including connected storage. USB-drives as a target directory for backup system settings and multimedia.
To set up, go to Settings → The phone. → Backup and recovery: You can create a new backup here by choosing Photography and Video as your source and your recipient. USB-This is especially useful if you want to save not only the images themselves, but also the structure of the albums, as well as the camera settings.
It is worth noting that automatic real-time backup to a flash drive is not possible due to the limitations of the Android operating system for security reasons. The flash drive must be physically connected at the time of backup creation. However, using automation scripts or third-party apps from Google Play can partially automate this process when a USB connection is detected.
| Parameter | FAT32 | exFAT | NTFS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi support | Complete. | Complete. | Partial (formatting required) |
| Max. File size. | 4GB | No restrictions. | No restrictions. |
| Compatibility with TV | Tall. | Tall. | Low. |
| Recommendation | For photo up to 4GB | 4K video and large archives | Not recommended |
Solving common problems when connecting
Despite the standardization of technology, users may find themselves in a situation where the phone does not see the flash drive, most often the problem is incompatibility of the file system. USB-drive, and the flash drive has important data, first copy them to the computer, and then format the drive in exFAT format via PC.
Another common cause is damage to the.thumbnail file or media scanner cache. If photos are displayed but not opened from a flash drive, try clearing the Media Scanner app cache in the application settings or rebooting your smartphone with the drive connected, which will force the system to re-index the contents of the external drive.
⚠️ Warning: Never remove the flash drive at the time of data recording.Always use the software shutdown through the notification curtain by clicking "Safe Retrieval" to avoid damaging the file spreadsheet and losing photos.
If the flash drive is detected but the files are copied with an error, check for hidden system files or viruses on the drive. Sometimes MIUI antivirus protects you from recording to unknown external devices. Temporarily disable the protection or add the drive to the exclusion list if you are sure of its security.
Why does the flash drive warm up when working?
Alternative methods of data transmission
If using an OTG cable seems inconvenient or an adapter is not available, there are wireless methods that are also effective for transferring photos. The Mi Drop app (a part of Mi Share) allows you to transfer files to other Xiaomi or Android devices at high speed without compressing quality, after which they can be saved to a computer or network storage.
Another option is to use cloud services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk, which automatically uploads photos to the cloud, and you can download them to any device, including a tablet or laptop, and then rewrite them to a flash drive, which requires a stable Wi-Fi connection, but eliminates the need to carry cables with you.
For advanced users, an FTP connection is available through the Explorer's built-in functionality. By selecting Remote Control, the phone creates a local server that can be accessed from a computer on the same Wi-Fi network, which allows you to manage your phone files like regular folders on a PC and copy them to a USB drive connected to your computer.
⚠️ Note: When using public Wi-Fi networks to transfer photos over the cloud or FTP Make sure the connection is secure, or use it. VPN. Sharing personal photos over open channels can lead to leakage of confidential information.
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Use of the OTG-cable is the fastest and most reliable way to transfer large volumes of photos without loss of quality and dependence on Internet speed.