How to transfer photos from Google Photos to Xiaomi phone: all working ways

Why migrating photos from Google Photos to Xiaomi can be difficult

Google Photos remains one of the most popular tools for storing images, but Xiaomi smartphone owners (including the Redmi, POCO and Black Shark line) often face problems when trying to return photos back to the device. The main reason is aggressive optimization of MIUI, which limits the background activity of applications, including synchronization with the cloud. In addition, after the updates to Google Photos version 6.0+, the download algorithms have changed: now the default system offers to save photos in low resolution, if you do not configure the settings manually.

Another trap is the limits of free storage. Since June 2021, Google has stopped providing unlimited space for photos in “high quality”, and users with devices on MIUI 12.5+ often face a notification “Not enough space”. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer photos from Google Photos to Xiaomi, including bypassing the limitations of MIUI and optimizing the process for large libraries (10,000+ images).

Method 1: Download through the official Google Photos app

The most obvious method is to use the Google Photos app itself, but there are nuances here. On Xiaomi smartphones, autosynchronization in the background is disabled by default, so you need to:

1. Allow autorun: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Photos → Autorun and enable the option. Without this, the application will not be able to download files when folded.
2. Disable Battery Optimization: In the same app menu, find Battery Optimization and select No Limits. This will prevent a boot break in half the process.
3. Customize download quality: In the Google Photos app, open the menu (three bars) → Settings → Download and backup and select Original Quality, otherwise the pictures will be saved in a compressed form.

Now we can start downloading:

1. Open the album or select the photos you want (hold your finger in the picture for multiple choices).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Download.
3. The files will appear in the Download/Google Photos or Pictures folder (depending on the MIUI version).

Allow auto-launch of the application|Disable battery optimization|Select "Original Quality" in the settings|Connect to Wi-Fi (recommended for large libraries)|Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi with firmware MIUI 14+ The photos you download may not show up in the gallery right away. → Categories → Images and click Update (circle arrow icon).

Method 2: Move through the web version of Google Photos (for large archives)

If you want to migrate thousands of photos (e.g., an entire library over a few years), photos.google.com will be more effective than a mobile app, a technique that is especially relevant for owners of POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12 Pro+, where MIUI aggressively restricts background activity.

Instructions:

1. Open a browser (Chrome or Firefox is recommended) and go to photos.google.com.
2. Sign in under the same account as in the mobile application.
3. In the left menu, select Photos or Albums.
4. To highlight all photos, press Ctrl+A (on PC) or hold your finger on the first picture and swipe down (on your phone).
5. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Download.
6. Google will collect files in ZIP-archive (up to 2 GB per download) After completion, download it.

To transfer the archive to Xiaomi:

• 📁 Through cable: Connect your phone to your PC, copy ZIP Download folder and unpack using File or RAR (Install from Google Play if you are not available).
• ☁️ Through the cloud: Download ZIP Google Drive or Mi Cloud, then download directly to your phone.
• 🔗 Through Telegram: Send your archive to Save Messages and download to your device.

Up to 100 photos|100-1000 photos|1,000 to 10,000 photos|More than 10,000 photos-->

Method 3: Using Google Takeout to Export the Entire Library

If you have tens of thousands of images in your account, manual downloading through an app or web version will take weeks, in which case Google Takeout, a tool for mass exporting data from all Google services, including Google Photos, will help.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to takeout.google.com and log in.
2. Uncheck all boxes except Google Photos.
3. Click Next and select: Archive format: ZIP (recommended) or TGZ. Maximum archive size: up to 50 GB (if the library is larger, it will split into several parts). Delivery method: Link by email or direct download to Google Drive/Dropbox.

Exporting

Xiaomi

⚠️ Note: When exported via Takeout, metadata (shoot date, geotags) is stored in a separate file. JSON. To make them appear in the Xiaomi gallery, use apps like ExifTool (available in F-Droid) to transfer metadata to the photos themselves.

Method 4: Synchronize via PC (most reliable method)

For users who can’t download photos directly to their phones (for example, due to app bugs or MIUI limitations), computer synchronization is a lifeline, ensuring that the original quality and metadata are maintained.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 📱 Cable USB (Preferably original from Xiaomi for stable transfer).
• 💾 Enough hard disk space (photos take up as much as they weigh in the cloud).

Instructions:

1. On PC, open your browser and go to photos.google.com.
2. Select the photos/albums you need and download them (as in Method 2).
3. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB by selecting File Transfer (MTP) mode in the phone’s notification curtain.
4. Copy the downloaded files to the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder on your phone.
5. Turn off the device and update the gallery: open Files → Images and pull the screen down for an update.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ 100% preservation of quality and metadata.
• ✅ There are no limits on volume (except free space on PCs).
• ✅ It works even when blocking Google Photos on your phone.

1. Reboot the phone and PC.

2. Use another USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0).

3. Enable Debugging by USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers.-->

Method 5: Automatic sync via Mi Cloud (alternative to Google Photos)

If you plan to completely abandon Google Photos in favor of the Xiaomi ecosystem, you can transfer photos to Mi Cloud, a cloud storage from Xiaomi with 5 GB of free space, which is suitable for owners of Redmi or POCO who want to sync photos between devices of the same brand.

How to transfer photos from Google Photos to Mi Cloud:

1. Download all photos on PC (see Method 4).
2. Go to i.mi.com and log in to your Mi Account.
3. In the Photos section, click Download and select the downloaded files.
4. On your phone, open Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud → Sync photos and turn on the option.
5. The photos will appear in the standard Xiaomi gallery in the Mi Cloud album.

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Free only 5 GB (vs. 15 GB in Google Photos).
• 🚫 There is no automatic sorting by person/place (unlike Google Photos).
• 🚫 Slow synchronization with large data.

💡

Mi Cloud is convenient for owners of several Xiaomi devices, but will not replace Google Photos in functionality. Use it as a backup option or for temporary storage.

Solving Common Mistakes When Transferring Photos

Even following the instructions, Xiaomi users may encounter problems, and consider common mistakes and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔄 Updates MIUI: In some versions (e.g, MIUI 13.0.6) were bugs showing downloaded files. Update system in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛡️ Antivirus: Apps like Mi Security can block downloads. Add Google Photos to exceptions.
• 🌐 Regional restrictions: In some countries (e.g. China) access to Google is restricted. VPN.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi