How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to a laptop: all the ways from cable to the cloud

Transferring photos from Xiaomi to a laptop is a challenge that almost every smartphone owner of this brand faces, POCO X5, Mi 11 and others) are available in different ways: from classical connection via USB-cable to wireless technologies like Mi Share or cloud services, and the choice of method depends on the amount of data, the speed of the Internet and even the version of the operating system. MIUI.

In this article, we will analyze all current methods, including nuances for different versions of Windows (7/10/11) And macOS, and we'll give you some suggestions for how to optimize the process, like, did you know that when you're cabled, Xiaomi can default to blocking access to files because of the settings. USB-Or that Google Photos automatically compresses images when uploaded in "high quality"? These and other pitfalls we'll cover below.

Transfer through USB-cable: a classic and reliable method

Connecting your smartphone to your laptop via cable is the most versatile method that works even without internet access, but it has its nuances, especially if you’re using Xiaomi with MIUI 12/13/14.

To start, check the cable type: modern models (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 Pro+) require USB-C - USB-C or USB-C - USB-A (depending on the laptop ports). Older smartphones (Redmi 5A, Mi A1) can use Micro-USB. Also make sure the cable supports data transfer - some cheap charging cables are not designed for file sharing.

• 🔌 Connect your smartphone to your laptop using a cable.
• 📱 Xiaomi will have a notification on the screen "USB To transfer files, tap on it.
• 🔄 Select File Transfer Mode (MTP) (If there is no such item, include USB-debugging in the developer settings).
• 🖥️ On the laptop will open a conductor window with the Internal Storage folder or SD-map (if installed).

Photos are usually stored in a folder. DCIM → Camera or Pictures. To speed up the process, you can select all files (Ctrl)+A) and drag them to the right directory on the laptop. If the laptop can't see the phone, try changing it. USB-port (especially on Windows) 7) or update drivers MediaTek/Qualcomm via PC Suite.

⚠️ Note: On macOS to access Xiaomi files via MTP You'll need to install additional software, like Android File Transfer, and without it, the system won't display the connected device.

Make sure that the cable supports data transmission|Unlock the smartphone screen|Insert the "File transfer" mode" (MTP)|Check the connection to another USB-port-of-mistake-->

2. Wireless transmission via Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop)

Mi Share is Xiaomi’s proprietary wireless file sharing solution that works on Wi-Fi Direct, which allows you to transfer photos without an Internet connection, and it can reach 10-15 MB/s (depending on the smartphone and laptop model).

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 No need for cables or cloud services.
• 🔒 Data is transmitted directly, without intermediate servers.
• 📱 It works on all Xiaomi smartphones, POCO and Redmi with MIUI 10 and newer.

Instructions:

1. On your smartphone, open the Mi Share app (if not, download from Google Play).
2. Select the photos you want to transfer and click Send.
3. On the laptop, open the browser and go to the address ftp://[IP-Smartphone address (it will appear on the phone screen).
4. Download the files to the right folder.

⚠️ Note: If the laptop does not see the device through ftp://, Check what is on the smartphone. FTP-server in Mi Share settings. Also make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (if you use this mode).

3. Use of cloud services: Google Photos, Mi Cloud and others

Cloud storage is convenient if you need to transfer photos to multiple devices or save a backup. Xiaomi offers its own service - Mi Cloud, but it has a limit of 5 GB of free space.

• 🌥️ Google Photos – 15GB free (but image compression).
• ☁️ Yandex Disk – 10 GB, without compression.
• 🍎 iCloud – if the laptop is on macOS (5 GB).

Example from Google Photos:

1. Install the app on your smartphone and log in to your Google account.
2. Enable Backup and Synchronization in the settings.
3. Wait for photos to be uploaded (time depends on internet speed).
4. On your laptop, open photos.google.com and download the necessary files.

An important nuance: when choosing the “High Quality” option in Google Photos, images are compressed to a resolution of 16 MP, which can be critical for professional shots. To avoid loss of quality, choose “Original Quality” (but it takes place in the cloud).

💡

If you have a lot of photos, upload them to the cloud at night, which will save traffic and speed up the process due to less network load.

4. Transfer via email or messengers (for small volumes)

If you want to transfer 10 to 20 photos, you can use email or messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp Web or Viber, which is suitable for urgent transfer, but has limitations:

• 📧 Email (Gmail, Mail.ru) – the investment limit is usually 25 MB.
• 📱 Telegram – up to 2 GB per file (but requires a desktop version).
• 💬 WhatsApp – Image compression up to 12 MP.

Instructions for Telegram:

1. Open the Save Messages chat or any other.
2. Attach photos (you can choose several at once).
3. On your laptop, open web.telegram.org and download the files.

⚠️ Note: When transmitting photos via messengers (EXIF) It's important if you want information about the date of the shoot, the camera model, or the geolocation.

5. Memory card use (for models with microSD slot)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (Redmi 9A, POCO M4 Pro, etc.), you can transfer photos to it, and then paste the card into the laptop through an adapter, which is suitable for large amounts of data (for example, 100+ photos in RAW).

Step-by-step:

1. Insert microSD into your smartphone (if it is not already installed).
2. Open the Files app and find the Photos folder (DCIM).
3. Select files, click Copy and select Memory Card as your destination.
4. Remove the card, insert it into the adapter and connect it to the laptop.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔄 No dependence on the internet or cables.
• 📁 You can transfer files in bundles (for example, entire folders from vacation).
• 🛡️ Data does not shrink or lose quality.

Alternative methods: FTP-server, ADB and third-party applications

For advanced users, there are less obvious but effective ways to:

• 🌐 FTP-server (through applications such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer).
• 🖥️ ADB (Android Debug Bridge – for transferring files via command line.
• 🔗 Apps (Send Anywhere, Pushbullet).

Example from Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on your smartphone and laptop (or open the web version).
2. Select photos and generate a 6-digit key.
3. Enter this key on your laptop to download files.

The ADB will require:

1. Install Platform Tools on your laptop.
2. Turn on USB-debugging on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
3. Execute the command: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/C:\Photos\ (where C:\Photos\ is a folder on the laptop).

💡

ADB is the fastest way to transfer large numbers of files, but requires pre-configuration. Suitable for users familiar with the command line.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your tasks. Here is a quick comparison:

If you need to carry a few gigabytes of photos (for example, after traveling), the best choice is to take a photo — USB-You can use a cable or a memory card to transfer 10 to 20 images quickly, either Mi Share or Telegram. If you need to sync between devices, use Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi