Changing a smartphone or buying a second device from the Xiaomi brand often puts users in the middle of a file space organization. Mi and Redmi owners know that standard copying methods may not be obvious to beginners, especially with the huge amount of accumulated media library. Porting photos requires not only physical transfer of files, but also preservation of their quality, metadata and folder structure, which becomes critical when working with thousands of images.
Modern smartphones have powerful processors and fast communication modules, but the MIUI software shell offers several built-in tools for data migration. The choice of a particular method depends on the number of gigabytes transferred, the availability of a stable Internet connection and technical literacy of the user. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods, from cloud synchronization to direct transmission over Wi-Fi, so you can choose the best option for your situation.
Special attention should be paid to preparing the devices before starting the process. Make sure that both smartphones are at least 50% charged, as active wireless modules can quickly consume battery power. Also check the availability of free space on the receiving device, so that the copying process is not interrupted in the middle due to overflow of memory.
Using the built-in Mi Drop app for fast transfer
The most efficient and quickest way to transfer a large number of photos between Xiaomi devices is using the proprietary Mi Drop app (in some versions of the firmware it is called ShareMe), which creates a local Wi-Fi Direct network between devices, which allows you to achieve transfer speeds of up to 20 MB / s and up, which is much faster than standard Bluetooth. To start working, you need to open the application on both smartphones through a menu or search system.
Once the program is running, you click the Send button on the sender device and select the Images category. The system will suggest selecting specific photos or entire albums. The receiving device selects the Receive mode, after which the gadgets will automatically find each other. It is important to know that Mi Drop does not use Internet traffic, transferring data directly between devices.
The connection process usually takes a few seconds, and then the automatic file transfer begins, and you can see the progress in real time, and you can see the end time of the operation, and after completion, all the files are saved to a standard gallery in the MI Drop or ShareMe folder.
⚠️ Warning: If the device is not searchable, make sure that both phones are modules enabled. GPS Bluetooth, as they are used for the initial handshake before launching a high-speed Wi-Fi channel.
The advantage of this method is to maintain the original quality of images without compression, which often happens when sending through messengers. In addition, the application allows you to transfer not only photos, but also high-resolution videos, documents and even installed applications, which makes Mi Drop a universal tool for migrating data when buying a new smartphone.
Sync through Google Photos and Cloud Services
For users who value automation and data security, the ideal solution is to use the Google Photos cloud service, which does not require active participation in the transfer process after the initial setup, since all images are automatically uploaded to a cloud account linked to Google ID. To use this method, make sure that the old device is synchronized.
On the new Xiaomi smartphone, you just need to log in to the same Google account, and your entire library will be instantly accessible, and you can view photos online or download them for offline access.
- 🔄 Automatic backup of new images in real time.
- 🔍 Smart search by objects, faces and geolocations within the application.
- 💾 Free up space on the device using the function “Clear the place».
But there are limitations to this method, too: a free Google account provides 15GB of storage space that is shared between Mail, Drive and Photos, and if you have a lot of original photos, the space can run out quickly and you need to buy a Google One subscription.
What happens to EXIF metadata when uploaded to the cloud?
Alternatively, other cloud storages such as Yandex.Disk or Mi Cloud can serve as an alternative. Xiaomi’s service is especially convenient because it is deeply integrated into the MIUI shell. Going to Settings → Mi Account → Synchronization, you can activate the gallery download. This will allow seamlessly switch between the brand’s devices, having access to photos even if the phone is lost.
The classic method via Bluetooth: when it is relevant
Despite the advent of high-speed technology, Bluetooth remains in every smartphone and can be useful in emergency situations when you need to transfer just a few pictures and the Internet is not available.
To transfer, you need to enable Bluetooth on both devices through the notification curtain or the Settings menu → Connections → Bluetooth. After pairing the devices (pairing), select the desired photos in the gallery, click the Share button and select the Bluetooth icon. The receiving device will need to confirm the request for a file.
| Comparison parameter | Bluetooth | Mi Drop (Wi-Fi Direct) | Google Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission speed | Low (up to 2MB/s) | Very high (up to 40 MB/s) | Depends on the Internet. |
| Traffic consumption | 0 MB | 0 MB | High-pitched |
| Need for PO | Not required | Built into MIUI | Google account required |
| Range of action | No restrictions. |
Bluetooth’s main disadvantage is that it’s extremely slow to transfer large files, and it can take tens of minutes to transfer a single video to 4K or a packet of 100 photos, so it’s recommended to only transfer single documents or low-weight images.
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When transferring files over Bluetooth, make sure that the screens of both smartphones do not go out.Some versions of MIUI can interrupt transmission when the device goes to sleep to save energy.
However, Bluetooth connectivity is often more stable than the temporary Wi-Fi networks created by applications, and the protocol has been debugged for years and works even on older phone models, making it a reliable backup channel.
Data transfer via cable and PC
If wireless methods seem unreliable or you need to transfer terabytes of data, the most stable solution is to use a computer as an intermediate link. USB-cable, select the mode of operation MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) or “File Transfer».
On your computer, open "My Computer," find the device, and go to the DCIM → Camera folder. That's where all the photos taken on the camera are stored by default. Copy the required folders to your computer's hard drive. Then plug in the new smartphone and copy the data to a similar directory.
This method allows you not only to transfer files, but also to audit the archive by removing duplicates or blurred images before downloading to a new device, and you create a physical copy of the data on the computer, which is a great additional security measure.
⚠️ Warning: When using a cable, always remove the device through the Safe Retrieval menu in Windows before physically shutting down to avoid file system damage or data loss.
Mac users will need to install a special Android File Transfer or OpenMTP driver, since macOS does not support the MTP protocol natively. After installing the utility, the copying process occurs in a similar scenario through drag and drop files.
Migration when initially setting up a new smartphone
When you buy a new Xiaomi phone and turn it on for the first time, it will offer you an initial setup procedure, one of the steps will be to offer to copy data from another device, which is one of the easiest ways for those who have just bought a gadget and have not yet had time to actively use it.
The system will offer several options: restore from the cloud copy of the Mi Cloud, Google Drive or direct copy via cable (if there is a USB-C to USB-C adapter) or Wi-Fi. Select the option “Copy from Android”, and follow the instructions on the screen. You will need to enter the code displayed on the new phone into the old device.
☑️ Pre-migration checks
The good thing about this method is that it copies not only photos, but also system settings, contact lists, call logs, and even the location of icons on the desktop, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data.
It is important to note that this method only transfers photos that are stored in internal memory. If you used a microSD card, its contents will have to be copied separately or moved to a new phone if it has the appropriate slot.
Solving and optimizing storage
Users may encounter various technical difficulties in the transfer process, such as file format incompatibility or file system errors. If you find that photos do not open after transfer, try using Xiaomi’s standard Gallery app, which better handles MIUI metadata.
A frequent problem is space scarcity. Before transferring thousands of photos, it makes sense to clean up, delete the serial, screenshots and videos that are no longer needed, and use the built-in Cleanup tool in the Security app to do this.
Also worth mentioning is the HEIC format that some modern smartphones use. Xiaomi MIUI is able to work with this format, but when transferring to older devices or PCs, there may be problems with display. When copying through Mi Drop, the conversion occurs automatically, and through cable - the files remain in the original format.
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The fastest way for a large amount of data is Mi Drop, the most convenient for permanent access is Google Photos, the most reliable for archive is copying on a PC.
Regular organization of photo library will help you to find the right moments faster and more efficiently manage the memory of your smartphone.