How to transfer photos from Xiaomi phone: all ways from cable to cloud

Transferring photos from Xiaomi phone to a computer, flash drive or other smartphone seems like a simple task — until you encounter nuances. Owners of devices on MIUI often complain about the lack of access to folders via MTP, slow transmission over Wi-Fi or limitations of cloud services. In fact, problems can be avoided if you choose the best method in advance depending on the amount of data and available tools.

In this article, we will analyze 5 proven ways to transfer photos, taking into account the features of Xiaomi firmware: from the classic connection to the Internet. USB lesser-known MIUI, And we'll also find out why sometimes the computer doesn't see the folder. DCIM, How to circumvent the transfer restriction RAW-What to do if photos “disappear” after copying.All instructions are relevant for models from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

1. Transfer through USB-cable: why MIUI Blocking Access and How to Fix It

The most obvious way to connect your phone to your PC via cable is often a headache because of the “caprices” of MIUI. The fact is that by default Xiaomi smartphones use the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) protocol, which can conflict with Windows or macOS drivers.

To avoid problems, follow 3 key steps before connecting:

• 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit (or certified) USB-C/USB-A). Cheap analogues often do not support data transfer.
• 📱 In the phone settings, activate Developer Mode (7 times tap the version). MIUI In About Phone, then turn on Debugging by USB c Additional settings → For developers.
• 🖥️ On PC, install the official Mi drivers PC Suite (link on Xiaomi website) or update drivers through Device Manager (Portable Devices section).

If the DCIM folder is empty or missing after connecting, check:

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14+ The default is the system folders. To display them, click on the phone's file manager. ⋮ → Show hidden files. On a PC, enable the display of hidden elements in Explorer (Intab View).

2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi: FTP-server and airdroid

If you don't have a cable on hand or you need to transfer the photo to another phone, Wi-Fi becomes the best solution. MIUI built-in FTP-A server that allows you to access your phone files through any browser or file manager on a PC, and the transfer speed reaches 10-15 MB / s (2-3 times faster than cable). USB 2.0).

To activate FTP-server:

1. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on your phone).
2. Open the files. → ⋮ → Access. FTP.
3. Click Launch and copy the View Address ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On PC, enter this address in Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).

For convenience, use apps like AirDroid or Send Anywhere:

• 📲 AirDroid: allows you to transfer files between devices via a browser or desktop application. speed - up to 20 MB / s.
• 🔄 Send Anywhere: generates 6-digit code for fast transfer without registration.

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If FTP-The server is shut down after 5 minutes, in the settings MIUI (Battery → Battery optimization) add Files app to exceptions. This will prevent automatic background termination.

3. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Photos

Cloud storage is convenient for backing up and accessing photos from any device. Xiaomi has its own service, Mi Cloud, but it has limitations: only 5 GB is available for free, and downloading large files (such as RAW or 4K video) can take hours. Alternatively, Google Photos, which offers 15 GB for free and can automatically compress photos without loss of quality.

Comparison of services:

To upload a photo to Mi Cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on the Gallery and select Autoboot.
3. Specify which folders to sync (e.g., Camera only).

⚠️ Warning: When you first turn on the autoboot, Mi Cloud may "hang" on file preparation. Don't interrupt the process - wait for the notification of completion (can take up to 30 minutes for 1000)+ photo).

4. Transfer through messengers: Telegram, WhatsApp and their limitations

Send photos via messenger is the fastest way to transfer a small number of pictures (up to 50 pieces), but each service has limitations:

• 📌 Telegram: the maximum file size is 2 GB, but when sent to chat compresses the photo to the maximum size 1200px To avoid compression, use the Send as a file function (click the clip icon).
• 💬 WhatsApp: 100MB per file limit. Photos are compressed to 1600px, video-up 480p.
• 📱 Viber: maximum 200MB per file, but no option to send without compression.

For transfer without loss of quality:

1. In Telegram, create a chat Save Messages and send the photo as a file.
2. In WhatsApp, use the Document function (in the attachment menu).
3. For a large number of photos (100+), it is better to use Google Drive or Mail.ru Cloud (send a link via the messenger).

Check the file size (no more than 2 GB for Telegram)

Turn off mobile data (use Wi-Fi)

Group photos of 10-20 pieces to speed up

Make sure the recipient does not block large investments.-->

5. Transfer to a flash drive or external drive: nuances with MIUI

If you want to copy a photo to a USB flash drive or an external SSD, use a USB-C/OTG adapter. However, MIUI has a feature: by default, the system mounts external drives in read-only mode. To write files, you have to change the settings.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the flash drive through OTG-Adapter. In the notification, select File Manager.
2. Open the files. → Devices and find your flash drive (usually displayed as USB-accumulator).
3. Press. ⋮ → Settings → Allow modification (proof of fingerprint may be required).
4. Return to the root folder, select the photo (click → select the right ones) and click Copy → Insert on the flash drive.

If the flash drive is not detected:

• 🔋 Check if the adapter supports the USB 3.0 (blue connector).
• 📱 In the phone settings, turn on OTG (Settings → Connections → USB).
• 💾 Format the flash drive into FAT32 exFAT (MIUI supportive NTFS record).

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Flash drives larger than 64 GB be sure to format in exFAT – otherwise MIUI will not be able to write files larger than 4 GB (FAT32 restriction).

6 Problems and Solutions: What to Do If Photos Are Not Portable

Even with the right settings, the photo transfer can end up in error, so let's look at the typical scenarios and how to solve them.

Problem 1: The computer sees the phone, but the DCIM folder is empty.

• 🔍 Check if files are hidden in the gallery (Settings) → System applications → gallery → Show hidden files).
• 📁 Try opening the folder through another file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and PC, then reconnect.

Problem 2: When copying, it gives an error called “Not enough memory”, although there is enough space.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 13+ When copying a large number of files (500)+) Cache overload protection may work, split the 100-200 photo batch or use an archiver (e.g., ZArchiver) to create a cache. ZIP right on the phone.

Problem 3: RAW-files (.dng,.arw) are not copied.

• 📸 Make sure that the camera settings (Format photo) do not turn on mode Only RAW — MIUI It can block the transfer of such files to MTP.
• 💾 Move it. RAW via Google Photos (in synchronization settings, select Source Quality).

Problem 4: After the transfer, the photos are opened with artifacts or not read.

• 🖼️ Check the file extensions – sometimes MIUI saves a photo in.heic format, which is not supported by older versions of Windows. JPG through the Gallery (Export).
• 🔧 If files are damaged, restore them with Recuva (PC) or DiskDigger (Android).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions