How to quickly transfer photos from your Xiaomi phone to your computer USB-cable: 3 working methods

Why? USB-Cable is not always an obvious choice.

At first glance, sending photos from Xiaomi to your computer via wire is a simple task, but users regularly face unexpected difficulties: the phone is not defined as a drive, MIUI requests unlocking, and Windows stubbornly does not see files, the reason lies in the features of the MIUI firmware and the default connection settings.

Unlike older Android devices, where the MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) mode was automatically activated when connected, modern Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi require manual selection of data mode. Moreover, after the MIUI 13/14 updates, some users note that the file transfer option is hidden behind additional settings. This article will help you understand all the nuances from basic connection to solving non-standard problems.

Preparation for transfer: what to check before connecting

Before you connect your phone to your PC, follow 4 critical steps, and ignoring them leads to 80% of file transfer errors:

• 🔌 Check it out. USB-Cable: Use the original Xiaomi cable or certified cable USB-TypeC/MicroUSB (Cheap cables often only support charging, but not data transmission.
• 🔋 Phone Charge: If the battery level is below 20%, MIUI It can block the connection to the PC to save energy. Connect the charger or increase the charge to 30%+.
• 🔒 Unlocking the screen: on phones with MIUI 12+ File transfer is only possible when the screen is unlocked. Password, fingerprint or Face ID must be tuned.
• 🖥️ Drivers on PC: Windows 10/11 Usually installs drivers automatically, but for older versions of the OS (Windows) 7/8) You may need to install manually through the official Xiaomi website.

Pay special attention to the cable: if it was previously used only for charging, it is likely that its contacts for data transmission are worn out. To check this, connect the phone to another device (for example, a laptop) or try another cable.

Method 1: Standard MTP connection (for MIUI 12-14)

This is a basic method that works on 90% of Xiaomi devices.

1. Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable. The Xiaomi screen will display a USB Charge notification.
2. Swipe your finger down the screen to open the notification bar, and tap on the notification. USB-Android System: Touch for more options (in English).
3. In the window that opens, select File Transfer (MTP).
4. This computer (or Explorer) will open on your computer, where your Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive (usually under the model name, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro).

If the window does not open automatically, open Explorer (Win + E keys) and find the phone in this computer. Photos are stored in the DCIM → Camera or Pictures folder.

Cable connected to USB-port 3.0 (blue connector)|

The phone has a USB icon on its status bar |

In the conductor appeared a device called model Xiaomi|

folder DCIM readable-->

⚠️ Note: If after selecting File Transfer the phone still does not appear on the PC, try reconnecting the cable, pre-selecting in the settings Disable USB-Drive (if any) Also check if the data transfer is blocked by antivirus (for example, Kaspersky or Avast).

Method 2: Developer Mode and Forced Activation of MTP

On some MIUI firmware (especially POCO and Xiaomi with global version), the option of file transfer may not be available in the USB menu, in which case the activation of the developer mode and forced change of the protocol will help.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version (you will be notified you have become a developer!).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → Developer (or Additional Settings → Developer Settings on some models).
3. Find the default USB configuration and select File Transfer (MTP).
4. Connect your phone to your PC – now the MTP option will be activated automatically.

This method is also useful if the phone constantly resets the connection mode to Charge Only after locking the screen.In Developer mode, you can turn this feature off at Disable USB permissions when locking (if you have one in your version of MIUI).

Method 3: Use Mi PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi)

If standard methods don't work, use the Mi PC Suite, which not only allows you to transfer files, but also backs up, updates your firmware and manages multimedia, and you can download the program from the official website (you can get versions for Windows and macOS).

Instructions for work:

• 📥 Installation: Download and install Mi PC Suite, following the prompts of the installer wizard. When you first start, the program will automatically install the necessary drivers.
• 🔗 Connection: Connect your phone to your PC cable and select file transfer mode on Xiaomi (even if it hasn’t worked before).
• 📂 Transfer photos: In the main window of the program, go to the Files tab, then open the folder DCIM → Camera. Select the desired photos and click Export, specifying the folder on the PC.

Mi PC Suite is especially useful for owners of older models (Redmi 4/5, Mi A1/A2), where MTP can work unstable. The program also allows you to view photos in the phone gallery directly from the computer screen, which is convenient for quick selection of shots.

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If the transmission is too slow, try connecting the cable to the USB-port 3.0 (usually marked in blue) or use an externally powered hub. RAW-photo-file 4K.

Solving common problems

Even with the right connection, errors can occur, and let's look at typical scenarios and how to fix them:

1 The computer cannot see the phone

• 🔄 Reboot: Turn off the cable, restart the phone and PC, then reconnect.
• 🔌 Changing the port: Try another one USB-port (preferably on the back of the system unit, if it is a stationary PC).
• 🛠️ Driver Update: In Device Manager, find Xiaomi in Portable Devices, right-click and select Update Driver.

2.The phone is plugging in, but the folders are empty

This is a common problem on MIUI 14 because of changes in storage access policy.

1. On the phone, open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Files (or Explorer) and give permission to access the repository.
3. Reconnect. USB-cable.

Error "Device not recognized" (Code 43)

This error is caused by driver conflict, especially after the Windows update. To fix it, remove all Xiaomi drivers manually:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. In the Portables and Other Devices section, remove all mentions of Xiaomi or ADB Interface.
3. Connect your phone again – Windows will install drivers automatically.

⚠️ Note: If you use MacOS to transfer files through the MTP You'll need additional software, like Android File Transfer, and standard macOS tools don't support the protocol. MTP.

Alternative methods of transmission (if USB does not work)

If you can’t connect via cable (for example, a broken USB port on your phone), use one of the alternative ways:

• ☁️ Cloud services: Upload photos to Google Photos, Mi Cloud or Yandex.Disk from your phone, then download them to your PC. Advantage: no cable, works over Wi-Fi. Disadvantage: limited volume (for example, 15 GB in Google Photos).
• 📶 Local area network (FTP/HTTP): Install the app on the phone FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer, activate it FTP-On the PC, connect to the address. ftp://[IP-Phone address] via Explorer or FileZilla.
• 🔗 Bluetooth: Suitable for transmission 10-20 Photos, but ineffective for large volumes (speed) ~1 Activate Bluetooth on both devices, pair them and send files through the context menu.

For regular transfer of a large number of photos (for example, for photographers), the best solution would be a card reader. Remove the microSD card from your phone (if it is used to store photos) and paste it into the adapter for your computer. Read speed will be 2-3 times faster than using USB.

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If you need to transfer photos regularly, set up automatic upload to the cloud (Google Photos or Mi Cloud) and then sync to your PC.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions