How to transfer photos from Xiaomi phone to your computer: 5 proven ways (with video for beginners)

Transfer photos from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It seems like a simple task on the computer - until you encounter errors like "USB-device not identified" or "folder DCIM Even experienced users sometimes take 20.+ minutes to find a working solution, and it is easy for a beginner to get confused in the settings MIUI This article will not just list the methods, but will analyze each step with the typical problems, from choosing a cable to recovering "disappeared" photos after transferring them.

We tested all the methods on Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 (relevant to MIUI 14/15). If you're looking for a video instruction, there's a selection of timecode videos for each method at the end of this article, and if photos are "not visible" on a PC, check the hidden files section, which solves 90% of these cases.

Let’s answer the main question: the fastest way is to connect to the Internet. USB-cable-in-file transfer mode (MTP). But if the cable is lost or the port is down, alternatives like Mi Cloud or Google Photos will save the day, and the key is not to use questionable software for “automatic transfer”: they often contain viruses or limit the speed of transmission.

1. Preparation of Xiaomi phone for photo transfer

Before you connect your phone to your computer, follow 3 mandatory steps, and if you skip them, you risk getting a "No access to the device" error or seeing empty folders on your PC.

• 🔌 Check it out. USB-cable: use the original cable from the kit or a certified USB-Type C (for new models). Cheap cables often only support charging, but not data transfer.
• 🔋 Charge your phone if the charge level is below 20%, MIUI Can block file transfers to save energy.
• 🔒 Unlock the screen: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) File access is only possible with an unlocked screen.

Also make sure that the developer mode on the phone is turned off (if it was activated earlier). USB-Connection, which prevents the computer from seeing the photos. To check its status, go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and click 7 times on the version line. If you get a notification, "You're a developer," go back to Settings. → Additionally. → For developers and deactivate the option.

⚠️ Note: If you connect your phone to your work computer (e.g., in the office), select Charge Only mode instead of File Transfer mode, which will prevent automatic copying of personal data to your corporate PC.

Method 1: Transfer of the USB-cable (the most reliable cable)

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi models, including the old Redmi 4X and the new Xiaomi 14.The transfer speed reaches 480 Mbps (for USB 3.0), which is 10 times faster than Wi-Fi.

1. Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable, and the "Charge via USB" notification will appear on your phone screen.
2. Tap the notification and select File Transfer (or MTP on some models).
3. On your computer, open "This Computer" (Win) + E. Your Xiaomi will display as a removable drive (e.g., "Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro")+"). What to do if the phone isn't showing on your PC?1. Check if the charge indicator on the phone is on (if not, the cable is faulty).2. Try another one. USB-port on PC (preferably) USB 3.0 blue). 3. Update drivers: open Device Manager → Find "Xiaomi" in the list. → right-click → "Update the driver.” 4. Reboot both devices.
4. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (there are photos taken by the main camera). For screenshots, check Pictures → Screenshots.
5. Copy files to your computer: select the desired photos (Ctrl + A key for everyone) and drag to the folder on your PC.

If the DCIM folder is empty, but you are sure that the photo is there, check the settings for displaying hidden files on your PC:

1. In Windows Explorer, click "View" → "Show" → "Hidden Items".
2. Make sure that there are no subfolders in the DCIM folder with names like.thumbnails (miniature) or 100ANDRO (alternative storage).

Original or certified cable

Phone unlocked.

Selected File Transfer Mode (MTP)

On the PC installed drivers for Xiaomi

Checked the display of hidden files-->

Method 2: Transfer over Mi Cloud (if there is no cable)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's official cloud storage, which gives you 5GB for free, and it's convenient if you lose cables or transfer photos to multiple devices.

• 📶 Internet Requirement: For Downloading 1 GP photo will be needed. ~10-15 Minutes (depending on the speed of Wi-Fi).
• 🔄 Sync is not instant: new photos appear in the cloud with a delay of up to 30 minutes.
• 🔒 Privacy: Photos are stored on Xiaomi servers in China (if critical, use Google Photos instead of Mi Cloud).

Step-by-step:

1. On your phone, open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud.
2. Sign in to your Xiaomi account (or create a new one).
3. Activate the "Sync Gallery" option and wait for the download to be completed.
4. Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same account.
5. Select "Gallery" → tag the right photos → press "Download." The files will be uploaded to ZIP-archive.

⚠️ Note: If you delete photos from your phone, they will automatically be deleted from Mi Cloud after 30 days (unless the Backup option is disabled). To save them forever, download them to your PC or transfer them to another cloud.

4. Method 3: Transfer via Google Photos (alternative to Mi Cloud)

Google Photos is a more versatile solution than Mi Cloud, especially if you use Google services (Gmail, YouTube, etc.).

• 📸 Automatic sorting: photos are grouped by dates, places and even faces.
• 🔍 Search by content: you can find photos by keywords (such as “beach” or “cat").
• 🎁 15GB free (vs. 5GB in Mi Cloud).

How to transfer photos via Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. Click on the avatar in the upper right corner → “Photo settings” → “Backup and sync” → turn on the option.
4. Choose “High Quality” (Free Compression) or “Source Quality” (Collected at 15 GB).
5. On your computer, go to photos.google.com, select a photo and click "Download".

If you want to download all photos at once, use the Google Takeout tool:

1. Go to takeout.google.com.
2. Select "Google Photos" → "All Photos Enabled" → "Next."
3. Specify the archive format (ZIP or TGZ) and the delivery method (email link or cloud upload).
4. Click "Create Export." The process can take several hours for large libraries.

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If you often transfer photos to your PC, set up automatic download only over Wi-Fi in Google Photos. To do this, select “Only through Wi-Fi” in the backup settings, this will save mobile traffic.

5. Method 4: Wi-Fi Transfer (without cables)

If USB-The port on your phone is broken or you just don't want to use the wires, Wi-Fi is a good alternative. 5-10 lower than cable and requires a stable connection to the same network.

There are 3 working options:

• 🌐 Through FTP-server (built-in function) MIUI):
• 📲 Through the "Send Files to PC" app (from Google):

Through Bluetooth.

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and PC.
2. Connect devices (on PC: "Add Bluetooth device").
3. On your phone, select a photo → “Share” → “Bluetooth” → select a PC.
4. On the PC, confirm the file acceptance.

⚠️ Note: When transferring over Wi-Fi photos may lose EXIF-Data (date, location and camera settings) If it is critical (e.g. for professional shots), use USB-cable.

Method 5: Transfer through a memory card (for models with slot)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (Redmi Note 11, POCO X3 Pro, etc.), this method is the easiest:

1. Turn off the phone and remove the memory card (use a special tray or screwdriver for the slot).
2. Insert the card into the card reader and connect it to the PC.
3. Open the card in "This Computer" → go to the DCIM folder.
4. Copy the photo onto a hard drive.

If the map is not readable:

• 🛠️ Check the card reader on another device (it may be broken).
• 🔄 Try another one. USB-port.
• 📛 Format the card on your phone (Warning: This will delete all data!): Settings → Warehouse → Memory map → Format.

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MicroSD cards have a limited record life (about 10,000 cycles). If you often transfer photos back and forth, use A2 cards (such as SanDisk Extreme) – they are optimized for frequent operations.

7. Problem Solving: Photos are not portable or visible on PC

If you followed the instructions but the photos are not copied, check out these points:

If none of these methods worked, try alternative programs:

• 🖥️ Mi PC Suite (Official Software from Xiaomi for File Management).
• 📂 AirDroid (Wi-Fi transmission with additional features).
• 🔗 Snapdrop (web service for transfer without registration, works in the browser).

8. Video instructions for each method

If you find it easier to watch than to read, we have selected the latest videos with step-by-step analysis:

• 🎥 Transfer of the USB (including error-solving):
• 🎥 Mi Cloud for beginners:
• 🎥 Wi-Fi transmission without programs:

Note that some videos use older versions of MIUI (e.g. MIUI 12) and if the interface on your phone is different, focus on partition names rather than location.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi