Owners of Xiaomi Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a lack of internal memory, especially if the device is actively used for shooting photos and videos in high resolution. Transferring media files to cloud storage is the most effective solution to this problem, allowing you to save access to the archive from any device and free up precious gigabytes on the internal drive. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS offer flexible tools to automate this process, but their configuration requires careful approach.
There are several proven backup methods, each with its own advantages depending on your needs and ecosystem: you can use Mi Cloud, which is deeply integrated into the system, or you can turn to a universal solution from Google, which is often already preinstalled and configured by default. Understanding the differences between these methods will help you choose the best data protection strategy.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the steps of synchronization setup, look at possible connection problems, and answer frequently asked questions. We will focus not only on the technical side of the process, but also on the security of your personal data when transferring over the Internet.
Choosing Cloud Storage for Xiaomi
The first step in providing reliable storage is choosing the right service. Xiaomi smartphones usually have two main options: Google Photos and Mi Cloud. The first option is cross-platform and independent of the phone manufacturer, making it an ideal choice for those who are planning to change the smartphone brand in the future. The second option provides deeper integration with the MIUI shell, allowing you to synchronize not only the gallery, but also system settings, contacts and notes.
It’s important to consider the amount of free space provided by the chosen service. Google offers 15 GB that is shared between mail, disk and photos, while Mi Cloud only gives 5 GB, but often offers more flexible rates for expansion specifically for photo albums. If you use the ecosystem of smart home from Xiaomi, then using the native cloud can be more convenient for synchronizing data between devices.
- 📸 Google Photos: The Best Image Search Algorithm and Easy Editing Right in the Cloud.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: Native integration with the system and the ability to hide the album in the gallery.
- 🔄 Sync: Both services support background loading when connecting to Wi-Fi.
Don’t discount third-party solutions like Yandex Drive or Dropbox, which can be configured to automatically download through a standard file manager or third-party synchronization apps, but for most users, a bunch of native tools will be the most stable and energy-efficient.
Sync settings through Google Photos
The most popular way to save the library is to use the Google Photos application, which is part of the Google Play services. To activate automatic download, you need to open the application and log in to your Gmail account. In the upper right corner of the screen is the profile avatar, which opens the settings menu when you click on it.
In the menu that opens, select the Photo Service Settings option, then go to Autoupload and Sync. You activate the switch to "On" and the system will suggest you select the quality of the downloaded files: "Saving space" (compressed photos) or "Original" (full quality, takes place in the quota of Google Drive).
⚠️ Note: When selecting the original quality, files take up space in your Google storage. If the 15GB limit is exhausted, sync will automatically stop and new photos will no longer be saved to the cloud until you purchase additional space or clean the archive.
For owners of Redmi phones with MIUI 12, 13, 14 shells and the new HyperOS, it is also important to check the battery settings. The system can aggressively restrict the background activity of applications to save energy, which will lead to a stop downloading. You need to go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Photos and select “No restrictions” mode in the Activity Control section.
☑️ Checking the settings of Google Photos
Once all settings are enabled, the app will begin indexing media files, which can take a long time depending on the amount of accumulated collection and the speed of the Internet connection, and the download status is displayed at the bottom of the application’s home screen or in the user profile.
Using Mi Cloud for Backup
Xiaomi’s branded cloud offers an alternative path for those who prefer not to depend on Google services or want to have an additional copy of the data, which is set up via the phone’s system menu. Go to Settings, click on the top plaque with your Mi Account name and select Mi Cloud.
In the list of synchronization data available, find the Gallery section and activate the switch. The system will warn you that you need to enable synchronization over Wi-Fi to work in order to avoid wasting mobile traffic, which is especially true for owners of tariff plans with limited Internet capacity.
| Parameter | Google Photo | Mi Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Free volume | 15 GB (total) | 5GB |
| Integration with OS | Through the app | Systemic |
| Synchronization of video | Yes (any length) | Just short clips. |
| Access to PC | photos.google.com | i.mi.com |
One of the unique features of the Mi Cloud is the Clean Local Files feature, which once photos have been successfully uploaded to the cloud, you can delete them from your phone's memory and they will remain available in the gallery (marked with a special cloud icon), but will not take up space on the device.
What happens when you leave your Mi Account?
Manual download and work with the file manager
Sometimes automatic sync may not work properly, or you may only need to upload a specific folder to the cloud, such as screenshots or images from messengers that didn’t make it to the main gallery, in which case the built-in File Manager Explorer or the Google Files application comes to the rescue.
Open the file manager and find the DCIM → Camera directory or other image folder. Select the files you want with a long press, then click the "More" button (three dots) and select "Send" or "Share." In the list of applications, find the icon of Google Drive, Yandex Drive or any other cloud service where you want to put files.
This is a very selective method, but it requires manual intervention, and it's not suitable for regular use because it doesn't guarantee that data will be saved in the event of a sudden breakdown of the phone before it's manually loaded, but it's a great option for archiving important documents or checks.
⚠️ Note: When you manually send large video files through the Share menu, the process may be interrupted if the phone screen goes out. Make sure that the screen settings set enough time before turning off or do not turn off the screen during transmission.
It’s also worth noting that some third-party cloud storage allows you to configure “Folder Monitoring,” and in the settings of such applications, you can specify specific directories on your Xiaomi phone, the contents of which will automatically be copied to the cloud, which is a great alternative to system synchronization.
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Use Wi-Fi Only to upload heavy videos. In your mobile network settings, limit syncing photos and videos to Wi-Fi only, so you don't accidentally use up your entire packet of traffic in one evening.
Optimizing memory and managing storage
Once the cloud sync has been successfully set up, Redmi's owner is faced with the issue of freeing up space. Google Photos' tools offer a "Free Space" feature that automatically removes from the device copies of photos that are already securely stored in the cloud.
When you use Mi Cloud, the process is different: you turn on the storage optimization function, replace the originals with thumbnails. In the gallery, you will see all your photos, but they will occupy a minimum of space. When you open a particular picture, the original will be downloaded from the network, which creates the illusion that all the files on the phone are there, even though they are not physically there.
- 🗑️ Recycle Bin: Before final deletion, check the Recycle Bin folder in the cloud service, files are stored there usually 30-60 days.
- 📉 Compression: Regularly check the quality of uploaded photos to make sure that compression algorithms are good for you.
- 📶 Offline access: Check out important albums for offline access in advance if you plan a trip without the Internet.
It's important to check the status of the storage periodically. A crowded cloud will not only stop new photos from uploading, but it can also disrupt WhatsApp's backup, which will lead to the loss of your correspondence history.
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Regularly checking the status of cloud storage and cleaning the cart is a must-have habit to prevent synchronization stops and loss of important data.