How to transfer photos from one Xiaomi phone to another: all the working ways

Transferring photos between Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or sharing snapshots. Unlike the iPhone, where there is a single ecosystem tool AirDrop, Xiaomi has several alternative solutions, from proprietary technologies to universal methods. The main difficulty is choosing the best way: one gives maximum speed, another maintains quality, the third operates without the Internet.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven ways to transfer photos between Xiaomi phones (including Redmi models, POCO And Black Shark, and their pros and cons, and the nuances that are not written in the official instructions, like why Mi Share might not see a second phone, how to get around the Bluetooth file size limit, and why cable transmission sometimes works slower than Wi-Fi. We will also focus on the hidden function "Fast transmission" in MIUI 14+, It allows you to send photos without installing additional applications.

1. Transfer via Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) – a proprietary way from Xiaomi

Mi Share is an analogue of AirDrop for Xiaomi devices, which works on Wi-Fi Direct technology and does not require an Internet connection. Transfer speeds reach 10-15 MB / s (depending on the phone model), which is 2-3 times faster than via Bluetooth. The main advantage is the lack of file size restrictions and support for batch sending (you can transfer the entire gallery at a time).

To use Mi Share, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Files app on both phones (or swipe down the screen and find the Mi Share tile in the notification bar).
• 🔄 On the sender phone, select photos, click Share → Mi Share.
• 🔍 On the receiving phone, activate the Reception Mode (Get Files).
• 🔗 Wait for the devices to detect each other and confirm the connection.

If Mi Share doesn't find a second phone, check:

• 📶 Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessarily, but speeds up search).
• 🔋 Battery level above 15% (at low charge, the function can be blocked).
• 📲 Recipient phone enabled Visibility for all in Mi Share settings.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 12 and older Mi Share may conflict with Google's Quick Transfer feature. If the transfer is interrupted, turn off Quick Transfer in Google's settings → Devices and exchanges.

2. Cloud services: Mi Cloud vs Google Photos vs Yandex Disk

Using cloud storage is convenient if you need to transfer photos to a distance (for example, between phones in different cities) or create a backup. Xiaomi offers its own cloud - Mi Cloud, but it has restrictions: only 5 GB is available for free, and download speed depends on Xiaomi servers (sometimes drops to 1-2 MB / s). Alternatives are Google Photos (15 GB free) and Yandex Drive (10 GB).

Comparison of cloud services for photo transfer:

Instructions for transferring through Google Photos (the most reliable option):

1. Install Google Photos on both phones.
2. On the sender phone, upload photos to the album (select files → Save to Google Photos).
3. On the recipient phone, log in to the same Google account and download photos (Photos → Albums → Select → Save to the device).

⚠️ Note: If photos were uploaded to Google Photos in High Quality mode, their resolution will be reduced to 16 MP, even if the original was 48 or 108 MP. To maintain full quality, choose the option Original Quality (but it takes place in the cloud).

Upload photos to the cloud|Check the free space on the receiver phone|Connect to Wi-Fi to speed up loading|Sync accounts on both devices-->

3. USB cable transmission (OTG or PC as an intermediary)

Cable is one of the most reliable ways, because it doesn't depend on the speed of the Internet or the stability of the wireless connections. OTG-Adapter or use of PC/laptop as an intermediary. The first method requires an adapter USB-C to USB-C (or micro-USB to USB-C, depending on the port of the phone, the second - only standard cables.

Method 1: Direct Connection (OTG)

• 🔌 Connect the phones through OTG-adapter (e.g, USB-C (host) → USB-C (device)).
• 📁 On the sender phone, select File Transfer Mode (in the notification curtain).
• 🔍 On the receiving phone, open the File Manager and find the folder with photos of the second device (usually /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera).
• 📤 Copy the necessary files into your memory.

Method 2: Through the computer

• 🖥️ Connect the first phone to your PC and copy the photos to a folder on your desktop.
• 🔄 Disable the first phone, connect the second and transfer files back.

The transmission speed over the cable can reach 40-60 MB / s (USB 3.0), but in practice is often limited to 10-20 MB / s due to the features of the MIUI firmware. If the speed drops below 5 MB / s, try:

• 🔄 Reconnect the cable (sometimes port) USB "fall asleep").
• 📵 Disable Debugging by USB In the developer settings (it can slow down the transfer).
• 🔋 Use the original Xiaomi cable (cheap counterparts often do not support high speeds).

4.Bluetooth: When Speed Is Not Important

Bluetooth is the most versatile but also the slowest way, and transmission speeds usually don’t exceed 1-2 MB/s, and when you send a lot of photos (for example, 50+ pictures), the connection can break.

• 📡 No Wi-Fi and mobile internet.
• 🔌 There is no cable at hand or OTG-adapter.
• 📱 You need to transfer 1-2 photos quickly (without setting other methods).

How to transfer photos via Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both phones (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth).
2. Make phones visible to everyone (in the Bluetooth menu).
3. On the sender phone, select photos → Share → Bluetooth → select the second phone.
4. Confirm the reception on the receiving phone.

Limitations of Bluetooth in Xiaomi:

• 🚫 Maximum size of one file is 50 MB (photo in format) HEIC or RAW I'll have to squeeze).
• ⏳ When a packet of photos (for example, 30 pieces) is sent sequentially, rather than in parallel.
• 🔋 Battery consumption is higher than with Mi Share (15-20% per hour of continuous transmission).

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If you want to transfer a lot of photos via Bluetooth, pre-archive them in ZIP, which will reduce the number of files and speed up the process (although the archive itself will be transmitted at the same speed).

5. MicroSD Memory Card: The Good Old Method

Using a microSD card is relevant for Xiaomi phones with memory extension support (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro). This method does not depend on the Internet or protocol compatibility, but requires physical extraction of the card.

• Class 10/UHS-I: Up to 30–50MB/s.
• UHS-II: up to 90-100MB/s (but only Xiaomi flagships support such cards).

Step-by-step:

1. Insert the memory card into the sender phone.
2. Transfer the photos to a folder on the map (e.g. /SDCard/DCIM/Transfer).
3. Remove the card and insert it into the receiver phone.
4. Copy the files into internal memory.

The nuances of working with microSD:

• 📸 Photos in format RAW or HEIC You may not open on older Xiaomi models (conversion to the new model is required). JPEG).
• 🔄 If the card is formatted as internal memory (in the Warehouse settings), it can not be simply removed - you first need to transfer it to portable storage mode.
• 🛡️ Cards larger than 256GB may not be supported on budget models (e.g. Redmi) A2 Officially only works with cards up to 512 GB, but in practice there are failures).

⚠️ Note: If you remove the memory card while copying files, it can damage the file system, and it will be difficult to recover the data after that, and you will need programs like DiskDigger or Recuva that don’t always work 100%. Always use the Safe Retrieval feature in the notification curtain.

6. Hidden Quick Transmission function in MIUI 14+

Starting with MIUI 14, Xiaomi has added a built-in Quick Transfer feature that works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, but does not require the installation of Mi Share.This feature is hidden in the Settings menu and allows you to transfer files without size restrictions at speeds up to 20 MB / s. The main difference from Mi Share is that you do not need to open a separate application.

How to turn on and use:

1. Open Settings → Connections → Quick transfer.
2. Activate the function on both phones.
3. On the sender phone, select photos → Share → Quick transfer.
4. Confirm the connection on the second phone.

Advantages of Quick Transmission:

• ⚡ Speed 10-15% faster than the Mi Share (due to optimization in the system). MIUI 14+).
• 🔄 No need to install additional applications.
• 📱 It works even on phones with custom firmware (if the Nearby Share system component is not removed).

Disadvantages:

• 🔍 The function is not available on phones with MIUI 13 and below.
• 📡 With a weak signal, Wi-Fi can automatically switch to Bluetooth, reducing speed.

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If you have a MIUI 14 or newer, Quick Transfer is the best choice for transferring photos between Xiaomi phones. It combines the speed of the Mi Share and the convenience of the built-in tool.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

To determine the best method, evaluate your priorities:

Selection recommendations:

• 🏆 Best speed: cable OTG memory-card UHS-II.
• 🌐 Best for remote transfer: Google Photos (if not critical quality).
• 📲 Best for. MIUI 14+: Quick transmission.
• 🔋 Best for low battery life: Bluetooth (least energy consumption).

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi