How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all the ways of 2026

Transferring photos from Xiaomi’s smartphone to your computer is a challenge that every user will eventually face. Regardless of the model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 or even Black Shark), the process of copying files has its own nuances: Some prefer the classic method through the USB- cable, others choose wireless solutions like Mi Cloud or Google Photos, and some do not even suspect the existence of alternative methods like the FTP- server or ADB.

In this article, we will discuss all current methods of photo transfer, taking into account the features of MIUI firmware (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS), you will learn how to avoid typical errors, such as when the computer can not see the phone or photos are copied in low resolution, and we will compare the data rate for each method and give recommendations for optimizing the process.

If you often work with large volumes of photos (for example, RAW images with Xiaomi 13 Ultra), pay attention to the sections on batch transfer and lossless compression. For MacBook owners, separate instructions have been added - porting to macOS has its own peculiarities due to the limitations of the APFS file system.

Finally, at the end of the article, you will find FAQs that answer the most common questions, from recovering accidentally deleted photos to solving MTP connection problems.

1 Transfer via USB- Cable: step-by-step instruction

The most reliable and quick way is to connect Xiaomi to your computer via the USB- cable, but even here, users are faced with problems: the phone is not identified, files are not copied or an error appears "Device not recognized." Let's analyze the process in detail to avoid typical errors.

To start, check the cable type: the original cable from the Xiaomi kit supports USB 2.0 (speeds up to 480 Mbps) or USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps for Xiaomi 12T models and later). Using uncertified cables can lead to a connection break or slow transfer. Also make sure that the USB-C connector (or Micro-USB in older models) is clean - dust and oxidation of contacts often cause unstable connections.

Now, to the phone settings. Once you connect the cable to your PC, the Xiaomi screen will display a notification "Charge via USB." Tap it and select File Transfer (MTP) mode. If you don't, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → USB and manually activate MTP. On some firmware (e.g. HyperOS), the path may be different: Settings → Additional → Developer Settings → Default USB Configuration.

On a Windows 10/11 computer, the phone should be defined as a removable disk in a conductor (this computer).

• 🔌 Check the drivers: Install the Mi PC Suite or download the ADB drivers manually.
• 🔄 Reboot devices: Sometimes it helps to disconnect/connect the cable or reboot the phone.
• 🛠️ Change port USB: Problems often arise when connecting to ports on the front of the system unit.
• 📱 Unlock the screen: Some Xiaomi models block access to files when the screen is locked.

Once you have successfully connected, open the Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (or Pictures if you have your photos saved in the gallery) folder. This is where all your photos are stored. To speed up the process, we recommend archiving photos in ZIP directly on your phone (use Files → Select → Compress), and then copy the archive to your PC.

Check the integrity of the cable and ports

Activate MTP mode on your phone

Unlock the Xiaomi screen

Install the driver if necessary.

Create a backup of important photos

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2. Wireless transmission via Mi Cloud

If you don’t have a cable on hand or prefer cloud solutions, Mi Cloud is a great option. This service from Xiaomi offers 5 GB of free storage (for accounts tied to the Chinese region – 10 GB), the main advantage is automatic synchronization: all new photos are immediately uploaded to the cloud, and you can download them to your PC at any time.

To enable sync, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud. Log in (or create an account if you don’t) and activate the switch next to the Gallery. Note: only photos taken by the phone’s camera are downloaded by default. To add screenshots or images from messengers, tap on Sync Settings and select All folders.

On your computer, open your browser and go to i.mi.com. Sign in with the same account as your phone. In the Gallery section, you will see all synchronized photos. To download, select the desired photos and click Download. Note: Mi Cloud compresses images when downloading if their resolution exceeds 16 MP. To download the originals, click on three dots next to the photo and select Original quality.

Advantages of Mi Cloud:

• ☁️ Auto boot: no need to bemember about backup.
• 🌍 Access from any device: Photos are available even if the phone is lost.
• 🔄 File versions: You can recover deleted photos within 30 days.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Volume limit: 5 GB is quickly terminated when shooting in RAW.
• 🐢 Download speed: Depends on the internet connection (with slow Wi-Fi, the process can take hours).
• 🔒 Privacy: Photos are stored on Xiaomi servers (although the company claims to be encrypted).

Mi Cloud

Google Photo

iCloud

Yandex Disc.

Other

Don't use the clouds.

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3 Wi-Fi Transmission: FTP- Server and Local Area Network

If you don't have a cable and Mi Cloud seems inconvenient, you can use local Wi-Fi transmission, which works without the Internet and does not require registration in the cloud. There are two main ways: through the built-in FTP- server in MIUI or using third-party applications like Send Anywhere.

To start with, consider the built-in FTP- server. It is available on all Xiaomi phones with MIUI 10 firmware and later.

1. Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi network (importantly, it should be a local area network, not a mobile hotspot).
2. Open the Files app on Xiaomi.

On your computer, open a Explorer or Finder (Mac) and enter the address in the address bar. Once logged in (the username and password are your Mi Account data), you will see the phone's file system. Copy photos from the DCIM or Pictures folder to the hard drive. The transfer speed depends on the Wi-Fi standard: at 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), it reaches 30-50 Mbit / s, and on Wi-Fi 6 (Xiaomi 12/13 series) - up to 100 Mbit / s.

An alternative is Send Anywhere (available on Google Play), which allows you to transfer files without connecting to a single network through the generation of a temporary key.

1. Install Send Anywhere on your phone and computer (or use the web version at send-anywhere.com).
2. On your phone, select a photo, click Send and generate a 6-digit key or QR- code.
3. Enter the key on the computer and the transfer will start automatically.

Comparison of Wi-Fi transmission methods:

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If the FTP- server is not connected, check if the Windows firewall is blocking it. Add an exception for the 2121 port (the default for FTP in MIUI).

4.Using Google Photos and other cloud services

Google Photos is a popular alternative to Mi Cloud, especially for users who already use the Google ecosystem.The service offers 15 GB of free space (together with Gmail and Google Drive) and convenient tools for managing photos, including automatic sorting and search by content (for example, you can find all photos with dogs or the beach).

To set up automatic booting:

1. Install Google Photos from Google Play (some Xiaomi models preinstalled it).
2. Open the app and log in under your Google account.
3. Slip on the avatar in the upper right corner → Photo settings → Backup and sync.
4. Activate the switch and select quality: Original quality - photos are saved without compression (takes up space in the cloud). High quality - free unlimited storage, but photos are compressed to 16 MP.

On your computer, go to photos.google.com, where you can view all uploaded photos, sort them by date or album, and download them to your PC.

1. Select the photos you want (or click Ctrl+A to select them all).
2. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Download.
3. Wait for Google to prepare the archive (this can take a few minutes for large collections).

5. ADB Transfer: For Power Users

If standard methods don’t work (for example, when a corrupted file system or if the phone doesn’t turn on but is determined by a computer), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires minimal technical skills, but allows you to copy files even from a locked or brick device.

To start, install Google’s Platform Tools (includes ADB and Fastboot).

1. Turn on USB Debugging on your phone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode), then go back to Settings → Additional → Developers → Debugging on USB.
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux) in the Platform Tools folder.
4. Run the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device is displayed, continue.
5. Copy photos on PC (example for folder DCIM): adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Xiaomi_Photos\ Here C:\Xiaomi_Photos\ is the path on your computer.

Important: If the phone doesn’t turn on, but is defined as a Qualcomm 9008 or EDL Mode, it will require specialized software like UFED or Oxygen Forensic (used in service centers) to extract data.

Advantages of ADB:

• 🔧 Works on damaged devices (if the Android kernel boots).
• 🚀 High speed (limited only by USB- port).
• 📂 Access to all files, including hidden system folders.

⚠️ Warning: Misuse of ADB may result in data loss or phone reset. Do not follow adb shell rm -rf /sdcard/ commands unless you understand the consequences.

6.Alternative methods: Bluetooth, NFC and external drives

If none of the above methods work, consider less popular, but sometimes useful, options like Bluetooth, a slow but versatile way that works even without the Internet.

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and computer.
2. Connect devices (on the PC you may need to enter a confirmation code).
3. On the phone, highlight a photo in the gallery, click Share → Bluetooth and select your computer.

The transfer speed over Bluetooth 5.0 (available on Xiaomi 11 and later) reaches 2 Mbps, but for a large number of photos it will take hours.

Another option is external storage:

• 📱 OTG- Adapter: Connect a flash drive or hard drive to your phone via USB-C OTG, copy the photo, then connect the drive to your PC.
• 💾 SD- Card: If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro), transfer the photo to it, then paste the card into your computer card reader.

For NFC-enabled models (such as the Xiaomi 13), contactless transmission can be used, but this method is only suitable for individual files and requires a compatible NFC chip on a PC (which is rare).

Comparison of alternative methods:

7. Process optimization: tips for large libraries

If you need to move thousands of photos (like after traveling or shooting on the Xiaomi 13 Ultra in RAW), standard methods may be too slow.

Package archiving:

Before copying, archive your photos to ZIP or RAR directly on your phone. This will reduce the number of files and speed up transfer. Use the RAR application or the built-in archiver in Files (Seize → Compress). For RAW- files (the size of 50-100 MB each), archiving can reduce transfer time to 30-40%.

2. Use USB 3.0 and higher:

If your Xiaomi supports USB 3.1 (such as Xiaomi 12S Ultra), use the appropriate cable and port on your PC. Transfer speeds will increase from 40 MB/s (USB 2.0) to 100-150 MB/s. To check the connection speed, open Device Manager on Windows and find your phone in the USB Controllers section.

3. Turn off synchronization during copying:

If you have automatic download enabled in Mi Cloud or Google Photos, turn it off while you transmit. Background sync slows down copying and increases the load on the phone's processor.

4. Break the transmission into parts:

When copying more than 10 000 files, divide them into folders by 2000-3000 pieces. This will help avoid errors like “Insufficient memory” (especially relevant for the FAT32 file system on flash drives).

5. Check the phone's file system:

If photos are copied with errors (for example, some files "disappear" or are corrupted), check Xiaomi for file system errors.

1. Connect your phone to your PC in MTP mode.
2. Open the Command Prompt on behalf of the administrator.
3. Follow the command: chkdsk X: /f where X is the letter of your phone’s drive.

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For maximum transfer speed, use a USB 3.0 + archiving + disabling background processes, which will speed up the copying of 10,000 photos from 2-3 hours to 20-30 minutes.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions