How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all working ways

Porting photos from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO to your PC seems like a simple task — until you encounter connection errors, slow transfer or unexpected MIUI limitations. Even modern smartphones with USB Type-C and Wi-Fi 6 sometimes refuse to display correctly in Windows Explorer, and cloud services sync files for hours. In this article, 5 proven ways to transfer photos, including little-known tricks to speed up the process and solve typical problems.

We tested each method on Xiaomi models. 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 steerable MIUI 14/15 HyperOS and special attention was paid to transfer speeds (comparison in the table below), compatibility with Windows. 10/11 MacOS and ways to circumvent restrictions MIUI You need to move thousands of files. RAW-photos or save the folder structure - here you will find the best solution.

1. Transfer through USB-cable: the classical method and its pitfalls

Connecting your phone to your PC via cable is the most reliable way, but there are nuances in MIUI and HyperOS, such as the default smartphone can be defined as Media Device (MTP), which limits the transfer speed to 40-60 MB / s even on USB 3.2. And if you connect Xiaomi to a Mac, you will have to install an additional Android File Transfer driver.

To avoid problems:

• 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit – cheap counterparts often do not support high-speed mode USB 3.0+.
• ⚡ Enable the Developer Mode and activate Debugging by USB (Path: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap → return to → For developers).
• 📁 When connecting, select File Transfer (FTP) instead MTP — This will speed up the copying of 15-20%.
• 🔄 If the PC can’t see the phone, try restarting both devices or using a different port. USB (preferably USB 3.0 blue).

Enable debugging on USB|Use the original cable|Select the "File Transfer" mode"|Try different things. USB-port|Update the drivers MTP PC-only-->

Where do I look for photos on my phone?

• 📸 DCIM/Camera — main-camera.
• 📱 Pictures/Screenshots — screenshot.
• 🌄 DCIM/MIUI/Camera — Photos with effects (such as Magic Sky or Document Mode).
• 🔍 Download – images downloaded from messengers.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi 11 Lite) have folders DCIM To see it, in Windows Explorer, turn on the hidden file display: View → Hidden elements.

2 Wireless Wi-Fi transmission: When the cable is not at hand

If you don't have a cable or need to transfer a few gigabytes of photos without being tied to a PC, wireless methods will save the situation. MIUI has a built-in Wi-Fi File Transfer feature, but it works at 5-12 MB/s — slower than USB.

How to turn on:

1. Open Settings → Connection and Sharing → File Transfer.
2. Select Send Files and specify the folder with photos.
3. On PC, open your browser and enter the address that will appear on your phone screen (e.g. http://192.168.1.100:1234).
4. Download the archive from the photo or select individual files.

To speed up the process, use third-party applications:

• 🚀 LocalSend (open source) – transfer at speeds up to 20 MB/s over a local network.
• ⚡ Snapdrop is a web service for sharing files between devices on the same network (does not require registration).
• 📡 Feem – supports whole folder transfer and data encryption.

Through USB-cable|Wi-Fi (built-in function)|Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)|Third-party applications (LocalSend, Feem)|Another option-->

⚠️ Note: When transferring over Wi-Fi, Xiaomi can automatically compress photos until resolution 2048×1536, If you have enabled the option to save traffic in the settings of the Gallery. disable it in advance: Gallery → Settings → Saving traffic.

3. Cloud services: automatic synchronization without manual copying

If you need to regularly reserve photos or access them from multiple devices, cloud services are the best choice. Xiaomi offers its own Mi Cloud solution, but it has limitations:

• 📦 5GB free (expands to 100GB for 199)₽/month).
• 🔄 Synchronization only works when connected to Wi-Fi (by default).
• 📸 Photos are uploaded in original quality, but the video is compressed to 1080p.

How to set up Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on Gallery Sync and select Original Quality.
3. On PC, open i.mi.com and download the files you want.

Alternative services with more free volume:

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If you use Google Photos, turn on the option “Mobile Backup” (Settings → Backup) so that photos sync even without Wi-Fi. But watch for traffic – 1 GB of photos = ~300-500 MB of traffic.

4. Mi PC Suite: Official File Management Software

Mi PC Suite is a software from Xiaomi for backup, firmware updates and file management, and it is useful if you want to transfer not only photos, but also contacts, messages or applications.

• ⚠️ It only works on Windows (no version for Windows). macOS/Linux).
• 🐢 The transmission speed is lower than that of the direct USB-connection (~30 MB/s).
• 🔄 Requires the installation of drivers that sometimes conflict with the ADB.

How to use:

1. Download Mi PC Suite from the official website.
2. Connect your phone over USB and select File Transfer mode.
3. In the program, go to the File Management tab → Gallery.
4. Select the desired photos and click Export.

5. ADB (for advanced): transfer photos without MIUI restrictions

If MIUI blocks access to system folders (e.g. /data/media/0/DCIM/.thumbnails), or you need to copy hidden files (e.g..nomedia or backups), ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help.

Step-by-step:

1. Install ADB on your PC (you can download it as part of the Android SDK).
2. Enable USB debugging on your phone (see section 1).
3. Connect your phone and type in the command line: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. Copy the photo on your PC command: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/C:\XiaomiPhotos\ (replace the path with the desired one).

ADB allows you to bypass the MIUI restriction on access to the MIUI/Camera folder where processed images are stored (for example, with the AI Sky effect or Night Mode). Without ADB, these files may not appear in Windows Explorer.

⚠️ Note: Do not use the adb pull / command - this will copy the phone's ALL file system (tens of gigabytes), including system files, which can cause crashes. Always specify specific folders, such as, /sdcard/DCIM/.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on the volume of the photo, the availability of cable and speed requirements. Below is a comparison table with the tests on Xiaomi 13 Pro (100 photos of 12 MB each):

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For transferring 50+ GB of photos (for example, after a vacation), USB is optimal in FTP or ADB mode. For regular backup – Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

Typical problem solving

Even with the right settings, you can have errors when you move your photos, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

1.The computer cannot see Xiaomi via USB:

• 🔌 Check the cable - try charging the phone with them. If charging is slow, the cable is faulty.
• 🖥️ Update the drivers MTP Device Manager (Portable Devices section).
• 📱 On the phone, switch from Charging to File Transfer in the connection notification.

2. Slow transmission over USB:

• ⚡ Connect to the port. USB 3.0 (blue connector).
• 📁 Transfer files archive: select a folder with a photo → Squeeze. → copy ZIP PC-only.
• 🔄 Disable the virus check in the antivirus at the time of copying.

3. the Wi-Fi transmission is terminated:

• 📶 Reconnect to a 5GHz network (more stable than 2.4GHz).
• 🔋 Charge the phone to 50%+ — MIUI Limits background processes at low charge.
• 🛑 Close all applications except the transfer program (e.g. LocalSend).

4.Mi Cloud does not sync photos:

• ☁️ Check if the option is enabled Sync over mobile data (if there is no Wi-Fi).
• 🔄 Restart the Gallery app and wait for notification Synchronization completed.
• 📧 Make sure you are logged in to the same Xiaomi account on your phone and browser.

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If photos in Mi Cloud are blurred, check the quality settings: Mi Cloud → Gallery → Download quality. Choose Original, even if it takes up more space.

FAQ: Frequent questions