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

Transferring a music library from your computer to your Xiaomi smartphone is a challenge that every user sooner or later faces. Unlike streaming services, local tracks give you freedom to listen without the Internet, and modern Redmi, POCO or Mi models support formats from MP3 to FLAC with a bitrate of up to 320 kbit / s. However, the choice of transfer method depends on the volume of the collection, connection speed and even the version of MIUI on the device.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is enough to simply connect a smartphone to the USB and drag and drop files – but in practice, users face problems such as lack of access to memory, slow copy speed or loss of tags. In this article, we'll look at the tracks. 5 Proven methods, taking into account the nuances of firmware MIUI 14/15We will also give recommendations on how to optimize the storage of music on the device, and we will pay special attention to the hidden settings of Xiaomi, which speed up the process of music storage. 2–3 once.

Spoiler: If your collection weighs more than 10 GB, the USB-OTG method may not be effective — it’s better to evaluate alternatives like a FTP- server or cloud drives in advance. And owners of flagship Xiaomi 14 or POCO F6 will need a bonus lifehack to set up UFS 4.0 for maximum write speed.

1. Classical method: transfer through USB-cable

The most obvious method is to connect your smartphone to your computer via USB-Type C (or Micro-USB for older models), but there are pitfalls: starting with MIUI 12, the default mode is Charge Only, and access to the file system is blocked. To unlock the data transfer, follow the steps:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC with the original cable (cheap analogues may not support USB 2.0+).

2 Unlock the Xiaomi screen and swipe down from the top edge – the “USB for file transfer” option will appear in the notification panel.

3. Tap on the notification and select File Transfer (MTP). On some firmware, the item may be called File Manager (FTP) - it's not the right thing to do!

After that, the Xiaomi device will appear in the Windows Explorer (This computer) as a removable disk. The music can be transferred to the Music folder (created automatically) or any other one, as long as the path does not contain Cyrillic characters (this can cause crashes in some players).

Original cable connected|Xiaomi screen unlocked|Regime on. MTP (Not "Only charging")|The destination folder does not contain Cyrillic.|Antiviruses are disabled (can block access)-->

The transfer speed depends on the USB version:

• 🔌 USB 2.0 (older Redmi 4/5 models): up to 40 MB/s – suitable for small collections.
• 🚀 USB 3.0+ (Xiaomi 12/13/14, POCO F4/F5): up to 150–200 MB/s is optimal for FLAC or large libraries.

⚠️ Note: If your computer can’t see Xiaomi after you connect, check Settings → Additionally. → Developer parameters → Configuration USB and choose MTP. On some firmware, this item is hidden - to activate it, tap 7 times on the Assembly Number in Settings → The phone.

2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (FTP-server)

If the cable is not available or damaged, the MIUI FTP- server will come to the rescue, which works without root rights and does not require third-party applications, the main condition is that both devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or the smartphone distributes an access point).

Instructions:

1. Open the Explorer (or File Manager) app on Xiaomi.
2. Go to the FTP section (the tab at the bottom of the screen).
3. Tap Launch - the address of the form ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx will appear.
4. On your computer, open Windows Explorer (or Total Commander) and enter this address in the address bar.
5. Log in with an anonymous login (no password required) and copy the files to the Music folder.

Advantages of the method:

• 📶 No need for cable, it works over a local area network.
• 🔄 You can interrupt transmission and resume transmission later.
• 🛡️ More secure than cloud services (data doesn't go to the Internet).

The average transmission speed over Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) is 30-50 MB / s, over Wi-Fi 6 (on Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro) - up to 80 MB / s. However, stability depends on network load.

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If the FTP- server is disabled through the 5 minutes of inactivity, go to Settings → Additional → Special Options → FTP Wait Time and set the value Never (not available on all firmware).

3. Cloud services: Google Drive, Mi Cloud and alternatives

For owners of small music collections (1-5 GB), cloud storage is the most convenient. Xiaomi offers its own solution - Mi Cloud (5 GB for free), but it has a limit on file size (200 MB), which is problematic for FLAC or long podcasts.

The algorithm for transferring through Google Drive:

1. Download music to Google Drive from your computer (drop files in your browser).
2. On Xiaomi, install the Google Drive app from the Play Market.
3. Find the downloaded files, click on three dots → Download.
4. Files will be saved to the Download folder – transfer them to Music via Explorer.

⚠️ Warning: When downloading via mobile internet, Google Drive may compress audio files if the Traffic Saving option is enabled in the app settings. Disable it before downloading to avoid loss of quality.

Google Drive|Yandex Disk|Mi Cloud|Dropbox|Other|Not using.-->

4. Transfer via instant messengers (Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp)

If you need to throw 1-2 tracks urgently, and only a smartphone is on hand, instant messengers will come to the rescue. Telegram is the best for this, it supports files up to 2 GB without compression and retains original quality. WhatsApp and Viber limit is lower (100-200 MB), and compression algorithms can spoil the sound.

Step-by-step instructions for Telegram:

• 📎 Open a dialogue with yourself (Saved Messages).
• 🖱️ Drag music files into the chat window (or click 📎 → File).
• ⏱️ Wait for the download (speed depends on your internet connection).
• 📥 On Xiaomi, open the same chat, click on the file → Save to the Gallery.
• 🎵 Transfer the file from the Telegram folder to Music via Explorer.

Pros of the method:

• ⚡ Instant transfer of small files.
• 🌍 Works even without a computer (you can send music from one smartphone to another).
• 🔒 Files are encrypted when transmitted.

Cons:

• ❌ File size limit (2GB in Telegram).
• ⏳ Slower than USB or FTP for large collections.
• 📶 Requires a stable Internet.

5. Specialized applications (Send Anywhere, Xender)

For those who regularly transfer files between devices, it is more convenient to use specialized utilities: they work on the principle of P2P, do not require cloud servers, and often support transfers at speeds up to 100 MB / s on the local network.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📲 Send Anywhere: 🔹 Free limit is 10 GB per transmission. 🔹 Runs over Wi-Fi Direct (without router). 🔹 Generating 6-digit code for secure transmission.
• 🚀 Xender: 🔹 Up to 50MB/s over Wi-Fi. 🔹 Built-in player for pre-listening tracks. 🔹 Supports transfers between Android, iOS and PC.
• 🌐 LocalSend (open source): 🔹 Fully offline (no clouds). 🔹 Transmission encryption. 🔹 Support for Xiaomi HyperOS (new firmware).

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on Xiaomi and your computer (Windows/macOS version).
2. On PC, select files and click Send – a 6-digit code is generated.
3. On your smartphone, enter this code in the Receive field.
4. Confirm the transfer – the files are saved to the SendAnywhere folder.

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Apps like Send Anywhere or Xender are ideal for transferring music between devices without a computer, bypassing the limitations of cloud services and even working with FLAC or WAV files without loss of quality.

6. Advanced methods: ADB, OTG and external drives

If standard methods don't work (e.g., a broken USB-C connector or a 100+ GB of music port), advanced solutions will come to the rescue, requiring a little more effort, but providing maximum speed and reliability.

Method 1: ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

Suitable for power users: Allows you to transfer files over the command line, bypassing the limitations of MIUI.

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → Assembly Number (tap 7 times) → For developers → Debugging by USB.
2. Connect Xiaomi to your PC and confirm your trust in your computer.
3. Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb push"C:\path\to\music\*.mp3" /sdcard/Music/

Method 2: USB-OTG + external drive

If you have a USB- flash drive or a SSD with a OTG adapter:

• 🔌 Connect the drive to Xiaomi via the OTG- cable.
• 📁 Copy music from the flash drive to the Music folder via Explorer.
• ⚡ Speed depends on the drive: USB 3.0 SSD will give up to 400 MB/s, and a conventional flash drive will give up to 20-40 MB/s.

⚠️ Warning: Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ will have a formatting request when you first connect the external drive. Don't agree to it, it will erase all the data from the flash drive! Choose Use as external storage.

Bonus: Optimizing Music on Xiaomi After the Move

To make sure the music sounds perfect and the player doesn't "glutch," take a few steps:

1.Tag and cover check

Many players (including the standard Mi Music) read the track metadata (ID3-Tags). If damaged, the songs can be displayed as Unknown or duplicated.

• 🎵 MusicBrainz Picard (PC) – automatically corrects tags.
• 📱 Star Music Tag Editor (Android) edits metadata directly on a smartphone.

2. Sound tuning in MIUI

On Xiaomi smartphones there are hidden options for improving the sound:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound quality.
2. Enable Hi-Res audio (available on Xiaomi 11/12/13/14 and POCO F4/F5).
3. Activate the Equator and select the Bass or Jazz preset for your style of music.

3. Player selection

The standard Mi Music app is suitable for basic tasks, but for audiophiles it is better to install:

• 🎧 Poweramp - support for FLAC, DSD, 10-band equalizer.
• 🎼 Neutron Music Player — 32/64-bit audio processing.
• 🎶 VLC is a universal player with support for all formats.

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If the music is distorted after transfer, check the bitrate of the files.Some budget Redmi models (for example, Redmi 10A) do not support FLAC 24-bit/192kHz. Convert such tracks to 16-bit/44.1kHz via Audacity or foobar2000.

FAQ: Frequent questions about bringing music to Xiaomi