How to Transfer All Photos from One Xiaomi Redmi Phone to Another: A Detailed Guide

Transferring photos between Xiaomi Redmi smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when buying a new device or needing to free up memory. Even if you have models of different generations — for example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro and Redmi 12 — the process can be done without loss of quality and metadata, the main thing is to choose the best method from the five available, given the amount of data, Internet speed and the availability of additional devices.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways: from the standard features of Mi Cloud and Xiaomi Migration to universal solutions like Google Photos or physical connection through the Internet. OTG-We will pay special attention to the nuances that the manufacturer does not always voice: the limitations of free cloud storage, the compatibility of data protocols and ways to avoid typical errors (for example, when the phone does not “see” another device).

If you need to transfer not only photos, but also videos in the original resolution 4K/8K, Some methods will not work, and we'll talk about that, and for older models. 4X, Redmi 5A) We will present alternative solutions because they do not support modern protocols. MIUI 14+.

1.Moving through Mi Cloud: Pros and pitfalls

The Mi Cloud cloud storage is the most obvious way for Xiaomi owners, but it has strict restrictions. The free tariff provides only 5 GB, which is enough for a maximum of 1,500-2000 high-resolution photos. If your gallery is larger, you either have to buy an additional space (from 149). ₽/50 GB per month, or use other methods.

To upload the photo to the cloud:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app on the original Redmi.
• 🖼️ Select the photos you need (or click Select everything in the folder).
• ☁️ Slip on the Mi Cloud icon in the bottom menu and select Download.
• ⏳ Wait for the download to be completed (time depends on internet speed).

On the new phone:

• 📱 Sign in with the same Mi Account.
• ☁️ Go to Mi Cloud. → gallery.
• 🔽 Select files and click Download.

⚠️ Note: If the original phone is disabled sync with Mi Cloud, uploading photos can take hours even with fast Internet. → Mi Cloud → Synchronize data and enable the Gallery option.

2.Use of Xiaomi Migration: Direct Transfer without Cloud

Xiaomi Migration (formerly Transfer Data) allows files to be transferred directly over Wi-Fi between two Xiaomi phones, which is suitable for large amounts of data (tens of thousands of photos) and does not require the Internet. MIUI 10 or newer (on older models like Redmi) 3S function may not be present).

Step-by-step:

1. On the new phone, when you first turn on, select Data Transfer from another device (or find this option in Settings). → The phone. → Data portability).
2. On your old phone, open Settings. → Additionally. → Transfer data and select the role of the sender.
3. 📡 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or create an access point on one of them).
4. 🔗 Scan on your new phone. QR-code that will appear on the old.
5. 📂 Select the Gallery in the data list for transfer and confirm the transfer.

Turn off VPN on both phones

Battery Charge > 50% on both devices

Release me. ~10% of the memory on your new phone

Connect both devices to charging (recommended)-->

The transmission speed depends on the Wi-Fi generation:

• 📶 Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n): ~50 Mbps (6–7 MB/s).
• 📶 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): ~200 Mbps (25 MB/s).
• 📶 Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s).

⚠️ Note: If the transmission is interrupted by 90-99%, check if the battery optimises the transmission in the settings. MIUI. Add the Migration app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications.

3.Move over Google Photos: The universal way for any brands

The Google Photos app is suitable if you plan to transfer data not only between Xiaomi phones, but also to devices of other brands (for example, with the Redmi Note 11 on the iPhone 15).The free tariff offers 15 GB, but with the caveat: High quality photos (compressed to 16 MP) do not occupy storage space, and originals do. 1080p.

How to move:

• 📱 Install Google Photos on both phones (unless installed).
• ☁️ On your old phone, turn on backup: Photo → Profile → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
• ⏳ Wait for the loading to be completed (may take hours with a large volume).
• 📲 On your new phone, log in to the same Google account and wait for sync.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Cross-platform (Android) ↔ iOS ↔ web-based).
• ✅ Automatic sorting by date and place.
• ✅ Shared Albums for Family Access.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Compression of originals when exceeding the quota.
• ❌ Slow loading with weak internet.
• ❌ Risk of loss EXIF-manual export data.

4. Physical transfer: OTG-memory-card

If you don’t have access to stable Wi-Fi or prefer “good old” methods, physical transmission is a good way to get to the Internet. OTG-The cable or memory card is the most reliable option, which guarantees the preservation of original quality and metadata, and also works on any Redmi models, including the very first ones (for example, Redmi). 1S).

Option 1: OTG-cable (USB-C → USB-C or micro-USB → USB-C)

• 🔌 Connect your old phone to your new one OTG-cable.
• 📂 On the new phone, open Explorer (or Files) and select the connected phone.
• 🖼️ Go to the file. DCIM → Camera (or Pictures for screenshots).
• 📋 Select files and click Copy, then paste them into the new phone gallery.

Option 2: MicroSD Memory Card

• 📤 Insert the card into an old phone and transfer the photos to a folder on the map (for example, SDCard/Pictures).
• 🔄 Remove the card and insert it into a new phone.
• 📥 Copy files from the card into internal memory.

💡

If the new phone does not support memory cards (e.g. Redmi) K50), use USB-card reader connected through OTG-adapter.

5. Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct transmission: when there are no other options

If you don’t have a cable and you don’t have internet, you can use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, which is suitable for transferring a small number of photos (up to 500 pieces), as the speed is extremely low – about 1-2 MB / s for Bluetooth 4.0 and up to 10 MB / s for Wi-Fi Direct.

Bluetooth:

• 🔵 Turn on Bluetooth on both phones.
• 📱 On the old phone, select a photo in the gallery, click Share → Bluetooth.
• 🔗 Select a new phone from the list of devices.
• 📥 Confirm the acceptance of files on the new phone.

Wi-Fi Direct:

• 📡 Activate Wi-Fi Direct on both phones: Settings → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔗 Connect devices to each other (click Connect on a new phone).
• 📤 Use any file manager (such as Google Files) to transfer.

⚠️ Note: When transmitting via Bluetooth, photos may be lost EXIF-data (date of shooting, geolocation) to avoid this, archive files in the ZIP before shipment.

💡

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct are the slowest, but they work without the Internet and additional accessories. Use them only for urgent transfer of a small number of files.

6 Third-party applications: ShareMe, Send Anywhere and others

If the standard methods don't work, you can use third-party applications, the most popular ones being:

• 📲 ShareMe (Mi Drop) is the official application from Xiaomi for fast file transfer over Wi-Fi Direct. Speed up to 20 MB / s, there are no limits on the volume.
• 🌐 Send Anywhere – cross-platform solution with support for transmission QR-It's a code or a 6-digit key. It depends on the Internet.
• 🔗 Files by Google – allows you to transfer files without the Internet over a temporary local area network.

Example of ShareMe usage:

1. Install the app on both phones.
2. On the old phone, select Send, on the new phone, Receive.
3. Scan it. QR-code or connect through device search.
4. Select photos and confirm the transmission.

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ✅ High speed (up to 50 MB/s in the local network).
• ✅ No volume limit.
• ✅ Support for all formats (including: RAW video 8K).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Additional software installation is required.
• ❌ Possible banner ads in free versions.

7. Transfer from a damaged or blocked phone

If the original Redmi is not turned on, locked or has a broken screen, but reacts to the connection to the PC, you can extract photos through the computer.

• 🖥️ Connect your phone to your PC through USB-cable.
• 🔧 On PC, install Mi drivers PC Suite (download from the official website).
• 📂 In Windows Explorer, go to the phone folder: This computer → [Name of the telephone] → Internal Storage → DCIM.
• 📋 Copy Camera and Screenshots folders to your hard drive.

If the phone is locked, but USB-The debugging was included earlier, you can use it. ADB-team:

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ Camera_Backup

This team will copy all the photos from the folder. DCIM folder Camera_Backup on your PC.

⚠️ Note: If the phone has enabled data encryption (Settings option) → Security → Encrypting the phone, extracting files without unlocking it will be impossible, in which case only resetting to factory settings will help, but it will delete all data.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

Selection recommendations:

• 📊 Up to 1,000 photos: Google Photos or Bluetooth.
• 📊 1,000 to 10,000 photos: Xiaomi Migration or OTG-cable.
• 📊 More than 10,000 photos: Memory card or ShareMe.
• 📊 Portable to iPhone: Google Photos or Send Anywhere.
• 📊 Damaged phone: Connect to PC via ADB.

FAQ: Frequent questions