How to view photos in the cloud Xiaomi: 5 ways for smartphones and PC

Xiaomi Cloud (or Mi Cloud) has become an integral part of the brand’s ecosystem, allowing users to automatically back up photos, videos and documents. However, many owners of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones face difficulties in trying to access their files — especially if you need to upload photos to a new phone or computer. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to view photos in the Xiaomi cloud, including hidden features and solutions to problems.

It’s important to understand that since 2023, the Mi Cloud interface has changed: some old instructions (e.g., via i.mi.com) no longer work, and new features — such as selective synchronization or album sharing — require separate parsing. We’ve taken into account all the updates and collected universal methods relevant to MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS firmware.

1. View photos through the official Mi Cloud app on your smartphone

The most obvious, but not always intuitive, way to use the built-in Mi Cloud app on Xiaomi’s device itself, which is pre-installed on all models, but often hidden in the Google Services or Utilities folder.

To open the photos:

• 📱 Open the Mi Cloud app (white cloud icon on a blue background).
• 🔑 Sign in to the same Mi Account that was used for backup.
• 📂 Go to the Gallery or Photo tab (new versions may call Media Files).
• 🔍 Use date or album filters if you need to find specific photos.

⚠️ Attention: If you can't see the tab with photos, check the sync settings. Gallery backup may have been disabled. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Synchronize data and enable the Gallery option.

Check your internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data)

Make sure you use the correct Mi Account.

Update the Mi Cloud app to Google Play/Mi App Store

Clear the app cache if the photos are not displayed (Settings → Applications → Mi Cloud → Storage)

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2. Access to cloud photos via the web version of Mi Cloud

If you need to download photos to a computer or other phone, the most convenient way to use a web interface.

1. Open your browser and go to the official website: i.mi.com.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account (login – email or phone number).
3. In the main menu, select the Gallery or Photos section.
4. To download, select the files you need and click Download (cloud icon with a down arrow).

💡 Useful tip: The web version allows you to create shared albums and share links to photos without downloading. → Share. → Reference. Reference period: 7 days.

⚠️ Note: Downloading a large number of photos through the web version can be time-consuming. If there are more than 500 files, we recommend using the Mi Cloud app for PC (see section 4).

3. View photos through the Gallery app on Xiaomi

Many users don’t know that the standard Xiaomi Gallery has a built-in section for cloud photos, which is handy if you want to quickly find a snapshot without opening a separate app.

Instructions:

• 🖼️ Open the Gallery app on yours Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Cloud or Mi Cloud section (new versions) MIUI It could be called Deleted Photos).
• 📥 Click on the album you want or use keyword search (e.g., "beach", "2023").
• 🔄 If the photos are not displayed, pull the screen down for forced synchronization.

📌 Key takeaway: This only works if you have the gallery synced to the cloud on your phone, and if you turn it off to save traffic, the cloud partition will be empty.

Using the Mi Cloud app on your phone

Through the web version of i.mi.com

Through the Xiaomi Gallery

Through the Mi Cloud PC client

In other ways.-->

4.Use of Mi Cloud for Windows/macOS

For mass download or backup photos to your computer, Xiaomi offers the Mi Cloud desktop application for PC. It is available for Windows 10/11 and macOS (version 10.14 and higher).

How to install and use:

1. Download the installation file from the official website: 🪟 For Windows: pcsuite.mi.com 🍎 For macOS: macsuite.mi.com

Mi Account

gallery

Photo Photo

Exports

⚠️ Note: When you first start up, the PC client may request a sign-in confirmation via SMS If the code doesn't come, check the Spam folder or try to request the code again in 5 minutes.

5. Recover deleted photos from Xiaomi cloud

If you accidentally delete photos from your phone or from the cloud, you can restore them within 30 days (for free accounts) or 90 days (for premium subscriptions).

Method 1: Through the Web Version

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Open the Recycle Bin section (the trash bin icon in the side menu).
3. Select the files you need and click Restore.

7. Alternative ways to access photos (for experienced users)

If standard methods don't work, you can try to circumvent the limitations with technical solutions, which require caution and are only suitable for users with experience.

Method 1: Through the Mi Cloud API (for developers)

Xiaomi provides an unofficial API for working with the cloud.

1. Get your account token through tools like Mi Cloud Token Extractor (available on GitHub).
2. Use it. POST-endpoint: https://api.account.xiaomi.com/v1/auth/token User settings (your email) and hash (MD5-password hash).
3. To download the photo, use the request: https://cloud.mi.com/v1/photo/download?ids=[PHOTO_ID]

⚠️ Note: This method violates Xiaomi’s user agreement and may result in account blocking. Use it only if other methods are not available, and at your own risk.

Method 2: Through backup on a local device

If the phone had Local Backup enabled, photos could be saved to the MIUI/Backup/AllBackup folder to find them:

• 📁 Connect your phone to your PC through USB (file transfer).
• 🔍 Use Windows Explorer or Finder (macOS) to search for the keyword backup.
• 📂 Backup files have the.mbk extension – they can be opened using Mi. PC Suite.

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Before using alternative methods, try standard methods and contact Xiaomi support. Unauthorized access to the API may violate the terms of use of the service.

FAQ: Frequent questions about viewing photos in the cloud Xiaomi