How to Reset Photos from Xiaomi to Your Computer: All Working Ways in 2026

Why Xiaomi’s standard photo transfer methods may not work

Transferring photos from Xiaomi’s smartphone to your computer seems like a simple task — until you encounter typical problems. USB-cable, files are copied with errors or the process takes hours, the reasons lie in the settings of the device itself, Windows drivers or even in file system format.

For example, Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI 14+ default MTP (Media Transfer Protocol), which does not always work correctly with Windows 10/11. And if you connect a device via USB-Type C to a USB 3.0 port (blue connector), there can be conflicts due to incompatibility of data transfer protocols. Another trap is the “Personal Data Protection” function in MIUI blocks access to the DCIM folder on the first connection, if you do not confirm trust in the computer.

In this article, we will not only discuss the standard methods (USB, cloud, but also alternatives, such as transmission through the FTP-A server or a local area network that works even if the cable is damaged, and you'll also learn how to speed up copying hundreds of photos without losing quality.

Method 1: Transmission through USB-cable (Step-by-step with pictures)

This is the most obvious method, but it requires the right setup of both devices. You will need a data-enabled cable (not all charging cables are suitable!).If you are using the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or later, check that the cable is certified for USB 2.0/3.0 - otherwise the copy speed will drop to 1-2 MB/s.

Instructions:

• 📱 Connect your smartphone to your PC with the original cable. Xiaomi will display a notification "Charge through" USB" — tap him.
• 🔄 Select the "File Transfer" mode" (MTP). If this item is not, go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → USB and turn on MTP manually.
• 🖥️ Open this computer (Win) on your computer.+E. Your Xiaomi should appear as a removable drive (e.g. Redmi Note 11).
• 📁 Go to the Internal Storage folder → DCIM → Camera (or Screenshots if you need screenshots) highlight the files and copy them to your PC (Ctrl)+C → Ctrl+V).

Xiaomi screen unlocked|Regime on. MTP|Cable connected to port USB 3.0 (blue)|On the PC installed drivers Xiaomi-->

If the computer can't see the phone:

1. Install Mi PC Suite drivers from the official website.
2. Try another cable or USB port.
3. In Device Manager (Win+X) check if there is an exclamation point near Xiaomi... If there is, update the driver.

Method 2: Sync with Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

If USB-The cable is not available or you want to automate backup, Mi Cloud is a convenient solution, POCO F4 And other models with cloud pre-installed, and the big plus is that the photos are synced in the background over Wi-Fi, and you can download them to your PC anytime.

How to set up:

• ☁️ On your smartphone, go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 📸 Enable sync for Gallery (or Photos in new versions) MIUI).
• 🌐 Open i.mi.com and log in to the same account.
• 📥 In the Gallery section, select the photos you want and click Download. ZIP-archive.

⚠️ Note: Free tariff Mi Cloud gives only 5 GB space. If you have thousands of photos in the format RAW (down 20-50 MB each), the space will end in a few syncs. Before download, check for free space in the cloud or clear unnecessary backups.

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If you need to reset your photo in original quality, before uploading to Mi Cloud, turn off the option “Optimize for the Web” in the gallery sync settings.

Method 3: Wi-Fi transmission (without cable and cloud)

If you don't have a cable or don't want to use the cloud, you can organize the transmission directly over the local network. This method works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi 10 and POCO X3, and does not require root rights. Copy speed depends on the router: on Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), it reaches 30-50 MB / s.

Option 1: Through built-in FTP-server (for advanced users)

• 📲 Install the application on the smartphone FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.
• 🔌 Turn it on. FTP-server in the application settings (usually in the "Network" section" → "FTP").
• 🖥️ On the PC, open the Explorer and enter in the address bar ftp://[IP-telephone address:[port] (e.g, ftp://192.168.1.100:2221).
• 📂 Log in (login and password from the application) and copy files from the folder /storage/emulated/0/DCIM.

Option 2: Send Anywhere (Easy for beginners)

• 📱 Install Send Anywhere on your phone and PC from the official website.
• 🔑 On the phone, select a photo, click "Send" and get a 6-digit key.
• 🖥️ On PC, enter this key in the program - the transfer will begin.

Method 4: Use a memory card (for models with a microSD slot)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO M4 Pro), the quickest way is to copy the photo to a microSD and then paste it into your computer via a card reader, which also solves the problem of “invisible” files that are not displayed when connected via USB.

How to transfer the photo to the map:

1. Insert microSD into your smartphone (if not already inserted).
2. Open the Files app (folder icon).
3. Go to the Inner Memory → DCIM → Camera.
4. Select a photo, click Copy, then select Memory Card and destination folder (e.g. Pictures).
5. Wait for the copy to be completed (a notification will appear on the screen).

Now, remove the card from your phone and paste it into your PC card reader, and the photos will be in the folder you've specified, which is particularly useful for carrying a lot of photos (1000).+ The speed of reading with microSD is higher than that of MTP-protocol.

⚠️ Note: If you use an exFAT memory card, make sure your computer supports this format (Windows) 10/11 Supports by default, but on older OSes, you may need to update. 4 GBs are not copied.

Method 5: Automatic sync with Google Photos

If you’re a Google user, Google Photos can be an alternative to Mi Cloud, with the advantage of 15GB of free space (common with Gmail and Drive) and a user-friendly interface for managing albums, but there’s a caveat: since June 2021, Google has stopped offering unlimited storage for photos in “high quality”, so all new downloads take up space in your account.

How to set up:

• 📱 Install Google Photos from Play Market (unless installed).
• ☁️ Open the app, click on the avatar → "Photo settings" → "Backup".
• 🔄 Enable Backup and Sync and select quality (Original or High").
• 🖥️ On PC, open photos.google.com, highlight the photo and click "Download" (they will download to the site). ZIP-archive).

Comparison with Mi Cloud:

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Google Photos is more convenient for automatic sorting and search of photos, and Mi Cloud is better integrated into the Xiaomi ecosystem and does not compress the originals.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and here are the most common ones and how to solve them:

1 Computer cannot see Xiaomi via USB

• 🔌 Check the cable, try charging the phone with another cable, and if you're charging and you're not, the cable is broken.
• 🖥️ Update the drivers: download Mi PC Suite or install drivers manually through Device Manager.
• 📱 On the phone go to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and include "Debugging by" USB" (If there is no item, tap 7 times on "Version" MIUI" under the heading “On the telephone").

Photos are copied very slowly (1-2 MB/s)

• 🔄 Connect the cable to the port USB 3.0 (blue) on PC.
• 📁 Copy files in small batches (by 100-200 pieces, not all at once.
• 🛠️ Disable the antivirus while copying – some programs (such as Avast) scan each file, slowing down the process.

3. no photos are uploaded to Mi Cloud

• ☁️ Check if there is enough space in the cloud (in Xiaomi account settings).
• 📶 Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi (mobile data downloads may be disabled).
• 🔄 Reset sync: Turn off and turn on the Gallery Sync option in Mi Cloud again.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions