Moving a music collection from a computer to a Xiaomi smartphone is a challenge that every second owner of the brandβs devices faces. According to Mi Community statistics, 68% of users prefer to store audio files locally rather than stream them through services like Spotify or Yandex Music. The reasons range from saving traffic to wanting to listen to tracks without the Internet on the subway or on the plane. However, not everyone knows that there are at least five ways to transmit music, and each has its own nuances.
If you think it is enough to simply connect your phone to a PC through USB-If you use a cable and drag files, you run the risk of problems ranging from lack of access to the device's memory to synchronization errors. MIUI 14/15, In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from classic wired connection to wireless technologies, and also tell you how to avoid the typical mistakes when transferring music files formats.mp3,.flac.m4a.
1. Music transmission through USB-cable: step-by-step instruction
The most reliable and quickest way is to use USB-The data transfer rate is 480 Mbps (USB 2.0 or 5 Gbit/s (USB 3.0), which allows you to transfer an album of 20 tracks in seconds. MIUI 12, Xiaomi by default blocks access to internal memory through MTP-The Media Transfer Protocol requires several additional steps to unlock it.
Here's what you're gonna need:
- β‘ Cable USB Type-C (or Micro-USB for older models) with data support (not all charging cables are suitable!)
- π» Computer running Windows 10/11 Mac (or macOS) requires Android File Transfer)
- π± Xiaomi smartphone with unlocked screen (important for confirming connection!)
Now, follow the instructions:
- Connect your phone to your computer using a cable. The charge notification will appear on your smartphone screen via USB, and tap it.
- From the Use USB menu, select File Transfer (MTP). If this is not the case, go to Settings β Connected Devices β USB and enable MTP manually.
- The computer will open a conductor window with the phone folders. Go to the Internal Drive β Music (if there is no folder, create it).
- Copy music files from your PC to your phoneβs Music folder. Use either Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+C/Cmd+V (macOS) to speed up the process.
Cable supports data transfer (not just charging)|
The phone's on mode. MTP (Not "Only charging")|
Music folder exists or is created manually |
Antivirus does not block access to files (disable it for the duration of the transfer)-->
β οΈ If your computer canβt see your phone after you connect, try changing your cable or port. USB. On Windows, it can also help to update drivers through Device Manager (find Xiaomi in the list and update the software).
2. Wireless transmission via Mi Drop (formerly Mi Share)
Mi Drop is Xiaomi's proprietary file-sharing solution for devices without the Internet. The technology works on Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which provides speeds of up to 20 Mbps - enough to transfer an album in 1-2 minutes. The main advantage of the method is that you do not need to connect cables or register with cloud services.
- π± It only works between Xiaomi devices (or Redmi/Poco) with the Mi Drop app installed.
- π Consumes battery power of both devices (5-10% per transmission session).
- πΆ Unstable working at a distance of more than 5 meters.
How to transfer music to Mi Drop:
- Make sure your phone and computer have Mi Drop installed (you can download from Xiaomi's official website), and your PC will also need a BlueStacks emulator or NoxPlayer if you're using Windows.
- Open Mi Drop on both devices and select Send on your computer and Receive on your phone.
- Select music files on your PC and confirm the transfer. The phone will notify you of the incoming file, accept it.
- The files will be saved to the Download/MiDrop folder, and move them to Music for convenience.
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If Mi Drop doesnβt find the device, check that both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled. Also try restarting the application or changing the network mode from 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz in the router settings.
3.Using cloud services: Google Drive vs Mi Cloud
Cloud storage is convenient because it allows you to access music from any device, and also serves as a backup. However, file transfer will require a stable Internet connection, and free rates limit the amount of data you download.
| Parameter | Google Drive | Mi Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Free seat | 15GB | 5GB |
| Max. File size. | 5 TB (with a paid tariff) | 2GB |
| Loading speed | Depends on the Internet tariff | Limited to 10 Mbps |
| Automatic synchronization | Yes (via appendix) | No. |
Instructions for Google Drive:
- Download music to Google Drive from your computer (drop files in your browser or use the Backup and Sync app).
- On your phone, open the Google Drive app, find the uploaded files, and click Download (the arrow icon down).
- Files will be saved to Download. Move them to Music through any file manager (e.g. Files by Google).
For Mi Cloud:
- Sign up for i.mi.com and upload your files to the Cloud section.
- On your phone, go to Settings β Mi Account β Mi Cloud β Cloud storage and download music.
β οΈ Note: When downloading music to the Mi Cloud,.flac or.wav files can be converted to.mp3 Use Google Drive to save the original sound or USB-transmission.
4.Bluetooth Music Transfer: When Justified
Bluetooth is the most versatile, but also the slowest way. The data transfer speed over Bluetooth 5.0 (which is installed in most modern Xiaomi) is only 2 Mbps. This means that an album of 10 tracks of 5 MB each will be transmitted for about 2-3 minutes.
- π No need for internet or cables.
- π‘οΈ Secure β Data is transferred directly between devices.
- π± It works even on older models (e.g. Redmi). 4A or Mi A1).
How to transfer music over Bluetooth:
- Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and computer. On Windows, go to Settings β Devices β Bluetooth and other devices.
- Make your phone Visible to everyone in the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone (usually in the Additional menu).
- On your computer, find your Xiaomi name in the list of available devices and connect to it (you will need to confirm the password on the phone).
- On PC, right-click on the music file, select Send β Bluetooth and specify your phone.
- On your phone, confirm the file. The music will be saved in the Bluetooth folder.
Why is Bluetooth slower than Wi-Fi?
5. Alternative methods: FTP-server and third-party applications
If the standard methods are not suitable, you can use FTP-It's a server or a specialized application like Send Anywhere or Xender, which requires a little bit more technical skill, but offers flexibility and speed.
Method 1: FTP-phone-side
Apps like this FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer is now available FTP-The server is right on the smartphone:
- Install one of the apps from Google Play.
- Launch. FTP-server in application settings (usually in the Network or Remote Access section).
- Enter the specified address (e.g., ftp://192.168.1.10:2221) into the conductor on the computer.
- Copy music to the Music folder on your phone.
Method 2: Send Anywhere
This cross-platform application transfers files through a peer-to-peer network with encryption, speeds up to 10 Mbps, and the file size limit is 10 GB in one session.
- Install Send Anywhere on your phone and computer (the Windows/macOS version is available on the official website).
- On the computer, select files and click Send - a 6-digit code is generated.
- Enter this code on your phone in the Get section.
- Confirm file acceptance.
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FTP-server and Send Anywhere are suitable for transferring large music collections (10).+ GB), when USB-Cable is not available and cloud services are limited.
6 How to organize music on your phone after transfer
Simply transferring files isn't enough -- in order for the music to be properly displayed in the player, you need to organize the folders and metadata correctly.
- π Folder Structure: Create subfolders by artist or album in Music (e.g. Music) β Queen β A Night at the Opera).
- π·οΈ Metadata: Use programs like this Mp3tag (on PC) or Star Music Tag Editor (on Android) for tag editing ID3 (track title, performer, cover).
- π Scan the library: After transferring files, open any player (such as Mi Music or Poweramp) and update the library manually (Settings) β Scanning media files).
If the music is not displayed in the player:
- Check that the files are supported in the format (.mp3,.m4a,.flac,.ogg).
- Make sure that the Music folder is not added to the scan exceptions (in the player settings).
- Reboot your phone β sometimes it helps to update your media base.
7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them
Even when following instructions, users often face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The computer can't see the phone on USB. | MTP drivers are not installed or Charging Only mode is enabled | Install Mi PC Suite or update drivers manually through Device Manager |
| Music is not played on the phone. | Unsupported format or corrupted files | Convert files to.mp3 via Audacity or VLC |
| Slow Wi-Fi transmission | A weak signal or an overloaded network | Connect to a 5GHz network or move devices closer to the router |
| Files are duplicated when synchronized | Cloud service creates backup copies | Turn off autosynchronization in the settings of Google Drive or Mi Cloud |
β οΈ Note: If you transfer music from iTunes (format.m4p), Please note that these files are protected. DRM And it won't play on Xiaomi. Use software like TunePat to remove the protection.