How to Download Data from Xiaomi Phone to Computer: A Complete Guide to 2026

Why a standard USB connection doesn’t always work

You connected Xiaomi or Redmi to your computer via cable, but instead of folders with files, you see a notification “Charge via USB” or an empty conductor? This problem is familiar to most owners of MIUI smartphones – Xiaomi’s proprietary shell blocks data transfer via USB by default, saving battery power. Moreover, starting with MIUI 12, the company has tightened its security policy: now you need to access files not only select the transfer mode in the notification curtain, but also allow access to specific folders in the settings.

Another common cause of failures is unoriginal cables or USB 2.0 ports on older PCs. For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro and POCO F5 models support USB 3.2 Gen1 (speeds up to 5 Gbps), but when connected to an outdated port, the speed drops by 10 times and the connection can be interrupted.

• 🔌 Damaged drivers – Windows does not recognize the device as a media player (MTP).
• 📱 Blocking debugging - in MIUI 14+ debugging USB defaulted.
• 🔒 Protection MIUI — system asks for a password to unlock file transfer.
• 🖥️ Antivirus – programs like Kaspersky or Avast block access to the device.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer data from Xiaomi to PC in 2026, including bypassing the limitations of MIUI, eliminating connection errors and alternative methods without USB.

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

This is the most reliable method, but it requires the right setup.

1. Connect your phone to your PC with the original cable (complete with charging). Using cheap cables often leads to an error "USB-device not identified".
2. The phone will have a notification, "Charge over USB," tap it and select File Transfer (MTP).
3. If the option is inactive, go to Settings → Connection & Sharing → USB and enable File Transfer.
4. On PC, open This PC – your Xiaomi should appear as a removable drive (like the Redmi Note 12).

Are all the necessary folders on the phone open?|Is there any free space on the PC?|Cable connected to port USB 3.0 (blue connector)?|Is the power saving mode on the PC turned off?-->

If the telephone is not identified:

• 🔄 Restart both devices – sometimes a banal disconnect/connect cable helps.
• 🖱️ Update drivers: in Device Manager, find Xiaomi... → Update the driver → Automatic search.
• 🔧 Put the debugging on. USB (for experienced users: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → Go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.

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If file transfers are too slow, try archiving folders (such as photos) directly on your phone to ZIP. The speed of copying the archive will be 1.5-2 times faster than when transferring hundreds of small files.

Method 2: Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (without cable)

If USB-The port is broken or you often throw files, set up transmission over the local network. This method works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO s MIUI 10+.

For this:

1. Make sure your phone and PC are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (5GHz is preferred).
2. On the phone, open Explorer (Mi File Manager) → Network → FTP.
3. Click Launch - the address of the view will appear ftp://192.168.1.100:2121.
4. On a PC, type this address into Windows Explorer (or use FileZilla for a stable connection).

⚠️ Note: If, after connecting to FTP files are copied with errors (for example, photos open with artifacts), check the encoding of file names. MIUI default UTF-8, some versions of Windows — CP1251. Solution: Rename files on your phone, removing Cyrillic and symbols.

Method 3: Cloud storage Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is a Xiaomi cloud that automatically syncs photos, contacts and notes to your PC:

1. On the phone go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Enable synchronization for the data you want (e.g. Gallery or Notes).
3. On PC, open i.mi.com and log in under the same account.
4. Select a section (such as Photos) and download files through the web interface.

Please note:

• 📁 Free tariff - 5 GB (enough for a fee) ~1500 photos in compressed format).
• 🔄 Autoboot only works when connected to Wi-Fi.
• 🔒 Encryption – files are stored in encrypted form, but Xiaomi can scan them for prohibited content (according to Chinese rules).

⚠️ Note: If you delete files from your phone, they will automatically be deleted from Mi Cloud after 30 days (unless Backup option is enabled).To save data permanently, download them to your PC or transfer them to another cloud (e.g. Google Drive).

Method 4: Applications for Transmission (ShareMe, Snapdrop)

If the standard methods don't work, use third-party utilities. We tested 5 popular apps and selected the most stable ones:

Instructions for ShareMe:

1. Install the app on your phone from Google Play or App Gallery.
2. On PC, open your browser and go to web.sharemi.com.
3. On your phone, select files. → Send. → Computer → scan QR-PC-screen.

For Snapdrop:

1. Open snapdrop.net on your phone and PC (in one Wi-Fi).
2. On the phone, select files → Share → Snapdrop.
3. On PC, click Save when the notification appears.

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Apps like ShareMe and Snapdrop use P2P (peer-to-peer) technology, so speed depends on the power of your router. For maximum speed, connect your PC to the router via an Ethernet cable.

Method 5: ADB-Teams (for experienced users)

If the phone is not defined as MTP-device, but debugging USB included, can be used ADB (Android Debug Bridge.This method is suitable for Xiaomi models with unlocked bootloader or root rights.

Instructions:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack it on PC.
2. Connect your phone to your PC, enable USB Debugging (see Method 1).
3. Open the Command Prompt in the Platform Tools folder and type: Adb devices If the device is defined, continue: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Xiaomi_Backup\Photos This team will copy all the photos from the folder. DCIM into C:\Xiaomi_Backup\Photos PC-only.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It may be possible to reset some settings. MIUI, If you're wrong with the command, for example, the wrong adb shell rm command. -rf /sdcard/ Delete all files from your phone without any recovery.

Error Solving: Phone Not Visible on PC

If none of these methods worked, use this diagnostic table:

If the problem persists:

• 🔄 Reset the settings. USB: Settings → Connection and sharing → USB → Reset the settings.
• 📋 Check the developer settings: disable permission withdrawal USB (if included).
• 🖥️ Update Windows – in older versions (up to Windows 10) 20H2) bugs with MTP.

FAQ: Frequent questions about data transfer with Xiaomi