Saving photos from Mi Cloud: official and alternative methods
Xiaomi Cloud (or Mi Cloud) cloud storage automatically backs up your photos, but it's not always clear how to get them out of there, especially if you've changed your phone, lost your device, or just want to make room in the cloud, and in this article, we'll look at all the current ways to download photos, from the official app to workarounds for complex cases.
Important: the procedure differs depending on which device you are using (a Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco smartphone, a computer or someone else’s phone), and what type of access you have (account password, two-factor authentication, etc.).
If you are looking for a way to download bulk (for example, for a backup before deleting an account), look at the section on working with the PC - there are tools for batch download.
Method 1: Download through the official Mi Cloud app on your smartphone
The easiest method is to use the Mi Cloud app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco phones, which allows you to download photos directly to the device gallery without additional manipulation.
Instructions:
- 📱 Open the Mi Cloud app (cloud icon on white background) if it's not available, download it from Google Play or the App Store.
- 🔑 Sign in with the same Xiaomi account that has a photo cloud attached to it.
- 🖼️ Go to Gallery or Photos (depending on the version of the application).
- 📥 Select the desired pictures (long press to select several) and click Download (down arrow icon).
⚠️ Note: If the photos were uploaded to the cloud in the original resolution, they will take up a lot of space on the phone. → Memory.
Check the free space on your phone | Connect to Wi-Fi (photo "weigh" a lot) | Battery charge > 30% | Turn off traffic saving mode-->
If the Mi Cloud app doesn’t show photos, even though you’re sure they’re in the cloud:
- Check if gallery sync is enabled in your Xiaomi account settings (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Gallery Sync).
- Update the app to the latest version.
- Restart your phone – sometimes it helps with cache errors.
Method 2: Downloading Mi Cloud on a computer
The Mi Cloud web interface is easy to download or if you don't have access to your phone, and you can upload photos to Windows, Mac or even Linux through your browser.
Step-by-step:
- Open your browser and go to i.mi.com.
- Sign in under your Xiaomi account (if necessary, confirm the sign-in via SMS or email).
- In the left menu, select the Gallery section.
- Check the desired photos or folders. To select all the pictures on the page, use the combination Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac).
- Press Download (cloud icon with a down arrow) and the files are archived in ZIP and will start downloading.
🔹 Features of the web version:
- 📦 Photos are downloaded in original resolution (unless compressed when uploaded to the cloud).
- 🔄 Limit: Up to 500 files can be downloaded at a time. For more, break the download into parts.
- ⏳ Speed depends on your Internet connection. With slow Wi-Fi, archives can be downloaded for hours.
What to do if the Mi Cloud web version does not open?
⚠️ Note: If you download a photo to your computer, after extracting it from your computer ZIP While Mi Cloud is reliable, it is better to be safe, especially if the archive is suspiciously small (may be damaged when downloaded).
Method 3: Automatically download all photos via Mi PC Suite
Xiaomi’s official Mi PC Suite not only lets you control your phone from your computer, but also sync photos from the cloud directly to your PC. This is handy if you need to save the entire gallery without manual selection.
How to use:
- Download and install Mi PC Suite from the official website (available for Windows 7/10/11).
- Connect your phone to your computer through USB-cable (data transmission mode).
- Sign in to Mi PC Suite under your Xiaomi account.
- Go to the Gallery section → Cloud.
- Select folders for synchronization and click Download on PC.
📌 Advantages of this method:
- 🔄 Automatic synchronization of new photos when connecting the phone.
- 📁 Keeping folder structure (like in the cloud).
- 🛡️ There is no limit on the number of files (unlike the web version).
Through the mobile app|Through the web version on PC|Through Mi. PC Suite|Another option-->
⚠️ Note: If you are connecting a phone not in your region (e.g., a global version to a Chinese account), Mi PC The Suite may not recognize the device, in which case use alternative methods.
Method 4: Download through third-party services (if official methods don't work)
Sometimes, access to Mi Cloud is blocked for technical reasons (for example, if you change your account region or server errors), in which case you can use workarounds:
🔹 Option 1: Google Photos app (if sync is enabled)
If your Xiaomi phone was enabled sync with Google Photos, all the pictures could be duplicated there.
- Open Google Photos in your browser.
- Sign in with the same Google account as you do on your phone.
- Check out the Photos section – there may be copies of your photos.
🔹 Option 2: Backup through ADB (for advanced users)
If you have physical access to your phone and USB debugging enabled, you can extract photos from the cloud system folders using ADB:
adb pull /data/media/0/MIUI/Gallery/cloud/ .🔴 Warning: This method requires root rights or an unlocked bootloader. Wrong commands can damage data!
💡
If you are not sure about ADB commands, use Minimal ADB and Fastboot, which makes it easier to use the console.
Method 5: Alternative methods for complex cases
If standard methods don’t work (for example, when you lose access to your account or block the cloud), try these solutions:
| Problem. | Decision | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Forgot the password from Mi Cloud | Restor access via account.xiaomi.com (requires a linked email or phone) | ⭐⭐ |
| Cloud blocked for 'suspicious activity' | Contact Xiaomi with a passport photo (required for identification) | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Photos are not displayed in the cloud, but take up space. | Check the MIUI/Gallery/cloud/.trash folder on your phone – maybe the files in the shopping cart | ⭐ |
| You need to download photos from someone else’s account (with permission) | Ask the account owner to create a temporary folder with access by link (the function is in the web version) | ⭐⭐ |
🔹 Emergency Method: Appeal for Support
If the photos are critical (such as documents or unique photos) and you can’t restore access, please contact Xiaomi’s official support:
- 📧 Email: support@xiaomi.com (English-Chinese).
- 💬 Chat: via the Mi Community app (Feedback section).
- ☎ Phone: +86 400-100-5678 (for users from China; for other regions, check the number on the website).
⚠️ Attention: Support can request proof of account ownership (checks for phone purchase, screenshots of cloud payments, etc.) without them, access recovery is unlikely.
💡
If photos were removed from the cloud less than 30 days ago, they can be restored through the Recycle Bin in the web version of Mi Cloud (Recently Deleted section).
Frequent mistakes and their solutions
When you download photos from Mi Cloud, users often face typical problems.
🔴 "Failed to download the file (Error 403 or 500)
- 🔄 Update the page or restart the application.
- 🌐 Try a different browser (e.g. Firefox instead of Chrome).
- 📶 Check the Internet connection (turn off) VPN, if you use).
🔴 "Not enough space on the device"
- 🗑️ Clear the cache of the Mi Cloud app in your phone settings.
- 📁 Download the photo in parts (for example, 100 pieces at a time).
- 💾 Connect. SD-map USB-The storage device (if the phone supports) OTG).
🔴 "Photos downloaded, but not opened"
- 🔍 Check the file extension (should be.jpg,.png, etc., not.dat).
- 🛠️ Rename the file by adding the correct extension.
- 🖥️ Try opening pictures on another device (possibly a problem in the viewer program).