Transferring photos and videos from a mobile device to a personal computer is a basic but critical operation for every Xiaomi smartphone owner. Freeing the internal drive from multimedia content avoids system performance problems and lack of space to install updates. USB-cable remains the fastest and most stable method of transferring large amounts of data, significantly outpacing cloud services in terms of speed.
Unlike wireless technology, the cable provides direct communication between the Android file system and the computer operating system, which is especially true when you need to maintain the original quality of images without compression or move gigabytes of video in 4K. The stability of the connection in this case is guaranteed by physical contact, which eliminates download interruptions characteristic of unstable Wi-Fi.
However, despite the apparent simplicity, users often face technical nuances, such as the wrong port mode or the absence of drivers. In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions for correctly connecting devices of different generations, including the current models of the Redmi and POCO series.
Equipment preparation and cable inspection
Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that the equipment used is healthy, since it is poor-quality accessories that cause most failures. The standard cable that comes with the device usually supports high-speed data transfer, while cheap analogues are often designed solely for charging. Visually, it is difficult to distinguish them, so it is important to check the specifications or use the original components of Xiaomi.
Special attention should be paid to the condition of the connectors. Dust and pile often accumulate in the charging port of a smartphone, which prevents the tight contact of all contacts inside the connector. Cleaning the port with a wooden toothpick or compressed air can instantly solve the problem of the lack of response of the device to connect to the PC.
⚠️ Warning: Using damaged cables with broken insulation or oxidized contacts can short-circuit and fail the smartphone motherboard power controller.
It's worth checking out. USB-It is recommended to connect the cable directly to the connectors on the back of the system unit, as they are soldered directly on the motherboard and provide a more stable voltage. Front ports of housings often have elongated wires, which can lead to a drop in data rate or periodic connection breaks when working with heavy files.
⚠️ Warning: When connecting to a stationary PC, avoid using USB-hubs without power if you plan to transfer files larger than 10 GB, as they may not have enough current for the stable operation of the controller.
Set-up of the regime USB-plug-in MIUI HyperOS
By default, the current MIUI shell and the new HyperOS activate Charging Only mode when connected to a computer, a security measure that prevents unauthorized access to data if the phone is connected to a public charging station. To make a computer see the file system, you need to manually switch this setting after connecting the devices with a cable.
Once you connect the cable, unlock your smartphone screen and lower the notification curtain from top to bottom, and you'll see the system message "Charge via USB" or "USB Settings." Clicking on this notification will open the mode selection menu where you select the File Transfer (MTP) option, which is the protocol that allows the Windows operating system to display the phone as an external drive.
- 🔌 Connect your smartphone to your PC and unlock the device screen.
- 👇 Swipe from top to bottom to open notifications control center.
- 🖱️ Click on the notification “Charging through” USB» (or similar).
- 📂 In the menu that appears, select “File Transfer” or “Android Auto».
In some cases, especially on older versions of Android or specific builds, the menu may not appear automatically. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and press the build number seven times quickly to activate the developer menu. Next, in the advanced settings, you need to find the "Configuration" item. USB by default" and put there "File transfer».
💡
If the mode selection menu does not appear even after all the manipulations, try to enable debugging by USB in the “Developers” menu and reconnect the cable, allowing access on the smartphone screen.
Search and copy photos through Windows Explorer
After successfully activating the MTP mode on the computer screen, a new device with the name of your model will appear in the “My Computer” or “This Computer” section, for example, the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5. Double click on the device icon will open access to its internal memory. Photos taken by the main camera, according to the Android system standard, are saved in the DCIM → Camera folder.
For users who are actively using social networks and instant messengers, it is important to know where the images are stored. Files from Telegram usually lie in the folder Android → media → org.telegram.messenger → Telegram, and the pictures from WhatsApp are located on the path of Android → media → com.whatsapp → WhatsApp → Media → Statuses (for statuses) or Images. The folder structure may vary slightly depending on the version of the operating system.
| Type of content | The way to the folder | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Photo from the camera | DCIM/Camera | The main photo folder |
| Screenshots | Pictures/Screenshots | Depends on the MIUI version. |
| Downloads. | Download | Files from the browser |
| Photo by WhatsApp | Android/media/.../WhatsApp/Media | Requires access to system folders |
The copying process is carried out by the standard Drag-and-Drop method or through the clipboard. Select the desired files, press Ctrl+C, go to the folder on the computer hard drive and press Ctrl+V. When copying large video files, it is recommended not to perform other resource-intensive tasks on the phone, so as not to create a load on the memory controller.
☑️ Pre-copying check
Using the “Conductor” application on a smartphone
An alternative and often more convenient way to manage files is to use Xiaomi’s built-in File Manager app, which allows you to quickly sort files by type, date or size, which greatly speeds up the search for the right photos before sending them to your PC. Open the app and select Images to see all the photos on the device as a gallery.
To transfer files, select the desired pictures with a long press, then click on the “More” button (three dots) and select “Send” or “Share”. The list of available methods may not have a direct connection to the PC if FTP mode is not configured, so it is easier to use the copy function. Click “Copy”, select the destination folder (for example, create a new folder “For PC” at the root of memory), and then copy its content through the Windows interface.
⚠️ Note: When working with system folders through third-party conductors on Android 11 and above file access Android/data This may be limited by Google’s security policies, requiring additional permissions.
The built-in explorer also works with archives, and if you're planning to transfer thousands of small photos, it makes sense to first archive them in.zip format right on your phone, which will reduce the transfer time, because one large file is copied faster than a thousand small ones, and reduce the risk of losing some data when you disconnect.
How to speed up the copying of thousands of small files?
The solution to the problem: the computer can not see the Xiaomi phone
The situation where the phone is charging but not showing up on the system is one of the most common. In 90% of cases, the problem lies in the USB mode we discussed earlier, or in the drivers. Windows 10 and 11 usually automatically install the necessary MTP USB Device drivers, but sometimes the process ends in error, in which case manually installing drivers through Device Manager will help.
Open Device Manager on PC (right-click on Start Menu) → Device Manager. Find a device with a yellow exclamation mark or Portable Devices section. Right-click, select Update driver» → «Search for drivers on this computer» → «Select a driver from the list of available drivers «MTP USB-device" and press "Next».
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone and computer – it resets controller errors USB.
- 🔌 Try another one. USB-port, preferably USB 2.0 if 3.0 is not running smoothly.
- 🛠️ Install the Mi program PC Suite (or analogue) that contains a complete driver package.
- 🧹 Clean the phone charging socket from dust and pile.
If nothing helps, it may be the charging connector itself in the phone that is damaged. The loose port can only provide contact for charging (2 contacts), but not for data transfer (all 4 or 5 contacts are required), in which case only replacing the connector in the service center or using wireless transmission methods such as Mi Share or FTP will help.
💡
If your computer doesn’t see the phone in any port or cable, it’s likely that the problem is Windows drivers or physical damage to the smartphone charging port.
Alternative methods of data transmission
When cable usage is impossible or inconvenient, Xiaomi’s ecosystem offers efficient wireless solutions. Mi Share (similar to AirDrop) allows you to transfer files to Windows computers that have MIUI+ or Xiaomi HyperOS Connect installed. Transfer speeds are comparable to USB 2.0, which is enough for most tasks.
Another reliable method is the creation of FTP-In the Explorer app, click on the menu (three bars) and select Access from PC. ftp://192.168.1.55:2121. By entering this address in the address bar of any folder on your computer, you will get full access to files over Wi-Fi without installing additional software.
Cloud services like Google Photos or Xiaomi Cloud also serve as a great sync tool. Once you set up autoload, you can find your photos on photos.google.com or i.mi.com and download them to your computer at any time, but this method requires a stable Internet connection and takes time to upload to the cloud.