How to download photos from Xiaomi to your computer: the complete guide

Transferring photos from Xiaomi to your computer is a challenge that every smartphone owner of this brand faces sooner or later. Perhaps you want to free up memory on the device, back up your pictures or just edit them on the big screen. Fortunately, the process of transferring files does not require special skills, but has its own nuances depending on the method chosen.

Modern Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi lines) support several methods of data transfer, from classic USB connection to wireless technology. However, not all methods are equally convenient. For example, cable transmission is usually the fastest, but requires a physical connection, and cloud services allow you to access files from any device, but depend on the speed of the Internet. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods, from the simplest to alternative solutions for non-standard situations.

If you’ve never connected Xiaomi to a computer before, don’t worry: most methods are intuitive, and check the availability of cables, drivers (for Windows) and free hard drive space in advance. For Mac owners, we will consider the features of working with the file system separately. MIUI.

1. Transfer of photographs through USB-cable (the most reliable method)

Connecting a smartphone to a computer via cable is a classic and most versatile method, which works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of the version of MIUI, and does not require Internet access, but the transfer speed is the highest among all options, especially if you use a USB 3.0 or USB-C cable.

To move the photo in this way, follow the following steps:

• 🔌 Connect your smartphone to your computer using the original cable (or certified analogue).Using poor-quality cables can lead to loss of connection or slow data transfer.
• 📱 On the phone screen will appear a notification "Charging through" USB". Slip it and select File Transfer Mode (or "MTP" older MIUI).
• 🖥️ Your computer will open a Explorer window (Windows) or Android File Transfer (macOS). If this does not happen, check the connection or restart the devices.
• 📁 Go to the folder. DCIM → Camera (or Pictures if the photos are saved elsewhere) copy the files to your hard drive.

On Windows 10/11, drivers for Xiaomi are installed automatically, but if your computer does not recognize the device, download Mi PC Suite from the official website. For macOS, you will need the Android File Transfer utility - it can be downloaded for free from the Google website.

⚠️ Note: If the phone starts charging when you connect, but does not appear as a drive, check the settings USB-Debugging in the Settings section → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times to activate Developer Mode. Then go to Settings → Additionally. → For developers and include "Debugging by" USB".

Check the integrity of the cable and ports

Unlock the phone screen before connecting

Select the "File Transfer" mode in the notification

Make sure there is enough room on the PC to copy.

Disable the antivirus if it blocks access to files-->

2. Use of cloud services (Mi Cloud, Google Photos, Yandex.Disk)

Cloud storage is ideal if you need to regularly sync photos between devices or have access to them from any gadget. Xiaomi offers its own solution - Mi Cloud, but also supports Google Photos, Yandex.Disk and other services.

Let’s look at the Mi Cloud example:

1. 📱 On the phone go to Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
2. 🔒 Sign in or create an account if you don’t already have one.
3. 📷 Enable the option “Sync Photos” and select folders for backup.
4. 🖥️ On your computer, open your browser and go to i.mi.com. Enter the same login details.
5. 📥 In the section "Gallery" select the desired photos and download them on PC.

The advantage of this method is that it automatically syncs new images, which eliminates the need for manual copying. However, note that the free tariff of the Mi Cloud provides only 5 GB of memory. For more volume, you will have to pay for a subscription or use alternative services, such as Google Photos (15 GB free).

⚠️ Note: When using Google Photos in High Quality (not Original Quality) mode, photos are compressed to 16MP resolution. If you want to maintain the original quality, choose the option without compression or use other services.

Mi Cloud

Google Photo

Yandex.Disk.

Other service

I don't use clouds.-->

3. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (via FTP or specialized applications)

If you don't have a cable on hand or you prefer wireless technology, you can transfer photos over a local Wi-Fi network, both built-in MIUI functions and third-party applications will work, transfer speeds will be lower than USB, but you do not need a physical connection.

Method 1: Built-in FTP-server MIUI

1. 📱 Connect your phone and computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. 🔧 On your smartphone, open Settings → Connection and sharing → FTP-server.
3. 🔑 Start the server and write down the address (for example, ftp://192.168.1.100:2121).
4. 🖥️ On your computer, open a Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and enter the address in the address bar.
5. 📥 Copy the necessary files from the folder DCIM.

Method 2: Send Anywhere App

• 📱 Install the app on your phone and computer (or use the web version on your PC).
• 🔗 On your phone, select a photo, click "Send" and generate a 6-digit code.
• 🖥️ Enter this code on your computer to start the transfer.

The advantage of wireless is that there are no wires and you can transfer files between devices on different operating systems, but the speed depends on the quality of the Wi-Fi network, and for large amounts of data (for example, 4K video), you better use cable.

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If FTP-server MIUI It doesn't turn on, check if your antivirus or firewall is blocking it, and make sure your phone has power-saving mode turned off for the Settings app".

4. Bluetooth transmission (for a small number of photos)

Bluetooth is not the fastest way to transfer multiple images, but it is suitable for transferring multiple images when there is no cable or Wi-Fi at hand. The main advantage is the simplicity and lack of need for additional programs. However, note that the transfer speed usually does not exceed 1-2 Mb / s, and large files (for example, photos in RAW format) can be transmitted with errors.

Instructions for Windows:

• 📱 On your phone, turn Bluetooth on in the notification panel or in Settings → Connection and sharing → Bluetooth.
• 🖥️ On the computer, open the settings → Devices → Bluetooth and turn on search.
• 🔗 Confirm the pairing on both devices.
• 📷 In the phone gallery, select a photo, click Share, and select Bluetooth. Then, list your computer in the device list.
• 📥 On the PC, confirm the file acceptance.

The process is similar for macOS, but files are received via AirDrop (if the phone supports this feature) or a standard Bluetooth manager.

⚠️ Note: When transmitted via Bluetooth, photos may lose metadata (date of shooting, geotags). If this is critical, use other methods or check the saved files on your PC.

5. Memory card use (for models with microSD support)

If your Xiaomi supports microSD cards (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro), you can remove the drive and connect it directly to your computer, which is convenient if the photos are saved to the card by default or you have specially transferred them there.

What you need:

• 📷 Cardholder (built into a laptop or external USB-adapter).
• 🔄 MicroSD adapter → SD (If the card reader supports only full-size cards).

Instructions:

1. 🛑 Turn off your phone and remove the memory card.
2. 🔌 Insert it into the card reader and connect it to the computer.
3. 📁 Open the folder. DCIM → Camera and copy the files.

This method is one of the fastest (speed is limited only by the card reader’s capabilities) and does not require charging the phone. However, it is not suitable for all models – many Xiaomi flagships (for example, Mi 11 or Xiaomi 13) do not have a microSD slot.

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Using a memory card is the only way to transfer a photo if the phone is not turned on or locked (provided that the photo is saved to the phone). SD-map).

6. Alternative methods: email, messengers, AirDrop (for macOS)

If standard methods are not available for some reason, you can use custom solutions that are suitable for transferring small amounts of photos or in emergency situations.

Options:

• ✉️ Email: Send a photo to yourself by mail (e.g. Gmail or Mail.ru). 10-20 pictures, but inconvenient for large volumes.
• 💬 Messengers: Send files via Telegram (without size limit), WhatsApp or Viber. Telegram can download files up to 2 GB.
• 🍎 AirDrop (only for airdrop) macOS/iOS): If you have a MacBook or iMac, turn on AirDrop on your phone (in the notification panel) and your computer, then select a photo and click Share. → AirDrop".
• 🌐 Web Services: Upload photos to Filebin, Wetransfer or similar sites, then download them to PC.

These methods are less fast and convenient than the classic methods, but they help in unusual situations, for example, if you have a broken USB connector or do not have access to Wi-Fi.

When using instant messengers, remember to compress images. For example, WhatsApp automatically reduces the resolution of photos to 1920×1080, and Telegram in compression mode reduces quality. To avoid losses, send files as Documents (on Telegram) or use cloud services.

7 Problem Solving: What to do if the computer can't see the phone

Sometimes when you connect Xiaomi to a PC, you get errors: the device is not detected, folders are not opened or file transfer is interrupted. Let's consider the typical reasons and ways to fix them.

If none of these methods worked, try:

• 🔄 Restart your phone and computer.
• 🔌 Connect the phone to another USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0, usually blue).
• 🛠️ Update MIUI Up to the latest version (some firmware has bugs with the MTP-protocol).
• 📵 Turn on "Flight Mode" on your phone for 10 seconds, then turn off and reconnect.

For macOS owners who don’t have Android File Transfer, the alternative is HandShaker or OpenMTP (newer versions of MIUI support).

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos from Xiaomi to PC