Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners are constantly facing a shortage of internal memory, as modern cameras create heavy, high-resolution images. Transferring photos to a personal computer becomes not just a convenient way to store archives, but a vital necessity to free up space. There are many ways to accomplish this task, from classic cable connection to cloud technology, and each user can choose the best option.
In this article, we will take a closer look at all the current ways to transfer media files, including the hidden interface settings MIUI and HyperOS, which often cause difficulties for beginners, learn how to speed up the process of copying large amounts of data and which tools provide maximum speed without losing the quality of the original images.
Whether you’re using Windows or macOS, setting the connection right will allow you to manage your smartphone gallery from the comfort of a large screen.We’ll look at both the system’s standard tools and third-party solutions so you can choose the method that suits your current conditions and hardware availability.
Connection through USB-cable: the classical method
The fastest and most reliable way to transfer a large number of photos is the use of the USB-This method does not require an Internet connection and provides maximum copy speed, which is critical when working with video in the Internet. 4K or RAW. To start, you’ll need an original cable or quality analogue that supports data transfer, not just charging.
After the physical connection of the devices, the system notification about the USB mode will appear on the smartphone screen. By default, Xiaomi often chooses the “Charge Only” mode, so you need to change this setting yourself. Click on the notification and select File Transfer (MTP) or Photo Transfer (PTP) in the menu that appears.
- 📱 Connect your smartphone to your PC with a cable and unlock the device screen.
- 🔔 Lower the notification curtain and click on the connection status USB.
- 💾 In the list, select the mode MTP access to all folders or PTP photo-only.
- 📂 On your computer, open “My Computer” and find the device that appears.
Once you select MTP mode, Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac will have a new folder with your smartphone name, and you will need to go to Internal Shared Storage → DCIM → Camera, where all the images are stored by default, and you can copy them by drag and drop or through a context menu.
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Use it. USB-Port 3.0 (usually blue) on your computer for maximum data transfer speeds, as ports 2.0 can significantly slow down the process of copying gigabytes of photos.
If your computer can't see your phone, try replacing the cable or flipping the USB plug because the contacts may have oxidized, and it's also worth checking if the MTP drivers are installed in Windows Device Manager, although they are automatically installed on modern versions of Windows 10/11.
Configure the USB interface in developer mode
Sometimes the standard USB mode selection menu doesn’t appear or resets every time you reconnect, which is annoying when you work regularly. There is a hidden setting in the MIUI and HyperOS shell that allows you to lock in the default connection mode, eliminating unnecessary actions every time.
To activate this feature, you need to access the advanced settings menu. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on the MIUI version seven times until the notification “You became a developer” appears. Then a new “Developers” option will appear in the “Additional” menu.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful in the Developer Menu. Changing unknown settings can lead to unstable system operation, so only change configuration-related settings USB.
Inside the menu, find the “Default USB Configuration” section and select “File Transfer.” Now, every time you connect to your computer, your phone will automatically go into storage mode, and you won’t have to reach for a screen to confirm.
What to do if the developer mode is not turned on?
This setting is especially useful for photographers who often drop footage onto a computer while shooting, and locking in to the connection mode saves time and reduces the risk of damage to the connector due to frequent screen manipulation during connection.
Using Mi Cloud Cloud and Google Photos
Wireless synchronization is the modern standard for working with data, allowing you to access photos from any device in the world.Mi Cloud service is deeply integrated into Xiaomi’s system and allows you to automatically upload images to the cloud when you have a Wi-Fi connection.
To set up, go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud and activate sync for Gallery. You can adjust the download quality: the original quality takes up more space but saves all the details, while the optimized one saves space in the cloud.
- ☁️ Mi Cloud: Ideal for users of the Xiaomi ecosystem, allows you to recover photos after resetting settings.
- 📸 Google Photos: Offers powerful image search and facial recognition, integrated into Android.
- 🔄 Autosynchronization: Ensures that no photo is lost when your phone breaks.
The alternative is Google Photos, which is often pre-installed on smartphones, which provides unlimited (compressed) storage and smart search. To download photos on a PC, you just need to open your browser, go to photos.google.com and select the desired images to download through the Download menu.
The main drawback of cloud methods is the dependence on Internet speed and the availability of a free space limit.To upload thousands of photos in their original quality, you may need to buy an additional subscription, which makes this method less economical with very large archives.
Transfer files over Wi-Fi via FTP and Explorer
If the cable is lost and the Internet is too slow for the cloud, FTP technology comes to the rescue. The MIUI-built conductor allows you to turn your smartphone into a network drive accessible from your computer over a local Wi-Fi network.
Open the Explorer app, go to the Service tab, or click on the menu (three bars) and select Remote Control. Click Launch and the phone will give you the view address. ftp://192.168.1.XX:XXXX.
This address must be entered in the address bar of any folder on your computer, and once connected, you will have full access to the phone's file system without installing additional programs, and the transfer speed is limited only by the power of your router.
| Parameter | Meaning/Description |
|---|---|
| Type of connection | Local area network (LAN) |
| Required SOFTWARE | Not present (included in the conductor) |
| Speed. | Up to 10-40 MB/s (depending on the router) |
| Stability | High, no cables required. |
FTP is convenient because it does not require drivers and works on any operating system, including Linux and macOS. The only condition is that the computer and phone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
☑️ Pre-launch checks FTP
Third-party apps: Mi PC Suite and AirDroid
For those who need advanced functionality, there are specialized programs. The official Mi PC Suite (or its international version) allows you not only to copy files, but also to back up the system, update firmware and manage contacts.
However, many users find the official utility interface overloaded, with the alternative being Pushbullet's AirDroid or Portal app, which allows files to be transferred through the browser by scanning. QR-code, which greatly speeds up the connection process.
When using third-party software, it is important to download apps only from the official Google Play store or trusted sources to avoid malware. Some programs may require root rights to fully access system folders, but this is usually not required to work with photos.
⚠️ Note: When using free versions of third-party applications (such as AirDroid), there may be a limit on the amount of data transferred per month (usually about 200 MB), so they may not be suitable for large archives.
The advantage of these programs is that you can control your phone directly from your computer keyboard, you can receive SMS, see notifications, and drag and drop files at the same time, and this makes your smartphone a full-fledged extension of your workspace.
Problem Solving: The computer can't see files
A common problem is when the phone is charging, but the folders are not displayed. 90% of the time it's in mode. USB, The one we discussed earlier, or in a damaged cable. USB-port, preferably behind the system unit, where the power supply is more stable.
Another reason is that there are no MTP drivers in Windows. Go to Device Manager, find an unknown device or device with an exclamation point, right-click, and select Update Driver → Auto Search.
If the problem occurs on macOS, then for the visibility of Android devices, you may need to install a special Android File Transfer driver, since macOS does not support the MTP protocol natively.
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If none of these methods worked, try enabling USB debugging in the developer menu – this often causes the system to reinitialize the connection to the computer.
In rare cases, the problem may be an antivirus that blocks new devices from connecting. Try temporarily disabling protection or adding the device to exceptions. Also check if the phone is not on Charge Only mode in the special battery settings menu.