How to upload photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all ways of 2026

Transferring photos from Xiaomi to a computer is a challenge that every smartphone owner of this brand faces. Despite the apparent simplicity, the process can be complicated by unexpected errors: the phone is not defined as a drive, files are not copied or transmitted with distortions, and a problem is especially relevant for users of older models (Redmi 4X, Mi A1) or devices with non-standard firmware.

In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of photo transfer – from the classical connection to the Internet. USB You will learn how to get around common errors (for example, cloud services and specialized applications, MTP-The protocol doesn't work, maintain the original quality of the images and automate the process for regular backup. MIUI, Accelerating data transfer by 2-3 times.

Important: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like Pixel Experience or LineageOS), some methods may require additional action – we’ll note these cases separately.

Transfer through USB-cable: step-by-step instruction

The most reliable and quick way is to connect your phone to your PC via cable, but even here, users often face problems: the computer can't see the phone, files can't open or are copied with errors.

First, prepare:

• 🔌 Original. USB-cable (cheap analogues may not support data transfer)
• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 Mac OS (or macOS) requires Android File Transfer)
• 📱 Xiaomi phone with unlocked screen

Follow the algorithm further:

1. Connect the cable to your phone and PC. Use the USB 3.0 port for maximum speed.
2. Xiaomi will have a notification on the screen, "Charge via USB."
3. Select the "File Transfer" mode" (MTP). If this item is not available, go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → USB-Connect and activate MTP manually.
4. On a PC, open "This Computer" (Windows) or Android File Transfer (Mac). The phone will appear as a removable drive.
5. Go to DCIM → Camera (photos are stored here) or Pictures (screenshots and uploaded images).
6. Copy files on your PC (by drag and drop or through Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V).

Phone screen unlocked|Cable connected to USB 3.0|The regime is chosen MTP|On the PC installed drivers for Xiaomi|folder DCIM readable-->

If the telephone is not identified:

• 🔄 Reconnect the cable, try another port.
• 🔧 Update the drivers MTP via Device Manager (Windows).
• 📱 On the phone, turn on the debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → Additional settings → For developers.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, POCO X3) When you first connect, you need to confirm access to files on your phone screen. If you don't notice, unlock the screen and reconnect.

2. Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (without cable)

If you don't have a cable or it's damaged, you can transfer photos over the local network, which is slower than USB, but is convenient for a lot of files, and let's look at two options: built-in MIUI functions and third-party applications.

Method 1: Built-in FTP-server (MIUI 12 and newer)

The Wireless File Transfer feature is available on most modern Xiaomi:

1. Open Explorer (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner → "FTP".
3. Activate the switch. Remember the address of the view. ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On PC, open "Windows" or "Finder" (Mac) and enter this address in the address bar.
5. Copy the files you need from the DCIM folder.

Method 2: Xender App or Send Anywhere

For older models (Redmi 5, Mi Max 2) or non-standard firmware:

• 📲 Install Xender from Google Play on your phone and PC (web version here).
• 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📎 In the application on the phone, select a photo → "Send" → "On the computer".
• 🖥️ On PC, open web.xender.com and scan. QR-phone-screen.

The speed of transmission over Wi-Fi depends on the standard of the router:

⚠️ Note: When transmitting a photo over Wi-Fi in format RAW (For example, with Xiaomi 13 Ultra, you may lose metadata. To avoid this, archive your files in the ZIP before shipment.

3. Cloud services: Google Photos, Mi Cloud and others

Cloud storage is convenient for automatic backup and access to photos from any device, but each service has limitations:

• 📧 Google Photos: Free for compressed photos only (up to 15GB) Originals take up space in Google Drive.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: 5GB free, but sync only works with Xiaomi account.
• 🌍 Yandex Drive: 10GB free, but download speed is limited (max. 5MB/s).

Instructions for Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open the settings → “Backup and Synchronization” → turn on the function.
3. Choose quality ("Original" or "High").
4. Wait for the download to complete (you can track it in notifications).
5. On PC, open photos.google.com and download the photo.

💡

If you want to save space in the cloud, convert your photos to WEBp before uploading via the Squoosh app (free to Play Market), which is almost never lost, and the size is reduced by 30-50%.

Mi Cloud is suitable for Xiaomi account holders:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Activate Gallery Synchronization.
3. On PC, open i.mi.com, log in and download the photo.

Comparison of services:

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

Bluetooth is suitable for transferring 1-2 images when other methods are not available, the speed is low (max. 2-3 MB / s), but does not require Internet or cable.

Instructions for Windows:

1. On your phone, turn Bluetooth on in the notification panel.
2. On PC: Start → Settings → Devices → Bluetooth → “Add Device”.
3. Select the phone from the list and confirm pairing (the code must match on both devices).
4. On your phone, open the Gallery, select a photo → Share → Bluetooth → select a PC.
5. On the PC, confirm the file acceptance (usually saved in Downloads).

For macOS:

• 🍎 Open System settings → Bluetooth.
• 🔵 Click "Detectable" and connect the phone.
• 📲 On Xiaomi, send photos via Bluetooth in the menu.

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi with firmware MIUI 13+ When transmitted via Bluetooth, photos are automatically compressed to resolution. 1920×1080. To send the original, use an archiver (e.g, RAR) and send ZIP-file.

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

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO M4 Pro), you can transfer the photo to it, and then paste the card into your computer through a card reader, which is the most reliable method for large amounts of data (10+ GB).

Step-by-step:

1. Insert the memory card into your phone (if not already inserted).
2. Open the gallery, select a photo. → "Share" →"Save it on. SD-map".
3. Remove the card (pre-mounted in Settings → Storage).
4. Insert the card into the card reader and connect to the PC.
5. Copy files from the DCIM or Pictures folder.

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 The speed of copying is limited only by the capabilities of the card reader (up to 100 MB / s for the card reader). UHS-I).
• 🔒 There is no risk of data loss when a connection is broken (unlike Wi-Fi).
• 📁 You can move the entire folder at once. DCIM structureless.

6 Special programs: Mi PC Suite and alternatives

Official software from Xiaomi - Mi PC Suite makes it easier to manage files, but it has limitations. POCO-Devices and often issues an error "failed to connect" on Windows 11.

How to use Mi PC Suite:

1. Download the program from the official website.
2. Connect your phone via USB (MTP mode).
3. In the program, go to the tab "Files" → "Gallery".
4. Select a photo and click Export.

Alternatives:

• 🖥️ AirDroid: Wi-Fi transmission, remote control.
• 📂 Solid Explorer: File Manager with FTP-server.
• 🔄 Syncthing: Synchronize folders between devices without cloud.

💡

Mi PC Suite automatically converts photos to JPEG when exported, even if the original is HEIC or RAW. To save the original format, use Windows Explorer or AirDroid.

7. Solving typical problems when transferring photos

Even when you follow the instructions, users encounter errors.

Problem 1: The computer can’t see the phone in MTP mode.

• 🔌 Check the cable (try the charger – if the phone is charging but files are not being transferred, the cable is damaged).
• 🔧 Update the drivers MTP Device Manager (section "Portable devices").
• 📱 On the phone, turn on the debugging. USB (see section 1).

Problem 2: Photos are copied with artifacts or not opened.

• 🖼️ Check the format: Xiaomi saves photos in HEIC (Windows is not supported by default. Install the codec from Microsoft.
• 🔍 If your photos are damaged, try to restore them using Recuva or PhotoRec.

Problem 3: Slow transfer over USB.

• 🔌 Use the port. USB 3.0 (blue) and original cable.
• 📱 In the Developer Settings, turn on "Disable the Speed Limit" USB" (readily MIUI 12+).
• 🖥️ On PC, disable the antivirus while you copy (it can scan every file).

Problem 4: There is not enough space on the PC to copy.

• 🗃️ Copy the photo to the outside HDD or SSD.
• ☁️ Upload the photo to the cloud (see section 3) and then download selectively.
• 📦 Archive the photo in ZIP/RAR before copying (saves up to the 40% place).

💡

If the phone makes a mistake "USB-"Device not recognized," try connecting it to another PC. If the problem recurs, reset the settings. USB In Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting settings USB.

FAQ: Frequent questions