How to quickly and safely transfer photos from Xiaomi to your computer: all the ways of 2026

Why Standard Methods Don’t Always Work – and How to Choose the Best Way to Work

You have taken hundreds of photos on your Xiaomi Redmi Note 12. POCO X5 Pro, but when you try to throw them on your computer, you run into problems: the phone is not defined as a drive, the transfer is interrupted, and cloud services require payment for additional space?

The fact is that Xiaomi smartphones are based on MIUI They have the features of working with connections: by default they use the protocol MTP (Media Transfer Protocol, which often conflicts with Windows or macOS drivers, and in newer versions MIUI (for example, MIUI 14 and above) changed settings USB-Connectivity -- now it's hidden in the developer menu, but the good news is that we've tested 7 working ways to transfer photos, including little-known tricks to speed up the transfer.

In this article you will find not only standard instructions, but also solutions for specific cases:

• 🔌 How to Make Windows See Xiaomi as a Flash Drive (If Drivers Aren't Installed)
• ☁️ How long does it take to upload 1000 photos to Mi Cloud at 50 Mbps internet speed?
• 📲 Why only thumbnails are transmitted via Bluetooth – and how to get the originals
• 🔄 What to do if the phone gives an error "Device not recognized" when connecting to the Internet USB

For convenience, we have compiled a comparative table of all methods - it will help you choose the best option depending on your task.

Method 1: Transmission through USB-cable (the fastest method)

Cable connectivity remains the most reliable way to set up data mode correctly. On new Xiaomi smartphones (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T Or the Redmi Note 12 Pro.+) By default, Charging mode can be enabled, which blocks access to files.

To activate file transfer:

1. Connect your phone to your computer with the original cable (cheap cables often don’t support data transfer).
2. Unlock the smartphone screen and swipe down from the top edge – a notification will appear USB file transfer.
3. Tap on the notification and select File Transfer (MTP).
4. On your computer, open This computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) – the phone should appear as a removable drive.

Use the original cable (or certified USB-C)

Unlock the phone screen before connecting

Insert the "File transfer" mode (MTP)" notice-curtain

Check if the phone is displayed in "This Computer" (Windows) or Finder (macOS)

Disable antivirus during transmission (may block access)

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If the computer can't see the phone:

• 🔧 Install Mi drivers PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi) from pcsuite.mi.com.
• 🔄 Reboot both devices and reconnect.
• 🛠️ On Windows, try updating the driver manually through Device Manager (find a device with a yellow exclamation point).

⚠️ Note: macOS may require additional Android File Transfer software to be installed. Without it, the Mac will not see the Xiaomi file system.

Transmission speed USB 3.0 (with the original cable, it reaches 40-60 MB/s is in 10 It's faster than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, 100 photo-format JPEG (down 5 MB each) copied for 8-12 seconds.

Method 2: Wireless transmission over Mi Cloud (if the cable is not available)

Mi Cloud – official cloud storage from Xiaomi, integrated into firmware MIUI. It allows you to sync photos automatically, but has limitations:

• 📦 Free available only 5 GB (that is about 1000 photos in high resolution).
• 🕒 Download speed depends on your Internet connection (at 100 Mbps — ~12 MB/s).
• 🔒 Photos are stored in compressed format (quality is reduced to 16 MP, even if the original is 108 MP).

How to set up autoload photos in Mi Cloud:

1. Open your Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on the switch in front of the gallery.
3. Select Download only over Wi-Fi so you don’t waste mobile traffic.
4. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (progress will appear in the notification curtain).

To download the photo to your computer:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select the Gallery section.
3. Tag the right photos and click Download (they will be packed in) ZIP-archive).

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Cloud in China, Russia or other regions, the servers may be different – this affects the download speed. VPN server in Hong Kong or Singapore.

Method 3: Bluetooth Transfer (small files only)

Bluetooth is convenient when you need to throw 1-2 photo, but not suitable for mass broadcasting:

• 🐢 Speed is everything. 0.5-1 MB/s (10 photo 5 MB will be transferred ~50 seconds).
• 📱 On Xiaomi MIUI 13+ Bluetooth transfers smaller copies (up to 2 MP resolution) rather than originals.
• 🔋 It drains the battery very hard (on the 15-20% hourly).

How to transfer photos over Bluetooth:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone (Settings) → Connections and sharing → Bluetooth) and computer.
2. Connect devices (on PC, select "Add device", on the phone confirm the code).
3. In the gallery Xiaomi, select a photo → Share → Bluetooth.
4. Select your computer from the list and confirm the file acceptance on the PC.

💡

If you want to transfer original photos (without compression), use Xender or ShareMe from Xiaomi instead of Bluetooth, they create a local Wi-Fi network and transfer files in full resolution at speeds up to 20 MB / s.

Windows. 10/11 Photos received by Bluetooth are saved to the folder: C:\Users\<your name>\Documents\Bluetooth Folder

Method 4: Using Google Photos (alternative to Mi Cloud)

Google Photos offers 15GB for free (versus 5GB in the Mi Cloud) and more flexible quality settings.

• 🔍 When selecting the option High quality photos compressed to 16 MP (but this is less than in the Mi Cloud).
• 📅 Free storage is limited – after June 2021, new photos in the original quality take up space in Google Drive.
• 🌐 Requires a stable Internet (when the synchronization is interrupted).

How to set up autoload in Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. Slip on the profile avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
4. Turn on the switch and select Original Quality (if the space on the Disk allows) or High Quality.

To download the photo to your computer:

1. Go to photos.google.com.
2. Select the photos you want (hold Shift for multiple selection).
3. Click on three dots in the upper right corner → Download.

Google Photo

Mi Cloud

Yandex Disc.

iCloud

Another option

I don't use clouds.-->

Method 5: Local Wi-Fi network (Xender, ShareMe applications)

Apps like Xender or ShareMe (developed by Xiaomi) create a local Wi-Fi network between your phone and your computer, which allows you to transfer files without the Internet at speeds up to 20 MB / s – 4 times faster than Bluetooth.

Instructions for ShareMe:

1. Install ShareMe on your phone from Play Market or App Gallery.
2. Open the application and select Send. → highlight the photo.
3. Click Connect to PC - it will appear QR-code.
4. On your computer, open the browser address web.share.mi.com and scan QR-phone-screen.
5. Files will be transferred automatically (they will be saved to the download folder).

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 Speed is faster than Bluetooth and does not require cable.
• 🔒 Transfer is on a secure protocol (files do not leak to the network).
• 📂 Supports folders and files of any size (unlike Bluetooth).

⚠️ Note: If you have Xiaomi with a MediaTek processor (e.g. Redmi Note 11 or MediaTek) POCO M4 Pro, local Wi-Fi may conflict with the main Internet connection. Before transfer, turn off mobile data to avoid breaks.

Method 6: Transmission through FTP-server (for advanced users)

If you need to regularly sync large amounts of photos (for example, for backup), you can run FTP-It's a server right on the phone, and it's going to connect to it from the computer like a network disk.

Instructions:

1. Install the app FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer from Play Market.
2. Open the application and find the section FTP-Server (in Solid Explorer it is called Network Access).
3. Start the server and the address of the view will appear ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On your computer, open either Windows or Finder (macOS) and enter this address into the address bar.
5. Enter the login/password (usually anonymous by default without a password) and copy the files.

Advantages of FTP:

• 📡 You can connect from multiple devices at the same time.
• 🔄 Supports the resumption of interrupted transmission.
• 📁 Access to the entire file system of the phone (not just the gallery).

Disadvantages:

• 🛠️ Requires customization (not all users will understand the IP-address).
• 🔋 Server operation drains the battery (~10% per hour).
• 🔒 Without encryption, data is transmitted in plain form (the risk of interception in public networks).

Method 7: MicroSD Memory Card (if the phone supports)

If your Xiaomi is equipped with a microSD slot (for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro, the easiest way is to copy the photo to the card, and then paste it into the computer through the card reader.

How to transfer photos to microSD:

1. Open the Files app on your phone.
2. Go to the internal memory → DCIM → Camera (there are photos stored).
3. Select the files → Copy.
4. Go back to the root directory and select a memory card. → insert.
5. Remove the card from the phone and insert it into the computer card reader.

Advantages:

• 🔄 No need to connect your phone to your PC (saves time).
• 📥 Reading speed with microSD (UHS-I) — up to 90MB/s.
• 🔋 Does not drain the phone battery.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) MicroSD slot is combined with slot for the second SIM-If you use two cards. SIM, You will have to choose - either a second SIM or an extension of memory.

Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your task:

• 🏆 Fastest one: USB-cable (40-60 MB/s or microSD (up to) 90 MB/s).
• 🌐 No cable: ShareMe/Xender (20 MB/s) or FTP (10-15 MB/s).
• ☁️ For backup: Google Photos (15GB free) or Mi Cloud (5GB, but integrated into the MIUI).
• 📱 For 1-2 Photo: Bluetooth (simple but slow and compressed).

If you need to sync your photos regularly, we recommend combining the following methods:

1. For mass transmission — USB-cable.
2. For automatic backup – Google Photos (set up only on Wi-Fi).
3. For transmission without the Internet - ShareMe or FTP.

💡

For Xiaomi models with Snapdragon processor (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 or POCO F4) speed USB on 15-20% higher than on MediaTek devices (e.g. Redmi Note) 11). This is due to the optimization of the controller. USB on Qualcomm chipsets.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Problem 1: The computer can’t see Xiaomi when connecting to the USB.

Decision:

• 🔧 Install Mi drivers PC Suite.
• 🔄 Switch the mode. USB In the notification curtain for file transfer (MTP).
• 🛠️ On Windows, open Device Manager, find Xiaomi with an exclamation point, update the driver manually.

Problem 2: When Transferring over Wi-Fi (ShareMe, FTP) linkage breaks.

Decision:

• 📶 Go to the Wi-Fi settings on your phone and turn off the Auto Connection to a faster network.
• 🔋 Connect your phone to charge – with low battery levels (<20%) Xiaomi automatically shuts down power-intensive functions.
• 🛡️ Turn off the transmission. VPN Firewall (they can block the local connection).

Problem 3: In Mi Cloud or Google Photos, photos are loaded in low quality.

Decision:

• ☁️ There is no option to disable compression in Mi Cloud – use Google Photos with Original Quality setting (but remember the 15GB limit).
• 📁 Alternatively, upload your photo to Yandex Drive (it doesn’t compress files and gives you 10GB for free).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions