Redmi 4 series smartphones, including the Prime and Pro versions, are still popular because of their reliability and autonomy. However, built-in memory of 16 or 32 gigabytes is often not enough to store a huge collection of images taken over the years of use. Sooner or later, every owner faces the need to free up space by transferring media files to an external medium.
There are many ways to do this, from traditional cable connectivity to modern cloud technology, depending on the amount of data you transmit, the availability of the Internet and the speed you need at the moment, and in this article we will take a look at all the current options so that you can choose the most convenient one for you.
Don't ignore the importance of a regular backup, because suddenly breaking your gadget or losing your device can lead to the permanent loss of valuable footage. Backup is the only way to ensure that your memories are safe for the long term. Let's look at how to organize this process.
Preparation of the device for data transmission
Before you start taking active action to copy files, you need to make sure that your Xiaomi Redmi 4 is ready to interact with external devices. Often users try to connect the cable immediately, wondering why the computer makes a connection sound but does not see the folders with photos.
You will need quality. USB-cable, preferably original or certified, as cheap analogues can only provide charging without data transfer, also make sure that the hard drive of the computer has enough free space to receive a large amount of graphics. Checking these conditions will save you time on troubleshooting later on.
Special attention should be paid to the state of the Micro-USB connector on the phone itself. In the Redmi 4 series, the connector can become loose over time, leading to unstable connection. If the contact is poor, file transfer can be interrupted in the middle, which can damage the archives.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use damaged cables with inflections or oxidized contacts.This can lead not only to a transmission failure, but also to a voltage surge that can damage the motherboard's power controller.
Make sure the screen is unlocked the first time you connect to your PC. Android security can block access to the file system from unauthorized computers if the device is in sleep or locked with a password.
Method 1: Classical connection through USB-cable
The fastest and most reliable method that does not require an Internet connection is the use of the Internet. USB-It allows you to transfer files at the highest speed supported by your computer and phone ports. For Redmi 4, this is especially true because the device supports the standard. USB 2.0, which provides sufficient bandwidth for photos and videos.
After the devices are physically connected, a USB mode notification will appear on the smartphone screen. By default, you select Charge Only mode, which you need to change. Click on this notification and select File Transfer (MTP) and the computer recognizes the device as an external drive.
☑️ Connection check USB
Now open My Computer on Windows and find the device that appears. You need to go on the path Internal Drive → DCIM → Camera. This is the default folder that stores all the pictures taken on the main camera. If you used a third-party app or selfie camera, the folders may be called differently, for example, Snapchat or Selfie.
Select the files you want or entire folders, click the right mouse button, and select Copy. Then go to the directory on your computer where you want to save the archive, and click "Insert." The copying process will take time, depending on the amount of data, do not disconnect the cable until the operation is complete.
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When you copy a large number of small files (thousands of photos), the speed can be slower than when you transfer one large video file.
Configuring the debugging mode and drivers
Sometimes the computer can't see Xiaomi, even if the cable is good, and you might need to activate the developer mode and install the drivers, which is not a complicated procedure, but it requires care, and you need to start debugging over USB, which gives the computer deeper access to the system.
Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly press 7 times on MIUI Version. You will see a message saying “You are a developer.” Now go back to the main settings menu, select Additional → For Developers and activate the USB Debugging Switch.
When you reconnect to your PC, you'll see a request for debugging permission from that computer on your phone, and you'll check "Always Allow" and press "OK." If you still don't know, you may not have MTP USB Device drivers on your phone.
| Problem. | Probable cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The computer makes sound, but the device is not visible | Charging Only mode | Select MTP in the notification curtain |
| Device driver error | Lack of software in Windows | Install Mi PC Suite or Drivers |
| The phone is just charging. | Faulty cable | Replace the cable with a data cable |
| Files are copied with errors | Damage to the file system | Check the disk for errors |
For automatic driver installation, you can download the official Mi PC Suite utility, although it may be redundant for simple operations. In most cases, Windows 10 and 11 independently find the necessary components within a minute of connecting.
Cloud storage and synchronization
If you don't have a cable on hand or want to automate the process, cloud technology is a great solution. Google Photos is the standard application on Redmi 4, which allows you to store unlimited number of images for free (in compressed quality), just enable synchronization in the application settings.
Also popular are Yandex.Disk, Dropbox and OneDrive, which work on a similar principle: you install an app, register and turn on autoload. The photos are uploaded to the Internet when the phone is connected to Wi-Fi. On your computer, you just go to the service website or the sync folder and download the desired ones.
The main disadvantage of this method is the dependence on Internet speed and the presence of limits on free space. For Redmi 4 with its not the most powerful processor, downloading large videos to 4K can take a long time and heat the device very much. Photos load much faster and have less impact on autonomy.
⚠️ Note: When using public Wi-Fi networks to upload photos to the cloud, make sure the connection is secure.
The advantage of the cloud is that your photos are accessible from any device in the world, so you can upload photos from Xiaomi and view them on your tablet or desktop without having to carry your phone, and this creates a convenient, single space for media files.
Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi and Mi Drop
Xiaomi owners are lucky to have a built-in Mi Drop tool (now known as ShareMe), which allows you to transfer files between your phone and your computer over Wi-Fi without using Internet and cables, transfer speeds much faster than Bluetooth, reaching 20-40 MB/s.
To get started, open the ShareMe app on your phone and click Connect to your computer. Select the folders you want to share, and click Start. FTP-address, for example, ftp://192.168.1.5:2121.
On your computer, open "My Computer" or any Explorer, type that address into the address bar on top and press Enter. The phone's file system opens. You can now copy the photo with the usual drag and drop, which is the most convenient way to regularly transfer photos without wires.
If the built-in application is not working or remote, you can use third-party analogues, such as Portal by Pushbullet or WiFi File Transfer. The principle of their operation is identical: the phone creates a local server, and the computer connects to it as a network disk.
Why is FTP faster than Bluetooth?
Alternative methods: Bluetooth and memory cards
Bluetooth is the oldest and slowest way, but it still has the right to live if you have to throw a couple of photos and the cable is lost. Redmi 4 uses Bluetooth 4.2, which allows you to transfer files at a speed of about 1-2 MB / s. For one photo it takes a couple of seconds, for a gallery of 1000 pictures — a few hours.
To connect, turn on Bluetooth on both devices, pair, then in the gallery select a photo, click Share and select Bluetooth. The computer will need to confirm the file acceptance. The folder for incoming files is usually located on the download → Bluetooth path.
Another option that's relevant for Redmi 4 is to use microSD cards, so if you're storing your photos on a flash drive, you can just take it out, paste it into your computer card reader, and copy it, and it's an analog method that doesn't require you to configure your networks or drivers.
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Using a memory card through a card reader is the fastest way to transfer large amounts of data if you don’t. USB-cable, but it requires the physical removal of the carrier.
Some users use email clients to send photos to themselves, which works for 5-10 files, but is extremely inconvenient for large archives because of the limits on attachment size and download speed.