How to upload photos from Xiaomi to your computer via USB: detailed guide 2026

Transfer photos from Xiaomi smartphone to computer via USB-The cable seems like a simple task, but in practice, users face a lot of nuances: from the lack of response of the PC to the connection to driver errors, POCO X5 Xiaomi 13T, where the manufacturer regularly updates the firmware MIUI, In this article, we're going to not only look at the basic file transfer algorithm, but also solve the typical problems: why the computer can't see the phone, how to turn on the data mode, and what to do if you don't see the phone. MTP-The protocol refuses to work.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is enough to simply connect devices with a cable - but modern versions MIUI 14/15 It requires additional actions in the settings. 13, Google tightens security policy USB-This led to a change in standard data exchange scenarios, if you had previously had no problem downloading photos from Xiaomi Mi. A2 or Redmi 9, Now faced with difficulties - this instruction will help to understand the reasons and find a solution.

1. Preparing Xiaomi phone for connection

Before you connect devices with a cable, you need to configure the smartphone correctly, and most file transfer problems are caused by incorrect USB mode or disabled permissions.

First, check the type of USB cable: it should support data transfer, not just charging. Xiaomi’s original cables (especially those from the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ or Xiaomi 12S Ultra kit) are usually suitable, but cheap Chinese counterparts often work only for charging. Visually, you can distinguish them by the labeling: quality cables are specified as USB 2.0/3.0 standard and USB-IF logo.

Next, go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI Version 5-7 times to activate Developer Mode. This will give you access to hidden settings that you may need to solve connection problems. Once activated, go back to the main settings menu, find a new Debugging section for developers, and enable the USB Debugging option there (although it is not necessary for simple file transfer, it will help in case of crashes).

• 🔌 Use the original cable or certified cable USB-C/USB-A data-supported.
• 📱 Check the version. MIUI: in old firmware (below) MIUI (12) there may be no automatic determination of the mode USB.
• 🔒 Unlock your phone screen before connecting – some Xiaomi models block access to files when the screen is locked.
• 🔄 If your phone has previously connected to another PC, reset your settings. USB In Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset the settings USB.

2. Choosing the Right USB Mode

When you connect Xiaomi to your computer, the notification curtain will display a USB Charge alert. Tap it, and you will see a menu with a choice of connection mode. Here you will select File Transfer (MTP). If this item does not appear, then you will:

1. The developer mode is disabled on the phone (see the previous section).
2. Installed outdated version of MIUI (update firmware in Settings → System Update).
3. The PC does not support MTP (relevant to Windows XP or older Linux distributions).

On models with MIUI 14+ (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Lite or POCO F5), the connection menu may look different: instead of MTP, you will have a file manager or Media device. Choose either one, both activate data transfer. If the computer still can't see the phone after selecting the mode, try restarting both devices and reconnecting.

Connect the original cable to your phone and PC

Unlock the Xiaomi screen

Tap on the notification "Charging via USB"

Select the file transfer (MTP) mode

Check if your phone is on "This Computer" (Windows) or Finder (Mac)-->

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 10C or POCO M4 Pro) after upgrading to Android 13 can reset the choice of mode USB. Check it out with each new connection.

3. File Transfer to Windows

If you're using a Windows 10/11 computer, after you've successfully connected, Xiaomi's phone should appear in the Explorer as a removable disk. Open this computer, a device with the model name (e.g. Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G) will appear there. Double-click on it, then go to the Internal → storage → DCIM → Camera folder, which stores all the photos taken by the main camera.

To speed up the process:

• 📁 Select the files you need (for example, by holding Ctrl) + A to select all) and drag them to a folder on PC.
• ⚡ Use the Ctrl combination + C → Ctrl + V for copying/pasting is more reliable than drag and drop.
• 🔍 If there are many photos, sort them by date in the explorer by clicking on the column Date of change.

If your phone is connected but your DCIM folder is empty, check:

1. Do you save your photos to a memory card (seek them in the SD Card → DCIM folder).
2. Do you use third-party galleries (such as Google Photos) that can store files in other directories?
3. Are there hidden system folders – in Windows Explorer, enable the display of hidden files through the View → Hidden elements.

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If Windows is constantly resetting the connection, disable the function "Battery Savings for the Refrigeration of the Battery". USB-Device Manager (find the phone in the list, open the properties) → Power management).

4. Alternative methods of transferring photos

If you connect through USB It doesn't work, so use one of the alternative methods, which is especially useful if you have a broken one. USB-port.

1. Wi-Fi via Mi Drop

The Mi Drop app (pre-installed on all Xiaomi) allows you to transfer files wirelessly. Open it on your phone, select photos, then click Send and select Computer. On a PC, open your browser and go to the address that will appear on the phone screen (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:1234). Transfer speed depends on the router – on Wi-Fi 6 (like the Xiaomi 13 Pro), it can reach 50–70 Mbps.

2.Across the Mi Cloud cloud

Upload photos to Mi Cloud (available 5GB for free), then download them to PC via the web version of i.mi.com.This method is suitable for backup, but is inconvenient for transferring large numbers of files due to traffic restrictions.

3.Using Google Photos

If you have Google Photos enabled on your phone, all your photos are automatically uploaded to the cloud. On your PC, open photos.google.com, select the photos you want, and click Download. Note: High-resolution originals are on Google Drive.

• 🌐 Mi Drop: Quick but requires a shared Wi-Fi network.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: Reliable but limited (5GB).
• 📸 Google Photos: It’s convenient if you’re already using the service.
• 💻 Email/Telegram: fit 10–20 Photo (file size limitation).

5. Solving driver problems on PC

A common cause of a broken connection is missing or damaging MTP drivers. Windows 10/11 usually installs them automatically, but sometimes manual setup is required.

If Device Manager (opens via Win+X) displays your Xiaomi as an Unidentified Device or an Exclamation Point MTP USB Device, follow these steps:

1. Download the official Android USB drivers from Google.
2. Unpack the archive and remember the path to the folder.
3. In Device Manager, right-click on the problem device → Update the driver → Search on this computer.
4. Specify the path to the unpacked folder and wait for the installation.

Xiaomi owners on Windows 7 or older versions of Windows 10 may need additional software — Mi PC Suite. download it from the official Xiaomi website and install. the program will not only solve the problem with drivers, but also offer a user-friendly interface for managing files.

⚠️ Note: Never download drivers for Xiaomi from third-party sites - they may contain malware. Use only official sources: Google for ADB/MTP-Xiaomi drivers or resources for Mi PC Suite.

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If after installing drivers, the phone is still not determined, try connecting it to another one. USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0, marked in blue) or use an externally powered hub.

6. Features of transmission on Mac

MacOS users often find that Xiaomi does not appear in Finder even after selecting MTP mode.The fact is that Apple removed MTP support from macOS since the version of Catalina (10.15).

Method 1: Android File Transfer

Download the official Google software, Android File Transfer. Once installed, plug your phone in, select MTP mode, and open the program. It will give you access to the Xiaomi file system, but with limitations: it does not support drag and drop folders, only individual files.

Method 2: Terminal + ADB

For experienced users, the method using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is suitable:

brew install android-platform-tools


adb devices




adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ ~/Downloads/xiaomi_photos

This command will copy all the photos from the DCIM folder to the Downloads folder on Mac. Pre-enable USB debugging in the developer settings.

Method 3: Cloud services

On Mac, it is most convenient to use Google Drive or Dropbox:

• Upload the photo to the cloud via the app on your phone.
• On a Mac, open a web version of the service or a synchronized folder.
• Download files or move them to the right directory.

7. Optimization of the transfer process

If you regularly have to download photos from Xiaomi on your PC, optimize the process with these tips:

1. Automatic synchronization

Set up an automatic upload of photos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud. This will always be available on your PC without manual copying. In Google Photos, this is done in the application settings: Backup and Sync → Enable.

2.Use of FTP-server

Apps like this FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer lets you run on your phone FTP-Connect to it via Finder (Mac) or Windows as a network drive, and the transfer speed will be faster than over the Internet. MTP.

3. Batch renaming

If you carry hundreds of photos, their names will be in the format. IMG_20230515_123456.jpg. To make it easier to sort, use programs like Bulk Rename Utility (Windows) or NameChanger (Mac) to batch renaming by date, location, etc.

4. Backup to an external disk

Put it on the phone. OTG-adapter and flash drive/external SSD. Through any file manager (for example, Mi File Manager) copy the photo directly to the drive, bypassing the PC.

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To avoid losing the quality of the photo when transferring, in the Xiaomi camera settings, select the RAW or HEIF save format (if your PC supports them).

FAQ: Frequent questions