How to copy files from Xiaomi phone to your computer: all ways 2026

Why standard copying methods don’t always work for Xiaomi

Data transfer from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It seems like a simple task to connect to the computer. USB-But in practice, people are faced with connection errors, no access to folders, or slow transfer speeds. MIUI Android security policies.

For example, in new versions MIUI 14/15 Default activated Charging mode through USB, And when you use Wi-Fi, many people experience a connection breakdown due to optimizing power consumption, and this article will help you avoid the typical mistakes and choose the best way to do it depending on your task, whether it's backing up. 100 GB photo or quick transfer of one document.

Method 1: Connecting through USB-cable (most reliable)

The classic cable method remains the most stable, especially for large amounts of data, but there are nuances to Xiaomi’s approach: the phone may not be defined as a drive due to the wrong connection mode or outdated drivers.

To avoid problems:

• 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit – cheap analogues often do not support data transfer, only charging.
• 📱 On the phone when connecting, select File Transfer mode (MTP) notice USB for....
• 💻 On Windows PC, install Mi drivers PC Suite (download from the official website) if the system does not recognize the device.
• 🔄 If folders don’t show up, reboot your phone with the cable connected – this resets the cache MTP-protocol.

Enable debugging on USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times)|

Install Mi. PC Suite on PC|

Use a cable with data transmission support (not just charging)|

Select File Transfer Mode (MTP) phone-on-->

Transmission speed through USB 3.0 (blue connector reaches 40-60 MB/s is in 5-10 It's faster than Wi-Fi, but if you have a Xiaomi port, USB-C, And on PC only USB 2.0, speed 5-10 MB/s.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with MIUI 14+ When you first connect to a new PC, you may need to unlock data protection through a password or fingerprint.

Method 2: Wi-Fi transmission (without wires)

If you don't have a cable, or you need to quickly move a few files, wireless is fine, and Xiaomi has built-in tools and third-party apps for this.

Method A: Built-in FTP-server (MIUI)

Function FTP-server MIUI Allows you to access your phone files through any file manager on your PC (such as Total Commander or Windows Explorer).

1. Open the Settings. → Connection and sharing → FTP-server.
2. Activate the switch and write down the address of the view ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
3. On PC, enter this address in the Explorer address bar (or use Win).+R → ftp://address).
4. To log in, use the anonymous login (without a password).

Method B: Mi Share app (quick but limited)

Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is installed by default on everything Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which provides speed to the 10-15 MB/s (depends on the router).

• 📲 Open Mi Share on your phone and select files.
• 🖥️ On PC, open your browser and go to the address http://share.mi.com (or scan. QR-phone-screen).
• ⚡ Confirm the transmission on both devices.

⚠️ Note: Mi Share automatically compresses video and photos when transferring if their size exceeds 50 MB. To disable compression, select Original Quality in the application settings.

USB-cable|

Wi-Fi (FTP, Mi Share)|

Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) |

Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)-->

Method 3: Cloud Services (for backup)

If you want to copy files to more than one computer, but have access to them from multiple devices, cloud services will be the best choice. Xiaomi offers its own solution, Mi Cloud, but it has limitations:

• 📁 Free rate – only 5 GB (vs. 15 GB from Google Drive).
• 🔒 Files are encrypted, but keys are stored on Xiaomi servers (risk to sensitive data).
• ⚡ Download speed is limited to 2 MB/s at a free rate.

Alternatives:

* Depends on the ISP’s rate.

** Virtually limited to free space on Telegram servers (usually ~2-3 TB).

For automatic synchronization of photos and videos, set up autoload in Google Photos or Xiaomi Gallery (path: Gallery settings) → Cloud. → Autoboot).

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If you need to make room on your phone, but the Internet is slow, turn on the option Save traffic in Google Photos and download files in a reduced quality (free and without volume restrictions).

Method 4: Using a memory card (for phones with a microSD slot)

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or the Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO X3 Pro, the easiest way to do this is to copy files to a microSD and then paste them into your computer through a card reader:

• 📸 Large collections of photos / videos (weddings, travels).
• 🎵 Musical libraries or podcasts.
• 📄 Backup of applications (via Titanium Backup).

Important nuances:

• 🔄 ExFAT cards (recommended file format) >4GB) is not always read correctly on older Windows 7 PCs. FAT32 (but with a 4GB file size limit).
• 🛡️ On the phones with MIUI The memory card encryption is enabled by default. To read files on your PC, turn it off in Settings. → Warehouse → Settings SD-map → Encryption.
• ⚡ Read/write speed depends on the class of the card: UHS-I U3 (90 MB/s vs Class 10 (10 MB/s).

⚠️ Note: If you removed the memory card from your phone and then inserted it back in, MIUI You can ask them to format it as internal storage, and you can cancel this action, or the card will no longer read on other devices!

Method 5: Specialized programs (for advanced users)

If standard methods are not suitable (for example, you need to copy system files or application data), use professional tools:

1. ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

It allows you to get low-level access to the Android file system, suitable for copying:

• 📂 Application folder (/data/data).
• 🔧 Logos of the system (/data/log).
• 📱 Backup copies of Nandroid.

The command to copy a file from phone to PC:

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/photo.jpg C:\Xiaomi_Backup\

Before use ADB activate the debugging. USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (press 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers.

2. Scrcpy (for remote control)

This software not only duplicates the screen of the phone on the PC, but also allows you to drag and drop files through the clipboard. Install it with GitHub and use the Ctrl combination.+C → Ctrl+V for file transfer.

3. Syncthing (Sync without the Cloud)

Free of charge P2P-Solution for automatic folder synchronization between phone and PC:

1. Install Syncthing on your PC and phone (from the official website or F-Droid).
2. Add devices to the web interface (http://localhost:8384).
3. Select folders for synchronization (for example, DCIM/Camera).

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on the amount of data, the availability of the cable and the speed requirements. Below is a comparison table with recommendations:

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Use it for maximum speed. USB 3.0 + memory-card UHS-I — This combination gives you up to 90 MB/s (against) 5-10 MB/s on Wi-Fi).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right connection, Xiaomi users face typical problems. Here's how to solve them:

1.The telephone is not defined as a storage device

Causes and solutions:

• 🔌 Port port USB faulty → Try another cable or port on PC.
• 🖥️ There are no drivers. → Set up Mi. PC Suite or Google Drivers USB Driver (for Driver) ADB).
• 📱 Regime. MTP switched off → In the notice. USB For... select File Transfer.
• 🔒 Antivirus blocking → Add the device to Windows Defender exceptions.

2. folders on the phone are not displayed

This is most often related to:

• 📁 Hidden files. → Enable the display of hidden elements in the Explorer (View) → Hidden elements).
• 🔐 Rights of access → Nana MIUI 14+ some folders (e.g, Android/data) They demand root rights.
• 🗑️ cache MTP → Reboot your phone with a connected cable.

3. Slow Wi-Fi transmission

How to speed up:

• 📶 Switch the router to 5 GHz (less busy than 2.4 GHz).
• 🔌 Connect your PC to your router with an Ethernet cable (reduces delays).
• 📵 Turn off battery optimization for Mi Share or FTP-server in the phone settings.

💡

If Wi-Fi transmission is permanently interrupted, try changing the router’s channel in its settings (for example, from automatic to fixed 6 or 11) to avoid interference from neighboring networks.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions