How to copy a photo from a computer to a Xiaomi Redmi phone: all ways with pros and cons

Why Standard Methods Don't Always Work

Transferring photos from your computer to Xiaomi Redmi seems like a simple task — until you encounter typical problems. Users often complain that the phone is not defined as a removable disk when connected to USB, and transfer via messengers compresses the quality of images, even worse when the system requires drivers for MediaTek processors or blocks access to folders due to the MIUI settings.

In this article, we will understand 5 current ways to copy photos from PC to Redmi (including models on the MIUI 14/15), Consider the nuances of different versions of Windows (10/11) And we'll give you some recommendations for how to choose a method based on the amount of data you have. 1000 photo RAW better USB-cable, and for 10 Photos: Telegram or Xiaomi Cloud.

We’ll focus on hidden MIUI settings that block file transfers, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ default on Charge Only, and the Redmi 10C may require OEM unlocking in the developer settings, which are often overlooked even in official instructions.

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

USB connectivity remains the most reliable way to transfer large amounts of photos (1 GB or more), transfer speeds of 40-60 MB / s on USB 3.0, which is 5-10 times faster than wireless alternatives. However, there are pitfalls here: starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi by default hides the option “File transfer” in the notification curtain.

To avoid problems:

• 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit – cheap analogues often do not support data transfer.
• 📱 On the phone when connecting, select File Transfer mode (MTP) In the notification curtain. If you don't have one, see the developer settings section.
• 🖥️ On a Windows PC 11 You may need to install a MediaTek Preloader driver (relevant for Helio models) G96/G99).

Algorithm of action:

1. Connect Redmi to the PC with a cable.
2. On your phone, unlock the screen and tap the notification curtain on the option “Charge via USB” → select File Transfer.
3. On your computer, open this computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) - the phone will appear as a removable disk.
4. Copy the photo to the DCIM/Camera or Pictures folder.

Original cable used | Phone unlocked | MTP|Mode selected |Drivers installed on PC (if necessary)

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The transfer speed depends on the USB version:

⚠️ Note: If the phone is not defined as a removable drive, check the settings for developers → Configuration USB. Some of the firmwares need to be manually selected MTP.

Method 2: Wireless transmission over Wi-Fi (without cables)

If USB-You're lost or you prefer wireless, you can use a local Wi-Fi network. This method is suitable for transferring up to 500-700 photos (total up to 2-3 GB), the main plus is that you don't need a physical connection, but the speed depends on the router: on Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) will make ~20–30 MB/s, on Wi-Fi 6 – up to 50 MB/s.

There are two options:

• 🌐 Built-in function Transfer files over Wi-Fi to MIUI (available on models MIUI 13+).
• 📲 Third-party apps like Send Anywhere or LocalSend (recommended for older versions) MIUI).

Instructions for the built-in method:

1. On your phone, open Settings → Connection and Sharing → File Transfer.
2. Activate the option and follow the instructions on the screen (usually connect to the phone’s temporary access point).
3. On PC, open your browser and enter the address specified on your phone screen (e.g. 192.168.43.1:8080).
4. Drag photos into the browser window or select them through the interface.

Po Po Po USB-cable|Through Wi-Fi (built-in function)|Cloud services (Google Drive, Mi Cloud)|Messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)|Another option

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Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 On Redmi with MIUI 12 or below built-in feature may not be available – use Send Anywhere.
• 🔋 Transfer of large files (RAW, Video) drains the battery by 15-20% per hour.
• 🔒 If the phone and PC are in different subnets (for example, through the VPN), connection will not be established.

Method 3: Cloud Services (for backup)

Cloud storage is convenient if you want to not only transfer photos to Redmi, but also create a backup.

• ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud (5GB free of charge) MIUI).
• 📁 Google Photos (15GB free, automatic sorting).
• 💼 Yandex Drive (10 GB free, high speed in Russia).

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Photos available on all devices.
• ✅ Automatic compression (optional) saves space.
• ✅ History of file versions (in Google Photos and Yandex Drive).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Volume limitation (free tariffs).
• ❌ Downloading/downloading a large number of photos takes time (depending on the speed of the Internet).
• ❌ In Xiaomi Cloud, if you exceed the limit, files are deleted after 30 days.

Instructions for Xiaomi Cloud:

1. On the phone, open Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud and log in to your account.
2. Activate synchronization for the Gallery.
3. On PC, go to i.mi.com, log in and upload a photo to the Gallery section.
4. On the phone, wait for the synchronization to be completed (the progress will be displayed in the notification curtain).

* Depends on the ISP’s rate.

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If you want to transfer the photo in original quality, in Google Photos, select the option "Source quality" (it is counted in the limit of 15 GB).

Method 4: Messengers (for a small number of photos)

If you need to send 10-20 photos (for example, documents or screenshots), the easiest way to use instant messengers is to use the best options:

• 📎 Telegram (without compression up to 2 GB per file, chat "Saved messages").
• 💬 WhatsApp (compresses up to 16MB, convenient for fast sending).
• 📱 Viber (limit 200 MB per file, but slower than Telegram).

How to transfer photos via Telegram:

1. On PC, open the web version of Telegram or desktop application.
2. Open the Save Messages chat (or any other chat where you are a single member).
3. Drag the photo into the chat window or click on the paperclip → "File".
4. On your phone, open the same chat in the Telegram app and download the photo (hold your finger on the message → “Save to the gallery”).

⚠️ Note: WhatsApp photos are compressed to resolution 1600×1200 weight ~100–300 KB: If quality is important, use Telegram or send a photo as a "Document" (on WhatsApp limit — 100 MB).

The only messenger that keeps the EXIF-Data (meta-information photo) is Telegram when sent as "File" (not "Photos").

Method 5: Memory card (for phones with a microSD slot)

If your Redmi supports memory cards (such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Redmi 10C), you can copy the photo to a microSD on your PC and then paste it into your phone.

• 📸 Transfer of large archives (10)+ GB).
• 🔄 Regular backups.
• 📱 Missing phones USB-Port (rarely, but after repair).

Step-by-step:

1. Remove the microSD from your phone (pre-mount in Settings → Storage).
2. Insert the card into the card reader and connect to the PC.
3. Copy the photo to the DCIM or Pictures folder on the map.
4. Securely remove the card, paste it back into the phone and wait for mounting (can take up to 1 minute).

Important nuances:

• 🔧 Format the card in exFAT (if the volume is >32 GB) or FAT32 (compatiblely). NTFS It is not supported by most Redmis.
• 📏 Maximum supported card size depends on the model: Redmi 9/10 series: before 512 GB. Redmi Note. 11/12: before 1 TB Redmi. K50/K60: before 1 TB (supported) UFS 3.1).

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Memory card is the only way to transfer a photo to a phone with a broken screen (if you have a broken screen). USB-port).

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even when following instructions, users face problems, and let's look at typical scenarios and how to fix them.

1.The phone is not defined as a removable disk over USB

• 🔌 Check the cable - try another one (original).
• 📱 On the phone, the notification curtain may be hidden with the option of File Transfer.Slip the notifications down.
• 🖥️ On Windows PC, update drivers through Device Manager → Portable devices.
• 🔧 Enable Developer Mode and select Configuration USB → MTP.

2.Photos are not copied - "Insufficient memory" error

• 📲 Check the free space in the Settings → Warehouse. MIUI reserve ~5-10% of memory in the system.
• 🗑️ Remove the gallery cache: Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔄 Restart your phone - sometimes MIUI misrepresents a free space.

3. The wireless transmission is interrupted

• 📶 Reconnect to Wi-Fi (better to 5GHz).
• 🔋 Connect your phone to charge — MIUI Limits background processes at low charge.
• 🚫 Turn it off. VPN phone and PC.

4. The cloud doesn't sync photos

• ☁️ In Xiaomi Cloud, check if Gallery Sync is enabled.
• 📶 Make sure your phone is on mobile internet or Wi-Fi.
• 🔄 Restart the Mi Cloud app in the application settings.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions