Owners of budget smartphones often face a lack of internal memory, and Xiaomi Redmi 4A Accumulated gigabytes of images and videos can significantly slow down the operating system MIUI, So, it becomes necessary to upload media files to an external medium on a regular basis, and the most reliable and quick way to free up space is to use a standardized storage system. USB-cable that comes complete with the device.
Unlike cloud services, wired connections do not require stable internet and allow files to be transferred in their original quality without compression. However, users sometimes find that the computer simply does not see the connected phone or displays it only as a charger, and in this article we will discuss all the nuances of the settings and possible errors.
Before you start, make sure your cable is working. Cheap wires often only support charging and don't have the necessary contacts to transmit data. If you're using a third-party cord, try replacing it with an original or certified counterpart labeled Data Sync.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use damaged cables with inflections, as this can lead to voltage surges and damage to the power controller on the smartphone motherboard.
Preparation of the smartphone and choice of mode of operation
When you connect to your computer, the smartphone goes into charging mode, which is the standard Android behavior for data security, and you have to manually change your settings to see your internal memory or your MicroSD card. USB-connection.
Once you connect, unlock your phone screen with a swipe or password. Lower the top notification curtain where you see a system message about the connection. Click on it to expand the menu of available actions with USB-device.
In the list that opens, select File Transfer (MTP), which is the protocol that allows Windows or macOS to access the device's file system, and if you select Charge Only, the computer will not display the photo folders.
- 🔌 Connect the cable to the connector. USB 2.0 or 3.0 on the back of your computer for stable power.
- 📱 Unlock the Redmi screen 4A immediately.
- ⚙️ In the notification curtain, select mode MTP or “Transfer of files».
Sometimes the system may request permission to debug or access data if the developer mode has been activated before, and in the standard situation, it is enough to simply confirm the choice of the protocol in the notification curtain.
Configuring drivers in the Windows environment
If you change mode to File Transfer, but the computer makes the device connect sound, but nothing appears in My Computer, the problem lies in the drivers. Windows 10 and 11 usually installs them automatically, but older models like Redmi 4A may need additional actions.
Open Device Manager by searching the Start menu or Win + X key combination. Find Portable Devices or Other Devices in the list. If you see a device with a yellow exclamation mark or the name MTP USB Device, the driver is not installed correctly.
To correct the situation, right-click on the device and select “Update driver.” Then specify “Follow driver search on this computer” and select “Select driver from the list of available drivers on your computer.”
Standard MTP-drier USB-> MTP USB-deviceChoose the standard MTP driver, even if the system offers drivers from Xiaomi. After installation and a short reboot, the phone should be defined as a removable drive.
Search and copy photos through the Explorer
Once you have successfully installed the connection, open "This Computer" on your desktop. A new device with the name of your smartphone will appear in the disk list. Double click will open the root directory of internal memory.
Photos taken on the main camera are saved by default to the DCIM folder, which is the Camera directory, where all your pictures are located, screenshots are usually in the Pictures folder, and images from messengers are usually in the MIUI or Galerie folder.
To copy, select the desired files or entire folders, click the right mouse button and select Copy (or Ctrl+C). Then go to the folder on your computer's hard drive and execute the "Insert" (Ctrl+V) command. The process of copying large video files can take time.
- 📂 folder DCIM/Camera — main camera storage.
- 📸 folder Pictures/Screenshots — screenshot.
- 💬 folder Android/media/com.whatsapp — WhatsApp media files (the path may vary).
Use date sorting in the conductor to quickly find fresh photos, which is especially useful if you need to copy only yesterday's pictures without going through the archive for several years.
☑️ Pre-copying check
Using the ADB command line for advanced users
For those who prefer console commands or have encountered GUI issues, there is an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) utility, which requires enabling developer mode and debugging over USB in the smartphone settings.
To activate Developer Mode, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI seven times. After that, a new option will appear in the settings menu, where you need to turn on “Debugging by USB”.
Connect your phone to your PC and open the command prompt in the folder with the ADB installed. Enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesIf you have a serial number on the list, you can start uploading a photo, and the command to copy the entire camera folder to your computer is as follows:
adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera C:\Backup\PhotosThis method is good because it ignores many software locks and allows you to copy even system files, access to which is closed in normal mode.
Where can I find the folder with the deleted photos?
Typical errors and methods of their elimination
It's not uncommon for users to experience a situation where the phone is charging, but it's not defined as a drive. USB-Type-C or Micro-USB connector with dust and pile from your pocket. Carefully clean the port with a wooden toothpick or compressed air.
Another common problem is the lack of access rights, and when you first connect to your phone, you may see a request on your screen, "Allow data?" and you must press "Allow" or the computer will only see the device as a power source.
It is also worth checking the energy saving settings. USB-Windows ports. Sometimes the system shuts down ports to save power, which causes a connection to break when transferring large files.
| Symptoms. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The phone is just charging. | Not selected MTP mode | Switch in the notification curtain |
| Exclamation marking device | There's no driver. | Update the driver in Device Manager |
| Copying interrupted | Poor cable contact | Replace USB-cable |
| Files are copied slowly | USB 2.0 port or damage | Use USB 3.0 port (blue) |
If nothing works, try connecting your phone to another computer to help you understand where the problem lies: in your smartphone, cable, or the settings of your particular PC.
💡
Use the cable that came with the phone, as it is guaranteed to support the required data rate and current strength.
Alternative methods of data transmission
If wired connection is not possible, consider using a memory card. Redmi 4A has a microSD slot, so you can move photos to the internal storage on the card, extract it, and paste it into the card reader.
Another option is to use cloud services like Google Photos or Mi Cloud. By setting up automatic sync over Wi-Fi, you can access your pictures from any device via a browser without using wires.
You can use MI Drop (now ShareMe) or Bluetooth to transfer multiple files quickly, but these methods will be too slow to back up the entire archive compared to USB.
⚠️ Warning: When retrieving a memory card, always use the Safe Retrieval feature in your phone settings to avoid damaging the file system and losing data.
Questions and answers
Why does the computer see the phone but the folders are empty?
Can I charge my phone while copying?
How to speed up the copying of thousands of small photos?
What to do if the Xiaomi driver is not installed?
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The fastest and most reliable way to transfer photos is mode. MTP With high-quality cable, clouds and Bluetooth are a convenient alternative for small amounts of data.