How to copy photos from Xiaomi: the complete guide

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to transfer the accumulated archive of images to another device. The internal memory of the gadget is not rubber, and one day the place ends, demanding free space. Data backup is not just a way to free up megabytes, but also a guarantee of the preservation of valuable moments in the event of a device breakage.

There are many ways to copy photos from Shaomi, and the choice of the specific method depends on your goals, the presence of a computer at hand and the speed of the Internet connection. You can use a classic USB cable, wireless technologies like Wi-Fi or cloud storage, each option has its own nuances, which we will discuss in detail in this material.

In this article, we will look at the most relevant and working methods of image transfer, relevant to the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS. You will learn how to avoid common errors when connecting to a PC and what hidden system features will help automate the process.

Preparation of the device and selection of the method of transmission

Before you start the copying process, you need to decide on the tools. If you plan to use a wired connection, make sure that the USB cable is serviceable and capable of transmitting data, not just charging the battery. Cheap cables from the kits of some accessories often lack the necessary contacts to transfer information.

Wireless methods will require a stable connection to the same Wi-Fi network for both devices, which is critical for running wiring applications and cloud services, and it’s also worth checking whether there’s free space on the target medium, whether it’s a computer hard drive or another smartphone.

On MIUI-based Android, the default mode activates Charge Only when you connect to your computer, you have to manually switch it to let your PC see the phone's file system, and ignoring this step is the most common reason why your computer doesn't see the device.

⚠️ Note: When using public Wi-Fi networks to transfer photos through cloud services or FTP Be careful.It is better to use a home secure router or mobile hotspot so that data is not intercepted.

If you plan to regularly transfer large amounts of data, it makes sense to install specialized software in advance. Standard Windows or macOS tools may not be enough for comfortable work with the Android file system.

Copying photos through USB-computer-mount

The fastest and most reliable way to transfer thousands of photos is to use a cable, which requires no internet connection and provides maximum data transfer speeds limited only by the USB standard of your cable and ports.

To start, connect your smartphone to your computer. The USB mode notification will appear on your device screen. Click on it and select File Transfer or Android Auto. In some firmware versions, this menu may be called USB Use.

Once you select the mode, a new device will appear in My Computer (or This Computer), open it, go to internal memory, and find the DCIM folder, and that's where the standard Camera folder with all the images taken is stored.

• 📸 Find the file. DCIM root of the device's internal memory.
• 💻 Connect the cable and select File Transfer mode in the notification curtain.
• 📂 Copy Camera folder or individual files to your PC hard drive.
• 🔄 Wait for the copy to end before the cable is turned off.

If you use macOS, you will need to pre-install the Android File Transfer or OpenMTP app, as Finder does not see the Android device natively. Once the program is installed, the algorithm of actions remains the same: search for the DCIM folder and drag and drop files.

When copying large amounts of data (for example, video in 4K), the speed may drop, in which case it is recommended to copy files in small portions or use USB 3.0 ports (usually blue) on the computer to speed up the process.

Wireless transmission via Mi Drop and ShareMe

Xiaomi has introduced its own fast file transfer technology, formerly called Mi Drop, and in newer versions the shell is integrated into the ShareMe function (or simply “Send” in the gallery), which allows you to transfer photos to other Xiaomi smartphones or to your computer without using cables.

To transfer to a PC, you need both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi network. In the ShareMe application on the phone, you need to select the "Connect to the computer" function. FTP-Address that you need to enter in the address bar of any conductor on the computer.

This method is convenient because it does not require the installation of additional software on the computer, a standard Explorer is enough, but the transmission speed will depend on the quality of the wireless signal and may be inferior to the cable connection.

It is important to note that when using FTP-The phone and computer must remain active. The phone screen can not be kept on all the time, but the device should not go into deep sleep, interrupting the Wi-Fi connection.

• 📡 Open the ShareMe app on your smartphone.
• 💻 Click “Connect to your computer” and start the server.
• 🔗 Enter the displayed FTP-Windows Explorer.
• 📁 Go to the folder. storage/emulated/0/DCIM/Camera.

If the connection breaks, try adding ShareMe to battery exceptions so that the system doesn't "kill" the transmission process in the background. MIUI.

Cloud storage and synchronization

Cloud technology is the most modern way (backup). Google Photos is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones and offers unlimited storage (with compression) or storage in original quality within the quota of Google account.

To activate sync, open the Google Photos app, click on your profile avatar, and select “Settings Autoboot.” Once enabled, all new images will automatically fly to the cloud, freeing up space on the device through the “Free Space” feature.

The alternative is Xiaomi Cloud (Mi Cloud), which is deeply integrated into the system and allows you to sync not only photos, but also contacts, notes and settings, but free storage is limited (usually 5 GB).

Using the cloud ensures that even if your phone is lost or stolen, your photos will remain safe, and you just need to log into your account on any other device to access the archive.

When setting up your autoload, pay attention to the option “Download only via Wi-Fi.” If it is disabled, the app can consume all your mobile traffic in minutes, especially if you are shooting high-resolution videos.

Transferring images to another smartphone

When buying a new phone, the question arises how to quickly transfer old photos. If both devices run on Android, the easiest way is to use the Quick Connection feature (formerly Nearby Share) or the proprietary Mi Mover app.

The Mi Mover app allows you to create a Wi-Fi hotspot between two phones. QR-And then you can then select the Image category and start the transmission, and it's very fast, because the data goes directly between the devices.

For users switching from iPhone to Xiaomi, there is also the option of porting, but it requires installing the Move to iOS app on an iPhone or using cloud services as an intermediary.

• 📲 Install Mi Mover on both devices (if not in the system).
• 🔗 On the new phone, select “I am the recipient” and on the old phone, “I am the sender».
• 📷 Scan it. QR-pairing.
• ✅ Select a photo and click "Send».

⚠️ Note: When using Mi Mover, do not switch to other apps or lock the smartphone screen during transmission, otherwise the connection may break and the process will have to start again.

This method is also convenient because it stores folder structure and file metadata (shoot date, geolocation), which is often lost when sent via messengers.

Work with Gallery and Hidden Albums

MIUI has a Hidden Album feature that allows you to hide personal photos from prying eyes, but when you copy them to a computer, users often forget about them, wondering where important photos went.

To copy photos from a hidden album, you first have to extract them from there or make them visible. Go to the Gallery app, go to the Albums tab, scroll down to the end and click on the lock icon or the words "Hidden Album" and you need to enter a password or fingerprint.

Once you open the hidden photos, select the ones you want, click on “More” and select “Delete from Hidden Album” and then they will appear in the shared feed and be available for copying via USB or cloud in standard methods.

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Hide albums through gallery settings so they don’t show up in system folders when you connect to someone else’s computer, which adds an extra layer of privacy.

Also worth paying attention to the folders of Screenshots and uploaded images from Images messengers (in the MIUI/Gallery/cloud folder or application root directories), which often occupy a significant space and require periodic cleaning or archiving.

The standard Xiaomi gallery allows you to sort photos by date, place and people. Using these filters before copying, you can quickly select only the right frames for a specific period without copying the entire dataset.

Solving problems when copying

Sometimes the copying process goes wrong: files are copied slowly, errors appear, or the computer does not respond to the connection at all, most often the problem lies in a damaged cable or the absence of drivers in older versions of Windows.

If your computer sees your phone as a charger, try using another one. USB-port, preferably located on the back of the system unit (direct to the motherboard). Front ports may not give enough voltage or have poor contact.

Another common problem is formatting a memory card, so if your photos are stored on a microSD, and your computer asks you to format the card when you connect, you never agree. This will lead to data loss, in which case, remove the card and use the card reader.

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The most common user error is trying to copy system folders or corrupted files, which "hangs" the process. DCIM and Pictures.

If you have a wireless transmission error, check the firewall settings on your computer. It can block incoming connections from the ShareMe app or FTP-phone-server.