How to copy photos from Xiaomi phone: step-by-step instructions for all models

Saving photos from Xiaomi phone is a challenge that every user faces. Whether you need the images to back up, edit on your computer or share with friends, the process must be fast and secure. However, owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones often have questions: what way to choose to avoid losing quality, how to avoid errors when connecting over USB, and why some files are not copied.

In this article, we will discuss 7 working methods for photo transfer, from classic cable to cloud services and wireless technologies, and pay special attention to the nuances associated with MIUI (branded shell Xiaomi), which can complicate the process. For example, why the phone does not appear as a removable disk or how to circumvent folder access restrictions. All instructions are relevant for devices in 2020-2026 and tested on models Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

If you've tried to copy a photo before and you've encountered errors like "Device not recognized" or "No folder access," here's a solution, and for those who appreciate speed, we've highlighted the fastest ways in a separate section.

1. Copying the photo through USB-cable: step-by-step instruction

The most reliable and versatile method is to connect your phone to your computer via cable, but Xiaomi has a feature: by default, the device may not appear as a removable drive. Here's how to fix this:

Step 1: Connect your phone to your PC or laptop using the original cable (cheap analogues may not transmit data). Use the USB 3.0 port (usually blue) for maximum speed.

Step 2. The USB Charge notification will appear on your phone screen, tap it and select File Transfer (or File Manager on older versions of MIUI). If this notification is not available, unlock the screen and check the notification curtain.

Download Xiaomi drivers for PC (if Windows does not recognize the device)|

Use the original cable (not charging!)|

Unlock your phone screen before connecting |

Enable the "Debugging by" mode USB» (If you need to copy hidden folders)-->

Step 3: On your computer, open "This Computer" (Windows) or "Finder" (Mac). The phone should appear as a removable disk (e.g., "Redmi Note 11").

• 🔌 Check the connection to another USB-port.
• 📱 Reboot your phone and reconnect.
• 💻 On Windows, update drivers through Device Manager (find a device with a yellow exclamation point).

Step 4: Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (there are photos taken by the camera). For screenshots, check Pictures → Screenshots. Select the files you want and copy them to your computer (for example, to your desktop).

⚠️ Attention: If the folder DCIM It's empty, but there's a photo on the phone, check the settings of the gallery. MIUI Some images can be stored in the Mi Cloud or folder MIUI → Camera.

2. Wireless transmission via Mi Drop (fast and without cables)

Mi Drop is a proprietary application from Xiaomi for file sharing between devices via Wi-Fi Direct. It is pre-installed on all smartphones of the brand and works without the Internet. Transfer speeds reach 10-15 MB / s (depending on the model).

How to use Mi Drop:

1. Open the Mi Drop app (the icon with two phones) on both devices.
2. On the sender phone, tap "Send" and select a photo from the gallery.
3. On the receiving phone, tap "Accept." Make sure both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or turn on Wi-Fi Direct).
4. Confirm the transmission on both screens.

Advantages of the method:

• 🚀 No need for cables or a computer.
• 📶 It works even without an internet connection.
• 🔒 Files are transmitted in their original quality.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ In some models POCO The app may be called ShareMe (similar to Mi Drop).
• 🐢 The speed is lower than when connected by USB 3.0.

Po Po Po USB-cable|

Through Mi Drop/ShareMe|

Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)|

Other methods-->

3.Photos to the cloud: Google Photos vs Mi Cloud

Cloud services are convenient for backing up and accessing photos from any device. Xiaomi offers two main options: Mi Cloud (branded cloud) and Google Photos.

How to upload photos to Mi Cloud:

1. Open “Settings” → “Accounts” → “Mi Cloud”.
2. Turn on "Synchronization Gallery."
3. Select “Download only over Wi-Fi” (recommended for traffic savings).

How to download photos from Mi Cloud to your computer:

1. Go to i.mi.com and log in.
2. Select the section "Gallery» → «Photo Photo».
3. Mark the desired pictures and click "Download".

⚠️ Note: If you delete photos from your phone, they will automatically disappear from Mi Cloud unless you turn on the Backup option. Google Photos has a separate shopping cart where files are stored for 60 days.

4. Transfer photos to Mac via Android File Transfer

Owners of a MacBook or iMac often face a problem: when connecting Xiaomi over USB, the device is not recognized, this is due to the fact that macOS does not support the MTP protocol (used in Android) out of the box.

Instructions for Mac:

1. Download Android File Transfer from the official website.
2. Connect your phone to your Mac via USB-cable.
3. On your phone, select File Transfer Mode (as in Section 1).
4. Launch Android File Transfer. The phone's file system will open in the program window.
5. Go to DCIM → Camera and copy the photo on your Mac (by drag and drop or through the context menu).

Frequent mistakes and decisions:

• 🚫 «Device not detected": Restart your phone and Mac, check the cable.
• 🔄 «Files are not copied": Close all programs that may block access (e.g. Google Drive or Dropbox).
• 🔒 «No access to the folder": On the phone, go to "Settings» → «Annexes» → «Android File Transfer and give all permissions.

💡

If Android File Transfer doesn't work, try the alternative, Syncios Manager. It's a paid program, but there's a free trial period.

5. Memory card use: how to transfer a photo to SD

If your Xiaomi supports memory cards (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), you can save time by copying the photo directly to the microSD.

Step 1: Insert the memory card into your phone (if it hasn’t already been installed) and make sure it’s formatted in FAT32 or exFAT (in Settings → Storage → Memory Card).

Step 2. Open the File Manager (Folder icon) and go to DCIM → Camera.

Step 3: Select the photos you want, click "More" (three dots) and select "Copy." Then go to the memory card (SD Card folder) and click "Insert".

Important nuances:

• 📁 If the card is not displayed, check if it is set as “Inner Memory” (in which case it cannot be retrieved without data loss).
• 🔄 Copy speed depends on the class of the card: for large volumes of photos use microSD UHS-I (Class 10).
• ⚠️ Do not remove the card while copying – it can damage the files.

6.Shopping photos over Bluetooth and NFC: when justified

Bluetooth and NFC are not the fastest ways, but they do help when you don't have a cable or Wi-Fi on hand, for example, to send a few pictures to another phone or laptop.

Bluetooth transmission:

1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices.
2. On Xiaomi phone, open the Gallery, select a photo and tap Share → Bluetooth.
3. Select the target device from the list and confirm acceptance on it.

Limitations:

• 🐌 Speed: ~1-2 MB/s (for 10 photos in high resolution it will take several minutes).
• 📱 Not all laptops support Bluetooth file reception (check in settings).

NFC transmission:

NFC is convenient for sharing 1-2 photos between Xiaomi phones (or other Android devices with NFC).

1. Enable NFC in Settings → Connections → NFC.
2. Open the photo in the gallery and select “Share” → “Android Beam” (or similar option).
3. Hold the phones with the back covers to each other (distance < 5 cm).

⚠️ Attention: NFC If the battery is under 20%, it's better to use a different method.

7. Automatic sync with Google Photos: setting and nuances

Google Photos is the only service that automatically optimizes photo storage, saving space on the phone. When activated, the Free Space feature, the system will remove images already uploaded to the cloud from the device, leaving them with thumbnails.

How to set up automatic booting:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and log in to your Google account.
3. Slip on the profile avatar → “Settings” → “Backup”.
4. Enable "Backup and Synchronization".
5. Select “Load Quality”: “High” (unlimited storage but compression to 16 MP) and “Original” (no compression, but counts into a 15 GB quota).

How to download photos from Google Photos to your computer:

1. Go to photos.google.com.
2. Select the right photos (or create an album).
3. Click "More" → "Download." The files are archived in ZIP.