Transferring photos, videos and documents from your smartphone to your PC is a routine but vital task for every Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco owner: Free up space in your internal memory, back up your contacts, or simply send a heavy file to work in a variety of ways. The choice of the specific method depends on the amount of information you transmit, the availability of a cable, and the speed of your Internet connection.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the current options for synchronizing devices, from the classical to the traditional. USB-Connect to cloud services, you will learn how to avoid common driver installation errors and how to ensure maximum speed of transferring large amounts of data without loss of quality.
Wired connection through USB-cable
The fastest and most reliable way to transfer files is to use a regular USB Type-C or Micro-USB cable. When physically connecting a smartphone to a PC, data transfer occurs at the maximum interface speed, which is critical for copying video to 4K or archives weighing tens of gigabytes. This method does not require Internet access and wireless network stability.
Once the cable is connected to the computer port and the corresponding phone connector, you need to pay attention to the smartphone screen. By default, the device goes into charging mode, and the computer does not see the file system. You need to lower the notification curtain and find the system message "Charge through" USB» or «USB-Connection. Click on it to open the mode selection menu.
⚠️ Note: If you use a low-quality third-party cable, the computer may not identify the device at all, in which case the system unit will only supply power to the phone, but data transmission will not be possible.
In the menu that opens, select the "File Transfer" mode» (MTP) or “Photo transmission» (PTP). Regime. MTP It is preferred because it allows access to all internal memory folders and SD-After selecting the mode on the computer screen will appear a new removable disk corresponding to the model of your Xiaomi.
- 🔌 Use the original cable from the kit to guarantee a stable connection.
- 💻 Switch modes. USB In the notification curtain immediately after connection.
- 📁 Older Windows OS may require driver installation MTP.
Configuring USB mode and working with drivers
Sometimes, even after choosing the right mode, the computer does not see the phone, often due to the lack of current drivers in the Windows operating system. In modern versions of OS (10 and 11), drivers are installed automatically, but in some cases, manual intervention or debugging over USB is required to force the connection to initialize.
To activate the advanced connection settings, you need to access the Developer Menu. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on MIUI Version (or HyperOS Version). Once you have a message that you have become a developer, go back to the main settings menu, go to “Additional” and select “Developers”.
In the list that opens, find the USB Debugging option and activate it. Also, check the default USB configuration setting. If you copy data frequently, it makes sense to put the file transfer value there so you don't manually switch modes every time, which will save time with regular wired use.
adb devicesThe command above is used to check the visibility of your device in an ADB environment if you plan to use advanced command line copying techniques. However, for the average user, just make sure that your phone is displayed correctly in Windows Device Manager, without exclamation points.
☑️ Checking the connection USB
Using ShareMe Application for Wireless Transmission
Xiaomi preinstalles its devices with its proprietary ShareMe app (formerly known as Mi Drop), one of the most convenient tools for transferring files wirelessly, working on the principle of creating a local Wi-Fi network. The transfer speed over ShareMe is much faster than Bluetooth, and can reach 40 MB / s.
To get started, make sure that both your computer and smartphone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Open the ShareMe app on your phone, click on the menu icon or profile, and select the "Connect to your computer" option. Press the "Start" button, and then it will appear on the screen. FTP-Address that must be entered in Windows Explorer.
In the address bar of any folder on your computer, type in a displayed address, such as ftp://192.168.1.55:2121. After pressing Enter, the phone's file system will open, and you can copy the data as if it were from a regular disk.
⚠️ Attention: When in use FTP-ShareMe connections are transmitted unencrypted within your local network, and do not use this method on public Wi-Fi networks (cafes, airports), only in a home safe environment.
The advantage of this method is that you can transfer files of any type and size without compression. You can manage files directly from the Windows Explorer interface, creating folders, rewiring and deleting them. To stop a communication session, just click the Stop button in the application on the phone.
Sync with Mi Cloud and Google Photos
Cloud technology allows you to forget about wires and local networks using the Internet to synchronize data.Mi Cloud is deeply integrated into the shell of MIUI and HyperOS, allowing you to automatically upload contacts, messages, notes and photos.
Similarly, Google Photos, which is the default service on any Android smartphone, offers unlimited (compressed) storage for photos and videos, and to copy information to a computer, you just need to open a browser on a PC, go to photos.google.com or i.mi.com and download the necessary files.
The main advantage of clouds is automation. You don't have to remember to create backups, they're created by yourself with a Wi-Fi connection. However, download and upload speeds are limited by your ISP's tariff, and free space is often limited (usually 5-15 GB).
- ☁️ Mi Cloud is ideal for backing up system settings and contacts.
- 📸 Google Photos delivers better image search thanks to AI algorithms.
- 🔄 Autosynchronization protects data from loss when the device breaks.
What to do if the cloud is full?
Comparison of data transmission methods
The best way to choose depends on the specific situation: data volume, urgency and technical environment, and to make it easier for you to determine, we have compiled a comparative table of the main characteristics of each method.
| Method | Speed. | We need the Internet. | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB Cable | Tall. | No. | Low. |
| ShareMe (FTP) | Medium/High | No (local area network) | Medium |
| Mi Cloud / Google | Depends on the tariff. | Yes. | Low. |
| Bluetooth | Very low. | No. | Low. |
As you can see from the table, for regular backup of large amounts of data, cable remains out of competition in terms of speed and stability, and wireless methods are good for the rapid transfer of several files or documents on the fly.
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For a single copy of hundreds of gigabytes of data, use only USB-cable to avoid transmission errors and time loss.
Solving problems when copying
Users often face a situation where the computer sees the phone only as a charger. This can be caused by contamination of the connector. USB, a port malfunction on your PC or a software failure on Android. Try connecting the cable to another USB-port, preferably located on the back panel of the system unit (direct to the motherboard).
Another common problem is screen locking.Some Xiaomi security settings prohibit data transfer if the smartphone screen is turned off or locked with a password. Make sure the device is unlocked when you connect and confirm USB mode.
If nothing works, try turning on the USB Debugging mode mentioned earlier, which sometimes shakes the system and causes the computer to request drivers again, and it's worth checking if there's a ban on USB in parental controls or corporate security policies.
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Periodically clean the charging port of the phone from dust with compressed air or gently toothpicking – this is a common cause of poor contact and data transmission problems.