How to copy data from Xiaomi to your computer: the full guide 2026

Data transfer from Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO It seems like a simple task to get to a computer – until you encounter connection errors, slow transmission speeds, or unexpected limitations. MIUI. Even experienced users sometimes lose hours of searching for a solution when Windows can’t see the phone and macOS requires additional drivers. MIUI, This process is 2-3 times faster and explains why the standard mode is used. MTP often works unstablely.

We tested all the current methods on devices with MIUI 14/15 (including Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5) Identify key differences in Windows 10/11 We will pay special attention to the problem of "empty folders" when connecting through USB — A common mistake that the manufacturer doesn't document. If you want to transfer terrabytes of photos from Xiaomi to your PC without loss of quality or automate backup, here you will find workable solutions tailored to the specifics of the firmware.

1. Connection through USB: Why Windows can’t see files on Xiaomi

The standard way to transfer data, the USB-Type C cable, is often a source of problems, not because of the cable itself (if it is original or certified), but because of the data protocol that Xiaomi uses by default. MIUI When connecting to a PC, you automatically select Charging mode, not File Transfer (MTP). This is done for security, but creates unnecessary steps for the user.

To enable file transfer:

• 📱 Swipe down the notification panel on your phone.
• 🔌 Find the Charging Notification through USB (Or connected as... and tap on it.
• 🖥️ Select File Transfer (MTP for Windows) or Image Transfer (PTP macOS).
• ⚙️ If the option is inactive, go to Settings. → Connection and sharing → USB And turn on the debugging. USB (required for certain models).

Windows. 10/11 The phone should be defined as a removable disk in this computer:

• 🔄 Reconnect the cable using another USB-port (preferably) USB 3.0 blue).
• 🛠️ Update drivers through Device Manager (Portable Devices section).
• 🚫 Disable the antivirus (such as Kaspersky or Avast) – they can block the virus. MTP-linkage.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) When you first connect to the PC, a request to unlock appears OEM If you don't, you can't transfer files. If you want to activate the developer menu, tap the build number 7 times in Settings. → The phone.

2. Transfer speed optimization: how to speed up copying by 3 times

Even with a successful connection, users face low transfer speeds – especially when working with large files (video) 4K, RAW-The reason is the settings. USB-Protocol configuration and limitations MTP. In our testing, the average copy speed through the standard MTP Xiaomi has a 10-15 MB/s potential. USB 3.0 - up to 60 MB/s.

To speed up the process:

For maximum speed, we recommend using alternative protocols:

• 🌐 FTP down USB: requires FX File Explorer (free on Google Play) and inclusions USB-It's 40 to 50 MB/s.
• 🔌 ADB Pull: for tech-savvy users. Command: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Photos\ Copying a folder. DCIM directly, bypassing MTP.

3. Wi-Fi Transmission: Mi Drop and Alternative Methods

If you don't have a cable or need to transfer files without a physical connection, wireless technology comes to the rescue. Xiaomi offers a proprietary solution called Mi Drop (formerly Mi Share), which works between the brand's devices and computers.

• ⚡ Maximum speed – 10-12 MB / s (depending on the router).
• 📶 Requires connecting both devices to the same 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi network.
• 📁 Does not support folders weighing more than 1 GB (you have to split data).

To take advantage of Mi Drop:

1. Open the Mi Drop app on your phone (pre-installed on all Xiaomi apps with the MIUI 12+).
2. Select files to transfer and click Send.
3. On your computer, open your browser and go to the address ftp://[IP-Phone address (displayed in Mi Drop).
4. Download files through the web interface.

For a more universal solution, use:

• 🌍 LocalSend (cross-platform analogue of AirDrop): works through a browser or application, supports folders up to 2 GB. Download LocalSend
• 📤 Snapdrop: a web service for transferring files between devices on the same network without registering.Open Snapdrop

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If Mi Drop does not find the computer, check if the Windows firewall blocks incoming connections over port 2121 (used for the first time). FTP-phone-server).

4. Cloud Services: Automation of Backup

For regular backups (such as photos from Xiaomi on a PC), cloud services are the best solution, allowing you to automatically sync and access files from any device.

Comparison of popular clouds:

To set up autoload photos in Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app from Google Play.
2. Open it and log in to your Google account.
3. Slip on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
4. Turn on the switch and select quality (Original or High).
5. B Settings → Add your Google account and allow sync.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14+ Built-in Backup function (c Settings) → Xiaomi accounts create.mbk archives that cannot be opened on a PC without special software. Use only cloud services or manual copying to share files.

5. Solving Typical Copying Errors

Even with the right settings, Xiaomi users encounter errors that are not documented in the official instructions. MIUI.

Problem 1: Phone folders are empty when connected to a PC

It's a typical mistake. MTP-protocol on Xiaomi related to metadata caching:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone and PC, then connect again.
• 🗃️ Enable the display of hidden files on the PC (in Explorer) → species → Hidden elements).
• 🛠️ Install the Mi driver PC Suite (even if you don’t plan to use it) – it fixes errors MTP. Download Mi PC Suite

Problem 2: Device not recognized error (code 43) in Windows

Conflicting drivers or energy saving are to blame USB-Ports, operations:

1. Open Device Manager. → Find Xiaomi in the Portable Devices section.
2. PCM → Update the driver → Perform a search on this computer → Select from the list.
3. Choose. MTP-device (not a portable device!).
4. Turn off the temporary shutdown. USB to save energy: Device Manager → Controllers USB → Root concentrator → Properties → Power management → uncheck the box to allow disconnection....

Alternative methods: ADB, FTP and third-party applications

If standard methods don’t work or advanced functionality is needed (e.g. copying system files), developer tools and specialized utilities come to the rescue.

Method 1: ADB (Android Debug Bridge)

Allows you to copy files through the command line, bypassing restrictions MTP. Requires the inclusion of debugging by USB:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC (download from Google’s website).
2. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
3. Open the command line in the folder with adb.exe and do: adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Photos\ It'll copy all the photos from the folder. DCIM disk C:\.

Method 2: FTP-phone-side

Converts your Xiaomi to a network drive accessible over Wi-Fi. FX File Explorer:

1. Install FX File Explorer from Google Play.
2. Go to the Network section → FTP-server.
3. Click Launch and write down the address (e.g. ftp://192.168.1.100:2221).
4. On PC, open the Explorer → enter the address in the address bar → Enter the login/password (by default: anonymous/empty).

Method 3: Applications for synchronization

• 📁 SyncMe Wireless: Creates a Web-based interface to manage files over Wi-Fi. Download SyncMe
• ☁️ Resilio Sync: synchronizes folders between your phone and PC on the principle of torrents (without the cloud).

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To copy system files (e.g. from /data/) root rights are required. Without them, only user data is available in the /sdcard/.

7 Security: How to protect data during transmission

Transferring files from phone to computer is not just a technical process, it's also a matter of privacy, especially when it comes to copying personal photos, documents or backups of messages. Here are the key precautions:

1. Transmission encryption

• 🔒 For Wi-Fi methods (Mi Drop, FTP) use WPA3-router encryption.
• 🌐 When Transmitting Over Clouds, Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) account.
• 📡 Avoid public Wi-Fi networks for sensitive data transfer.

2. Checking the integrity of files

After copying large files (video, archives) check their checksums (MD5 or SHA-1), To make sure there is no damage. On Windows, use CertUtil:

certutil -hashfile "C:\Photos\video.mp4" MD5

3. Deletion of temporary files

MIUI creates cache folders (like.thumbnails) with thumbnails of photos that are also copied to the PC:

• In the Gallery on the phone, turn off Create thumbnails (Settings) → Additionally).
• Use a filter in Windows Explorer: In the search bar, type not kind:folder to hide service directories.

⚠️ Note: When connecting Xiaomi to public computers (such as in an Internet cafe), always choose Charge Only. Otherwise, malicious software can copy your data without notice.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions