How to save photos from Xiaomi to the cloud: all ways to backup

Xiaomi smartphones allow you to save photos to the cloud in several ways, but many users face difficulties in configuring this process. Unlike the iPhone, where iCloud is integrated at the system level, devices on MIUI offer a choice between branded Mi Cloud, Google Photos and third-party services, each with its own nuances, from volume limitations to the features of synchronization in the background.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for all current Xiaomi models (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark), as well as comparison of cloud services by key parameters: download speed, security and ease of data recovery. Particular attention is paid to solving typical problems - for example, when photos are not synced due to mobile traffic restrictions or authorization errors. If you want to guarantee to save your photos and avoid losing them when your phone is reset or broken, this guide will help you set things up correctly the first time.

Why you should save your photo to the cloud, not just your phone

The main reason is the physical vulnerability of the device, and even if your Xiaomi never fell into water and discharged to zero, the risks remain, from random formatting of memory to stealing a gadget. Cloud storage solves this problem by offering:

• 🔄 Automatic sync: new photos are uploaded in the background without your involvement.
• 📱 Access from any device: viewing and downloading pictures is possible even from someone else's phone through the web version of the service.
• 🛡️ Loss protection: even if your phone breaks, your photos will remain in the cloud (subject to successful synchronization).
• 📊 Save space: Once downloaded, the originals can be deleted from the device, freeing up memory for new shots.

But cloud services have limitations, such as Mi Cloud providing only 5GB for free, and Google Photos has stopped offering unlimited high-quality storage since 2021, and mobile downloads can quickly run out of traffic — especially if you’re taking RAW photos or shooting 4K videos.

⚠️ Note: If you are using a double SIM-map on Xiaomi, make sure that the same network is chosen for sync as for mobile Internet. Otherwise, the upload of the photo will be interrupted.

Method 1: Save photos in Mi Cloud (branded cloud Xiaomi)

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi's own cloud storage integrated into MIUI firmware, and it's suitable for backing up not only photos, but also contacts, notes, call records, and the main advantage is deep integration with the system, which makes it easier to set up.

• 📉 Free rate is limited to 5 GB (that is about 1500 photos in average quality).
• 🌐 The service interface is entirely in Chinese or English, there is no Russian localization.
• 🔄 Synchronization can slow down if the phone activated power saving mode.

To save a photo in Mi Cloud, follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi Account and log in (or create an account if you don’t have one).
2. Go to Mi Cloud → Gallery and activate the Sync Photos switch.
3. Click on Synchronization Settings and select: 📸 Autoboot over Wi-Fi (recommended to avoid wasting mobile traffic). 🔄 Synchronize when charging (allows you to save battery power). 📂 Sync folders (you can exclude screenshots or downloads).

Wait for the first sync to be completed (it can take anywhere from a few minutes to hours depending on the number of photos).

Authorization in Xiaomi account|Wi-Fi connection|Enough free space in the cloud|Power saving mode is off.-->

Once set up, all new photos will automatically upload to the cloud. To check sync status, open the Gallery app, click on the three dots in the upper right corner, and select Mi Cloud. This shows the number of files uploaded and waiting to sync.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your phone to factory settings, photos from Mi Cloud will not automatically recover. They will need to be manually downloaded via i.mi.com or the Gallery app after re-authorization.

Method 2: Autoupload photos in Google Photos

Google Photos is one of the most popular photo storage services due to its user-friendly interface and powerful search features (for example, by face or location). For Xiaomi users, this is often the main option, as:

• 📸 Supports automatic quality optimization (compression without loss of visual clarity).
• 🔍 It has a built-in editor with correction tools and filters.
• 📱 Syncs with other Google services (e.g. Google Drive).

However, from June 1, 2021, Google has abolished unlimited storage of photos in high quality, now all new downloads are counted in the general limit of 15 GB, which is divided between Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos.

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market (if it is not available by default).
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner → Photo settings → Backup and sync.
4. Activate the Backup Switch and select: 📶 Wi-Fi only (recommended for traffic savings). 🔋 Charging the device (to avoid draining the battery). 📸 Download quality: Original (takes up space in the cloud) or High (compression with saving details).

Once activated, all photos and videos from the DCIM/Camera folder will start uploading to the cloud. To check status, open the Library → Devices tab in the Google Photos app, and here you can see files waiting to download and sync history.

💡

If photos are not uploaded to Google Photos, check if the background mode for the application is turned off in the battery settings (Settings → Apps → Google Photos → Battery → No restrictions).

Method 3: Alternative cloud services (Yandex Drive, Mail.ru Cloud, Dropbox)

If you don't like the limitations of Mi Cloud or Google Photos, you can use other cloud storage, such as:

• 📁 Yandex Disk: gives 10 GB for free, there is an automatic download of photos through the Yandex Disk application.
• 📧 Cloud: 8 GB free, supports background synchronization.
• 💼 Dropbox: Only 2GB free, but reliable for storing originals.

Setup autoload on the example of Yandex Disk:

1. Install the Yandex Drive app from the Play Market.
2. Log in and go to Settings → Autoupload photo.
3. Enable the option to Download photos and select: 📶 Only on Wi-Fi. 🔋 Only when charging. 📂 Download folders (by default) DCIM/Camera).

Start the download.

The main disadvantage of third-party services is the lack of deep integration with MIUI, for example, they do not know how to automatically delete photos from the phone after downloading (unlike Google Photos) and do not synchronize metadata (geoteges, shooting date) as accurately as proprietary solutions.

Mi Cloud|Google Photo|Yandex Disc |Mail.ru Cloud |Dropbox |Other |Not used-->

How to check if your photos are successfully uploaded to the cloud

Even after setting up the boot, there is a risk that some of the photos may not sync due to network errors, battery limitations, or app failures, to make sure that everything went well:

1. For Mi Cloud: Open Gallery → Albums → Mi Cloud. Check that the number of photos in the cloud matches the local Camera folder. Go to i.mi.com from your computer and compare the dates of the downloaded files.

For Google Photos

• Open the application and go to the Library → Devices tab.
• Make sure there are no files in the Waits to Download section.
• Check the Photos folder from the device in the web version of photos.google.com.

If you find that part of the photo has not loaded, try:

• 🔄 Restart synchronization manually (in cloud settings).
• 📶 Reconnect to another Wi-Fi network (sometimes the provider blocks cloud traffic).
• 🔋 Disable Power Saving Mode for Cloud Application in Battery Settings.

⚠️ Note: If you are taking pictures in a format HEIC (This is used on some Xiaomi models to save space, Google Photos may not display such files correctly. JPEG Gallery app (export option).

How to recover photos from the cloud to a new Xiaomi phone

If you've changed your smartphone or reset your old one to factory settings, you can recover your photos from the cloud in a number of ways, depending on which service you've used:

Recovery from Mi Cloud

1. Sign in to your Xiaomi account on your new phone.
2. Open the Gallery → Mi Cloud and click Sync.
3. Select a photo to upload to your device (or click Download All).

Recovery from Google Photos

1. Install the Google Photos app and log in to your account.
2. Click on the avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Activate the option to Sync the device so that the photo is displayed in the gallery.

Important: When you restore photos from Google, you will save them to the DCIM/Google Photos folder, not the standard Camera. To show them in the main gallery, move them manually or use the option to create a shortcut in the Files app.

Solving Common Problems When Saving Photos to the Cloud

Even when set up correctly, Xiaomi users often encounter sync errors, and here are the most common problems and solutions:

If none of the solutions worked, try:

1. Reinstall the cloud application.
2. Clear the app cache (Settings → Applications → [Cloud Name] → Memory → Clear the cache).
3. Update MIUI to the latest version (sometimes synchronization bugs are fixed in new firmware).

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Before resetting your phone to factory settings, be sure to check the sync status in the cloud. Even if the photos "seem" to be uploaded, some files may not reach the server due to network errors.

FAQ: Frequent questions about saving photos from Xiaomi to the cloud