How to save photos in the cloud on Xiaomi Android smartphones: all ways

Why Cloud Storage is the Best Way to Save Photos on Xiaomi

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO are known for their powerful cameras, but even the most spacious drive is filled up sooner or later. Losing photos due to a phone breakdown, accidental formatting or device theft is a real threat that many users face. Cloud services solve this problem by offering automatic synchronization, backup and access to files from any device.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to save photos in the cloud on Xiaomi Android devices, including the proprietary Mi Cloud, Google Photos, Yandex.Disk and alternative solutions. You will learn how to configure automatic download, compare tariffs and choose the best service for your needs. Special attention is paid to the nuances of work on different models (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12, POCO F5) shell-like MIUI.

Important: If you use two-factor authentication or change passwords frequently, check your cloud account security settings in advance, which will prevent you from blocking access to files in the event of a phone loss.

Method 1: Saving photos in Mi Cloud – a proprietary solution from Xiaomi

Mi Cloud is Xiaomi’s own cloud storage integrated into the MIUI ecosystem, offering 5GB of free space, automatic synchronization and easy access via the Mi Cloud app or web version, with deep integration with smartphone system features such as contact and note backup.

To upload photos to Mi Cloud, follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open the Gallery app on your Xiaomi.
• 🔍 Choose an album or individual photos you want to save.
• ⚙️ Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Backup in Mi Cloud.
• ☁️ Confirm the download and wait for the process to be completed (time depends on internet speed).

To set up automatic synchronization:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on the switch in front of the gallery.
3. Choose boot quality: Original (keeps original resolution) or High quality (compression to save space).

Is mobile internet or Wi-Fi enabled?

Is there enough free space in the cloud (at least 10% of the volume of photos)

Is synchronization active in account settings?

Is the Gallery app updated to the latest version?-->

On Xiaomi models with MIUI 14 and later, the gallery backup function in Mi Cloud only works when you connect to Wi-Fi by default. To allow downloading over a mobile network, go to Settings → Mobile Network → Data Use → Mi Cloud and turn on the option.

Method 2: Google Photos – a universal solution with a AI-chip

Google Photos is one of the most popular cloud storage for photos thanks to unlimited free storage in compressed quality (until June 2021) and powerful content search tools. Today, the service offers 15 GB for free (together with Google Drive), as well as paid rates from 100 GB.

Benefits of Google Photos for Xiaomi Owners:

• 🔍 Recognition of persons, places and objects (e.g., search on request "beach 2023").
• 🎨 Automatic collages, animations and filters based on AI.
• 📱 Cross-platform: Access with Android, iOS and PC.
• 🔄 Ability to free up space on the device after booting (Free up space in settings).

Instructions for setting:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market (unless preinstalled).
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. Click on the profile avatar → Backup settings.
4. Turn on the switch Backup and Synchronization.
5. Choose the download quality: Original (using quota) or High quality (free, but compressed to 16 MP for photo).

Mi Cloud

Google Photo

Yandex.Disk.

iCloud (for backup with iPhone)

Another option-->

⚠️ Note: If you are using a double SIM-Map on Xiaomi, make sure that mobile data for Google Photos is allowed for the main SIM. Otherwise, download through 4G/5G You can interrupt. Check this in Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Transfer of data.

Method 3: Yandex.Disk - domestic storage with bonuses

Yandex.Disk offers 10 GB of free space (up to 32 GB with bonuses when registering via a mobile application), as well as integration with other Yandex services, such as Mail or Maps. For Xiaomi users, this is a convenient option if you are already using the Yandex ecosystem.

Features of working with Yandex.Disk:

• 📤 Automatic photo upload when connected to Wi-Fi (configured in the application).
• 🔗 Ability to share links to albums without registering recipient.
• 💰 Bonus system: for inviting friends or completing tasks, you can get additional gigabytes.

How to set up automatic booting:

1. Install the Yandex.Disk application from the Play Market.
2. Sign in or register.
3. Go to the Photo section → Click on the gear icon (Settings).
4. Enable the option of autouploading photos.
5. Select a folder to download (such as Camera or Screenshots).

⚠️ Note: When using Yandex.Disk on Xiaomi with MIUI 13 and below, you may experience a sync error due to battery optimization. To fix this, add the app to the exceptions: Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Yandex.Disk. → No restrictions.

Method 4: Alternative services - Mail.ru Cloud, OneDrive and others

If standard solutions don’t work, consider alternative cloud services, which can offer unique features such as improved privacy or specialized tools for photographers.

Comparison of alternatives:

• 📧 Cloud: 8 GB free, integration with mail, but less user-friendly interface for photos.
• 📁 OneDrive: 5GB free, close integration with Windows and Office 365.
• 🔒 pCloud: 10GB free, client-side encryption (enhanced security).
• 📸 Amazon Photos: Unlimited storage for Amazon Prime owners ~2 500 ₽/year).

To download via Mail.ru Cloud:

1. Install the application and log in.
2. Go to the Photos section.
3. Click Download and select files from the gallery.
4. To automatically download, turn on the option in the application settings.

⚠️ Note: When using OneDrive on Xiaomi, turn off battery optimization for the app, otherwise sync can only work when the app is open. → Annexes → Application management → OneDrive → Battery → No restrictions.

How to choose the best service for storing photos on Xiaomi

The choice of cloud storage depends on your priorities: free space, quality of storage, additional features or price.

• 🆓 Free volume: If you need less than 15 GB, Google Photos or Yandex.Disk - the best options.
• 📸 Photo quality: For professional photos, choose services with support for original resolution (Mi Cloud, pCloud).
• 🔍 Search and AI: Google Photos Leads in Search Usability and Automatic Sorting.
• 💰 Price: Yandex.Disk and Mail.ru Cloud cheaper than Google One when paying for 100+ GB.
• 🔒 Privacy: For sensitive data, consider pCloud or Proton Drive (encryption).

If you travel or take pictures frequently, take note of:

• 🌍 Offline access: Google Photos and Yandex.Disk can save albums for viewing without the Internet.
• 📶 Traffic savings: Configure Wi-Fi-only downloads in each service.

💡

For most Xiaomi users, the best combination is Google Photos (for automatic backup and search) + Mi Cloud (for backup system data).

Frequent problems and solutions when uploading photos to the cloud

Even with the right setup, you can get errors, and here are the typical situations and ways to fix them:

If neither service is suitable, consider local backup to an external drive or PC.

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Copy the DCIM folder (where the photos are stored) to the hard drive.
3. Use programs like Digikam or FastStone Image Viewer to sort and backup.

💡

If you are taking pictures in RAW format (e.g. on Xiaomi 13 Ultra), check if the service supports downloading such files. Google Photos only saves RAW in its original quality (paid), and Mi Cloud can convert them to JPEG.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions