How to create a cloud for photos on Xiaomi: a complete guide with settings and comparison services

Xiaomi smartphones are no longer just phone devices, they are full-fledged repositories of our memories. Thousands of photos taken on a camera with a resolution of 108 MP or even 200 MP in new models quickly fill internal memory. The solution lies on the surface: cloud storage. But how to properly configure it on Xiaomi, so that photos automatically sync, do not occupy space on the phone and remain safe?

In this article, we will explore all the ways to create a cloud for photos, from the standard Mi Cloud to alternative services like Google Photos or Yandex Drive.

• 🔧 Set up an automatic upload to the cloud on any Xiaomi smartphone (including Redmi and the other two). POCO)
• 📊 Compare tariffs and restrictions of different cloud services (table with current data for 2026)
• ⚡ Optimize the load so as not to waste traffic and battery
• 🔒 Protecting photos from accidental deletion or leakage

Important: instructions are relevant for all Xiaomi smartphones MIUI 12–14 and HyperOS, including flagship models (Xiaomi 14 Ultra, 13T Pro) and budget (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5). If you have an old firmware version, update it through Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.

1.Standard solution: Xiaomi's Mi Cloud

Mi Cloud is a branded cloud from Xiaomi, integrated into firmware MIUI/HyperOS. It suggests. 5 Free space (previously available) 10 GB, but with 2023 The limit was reduced in the year) and is closely related to the brand ecosystem, the main advantage is the automatic synchronization of photos, contacts, notes and even the most important thing. SMS.

To activate the upload of photos to Mi Cloud:

1. Open Settings → Mi Account (or Xiaomi Account in new versions).
2. Sign in or create an account if you don’t have one.
3. Go to Mi Cloud. → gallery.
4. Turn on the Autoupload Photos switch.
5. Select Download Quality: Original (keeps original resolution) or High Quality (compression to) ~16 MPs).

Important: when choosing "High quality" photos from 48 MP cameras+ It's going to be reduced to 16 MP, but visually, the difference is minimal on the screen of the smartphone. RAW Or you plan to print pictures – choose the Original, but keep in mind that 5 GB will fill up very quickly.

Sign in to Mi Account|Enable autoboot in Mi Cloud|Selecting the quality of the load|Check the available space|Configure the download only over Wi-Fi (optional)-->

2. Mi Cloud Alternatives: Google Photos vs Yandex Drive vs iCloud

If 5GB of Mi Cloud is not enough for you or you prefer other services, consider alternatives. Below is a comparison table with the current tariffs for 2026:

🔹 Google Photos is the best choice for most users, thanks to its free 15GB and user-friendly interface, but since June 2021, the upload of photos in original quality is charged (previously free:

1. Install the Google Photos app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and tap on the avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Photo Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
4. Turn on the switch and select quality (High or Original).

⚠️ Note: If you choose High Quality Photos in Google, all photos will be compressed to 16 MP and videos up to 16 MP. 1080p. It’s not critical to viewing on a smartphone screen, but it can be important for professional shots.

🔹 Yandex Disk is for those who already use Yandex services (mail, maps, music) and it's 10GB free, and it doesn't require a fee to download it in its original quality:

• 📲 Install the Yandex Disk app.
• 🔄 Turn on Autoboot. → Photos and videos.
• 📶 Choose to download only over Wi-Fi so you don’t waste mobile traffic.

3. How to optimize the upload of photos to the cloud: 7 tips

Autouploading photos to the cloud can drain your battery and waste traffic quickly. Follow these tips to avoid problems:

1. Download only over Wi-Fi: In the settings of any cloud service, there is an option Only Wi-Fi. Turn it on so as not to spend mobile Internet.
2. Eliminate unnecessary folders: In Google Photos and Mi Cloud, you can choose which folders to sync. Eliminate screenshots, memes, and temporary files.
3. Set your schedule: Some services (e.g. Yandex Drive) allow you to upload photos only at night.
4. Turn off video download: Videos take up 10 to 100 times more space than photos. In Google Photos, you can turn off their autoload separately.
5. Use the "Traffic Savings": MIUI There is a function of saving traffic (Settings) → SIM-Maps and mobile networks that limit background activity.
6. Clean the cloud app cache: Once a month, go to Settings → Annexes → [Name of the cloud] → Memory. → Clear the cache.
7. Check for duplicates: Apps like Files by Google or Gallery Doctor help you find and delete duplicate photos before uploading.

💡

If you are taking pictures in a format HEIF (Used in new Xiaomi to save space, some cloud services can convert it to JPEG To avoid loss of quality, in camera settings (Camera settings) → Photo format) select JPEG or JPEG + RAW.

4. How to free up space on your phone after uploading a photo to the cloud

One of the main goals of cloud storage is to free up the memory of the smartphone, and once the photos are uploaded to the cloud, they can be removed from the device, but so that they remain available for viewing. Here's how to do this across different services:

On Google Photos:

1. Open the application and go to the Library → The device.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Free Space.
3. Confirm the deletion. The photos will remain in the cloud, but disappear from the phone.

In Mi Cloud:

• 🔄 Come to the gallery. → Albums. → Mi Cloud.
• 🗑️ Select the photos you want to delete locally and click Delete from your device.
• ☁️ Make sure you have a copy in the cloud (check through i.mi.com).

⚠️ Attention: If you delete a photo from your phone before it loads into the cloud, it will be gone forever. Always check the sync status in your cloud settings. Google Photos, a ticked cloud icon means that the photo has been successfully uploaded.

On Yandex Disk:

There is no "free space" function, but you can manually:

1. Delete the photo from the folder DCIM/Camera through any file manager.
2. Open the Yandex Drive app and make sure the photo is in the Photos section.

5 Security of photos in the cloud: how to protect personal photos

Uploading a photo to the cloud is convenient, but the question is: how do you protect your personal photos from leakage or hacking?

• 🔐 Use two-factor authentication (2FA) for your Mi Cloud, Google or Yandex account, enabled in your account security settings.
• 📁 Create private albums: in Google Photos you can hide individual photos in the Archive folder, and in Mi Cloud you can use the Closed Album function (available in the Gallery). → Albums).
• 🔄 Check active sessions regularly: in your account settings, see which devices were logged in from and complete suspicious ones.
• 📧 Set up new sign-in notifications: Most services can send email or push when logging in from a new device.

If you keep particularly sensitive photos (documents, passport scans), consider:

• 🔒 Encrypted Clouds: Services like Proton Drive or Tresorit offer end-to-end encryption, but they are paid.
• 💾 Local encryption: before uploading to the cloud, pack the photo into the archive with a password (for example, through the cloud). 7-Zip WinRAR).

Critical information: in 2023, cases of data leakage from the Mi Cloud due to vulnerabilities in the system were recorded API. Xiaomi has quickly closed the gaps, but if you store sensitive information in the cloud, we recommend you to include it. 2FA and not use simple passwords.

6. Hidden features of cloud services for photos on Xiaomi

Cloud storage can do more than just store photos, and here are some useful things that many people don't know about:

• 🎨 Automatic photo enhancement: Google Photos can automatically adjust the color, contrast and sharpness of uploaded images. → General. → Improving photo.
• 📅 Event Album Creation: Both Google Photos and Mi Cloud automatically group photos by date and location (e.g., "Trip to Sochi, July 2026").
• 🔍 Search for content: in Google Photos you can find all photos with dogs, sunsets or even checks – the service recognizes objects in the pictures.
• 👥 Shared Albums: In Mi Cloud and Google Photos, you can create an album and share it on the link or invite other users to share a viewing experience.
• 📱 Quick access from the lock screen: in MIUI You can add the Mi Cloud widget to the lock screen for quick viewing of the latest photos (Settings) → Lock screen → Widgets).

🔹 Bonus for Xiaomi owners: if you have a Xiaomi Silver or Gold Account (achieved for activity in the ecosystem), you get additional gigabytes in the Mi Cloud.

💡

Google Photos and Mi Cloud can automatically create collages, animations, and even short videos from your photos, which are called “Google Photos” and “Mi Cloud” and are included in the settings.

7. Frequent problems and their solutions

When working with cloud storage on Xiaomi, users face typical errors.

🔹 The Mi Cloud is not enough space in the Mi Cloud":

If you have run out of space in Mi Cloud, but do not want to buy additional volume, try:

• Remove old backups (Mi Cloud) → The device → Backup copies).
• Clean the basket (Mi Cloud) → Recycle Bin - files are stored there for 30 days).
• Move some of the photo to another service (e.g. Google Photos).

🔹 Photos in the cloud are not displayed in the right order:

This is a common problem when syncing between multiple devices.

1. Sort the photo by date in the web version of the cloud.
2. In the mobile application, update the data (pull the screen down).
3. If the problem persists, uninstall and reinstall the cloud app.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions