Transferring data via USB to Xiaomi: how to enable and configure

Why Xiaomi doesn’t see why USB-Connection and how to fix it

You connected Xiaomi to your computer through USB-cable, but instead of the expected access to files, you only see charging? This problem is familiar to many smartphone owners of the brand, POCO Black Shark activates charging mode, not data transfer, which is done for security, but often causes confusion among users.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can turn on data, from basic settings to solving complex bugs, how to connect your smartphone to Windows, MacOS, or even Linux, what drivers you might need, and what to do if your computer persistently can’t see your device, and focus on models with MIUI 12/13/14 and the new Xiaomi HyperOS, where the logic of the connection has changed.

Before you get to the settings, check out three key points:

• 🔌 Whether you use original cable (low-quality cables often don't support data transmission)
• 🖥️ Are you connecting to USB-Port 3.0 (blue connector) for stable speed
• 🔄 Rebooted your smartphone and computer (this solves 30% of connection problems)

Basic settings: how to enable file transfer in MIUI

On most Xiaomi devices, the USB enabled algorithm consists of 4 steps. Importantly, the interface may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS, but the logic remains the same.

Here are the steps for MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-In the top notification panel, a message will appear "Charge through" USB".
2. Deploy the notification bar and tap the label “Charge via USB” (or “USB for file transfer” in newer versions).
3. In the window that opens, select File Transfer (or File Manager/MTP). Some models may require you to confirm the selection in an additional window.
4. The computer will open a conductor window with folders of the smartphone. If this does not happen, check the Device Manager (more about this below).

Use the original USB-cable|Connect to USB 3.0 (blue port)|Unlock the smartphone screen|Enable debugging on USB (forward-thinking)|Check the antivirus (it can block the connection)-->

If the notification panel does not have the option "File Transfer", it means:

• 📱 Developer mode is disabled on your device (you need to turn on)
• 🔧 Security settings are blocked USB-connection
• 🖥️ There are no drivers on the computer. ADB or MTP

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On POCO F5, Xiaomi 13 and later, after selecting the File Transfer mode, you may request permission to access media files. Be sure to click Allow, otherwise the computer will only see empty folders.

Developer Mode and USB Debugging: When It’s Needed

In 90% of cases, basic settings are enough for normal file transfer. ADB-commands, install custom firmware or work with system files, you will need to enable debugging USB. It also helps when a smartphone is not defined by a computer in principle.

How to activate the developer mode and debugging:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row, and the notification will appear: "You became a developer!".
3. Go back to the main settings menu, and now it will be a developer section (or "More"). → For developers in HyperOS).
4. Turn on the "Debugging by USB" switch and confirm the action.
5. Connect your smartphone to your computer. The screen will see a request for "Allow debugging over USB?" and click "Allow" and select "Always allow from this computer."

After that, the notification bar will appear in the notification panel when you connect to USB, an additional option will appear: "File Transfer (MTP)" or "PTP" (for transferring photos). If the computer still does not see the device, check:

• 🔌 Is the cable connected to the back? USB-port (on laptops, front ports often have limited power)
• 🛠️ Have Google drivers been installed? USB Driver (for Windows)
• 🔄 Have you rebooted both devices after debugging is enabled?

MIUI 12|MIUI 13|MIUI 14|HyperOS|I don't know.-->

Driver problems: why your computer can't see Xiaomi

One of the most common reasons Xiaomi is not detected via USB is the absence or conflict of drivers, especially for Windows, where the system can automatically install inappropriate drivers.

Here’s how to check and install the right drivers:

For Windows 10/11:

1. Connect your smartphone and open Device Manager (click Win + X → select the appropriate item).
2. Find a device with a yellow exclamation point (usually under "Other Devices" or "Portable Devices").
3. Right-click on it → “Update driver” → “Research drivers on this computer”.
4. Select "Select driver from the list" → "MTP-device "ADB Interface".

If no drivers are available:

• 📥 Download the official Mi package PC Suite from Xiaomi (it will automatically install the desired drivers)
• 🔧 Or install Google. USB Driver via Android SDK Platform-Tools
• 🖥️ For MacOS/Linux Android-tools package (installed via terminal)

⚠️ Note: If after installing the drivers, the smartphone is still not determined, try connecting it to another USB-Some ports (especially on the front panel of the system unit) may not provide sufficient power for the data mode.

Features of connecting to macOS and Linux

Owners of MacBooks or Linux computers often find that Xiaomi is not recognized by the system even when the settings are right, due to the peculiarities of the MTP protocol, which these OSes do not support as well as Windows.

For macOS:

• 📥 Install the official Android File Transfer software (you can download from Google website)
• 🔄 After connecting the smartphone, launch the program - it should automatically detect the device
• 🚫 If files are not displayed, try switching mode. USB smartphone-wise MTP on PTP back and forth

For Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian):

1. Install MTP packages: sudo apt install mtp-tools libmtp-common libmtp-runtime
2. Connect your smartphone and check if it is determined by the command: mtp-detect
3. If the device is visible but the files are not displayed, try using the Thunar or Nautilus file manager with MTP support.

⚠️ Note: Some Linux distributions (e.g. Arch Linux) may require manual customization of the udev rules for Xiaomi devices.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even after you set up the connection correctly, you can still get errors, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your USB settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select "Resetting settings" USB" (or "Reset network settings" in older versions MIUI).
3. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

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If the smartphone is defined as a “media device" (MTP), but files are not displayed, try manually updating the driver in Windows Device Manager by selecting "Install from the list" → "MTP-device” (even if already installed).

Alternative methods of file transfer

If USB-The connection is still down, so consider alternative methods of data transmission:

• 🌐 Wi-Fi Direct / FTP-server: Use applications like FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer FTP-It's a server on a smartphone, and it's as fast as a transfer speed. USB 2.0.
• ☁️ Cloud services: Upload files to Google Drive, Mi Cloud or Telegram (via Save to the Cloud.
• 📶 Xiaomi Share / Mi Drop: Built-in feature in the MIUI for wireless transmission between Xiaomi devices. Works over Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔌 OTG-adapter + flash drive: Connect USB-smartphone-based OTG and copy the files directly.

For large amounts of data (like backups), FTP over Wi-Fi is the best way to do this.

1. Install the FX File Explorer app (or similar) on your smartphone.
2. Go to the section "Remote access" → "Launch. FTP-server".
3. Remember the address of the species ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On the computer, open the conductor and enter this address in the address bar.

⚠️ Note: When transferring files over Wi-Fi, the smartphone and computer must be connected to the same network. Avoid public Wi-Fi networks - it is not safe to transfer sensitive data.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions