Mi Drop on Xiaomi: a complete guide to file transfer

Have you ever faced a situation where you urgently need to transfer a photo, document or video from one Xiaomi smartphone to another, but there is no cable at hand and mobile Internet is limited? In such cases, the built-in Mi Drop application, Xiaomi’s proprietary tool for wireless file sharing between devices, comes to the rescue.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what Mi Drop is, how it works on Redmi smartphones, POCO And you'll also learn how it differs from popular alternatives like ShareIt or Xender, and where it's most worth using. If you frequently transfer files between Xiaomi devices, this guide will help you save time and avoid common errors.

What is Mi Drop and Why is it Necessary?

Mi Drop is a standard app from Xiaomi, preinstalled on most of the brand’s smartphones (including Redmi, POCO, Black Shark et al. is designed to instantly transfer files between Xiaomi devices over a local Wi-Fi Direct network, without the need for an Internet connection or cloud services. The main advantage is the high exchange rate (up to 20 MB / s) and the absence of restrictions on the size of the transmitted data.

Unlike cloud services like Google Drive or Mi Cloud, where files are first uploaded to a server and then downloaded to another device, Mi Drop works on the principle of a new device. P2P (This means that data is transmitted directly between smartphones, which speeds up the process and makes it more confidential:

• 📷 Photographs and videos (including formats) HEIC, RAW)
• 📄 Documents (PDF, DOCX, XLSX etc.)
• 🎵 Music and audio files
• 📁 Folders and archives (ZIP, RAR)
• 🎮 APK-files and other installers

Importantly, Mi Drop is optimized for the Xiaomi ecosystem, and while it is technically possible to transfer files to other brands (such as Samsung or Huawei), it will require additional software installation or alternative protocols, which we will discuss in more detail in the section on restrictions.

How to find and run Mi Drop on a Xiaomi smartphone

Although the Mi Drop is pre-installed on most Xiaomi devices, its icon is not always visible on the home screen.

1. Open the All Apps menu (swipe up from the bottom of the screen).
2. In the search bar, enter Mi Drop or Transfer (on some firmware, the application is called that).
3. If the application is missing, check the Tools or Utilities folder.

In some models (for example, POCO F3 Or Redmi Note 10 Pro) Mi Drop can be hidden in the Security menu to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Drop in the list and tap it.
3. Click Enable if the application is disabled.

After you start Mi Drop, you will be prompted to turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (which are necessary to create a direct connection). The application interface is intuitive: at the top of the screen your device is displayed, and at the bottom – buttons for sending (Send) and receiving (Receive) files.

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If Mi Drop doesn’t start, try clearing the app’s cache in the settings or updating the firmware MIUI last-minute.

Step-by-step: how to transfer files through Mi Drop

Transferring files via Mi Drop takes only a few steps. Let’s take a look at the process of transferring photos from Xiaomi. 12T On the Redmi Note 11:

Step 1: Selecting files on the sending device

On the smartphone from which you want to send files, click Send. You will be prompted to select files from:

• 📂 Memory of the device (internal and memory card)
• 📷 Gallery (photo and video)
• 🎵 Music.
• 📄 Documents
• 📥 Downloads.

You can select multiple files at once by holding your finger on one of them and then marking the rest.

Step 2: Connect to the receiving device

On the second smartphone, select Receive mode.

1. The sending device will display a list of available devices for connection.
2. Choose the model name (the name of the model will be displayed, for example, Redmi Note 11).
3. Confirm the connection on both devices (entry may be required) PIN-code).

Step 3: Transfer and save files

Once connected, the transfer will start. The speed depends on the file size and device model (on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the process is faster than on budget chips).

• A notification of completion will appear on the receiving device.
• Files will be saved to the MiDrop folder in internal memory (path: /storage/emulated/0/MiDrop).
• You can open files immediately or move them to another location.

The limitations and typical problems of Mi Drop

Despite the convenience, Mi Drop has a number of limitations that you should know about in advance:

One of the main drawbacks of Mi Drop is that it is incompatible with other brands, for example, you can’t transfer files directly to your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy without additional manipulation. Also, some users are faced with the fact that the application does not work on custom firmware (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience), as it requires original services. MIUI.

⚠️ Note: If you use Mi Drop to transmit sensitive data (such as document scans), make sure there are no other devices nearby. In rare cases, data may be leaked via Wi-Fi Direct if the attacker is on the same network.

Mi Drop vs. Alternatives: What is Best for File Transfers

While Mi Drop is convenient for file sharing within Xiaomi’s ecosystem, it’s better to use alternative solutions in some cases.

When to use Mi Drop:

• 🔹 Transfer files between two Xiaomi devices (for example, from a smartphone to a Mi Pad tablet).
• 🔹 Fast sending photos or documents without the internet.
• 🔹 When you need maximum speed (for example, for video in the video) 4K).

When is the best time to choose an alternative:

• 🔸 You need to transfer files to your iPhone or MacBook.
• 🔸 Requires sending files larger than 2 GB.
• 🔸 You use custom firmware without services MIUI.

If you need a universal solution, we recommend that you pay attention to LocalSend, open source software with support for all platforms and no restrictions on file sizes. Nearby Share is suitable for users of the Google ecosystem, and Snapdrop (works through a browser) is suitable for cross-platform transfer.

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Mi Drop is the best choice for owners of several Xiaomi devices, but for cross-platform transfer it is better to use LocalSend or Snapdrop.

How to Restore Remote Mi Drop App

Sometimes users accidentally delete Mi Drop or it disappears after resetting, and you can restore it in several ways:

Method 1. Recovery through settings

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. Find Mi Drop in the list and click Enable.

Method 2: Installation APK-file

If the application has been completely removed, download the official APK Xiaomi:

1. Go to app.mi.com and find Mi Drop.
2. Download the latest version APK (Pay attention to compatibility with your version MIUI).
3. Install the file by allowing installation from unknown sources in the security settings.

Method 3: Reset to factory settings (extreme case)

If none of the methods worked, you can reset through Settings. → The phone. → Resetting. However, this method will delete all data from the device, so use it only as a last resort.

⚠️ Attention: Installation APK From unverified sources, you can infect your device with malware. Always download files only from official Xiaomi resources or trusted stores (for example, APKMirror).

Hidden Mi Drop features that few people know about

Besides basic file transfer, Mi Drop has a few useful but little-known features:

Transfer through QR-code

Instead of manual search devices can be used QR-code:

1. On the receiving device, click on the icon QR-top-right corner.
2. On the sending device, scan the code through the Camera. → Scanning mode.
3. Confirm the connection - the transfer will begin automatically.

2. Transfer of files to the PC

Although officially Mi Drop does not support transfer to computers, you can bypass this limitation:

• 🖥️ Install an Android emulator on your PC (e.g. BlueStacks).
• 📱 Run Mi Drop in the emulator and connect to your smartphone.
• 📁 Transfer files like a normal Android device.

3. Automatic acceptance of files

If you often receive files from the same device (such as a colleague), you can turn on automatic acceptance mode:

1. Open Mi Drop and go to the settings (cog icon).
2. Activate the option to automatically accept files from trusted devices.
3. Add the device to the list of trusted.

4. Transmission via mobile hotspot

If Wi-Fi Direct is unstable, you can use a mobile hotspot:

1. On one device, turn on the Access Point (Settings) → Mobile network → Access point).
2. Connect the second device to this network.
3. Run Mi Drop - the transfer will go through the local network.

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If you often transfer the same file types (like photos), create a Mi Drop shortcut on the home screen for quick access.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mi Drop