Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often notice a program called Mi Drop in the list of installed applications. Many users immediately wonder whether this software is necessary: is it a system component, a virus or a useful tool? In fact, it is the company's original tool for fast wireless file transfer between devices.
The app has been standard for the MIUI ecosystem for several years, allowing you to share photos, videos and documents at high speed without using the Internet, but in recent firmware and the global market, the functionality has been redesigned and renamed.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the history of the utility, its technical features and why it may have disappeared or transformed on your device. Understanding the operation of this service will help you transfer data faster between gadgets.
History and purpose of file sharing
Mi Drop was originally designed as an alternative to Bluetooth and cables, and the main advantage of the technology was the data transfer speed, which could reach 20 MB/s and higher, which is ten times faster than classic Bluetooth, which allowed you to throw a movie weighing a gigabyte or hundreds of photos in a matter of seconds.
The application was based on FTP and created a local Wi-Fi Direct network, which meant that devices did not need access to the global network or mobile traffic, and communication was established directly between smartphones, tablets or computers in the immediate vicinity.
⚠️ Warning: The feature activated the Wi-Fi module on the device, and if you had data enabled, it could be temporarily suspended during a communication session.
The main goal of the Xiaomi developers was to create a seamless ecosystem, so the user could send the file not only to another phone, but also to a computer, just by scanning it. QR-This made the process of data exchange as simple and intuitive as possible, even for inexperienced users.
Technical features of the protocol
The app is powered by Wi-Fi Direct technology, and unlike conventional Wi-Fi, where devices connect via a router, the smartphone acts as a hotspot or client directly, providing a stable connection and high bandwidth.
To start the transmission, you didn't have to type in complex passwords or pair like Bluetooth, you just had to run the application on both devices, and the system automatically found the available gadgets within range of the signal.
Technical details of the connection
The important thing was that you could send different formats.
- 📸 Photos and videos in original quality
- 📄 Documents PDF, Word, Excel
- 📲 The applications themselves (APK-file)
- 🎵 Musical tracks
The connection was secure by having to confirm the file's acceptance on the recipient's device, and without your consent, the third-party gadget could not download the data into your phone's memory.
Transformation into ShareMe and Mi Share
Over time, Xiaomi decided to rebrand its app, and ShareMe replaced Mi Drop, not just a name change, but a global update to the interface and functionality, and the old app stopped updating and gradually disappeared from the system folders of new firmware.
The key change was cross-platform support, where the service used to be primarily between Xiaomi devices, ShareMe received support for the protocol (Mutual Transmission Alliance), which allowed you to share files with OPPO, Vivo, OnePlus and Realme smartphones at maximum speed.
In the global versions of MIUI and HyperOS, you can find the "Mi Share" feature in the notification curtain, which is a native integration of the old Mi Drop capabilities directly into the system, allowing you to transfer files to Windows or macOS computers without installing additional software.
If your device has Mi Drop installed, it may not work properly with new phone models released after 2020 due to changes in security protocols.
Instructions for use (relevant to older versions)
If you are using an old version of the device MIUI orally installed APK-Mi Drop file, file transfer process is fairly simple.
Turn on Wi-Fi and GPS (geolocation) on both smartphones. Without geolocation enabled, Android can block the search for nearby devices. Open the app and click Send or Receive.
☑️ Preparation for transfer
Once you search for the devices, select the smartphone you want from the list, the receiving device will receive a request for confirmation of the connection, and after you accept the file, you will start downloading.
⚠️ Warning: Do not turn off your smartphone screen while transferring large files, as the system may break the connection to save energy.
The "Plug to the computer" function was used to transmit it to the computer. The application generated an address such as ftp://192.168.1.5:8888, which was to be typed into the address bar of any conductor on the PC.
Comparison of data transmission technologies
To understand the benefits of Mi Drop and its successors, it is worth comparing them with other methods. Below is a table showing the differences in speed and convenience.
| Method | Average speed | We need the Internet. | Size limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 0.1. 0.3 MB/s | No. | No. |
| Mi Drop / ShareMe | 10 - 20 MB/s | No. | No. |
| Messengers | Depends on the network. | Yes. | Up to 2GB (Telegram) |
| USB Cable | 20 - 40 MB/s | No. | No. |
As the data shows, Wi-Fi-based wireless technology is far superior to Bluetooth, and it benefits from the convenience of cables, as it does not require physical connectors that can be damaged.
Unlike instant messengers, however, local transmission does not compress media files, which is critical for photographers and videographers who use Xiaomi smartphones to work.
💡
When you send video through instant messengers, quality often deteriorates. Use ShareMe or Mi Drop to maintain original quality without compression.
Frequent problems and their solution
Despite its simplicity, users can encounter errors, often with energy saving settings, and MIUI is known for its aggressive optimizations that can kill background processes.
If the transmission is interrupted or the devices can't see each other, check the permissions. The application needs access to storage, location, and network. Without a full set of rights, you can't work.
⚠️ Warning: Antiviruses or third-party firewalls on your computer can block FTP-connection created by an application to communicate with a PC.
Also worth considering is the Android version: On newer versions of the operating system (Android 11, 12, 13 and above), file system access is limited. Older versions of Mi Drop may simply not start or see files.
💡
For stable work on Android 12+, it is recommended to use an updated version of ShareMe from the official GetApps store or Google Play.