How to Connect to a Xiaomi Device via Computer: The Complete Guide 2026

Why to connect Xiaomi to your computer and what devices are supported

Xiaomi’s modern gadgets, from Redmi and POCO smartphones to Mi TVs and Mi Band smartwatches, often require PC interaction for advanced features. Connecting to a computer opens up possibilities that are not available through mobile applications, from deep firmware customization to backing up data bypassing cloud services. But if Android smartphones are relatively standard, Mi TVs or Xiaomi Routers have nuances that are rarely written about in official instructions.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways of connecting (USB, Wi-Fi, ADB, Mi Assistant and specialized utilities for specific devices) taking into account the features of Windows 11/10, macOS and Linux. We will separately focus on common errors - for example, why the computer does not see Xiaomi through USB despite the installed drivers, or how to bypass the lock OEM Unlock on new smartphone models. All instructions are relevant for devices released after 2018, but with reservations for older MIUI firmware 12 and below.

⚠️ Important: If your Xiaomi device is locked (for example, after resetting settings and requesting a Mi Account account), connecting to a PC will not help bypass the lock, in which cases official unlocking through the service center is required. We do not consider circumvention methods as they violate Xiaomi’s terms of use.

Method 1: Connecting Xiaomi smartphone via USB (MTP, PTP, MIDI)

The most common method is to connect via cable. USB Type-C (or Micro-USB for older models), but even here, users face problems: the computer does not recognize the device, files do not appear, or an error appears "USB-The reason is the phone settings, the drivers, or the cable itself.

To connect correctly:

• 🔌 Use the original Xiaomi cable or certified cable USB 2.0/3.0 Data-enabled (not all charging cables are suitable!).
• 📱 On the phone, unlock the screen and in the notification that appears, select the connection mode: File transfer (MTP), Transmission of photo (PTP) or MIDI (music-stuff).
• 🖥️ On a Windows PC, install Mi drivers PC Suite (official software from Xiaomi) or manually update the driver through Device Manager.
• 🔄 If the device is not detected, try another port. USB (preferably USB 3.0 marked in blue).

💡 Advice: On smartphones with MIUI 14+ It may be necessary to allow additional debugging USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times to activate Developer Mode, then in Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB.

The original Xiaomi cable is used

Phone screen unlocked

Selected MTP/PTP mode in the notification

Mi PC Suite drivers installed (for Windows)

Port port USB 3.0 free and serviceable-->

⚠️ Note: If a message appears when connecting "USB-"Device is not working properly," try to turn off fast charging in your phone settings.

Method 2: Wireless Wi-Fi connection (Mi Drop, FTP, AirDroid)

If you don’t have a cable or a USB port is damaged, you can transfer files over Wi-Fi. Xiaomi offers a few built-in solutions:

1. Mi Drop is a proprietary file-sharing app between Xiaomi devices (including PCs with Mi PC Suite installed) with transfer speeds of up to 10MB/s, but requires a connection to a single Wi-Fi network.
2. FTP-server - built-in function in MIUI, Allows you to access your phone files through any FTP-client (e.g. FileZilla) activated in Settings → Connection and sharing → FTP-server.
3. Third-party apps like AirDroid, Send Anywhere or Pushbullet support file transfer between Xiaomi and PC without USB.

🔹 Instructions for Mi Drop:

1. Install Mi PC Suite on your computer and log in to one Mi Account.
2. On your phone, open the Mi Drop app (pre-installed on MIUI).
3. Select files and click Send → On the computer.
4. On PC, confirm the file acceptance in Mi PC Suite.

⚠️ Note: When using public Wi-Fi networks (cafes, airports) do not turn on FTP-server, this creates a vulnerability to attack. Use only trusted networks or set up a password to attack. FTP-manually.

Po Po Po USB-cable

Wi-Fi (Mi Drop, FTP)

Google Drive (Mi Cloud) and Google Drive (Mi Drive)

Not a PC connection.-->

Method 3: ADB and Fastboot for Advanced Management

If you need to not just transfer files, but install custom firmware, unlock the bootloader or debug the application, you will need to connect via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or Fastboot. These tools are part of the Android SDK and allow you to manage the device at a low level.

🔹 Preparation:

• 🖥️ Install Platform Tools (includes in Android Studio or downloaded separately from Google’s website).
• 📱 On the phone, activate the developer mode (7 taps according to the version) MIUI in settings) and enable debugging by USB.
• 🔑 Allow debugging for your computer (a request will appear when you first connect).

🔹 Basic teams ADB:

Adb devices # Checking connected devices


adb pull /sdcard/photo.jpg # Download file from phone to PC




adb push app.apk /sdcard/ # Upload file to phone




Adb shell # Interactive shell

🔹 Fastboot commands (for firmware):

fastboot devices # Check connection in fastboot mode


Fastboot oem unlock # Unlock bootloader (requires permission from Xiaomi!)




fastboot flash recovery twrp.img # Install custom recovery

⚠️ Note: Fastboot oem unlock erases all data on the device and can result in a Mi Account being blocked if the phone is tied to an account. Xiaomi requires official permission to unlock (the procedure takes up to 72 hours).

Method 4: Connecting Mi TVs to PCs

Xiaomi Mi TVs (series A2, P1, Q2, etc.) support a connection to a computer for media transfer, firmware updates or management via ADB. Unlike smartphones, it uses the DLNA protocol or direct network connection.

🔹 Connection options:

• 📺 Wi-Fi (DLNA/Miracast): The TV and the PC should be on the same network. → Network → DLNA, On PC, use Windows Media Player or VLC broadcast.
• 🖥️ Cable. HDMI: Suitable for duplication of PC screen on TV (mode) PC Mode in settings HDMI-port).
• 🔧 Through ADB: Activated in Settings → On TV. → Android version TV (Press 7 times on the remote. Then connect to the IP: adb connect 192.168.1.100:5555

💡 Advice: To update the firmware Mi TV via PC download the.zip file from the official website, place it in the root of the flash drive (format) FAT32) and connect to USB-The update will start automatically.

Method 5: Xiaomi Utilities for Specific Devices

Some Xiaomi devices require specialized programs:

• 📡 Xiaomi Mi Router: Managed through a web interface (192.168.31.1) or the Mi Wi-Fi application. For advanced settings (for example, OpenWRT firmware) is used SSH: ssh root@192.168.31.1 Password: Admin (or your current password)

⚠️ Note: Firmware on Xiaomi routers with unofficial software (e.g. Padavan) will void the warranty and may result in the device being blocked. Before the procedure, save a backup of the settings via Settings → Backup.

💡

If your Mi Router doesn’t open the web interface at 192.168.31.1, try resetting it to factory settings: hold the Reset button on the case for 10 seconds until the indicator starts flashing yellow.

Solving Typical Connection Problems

Even with the right settings, the connection may not work. Let's consider the most common errors and how to fix them:

🔹 If nothing helps:

1. Try another cable or USB port.
2. Update the firmware of the Xiaomi device to the latest version.
3. On a Windows PC, disable the antivirus (it can block drivers).
4. For Mac/Linux, install Android-file-transfer (the official utility from Google).

💡

90% of connection problems are solved by installing the right drivers (Mi PC Suite for Windows) or choosing MTP/PTP mode on your phone. If the device is identified as "Unidentified", check the cable - cheap uncertified wires often do not support data transfer.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's PC connection