Since purchasing your Xiaomi smartphone , you have taken, received and saved many photos , which you have taken care to keep so far; however, you have found that they take up a lot of available storage space. Or, you’d like to make sure you can access the images saved on your smartphone at any time even from your PC, or maybe you’d like to archive copies to organize them better, or to prevent the unfortunate event that the original photos are lost. In short, whatever your motivation, you would like to transfer photos from your mobile to a PC.
If that’s the case, don’t worry – you’re in the right place. In this tutorial it will in fact be my task to explain how to transfer photos from Xiaomi to PC , both on the Windows operating system and on macOS, indicating the main tools that you can use for this purpose, both via cable and wireless connection; for each of them, I will also give you detailed information on how to use them to make the transfer correctly.
So, let’s not waste any more precious time: make yourself comfortable and take a few minutes of time to dedicate to reading this guide, discover the options you have available and evaluate which is the most suitable for you. I’m sure that once you’ve found the method that best suits your needs, you’ll be able to transfer your photos in no time. Have a good reading and good luck!
Index
- How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to PC
- File Explorer
- Windows photo
- Xiaomi Cloud
- Snapdrop
- Bluetooth
- Other useful solutions
- How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to Mac
- Android File Transfer
- Image capture
- Other useful solutions
How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to PC
If you are a Windows user , the possibilities are many: both the operating system and the Xiaomi smartphone are equipped with pre-installed tools that allow you not only to store your photos, but also to make the transfer from one device to another, in addition to services third parties designed specifically for this purpose. In the next paragraphs I will first list those that can be used by connecting the devices via USB cable, and then move on to the wireless ones. Are you ready? Let’s start!
File Explorer
The first tool that I want to recommend is already present in the Windows operating system and simply requires the connection of the two devices via USB cable : it is File Explorer , the file management program on PC. The most recent versions of Windows also include the drivers required for recognizing Android devices and therefore do not require additional downloads. The procedure for using File Explorer is the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10 (and actually even on older editions, with some minor variations in terms of user interface).
Start by connecting your Xiaomi smartphone to your computer via a USB cable . You will then receive a notification on your phone: swipe your finger on the screen from top to bottom to open the notification screen, press on the USB Options one and tap on the File Transfer item . So wait for the PC to recognize the smartphone.
Once this is done, go to your computer and click on the yellow folder icon in the Windows taskbar to open File Explorer . In the left menu, locate the name of the Xiaomi smartphone and click to view the folders contained in it; then, select the Internal shared memory or External memory icon , depending on where the photos you want to transfer are located and then the folder in which you have saved them. Generally, they are located in the DCIM folder , but the path may be different depending on the location of your images.
Once the files have been identified, you can simply transfer them with a copy and paste (or cut and paste , depending on your needs) to transfer them to the folder on the PC where you want to save them; alternatively, you can simply select and drag the previews to the destination folder.
In case your operating system does not recognize the Xiaomi smartphone and needs the installation of drivers, do not worry: please refer to the instructions I have provided in my guides on how to connect Xiaomi to the PC and how to connect Android to the PC .
Windows photo
On Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems you can transfer your photos in an even easier way thanks to the Photos application , already pre-installed on your PC together with the system itself. In case it was removed, you can download it again (and for free) from the Microsoft Store . Also in this case it will be necessary to connect the smartphone to the PC via USB cable and set the connection in Photo Transfer mode (PTP) , according to the methods I indicated in the previous chapter .
On your PC, click on the Windows Start menu (the flag icon located in the system tray) and locate the Photo icon : open it by pressing. Alternatively, on Windows 10 you can type “photo” in Cortana’s search field ; on Windows 11, on the other hand, you can click on the magnifying glass icon in the taskbar and type “photo” to locate it.
How do you say? Has a different operation been initiated? Don’t worry: this means that Photos has not been set as the system default image viewer. To solve the problem, I invite you to read my guide on how to change the default programs .
If you are operating on Windows 11, once the Photos screen is open, click on the Import button (the icon with a photo and a down arrow) and then on the item From a connected device . Wait for the file search to complete and, once the procedure is complete, you will be shown a screen where you can change the destination folder: click on Change destination and then on the folder in which you would like to save the photos.
After this step, you can manually select the photos by clicking on the corresponding preview, or click on the drop-down menu under Select and choose one of the selection options available among All elements , Elements from the last import , or None . Once you have chosen your images, click the Import button and wait for the process to complete.
If instead you use Windows 10, click on the Import button and then on the item From a USB device to start the analysis of the connected Xiaomi smartphone. Once completed, click on the Continue button and then on the item Change the import location to choose the folder in which to save the photos. Select the photos you want; finally, click on the Import button .
Finally, you will find all the imported files in the PC folder you selected.
Xiaomi Cloud
Another useful tool that I want to recommend is already available on your smartphone, without the need for further installations. Xiaomi brand devices have access to the Xiaomi Cloud service , offered for free on smartphones and other manufacturer devices, which allows you to access the files saved on the device from any browser, simply by logging into your Mi Account .
For the service to work, the Mi Account must be correctly configured on the smartphone. If you have not already done so or you want to make sure, open the phone Settings menu (by pressing on the gear icon located on the Home screen or in the app drawer) and tap on the Mi Account item . Here you will find the Xiaomi Cloud item : then press on the Login using Mi Account option and enter the phone number or email and password, and then press the Login button . If you don’t have one, click on Create an account using your e-mail address instead and follow the on-screen instructions to register.
Once logged in, press on the Mi Cloud item and, on the next screen, on the Synchronization button . Also check that the synchronization of the Gallery in particular is activated: locate the corresponding icon in the list of apps on the screen and, if it is deactivated, press on it and then on the lever next to the item Back up automatically to move it from OFF to ON .
When the Mi Account and the photo backup are correctly configured, you will be ready to transfer them to your PC. To start, connect from the PC to the main page of the Xiaomi Cloud service and click on the Login with your Mi Account button : in the new screen, type the phone number, or the e-mail, or the identification code of your Mi Account and the password in the appropriate entry fields and then press the Login button .
Now, click the Gallery button to view all the photos you have backed up. Hover the cursor over one of the images to make an empty circle symbol appear in the left corner: click on it to check and select the photo. This will bring up a new menu at the top of the screen. Click on the first icon (the ☰ symbol with a check mark) to select all the uploaded files if you wish, or continue to place check marks on the individual images you want to download to your PC.
Once you have selected the photos you are interested in, click on the download icon (the arrow pointing downwards) located in the same menu at the top. Each downloaded image will be automatically saved in the Download folder of your PC.
Snapdrop
Snapdrop is another valid solution to transfer any type of file between two devices: in case you don’t know it, it is a free and very simple to use Web service, with which it is possible to share files between two devices connected to one same Wi-Fi network. It does not require any installation or registration: the only condition of use is that both the phone and the PC are correctly connected to the same Wi-Fi network , so that they can “find” each other. Precisely this peculiarity – that is the transfer of data on the local network and not on the cloud – implies the security of the service from the point of view of privacy and also the speed of the transfer.
Snapdrop can be used via a browser on both smartphones and PCs: to start, therefore, make sure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and then connect to the main page of the service from both the Xiaomi mobile phone and the PC. Now, simply wait for the two device names to appear on both screens.
Once this is done, on the Xiaomi smartphone, press on the random name assigned to the PC , to open the file manager. Browse the device folders until you find the photo to transfer and press on its preview to send it. On the PC, however, you only have to click on the Save button to accept and receive the file, which will then be automatically downloaded and saved in the Download folder . Really simple, isn’t it?
Bluetooth
A wireless solution for transferring photos is Bluetooth , thanks to which the PC can receive files from the Xiaomi smartphone. Most laptops are already ready for Bluetooth connectivity; if you want to move photos to a desktop PC that doesn’t have this feature already built in, you can use a USB adapter and easily remedy the problem. These adapters can be purchased in electronic and computer stores or online for a few euros.
TP-Link Bluetooth Adapter USB 2.0 Bluetooth 5.0 Dongle UB500, Transf …
See offer on Amazon
ASUS USB-BT400 Mini Dongle Bluetooth 4.0 USB 2.0
See offer on Amazon
To start this procedure, first activate the Bluetooth on the Xiaomi smartphone : you can do it simply by sliding your finger on the screen from top to bottom to call up the notifications screen and pressing the Bluetooth icon among those that appear at the top. Alternatively, you can start the Settings menu by pressing on the gear icon, then on the Bluetooth item and finally on the appropriate lever to move it to ON . Read more here .
Once this is done, you will need to activate Bluetooth on your PC as well . If you are using Windows 11 , open the Start menu from the taskbar and then go to the Settings item . In the new screen that opens, click on the ☰ icon, at the top left, to access a new menu, where you will find the Bluetooth item and other devices : click and, next to the Bluetooth item , you can check that the functionality is activated. If it isn’t, click the corresponding toggle to change the setting from Disabled to Enabled .
On Windows 10 , the same operation can be carried out by opening the Start menu and then the Settings , by clicking on the gear icon : then, click on the Devices item in the new window and then on the Bluetooth and other devices option to activate the lever relating to the Bluetooth voice .
Now you can pair the smartphone to the PC: to do this, click on the + button under the Add device item , then on the Bluetooth option and wait for the search for nearby devices to be completed. A list of all available devices will appear: click on the name of the smartphone and you will be shown a PIN code to verify. So check the notifications on the smartphone and press on the one relating to Bluetooth : if the PIN is the same on the PC, press the Pair button and then click on the Connect button on the computer.
Therefore, wait for the two devices to connect: you will receive a notification on the PC when the procedure is completed, and both devices will be ready for the transfer.
Move to your smartphone and start the app you usually use to view saved images (such as Google Photos or the Gallery ) by pressing the icon on the Home screen. So make a long tap on any of the images you would like to transfer and then on all the other photos to put the check mark on each of them.
When you have selected all the files you are interested in, click on the Sharing button (which can show the item itself or three dots joined by a line) and or on the Share / Send item , select the Bluetooth option among those that are shown to you (you could having to scroll the menu to the left to find it) and then press on the name of the PC to start the transfer.
If the sending was successful, you will see a notification message on your computer about the transfer being initiated. If requested, confirm acceptance of the file by clicking on the appropriate button and, once the file has been received, it will be saved in the folder indicated by you.
If you need further guidance, feel free to check out my guide on how to turn on Bluetooth on your PC , or this tutorial I dedicated to how to transfer photos from mobile to PC via Bluetooth .
Other useful solutions
The solutions I have provided you so far do not satisfy you, or would you like to know more before choosing which one to use? No problem – there are still other useful tools you can rely on, including major cloud services , which I list below.
- Google Photos– this is a service offered by Google that allows users to take advantage of a library and a personal space (up to 15GB for free, shared with other files on Google Drive ) to save photos and videos on any device, connected to the Google account is also easily accessible from a PC by accessing the main page of the service. In order for it to work properly, the account must be configured correctly on the Xiaomi smartphone. For all the necessary information, read the guides I have dedicated to how Google Photos works and how to download photos from Google Photos .
- OneDrive– even the Microsoft cloud service, included “standard” in Windows, is a valid tool for saving photos stored on the smartphone on the Microsoft account through the appropriate app for Android and accessing them from any device, including a PC, via browser at this address , or with the PC application . The service offers up to 5GB of free space, expandable up to 100GB at a cost of 2 euros / month . Read more here .
- Dropbox– Another good tool is Dropbox, which offers 2GB of free space for a single user with the Basic plan and the synchronization of uploaded files on up to 3 devices , with the possibility of expansion with the subscription of one of the different plans to payment. Once you have created a Dropbox account and configured a plan, you can save the photos on your Xiaomi smartphone through the Android app and then access and download them to your PC via the official website or the Windows application . Find more information in my guides on how to use Dropbox andhow to upload files to Dropbox .
For more information on the subject, I recommend that you read the guide I have dedicated to how to transfer photos from Android to PC .
How to transfer photos from Xiaomi to Mac
Maybe the computer you want to transfer the photos to is a Mac; even in this case, you can connect it to your Xiaomi smartphone using a USB cable thanks to some dedicated applications, or by undertaking simple procedures to access files via Bluetooth and cloud services.
Android File Transfer
Android File Transfer is a program dedicated to transferring files from Android devices to Mac (which does not support Android devices via the default Finder file manager): it only requires the installation of the software in question which, once configured, will allow access to the folders and files of the smartphone connected via USB cable .
To use Android File Transfer, first connect to the official website of the service on the Mac: click on the Download Now button and wait for the .dmg file to be downloaded. After that, open it by pressing and drag the Android File Transfer icon to the Applications folder . Then start the program by clicking on the same icon and then on the Open and Start buttons .
Once the installation is complete, Android File Transfer should start automatically whenever an Android device is connected to the Mac: if this does not happen, you can open it manually by clicking on its icon in the Launchpad or in the Applications folder .
Now, connect the Xiaomi smartphone to the Mac with a USB cable and, on the phone screen, press on the notification relating to the USB connection: then tap the File Transfer option to view all the files saved in the memory of the smartphone in question.
All you have to do is locate the photos you want to transfer to the Mac in the Android File Transfer screen, hold the cursor down on their preview and drag them to the destination folder you want, or to your desktop : they will be saved on your computer. Easy, right?
Image capture
Even Image Capture can help you: This tool included with Mac OS is aimed directly import photos and videos from other devices, including Android smartphones. To use it with your Xiaomi, first connect it to the Mac with a USB cable: then, press on the notification of the USB options and then on the item Transfer photos (PTP) .
Then switch to the Mac, open the Launchpad from the Applications Dock , press on the Other folder and click on the Image Capture icon . Once the application is open, you can start transferring photos by simply dragging them from Image Capture to the destination folder.
Alternatively, you can follow the guided acquisition by simply clicking on the images you are interested in (or selecting more than one at the same time with the cmd key ) and then on the Import to item to open a drop-down menu in which to choose the folder in which to save it. Once this is done, click on the Import button (or Import all , if you want to transfer the entire gallery of images to the Mac) and wait for the operation to be completed.
Other useful solutions
The tools I have indicated so far require connecting the smartphone to the Mac via USB cable. If you are looking for a solution that does not require this procedure, fear not: there is no shortage of options.
The wireless solutions I told you about in the chapter dedicated to Windows, such as Snapdrop and cloud storage services , including Xiaomi Cloud , can also be used on macOS following the same instructions I gave you previously.
The same goes for Bluetooth , although the steps for activating and transferring files on macOS are different. In this regard, I invite you to read this guide in which I have treated the subject with all the necessary details.
For more such interesting article like this, app/softwares, games, Gadget Reviews, comparisons, troubleshooting guides, listicles, and tips & tricks related to Windows, Android, iOS, and macOS, follow us on Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest.