How to Move Photos to USB Drive From Xiaomi Android Phone (Best Method)
1The best method for moving photos from your Xiaomi Android phone to a USB drive directly is by using a USB On-The-Go (OTG) adapter and the Mi File Manager (or simply "Files") app. This method is fast, secure, and doesn't require a computer.
Here is the complete step-by-step tutorial.
Prerequisites
Item Purpose
USB Flash Drive The destination for your photos.
OTG Adapter A small adapter that plugs into your phone's charging port and allows you to connect a standard USB drive. A dual USB-C/USB-A flash drive eliminates the need for an adapter.
Mi File Manager The built-in file explorer on your Xiaomi phone (also often just called "Files").
Sufficient Battery Ensure your phone has enough power, as it will be powering the USB drive.
Export to Sheets
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Connect the USB Drive via OTG
Assemble: Plug your standard USB drive into the OTG adapter.
Connect to Phone: Plug the OTG adapter into your Xiaomi phone's USB-C or Micro-USB charging port.
Check for Recognition: Your phone should immediately vibrate or show a notification that the USB drive has been connected (e.g., "USB drive connected" or "OTG storage available").
⚠ ️ Special Step for Some Xiaomi/MIUI/HyperOS Versions:
If you don't see a notification, you might need to enable OTG manually.
Go to Settings → Additional settings.
Find and toggle the OTG connection switch → ON.
(This setting often turns off automatically after 10 minutes of inactivity to save power).
2. Open the File Manager
Launch: Open the File Manager (or "Files") app on your Xiaomi phone.
Locate Storage: In the app, you will see your Internal Shared Storage (your phone's memory) and the newly connected USB drive (it might be listed as "OTG," "USB Storage," or its brand name).
3. Select and Move the Photos
Navigate to Photos: Tap on Internal Shared Storage and navigate to where your photos are saved.
Camera Photos: Usually found in the DCIM folder → Camera.
Screenshots: Usually in the DCIM folder → Screenshots or a separate Pictures → Screenshots folder.
Downloaded Images: Typically in the Download folder.
Select Files:
Tap and hold on the first photo you want to move. Checkboxes will appear.
Tap the checkbox on all the other photos and videos you wish to transfer. You can also select entire folders.
Choose the Action: Look at the options at the bottom of the screen or tap the three-dot menu (More).
Select Move (or Cut). This is generally the "Best Method" as it copies the photos and then deletes them from your phone, freeing up space.
If you want to keep copies on your phone, choose Copy instead.
4. Paste to the USB Drive
Change Location: Navigate back to the main storage view and tap on your USB drive (the external storage device).
Choose Destination Folder: Navigate to the folder on the USB drive where you want to save the photos, or tap the option to Create New Folder (e.g., "Xiaomi Backup").
Paste: Tap the Paste button (or Move here) to begin the transfer.
Wait: Wait until the transfer is 100% complete.
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