Xiaomi smartphone owners sooner or later face a memory shortage — especially when it comes to budget models Redmi or POCO with 32-64 GB of internal storage. High-resolution photos, app cache, MIUI updates and games quickly eat up the free space, forcing users to look for ways to expand. But how to add memory on an Android device from Xiaomi, so as not to lose data and not reduce performance?
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from installing a microSD card to transferring applications to an external drive, as well as the nuances of working with hybrid slots (when the second SIM slot replaces the memory card slot). Special attention will be paid to optimizing existing storage: cleaning the cache, removing duplicates and configuring cloud backups. All instructions are adapted to the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 and new models 2023-2026.
1. Checking the current state of memory: what takes up space?
Before you add memory, you need to understand what's absorbing it. Xiaomi has built-in analysis tools for that, but they don't always show the whole picture. Here's how to do a diagnosis:
Open Settings → Memory (or Storage depending on the version of MIUI) Here you will see a diagram of the memory distribution by category: Applications, Media, Files and System. Click on each category to see the details:
- 📱 Applications: sort by size – often in the top are messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) with their cache and downloaded media.
- 📷 Media: photo in format HEIF or video 4K They can weigh a few gigabytes. DCIM and downloads.
- 🗑️ Garbage: temporary files, Google Play Services cache and remnants of deleted applications (folder) Android/obb).
For in-depth analysis, use third-party utilities like Files by Google or SD Maid. They will find duplicate files, large caches, and even “lost” data after incorrectly deleting applications. On Xiaomi 13/14 and Redmi Note 12 models, the built-in analyzer may not show files in the /data/app-lib folder, their weight sometimes reaches 1-2 GB.
⚠️ Note: If the System section is occupied more than 15-20 GB, this may indicate an error in the work MIUI (For example, duplicate update files, in which case resetting to factory settings or flashing through Fastboot will help.
2. Using a microSD memory card: pros and cons
The most obvious way to expand memory is to install a microSD card, but not all Xiaomi models support this option.
| Slot type | Xiaomi models | Max. Map size. | Adoptable Storage Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated slot | Redmi 9/10, POCO M3/M4, Xiaomi 11 Lite | Up to 1 TB | Yes (MIUI 12+) |
| Hybrid (SIM2 + microSD) | Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X4/X5, Xiaomi 12T | Up to 512GB | No. |
| No slot. | Xiaomi 13/14 Pro, Mix 4, Black Shark | — | — |
If your model supports microSD, select a class card. A2 (for applications; or UHS-I U3 (videotape 4K). SanDisk Extreme Brands, Samsung EVO Plus or Kingston Canvas Go! show better compatibility with Xiaomi.Put the card into the slot and wait for system identification.In Settings → Memory. → Map. SD choose:
- 💾 Portable storage: the card will only be used for files (photos, videos, music).
- 📱 Adoptable Storage: The card is formatted as part of the system, you can transfer applications to it.
⚠️ Note: On models with a hybrid slot (for example, Redmi Note) 12 Pro+) When you install a microSD, you will lose the ability to use the second one. SIM-Before buying a card, check if your model supports Adoptable Storage. MIUI 14/15 This feature is disabled for hybrid slots.
3. Transfer of applications to a memory card: step-by-step instructions
If you have chosen the Adoptable Storage option or your model supports microSD portability, follow this instruction:
- Insert the memory card and wait for its identification system.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select the application you want to transfer and click Storage.
- Click Change and select the memory card (if the option is active).
- Confirm the transfer and wait until it is completed (may take a few minutes).
Not all apps can be moved — some (like Google Play Services or MIUI System Apps) will remain in internal memory.
- ⚡ Transfer applications to the microSD class A1 slow down.
- 🔄 After updating MIUI Some migrated applications may “fly” and require re-installation.
- 📱 Nana POCO F4/F5 Xiaomi 12T Application transfer is blocked for cards with a larger volume 256 GB.
Make sure the card is formatted as internal memory |
Check the class of the card (recommended) A2/U3)|
Backup of important data |
Close all working applications before transfer-->
Alternatively, some apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) allow you to manually specify the path to save media files. Go to the messenger settings and change the download folder to /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/media/ (where XXXX-XXXX — ID your card).
4.Inline memory optimization: what can be removed without risk?
You can often free up 5-10GB without buying a memory card.
- 🧹 Application Cash: Go to Settings → Memory. → Clear the cache. MIUI 15 has the option “Deep Clean” – it deletes unused files of system applications.
- 🎬 Downloaded media from messengers: in Telegram go to Settings → Data and memory → Storage and clear the cache. On WhatsApp, use Settings → Memory.
- 📦 APK-file OBB-cache: Download folders and Android/obb often contain outdated game installers (e.g. Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile can weigh in on the game’s hardware). 2–4 GB).
- 🔄 Duplicate photos: Use Google Photos (Free Place) or Xiaomi’s Gallery Doctor to find repetitive photos.
To automate cleaning, turn on the Auto Clean option in Settings → Battery and Performance → Memory Cleanup. On the Redmi Note 12 and later, there is a Smart Cleanup feature that deletes unused files once a week.
💡
Before mass deletion of files, check the folder MIUI/Backup/AllBackup – there may be backups of SMS and calls, taking up to 1-2 GB.
5. Cloud storage and backup
If physical memory expansion is not possible (for example, on Xiaomi 13 Ultra without a microSD slot), consider cloud services. Xiaomi offers its own solution - Mi Cloud, but its free tariff is limited to 5 GB.
| Service | Free volume | Autoloading photo | Integration with MIUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Photo | 15 GB (with Gmail and Disk) | Yes (compression or original quality) | Through the Gallery app |
| Yandex Disc. | 10GB | Yes (only via appendix) | No. |
| OneDrive | 5GB | Yes. | Files by Google |
To set up autoload photos in Google Photos:
- Install an app from the Play Market.
- Open Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
- Enable the option and select quality (High - free, Original - counts in the quota of 15 GB).
- At MIUI Gallery, go to Settings → Cloud Sync and link your Google account.
Important: When using Mi Cloud, turn off synchronizing unnecessary data (such as calendar entries or notes) to save space. In Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud, select which data to reserve.
Alternative methods: OTG-storage
If neither the memory card nor the clouds fit, consider:
- 🔌 OTG-flash drives: plug in USB-adapter Type-C/OTG. Nana MIUI 14+ The flash drive will be recognized as a removable disk. File systems are supported. FAT32, exFAT and NTFS (The latter requires manual mounting).
- 🌐 Network storage (NAS): If you have a router with USB-port (for example, Xiaomi Router) AX6000), Connect to it a hard disk and configure access to SMB or FTP. V MIUI Use File Manager to connect to network folders.
- 📱 Second smartphone as storage: Mi Share (built-in Xiaomi feature) or LocalSend allows you to transfer files between devices over Wi-Fi without using the cloud.
To work with OTG-Xiaomi storage devices may need to include debugging USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB). It's for mounting. NTFS-disk.
⚠️ Attention: POCO F5 Xiaomi 13 when connected OTG-A drive larger than 256 GB may have a mounting error. Solution: format the flash drive in exFAT with a cluster size of 128 KB.
Extreme measures: dumping and flashing
If the memory is full of system files, and cleaning does not help, radical methods remain:
- 🔄 Factory reset: deletes all user data but returns a "clean" system. pre-backup through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
- 📱 Fastboot Firmware: If MIUI "bloated after the updates, installing clean firmware through the Mi Flash Tool can free up to 3-5 GB. Instructions: 1. Download the firmware for your model from en.miui.com. 2. Unlock the bootloader via Mi Unlock Tool. 3. Connect the phone in Fastboot mode (Volume down). + Power) and run through Mi Flash.
On Xiaomi with dynamic memory (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G), some of the built-in storage is backed up for virtual RAM. To turn off this feature and return memory, go to Settings → Additional → Expand memory and deactivate the option.