Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face a lack of built-in space, especially on budget models with 32 or 64 GB. MIUI and HyperOS system occupy a significant part of the volume, leaving the user little space for games and photos. The built-in mechanism of formatting the card as internal memory in modern versions of Android is often hidden by developers, which makes it necessary to find workarounds.
Fortunately, there is a proven method of forcing drives to be combined using the ADB debugging bridge. This approach allows the system to perceive an external MicroSD drive as an integral part of the system partition, which will allow you to install applications, game cache and system data directly on the flash card, significantly expanding the functionality of the device.
It should be understood that this procedure requires care and compliance with all the steps of the instructions. Incorrect actions can lead to data loss or unstable operation of the gadget, so before starting manipulations, you need to carefully prepare. We will consider all the nuances, including choosing the right memory card and setting up the software environment.
Selecting the right memory card for system tasks
Not every flash card is suitable for working as a full-fledged system partition. Regular Class 10 cards may be too slow to run applications, which will lead to noticeable lags and long downloads. For comfortable work, you need to use drives labeled UHS-I or UHS-II, as well as read speeds of at least 90 MB / s.
Look out for brands that have proven themselves in the high-performance segment, such as SanDisk Extreme, Samsung EVO Plus or Kingston Canvas Go!. Cheap no-name cards can quickly fail when cache is intense, as the resource of overwrite cycles is limited.
⚠️ Note: Using a slow memory card as a system partition will cause the entire smartphone to slow down.The interface may become responsive and apps will open longer than usual.
When choosing volume, focus on your needs, but remember that the file system also takes up space.A 128GB card will add approximately 110-115GB of usable space after formatting.Large volumes like 256GB or 512GB are also supported by modern Xiaomi models, if the memory controller allows.
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Check your card speed before using the A1 SD Bench app or similar utilities. If the write speed is below 20 MB/s, it is best not to use this card to install applications.
Preparing a smartphone and computer for modification
Before you start the procedure, you need to activate hidden functions on your device. Go to the Settings → About Phone menu and find the MIUI Version (or OS Version). Click on it 7-10 times in a row until you notice that you have become a developer.
Then you go to the expanded settings menu. The path usually looks like this: Settings → Advanced settings → Developers. In the list that opens, you need to find and activate the USB Debugging switch. Without this step, the computer will not be able to send commands to the smartphone.
- 📱 Connect your smartphone to your computer through high-quality USB-cable, preferably original or certified.
- 💻 Install the drivers. ADB Fastboot on PC (part of Platform Tools).
- 🔓 Unlock the phone screen and confirm the debugging permission request that appears in the pop-up window.
Make sure your computer has all the necessary drivers installed for your device. Windows often requires the installation of universal Google USB Driver or specialized drivers from Xiaomi. Connection check is done through the command line by entering the adb device command, which should output the serial number of the connected device.
☑️ Test of preparedness for procedure
Instructions for starting ADB and entering commands
Once the device is successfully connected, you need to open the command line or terminal in the Platform Tools folder. Enter the adb shell command to go to the smartphone shell. If everything goes well, the invitation symbol will change, indicating that you have access to the file system.
The next step is to find your memory card ID, and to do that, type in the sm list-disks command, and the system will display the list of connected drives in disk:179.64 or similar format, and write down these numbers, as they are critical for the next step.
adb shell
sm list-disksNow you need to format the card by combining it with internal memory. Use the command sm partition disk:XXX private, where XXX is the identifier obtained in the previous step. The formatting process will take some time, after which the card will be ready to use as a system partition.
⚠️ Warning: sm partition will completely destroy all data on the memory card. be sure to back up photos and documents before starting the procedure.
What to do if the team is not executed?
Configuring data storage and transfer
Once the commands are successfully executed, the system will automatically restart or suggest you set up a new storage. In the Settings → Memory menu, you will see that the amount of internal memory has increased significantly.
Go to the Appendix section → All applications, select the program you want and find Memory. If the application supports portability, there will be a button Change or Move to SD-Press it and confirm the action.
| Type of data | Can we move it? | nuance |
|---|---|---|
| Annexes | Yes (partially) | Some system applications are protected from transfer |
| Cash games. | Yes. | Takes up the most space, transfer is mandatory |
| Photos and videos | Automatically. | The camera will save files directly to the map. |
| System files | No. | The core and critical services remain on the chip |
Importantly, not all apps allow data to be transferred to an external medium, and software developers can ban this feature from the application manifest, but for most heavy gaming and social media, this option is available and works consistently.
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After memory is combined, all new applications will try to install on the card by default, unless the internal memory is critically crowded.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
In the process of operation, there can be situations when the smartphone stops seeing the card or the applications are not working correctly, often due to the poor quality of the drive itself or overheating of the slot during prolonged load. If the system writes a reading error, try to remove and paste the card again.
Another common problem is data loss when resetting. Because encryption is tied to a particular device, a card formatted as internal memory on one phone won't open on another without being completely reset, and this is done for the security of the user's data.
- 🔄 Cyclical reboot: may occur when the file system of the card is damaged, formatting via PC is required.
- 📉 Speed reduction: characteristic of cards with low recording life, it is recommended to replace with a faster model.
- 🚫 Installation error: Some applications refuse to work with an external drive, they will have to be returned to internal memory.
If you plan to sell your phone or get it repaired, be sure to reverse the process. From the storage menu, select a card and click Format as portable, which will break the link between the partitions and return everything to its place, although it will require reconfiguration of the applications.
Alternative methods of expanding space
If ADB seems too complicated or risky, there are simpler ways to optimize, and you should look first at cloud services like Google Photos or Yandex.Disk, which allow you to store media files remotely, freeing up local space.
You can also use the garbage cleanup feature built into the MIUI shell, which finds temporary files, browser cache and remnants of remote applications, and using this tool regularly helps keep the system clean without deep tampering with settings.
Another option is the use of OTG You can download the rarely used files to an external file. USB-It's not going to increase the memory for installing applications, but it's going to solve the problem of storing documents and movies.
⚠️ Note: It is not recommended to keep connected at all times. OTG-flash drive in the connector, as this can lead to increased battery consumption and wear of the charging port of the smartphone.