Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a lack of built-in storage, especially on budget models where storage is limited to 64 or 128 gigabytes. Android operating system and MIUI shell or the new HyperOS take up a significant part of the space, and installing heavy games and instant messengers quickly fills the remaining space.This leads to a slowdown of the device, the inability to install updates and constant notifications of space shortages.
Fortunately, many models support microSD card installation, which allows for more storage for photos, videos and music. However, the situation is more complicated with the applications themselves: modern versions of Android by default prohibit installation of programs on external drives for security and stability of the system.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the available methods, from standard settings to the use of special commands. You will learn how to change the default save path, how to activate the hidden Adoptable Storage function and the risks of forced transfer of system files. Proper organization of the file structure will help to extend the life of your gadget and free up valuable internal space.
Memory card support check and preparation
Before you start manipulating files, you need to make sure that your smartphone model physically supports the work with external drives. Not all Redmi and Poco devices are equipped with the appropriate slot, and some flagships have a hybrid tray where the memory card shares space with the second. SIM-Insert the microSD into the phone that is turned off or through the tray extraction menu so that the system can correctly recognize the new media.
After turning on the device, note the notification at the top of the screen or go to the settings. The system will suggest formatting the card if it is new or previously used in other devices. It is important to understand that formatting will delete all data, so copy important files to the computer in advance. For working with applications, it is recommended to use cards of the speed class UHS-I or higher to avoid lags when running programs.
⚠️ Note: Slow memory cards (class 4 or 6) can significantly reduce the performance of the applications that are installed on them.
You can check the status of the connection through the settings menu. Follow the Settings path → About Phone → Storage. Here you will see the total amount of internal memory and separately the amount of the SD card. If the card is displayed only as portable storage for media files, the standard means to transfer applications to it will not work, and additional actions will be required, described below.
☑️ Preparation of a memory card
Regular change of the place of preservation in MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi shells provide basic memory management functionality, although limited in comparison to root access. First of all, you need to change the settings of cameras and the browser, as they most often generate bulk files. This will not carry already installed applications, but will free up internal memory for their operation.
To change the camera settings, open the app and click on the three bars in the upper right corner. From the menu, select the settings and find Save on SD-Activate this switch. Now all new photos and videos will be automatically recorded to an external drive, bypassing the internal storage.
Similar actions can be done for Mi Browser or Chrome. In the download settings, specify the path to the memory card. Some system applications, such as Recorder or Screen Recording, may also have their own save path settings, which are worth checking individually.
| Annex | The path to adjustment | The result |
|---|---|---|
| Camera. | Menu → Settings → Save to SD | Photos and videos are written on a map |
| gallery | It has no settings, depends on the camera. | Displays files from the map |
| Mi Browser. | Settings → Downloads → The way of saving | Files are downloaded to SD |
| Music. | Settings → The Path to Music | Search for tracks on external media |
Unfortunately, moving already installed apps (such as Telegram or Instagram) through the standard Apps menu is in most cases impossible. SD-The map is often missing or inactive (grey).This is a limitation of Google's security policy, which considers external drives less reliable.
Adoptable Storage (ADB) function
There's a more advanced method to trick the system into thinking that the memory card is part of internal storage, called Adoptable Storage, which, unlike the normal mode, encrypts the card and makes it unreadable on other devices without formatting, and you'll need a computer and an ADB utility to implement this.
The first step is to activate the developer mode on your smartphone. → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the item "Version" MIUI» or "Version" OS». After the message “You became a developer” appears, go back to the main settings menu, find the “Additional” section and open the “Developers For Developers” section».
What is the USB debugging mode?
In the developer menu, include Debugging over USB. Connect your phone to your computer with a cable. On your PC, you need to install ADB drivers. Open the command line or terminal in the ADB folder and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesYou'll see a debugging permission request on your phone screen, click "Allow." If the terminal displays the serial number of the device, the connection is successful, and then you'll type in a command that will force you to start formatting the map as internal storage:
adb shell pm set-install-location 2Then you need to format the map through a special command, and be very careful not to specify the disk with the data of the computer.
adb shell sm partition public,0:1 private⚠️ Note: The process of formatting through ADB Make sure you select the correct disk ID (usually 179.0:1 or otherwise, you can check with the adb shell sm list-disks command).
Once the process is complete, the phone can restart. In the storage settings, the card will now be displayed as part of the internal memory, applications will automatically install on it if the bulk of the workload is occupied, but it is worth remembering that the card's speed may be lower than the speed of the built-in flash module.
💡
Adoptable Storage makes the card part of the system, but reduces the overall read/write speed and links the card to a specific phone without the ability to transfer data.
Forced transfer through developer settings
Some versions of MIUI firmware have a hidden option to allow applications to be ported without the use of complex ADB commands. This method is less reliable, but easier to execute for the average user. It does not guarantee work with all applications, but for many games and utilities it is effective.
You will need to access the Developer Menu again. If you haven't activated it, do it through the About Phone menu, as described earlier. In the Developer Settings list, scroll down to the Apps section. Find Force allow apps on external.
Activate this switch. After that, you need to restart your smartphone to make the changes effective. Now try to go to the application management menu: Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the desired program and click on Storage.
- 📱 If the Move button is active, you can safely transfer the app to the map.
- ⚙️ Some system applications may not support portability even with this setup.
- 🔄 After moving the application icon will remain on the desktop, but the files will be physically on the desktop. SD.
It is worth noting that after updating the operating system or resetting the settings, this parameter may return to its original state, and the procedure will have to be repeated, and deleting the memory card will cause the displaced applications to fail before it is re-installed.
Working with the cache of messengers and social networks
Special attention should be paid to messengers such as Telegram, WhatsApp and Viber, which create huge amounts of cache (photos, videos, voice messages) that are written by default into internal memory.
In Telegram, you can change the way you save media files manually. Go to Settings → Data and Memory → Data Path. Select a memory card and click Use. The app will prompt you to move files that have already been downloaded, and this will free up gigabytes of space without losing your correspondence history.
WhatsApp is more complicated. Chat settings can specify saving media to a map, but message history and database often stay inside. Full porting sometimes requires using third-party file managers like Total Commander or FX File Explorer to manually move Android/media and Android/obb folders, although modern versions of Android strictly restrict access to these directories.
💡
Use the built-in Cleanup feature in Xiaomi’s Security app. It finds large files and duplicates that can be safely deleted or moved to a map.
For social networks such as VK or Instagram, it is recommended that you find the “Cash” section in the app’s settings and clear it, or set up saving downloaded videos and music to an external drive if such an option is present in the Android version of the app.
Problems and limitations in working with SD-card
Using a memory card for applications has its drawbacks, which every user should be aware of: first of all, it is the speed of access. Embedded memory of smartphones (UFS 2.1, UFS 3.1) works much faster than even the fastest microSD cards. This can lead to longer loads of “heavy” games and applications.
The second important aspect is reliability: memory cards are more sensitive to voltage and physical stresses. If the card fails or is accidentally retrieved during operation, the application installed on it will cease to function and its data may be corrupted. The system may issue "Application not installed" errors or require reconfiguration.
- 📉 Reduced application startup speed compared to internal memory.
- 🔒 Encrypting data on the map binds it to a specific device (in Adoptable Storage mode).
- ⚡ Increased battery consumption due to constant card reader activity.
⚠️ Warning: It is not recommended to transfer system components, desktop widgets and applications to the memory card, which should start immediately after the phone is turned on (alarm clocks, antiviruses.
It’s also worth considering that some banks and applications with a high degree of protection may fail if the memory card is formatted as internal storage or if the phone has signs of a system modification for forced transfer.