Redmi 4 series smartphones, despite their popularity in their time, often face a lack of built-in storage. Standard 16 or 32 gigabytes are catastrophically lacking for modern “heavy” applications, social networks and instant messengers that overgrow gigabytes of cache. Users often wonder how to effectively use a microSD card slot not only for storing photos, but also for installing programs.
The Android operating system in the MIUI shell has its own features of working with external drives. Simple drag and drop files here does not always work as expected, especially when it comes to system applications. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods, from standard settings to advanced ways with superuser rights that will help you free up precious space.
Before you start taking action, you need to understand the risks: improper formatting or using a poor-quality memory card can lead to data loss or unstable device operation. Carefully study the requirements for drives and prepare a backup of important files to avoid unpleasant surprises in the process of optimizing your device’s memory.
Preparation of memory card and smartphone for work
The first step is to physically install the drive and set it up in the system. Not every memory card is suitable for full application operation, so it is important to choose a quality media. It is recommended to use Class 10 or UHS-I cards at a write rate of at least 20 MB / s, as slow drives will cause lags in the interface and long program loads.
Once the card is installed in the slot, the smartphone will suggest you choose the way to use it. To transfer applications, we will need to use the Adoptable Storage mode, although this option may be hidden on some versions of MIUI. If the system offers only Portable Storage mode, this means that the manufacturer has limited functionality, and additional actions through the computer or special utilities will be required to expand the internal memory.
⚠️ Note: The process of formatting the card to internal memory will completely destroy all data on it. Make sure that the media does not have important files, or pre-copy them to the computer.
It is also important to check the battery status before starting any operations with the file system.Abrupt power outage during formatting or transferring system partitions can cause damage to the file table and loss of access to data.
- 📱 Make sure that the battery is at least 50-60% beforehand.
- 💾 Use memory cards up to 128GB for better compatibility with older controllers.
- 🔒 Remove the card from the device before formatting via computer if the standard method is not available.
- 📲 Check out the smartphone model (Redmi 4, 4X, 4A), As the instructions may differ slightly.
Standard methods of transfer to MIUI
Some versions of Xiaomi firmware have an integrated app-robability feature that doesn’t require superuser permissions. To check for that, you need to go to the device’s settings and find the memory management section. Usually the path looks like Settings → Memory or Settings → Advanced Settings → Memory.
If your version of Android and shells support native portability, you will see a Move button opposite installed programs. However, it is worth noting that application developers can prohibit the transfer of their products to an external drive, in which case the button will be inactive or absent, which is a restriction on the part of the software developer, not the system.
An alternative, standard way is to change the default location for new data, which won’t migrate existing applications, but will allow you to save cache, downloaded files and media content directly to the card, and to do this, you need to select the SD card from the memory menu as the main storage for downloads and cameras.
Why is the transfer button grey?
The Move button may be inactive if the application is an Android system component or if the developer has explicitly banned installation on an external drive in the program manifest. You don't have to expect that standard methods will release a lot of internal memory, system files and some of the application data will still be on the built-in drive. 📂 The standard transfer is not available for all applications, only for user-generated. ⚙️ This function can be called "Use as internal storage". 🔄 After the transfer, the application may run slower if the memory card is of poor quality. 🚫 System applications (Phone, Messages) cannot be transferred by standard methods. Use of the computer and ADB Expanding memory if standard settings MIUI Do not allow the card to be formatted as an internal memory, you can use the tool ADB (Android Debug Bridge, which requires you to connect your smartphone to your computer and have basic command line knowledge, and it allows you to force Adoptable Storage, which is hidden by the manufacturer, to activate debugging mode. USB. Go to Settings. → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the build number (MIUI After the notification "You became a developer" appears, go to the Advanced Settings. → For developers and include the item "Debugging by USB". adb shell pm set-force-traditional-storage false This command removes the restriction on the use of traditional storage, after which when formatting a card through the phone menu, the choice "Use as internal storage" may appear. If this does not help, you will need a full formatting of the map through the ADB Create a section, which is a more complex procedure. ⚠️ Attention: Use of teams ADB It can cause you to lose warranty or software failures if you type in the wrong way. Be very careful when you're working with the console. After you've done the commands, the phone may need to reboot. If it's successful, the system will suggest you format the card. Select the data migration option to automatically transfer existing files and applications to a new volume. 💻 Drivers are required for the method to work ADB, PC-mounted. 🔌 Cable USB It should support data transfer, not just charging. 🛑 Antivirus on your computer can block the connection, it must be temporarily disabled. 📱 The phone will have a request for debugging permission, it needs to be confirmed. Application of Root rights and specialized utilities The most flexible control over the file system provides the presence of superuser rights (Root). On Redmi 4, obtaining Root rights usually requires unlocking the bootloader, which is an official but lengthy procedure from Xiaomi (TWRP) And the rights of SuperSU or Magisk, and with the Root rights, powerful tools like this are available. Link2SD or App2SD. These applications allow you to create special sections on the memory card and forcibly transfer there even those programs that are usually not amenable to movement. They create symbolic links by tricking a system into thinking the application is in internal memory. The setup process in Link2SD requires creating a second partition on the memory card in the ext4 or ext3 file system. This can be done through the app's menu or third-party partition managers. Once rebooted, the phone will mount this partition and the applications will be available for one-click transfer. It's important to understand that deep modification of the system always carries risks. A partitioning error can make the memory card unreadable for other devices without re-forming. However, for older devices with low memory capacity, this is often the only option to use the operating system in a particular version of the Android operating system. Below is a table that will help you navigate the available options for different configurations. Model / Android Version Standard port ADB method Root + Link2SD Recommendation Redmi 4 (Android 6.0) Partially Works Use ADB Redmi 4X (Android 7.0) Limited Works Root + Link2SD Redmi 4A (Android 6.0) No Works Mandatory Root Redmi 4 Prime There is No Need to Work Staff As you can see from the table, universal solutions for your Android devices can not be more easily controlled in the new version, if you are not sure enough to use it in your Android version 6. An error in model definition can lead to the installation of inappropriate drivers or instructions. Accurate identification of the device is the key to successful execution of the procedure. Possible problems and their solution During the transfer process, users often encounter errors. One of the most common is the message "Not enough memory" even when there is free space on the map, which is because some system processes require space on the internal partition for temporary files. Another problem is slowdown after the transfer, and if apps start to fly out or load for a long time, your memory card may have slowed down or not up to the requirements. In this case, you should try to format the card again or replace it with a faster one. ⚠️ Note: If applications stop opening after transfer, do not delete them immediately. Try to put them back in internal memory or reboot the device, and you might also experience a situation where after you upgrade the system, all the settings are reset and the phone stops seeing the apps on the map, which is normal behavior when you have major Android updates. You will have to re-activate the mode of working with the card or reconfigure the links in the Link2SD. 🐌 Slow work: replace the card with Class 10 UHS-I higher. ❌ Installation error: Free up at least 200 MB on the internal system partition. 🔄 Failure after update: check the settings of mounting partitions in the application for managing Root. 📉 Fast wear: memory cards have a limit to write cycles, frequent restart of applications shortens their life. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Is it safe to transfer apps to a memory card on Xiaomi? Yes, it is data-safe if a quality memory card is used. But the speed of applications can be slow compared to internal memory, always back up important data before you start manipulating it. What happens if you take out the memory card after you transfer the applications? The apps that are transferred to the map will stop working and disappear from the menu until the map is inserted back, and the data inside them will be unavailable. Can you transfer WhatsApp completely to the map? The program itself can be transferred, but to work the messenger will still require some free space in internal memory. SD-The card is set up through the app itself. Why did the phone start to run slower after the transfer? The read/write speed of the memory cards is usually lower than that of the built-in flash drive of the smartphone. Heavy applications can take longer to load, and the interface can slow down when accessing data on the map. Do you need to format the map every time you transfer? No, formatting is only required once when you initially configure the map as internal storage. Applications are moved further without losing data on the map.