How to transfer a photo to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones: 5 working ways

Transferring photos from Xiaomi’s internal memory to a microSD card is a challenge faced by every second smartphone owner of the brand. Even models with 128 GB of memory (Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro) quickly get clogged with media if you use the camera actively. And regular cleaning of the gallery takes time and nerves. Fortunately, MIUI offers several ways to automate this process, from standard tools to hidden features for power users.

But here's the catch: not all methods work the same on different versions of firmware. For example, MIUI 14 disappeared direct transfer through the Gallery, but there is an option in Files. And owners of older models (Redmi 5, Mi A2) may face the limitations of the FAT32 format, which does not support files larger than 4 GB. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from basic to advanced, and explain why sometimes the system refuses to copy files and how to fix it.

1.Preparation: Which Memory Card to Choose for Xiaomi

Before you transfer photos, make sure your microSD card is compatible with your phone. Xiaomi supports cards up to 2TB (theoretically), but in practice it all depends on the model:

• 📱 Budget models (Redmi) 10A, POCO M4): 512 GB maximum, often limited UHS-I (speed of reading up to 104 MB/s).
• 📱 Mid-segment (Redmi Note 11 Pro, Xiaomi 12 Lite): support 1 TB and UHS-II (up to 312 MB/s), but the real speed depends on the firmware.
• 📱 Flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, MIX Fold 3: Full support for 2TB and UHS-III, But the price tag for such cards starts from 20 000 ₽.

It is critical to check the file system of the card:

• 🔹 FAT32: Compatible with all smartphones, but limited to files up to 4 GB (video issues) 4K or RAW-photo).
• 🔹 ExFAT: Supports files of any size, but may not be readable on older models (Mi 8 and earlier).
• 🔹 NTFS: rarely used in mobile devices, errors may occur when connecting to a PC.

⚠️ Note: If you use the card as internal memory (the option “Format as internal storage”), transfer photos will become impossible – the system will consider it part of the phone.

If you plan to shoot video in 4K@60fps or take pictures in RAW, be sure to take a card with exFAT and a write speed of at least U3 (30 MB / s). For ordinary photos in JPEG, FAT32 on a U1 class card will suffice.

Method 2: Transfer through a standard Gallery (MIUI 12 and below)

In older versions of firmware (MIUI 12 and earlier), you can transfer photos directly from the Gallery app, which is simple, but it doesn't work on all models.

1. Open the Gallery app** (flower icon).
2. Select an album with a photo (for example, Camera or Screenshots).
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Select.
4. Tag the photos you want to move (or click Select All).
5. Slip on the icon Share (arrow up) → Save to the device.
6. In the folder list, select SD-map → Create a new folder (such as Photos from your phone) or select an existing folder.
7. Confirm the copy.

The main disadvantage of this method is that photos are not deleted from internal memory, but only copied. To free up space, you will have to manually delete the originals. Also on some models (Mi 10, Redmi K30 Pro) the option to Save to the device may not be available, in which case use the following method.

⚠️ Note: If the transfer error appears "failed to save", check if the camera settings set to save the photo immediately to the memory card. SD, And copying them is pointless.

Memory card inserted and recognized by phone |

There's plenty of free space on the map.|

Photos not protected DRM (For example, screenshots from banking applications)|

The camera settings do not include saving on SD default-->

Method 2: Use of the Files app (MIUI 13/14)

The new firmware versions (MIUI 13 and MIUI 14) removed the portability from the Gallery but added to the standard Files app** (folder icon) which is universal and works on all modern models (Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13, POCO F5).

Instructions:

1. Open the Files** → go to the Images section.

The advantage of this method is the ability to cut photos instead of copying, which immediately frees up space on the phone, but be careful: if you interrupt the process (for example, remove the memory card), the files can be lost.

To speed up the process, use the packet mode:

• 📁 Select the entire folder at once. DCIM (It's got a camera photo).
• 🔄 If the photos are already transferred, but take up space on the phone, check the folder.thumbnails – there may be thumbnails.
• 🗑️ After transferring, clean the basket in the Gallery (it can weigh several gigabytes).

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If you want to transfer photos from Google Photos, first download them to your phone through the application, and then use the method with Files. Automatic transfer from the cloud to SD to MIUI is not provided.

Method 3: Automatically save new photos to a memory card

In order not to transfer the photo manually, set the camera to save the pictures immediately on the SD-This is true for all Xiaomi models, except those where the card is formatted as internal memory.

How to turn on:

1. Open the Camera app**.
2. Put it on the icon. ⚙️ Settings (cogs).
3. Scroll to the save folder section.
4. Choose. SD-map → specify the folder (for example, DCIM/Camera).
5. Save the changes.

Now all new photos and videos will automatically be saved to the map. SD-The card, the camera will stop working until it returns or changes its location.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO X3 NFC, Redmi 9T) preserve SD The shooting option may be missing in RAW or 4K@60fps. This is a firmware restriction - check before an important shot!

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Auto-save on SD saves time, but can limit camera function. Always test your shots before the events are critical!

5. Method 4: Transfer over a computer (for large volumes)

If you want to transfer tens of gigabytes of photos (like after a vacation), it’s faster to do it via a PC, which can also help if the phone doesn’t see the memory card or makes copying errors.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-TypeC Cable (or adapter for older models).
• 📁 Card reader (if the phone does not recognize) SD when connected to a PC).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your computer. On the Xiaomi screen, select File Transfer Mode (not Charge).
2. On a PC, open “This Computer” (Windows) or “Finder” (macOS) – the phone will appear as a removable drive.

The speed of the transfer depends on the interface:

• 🔹 USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps (~60 MB/s – suitable for 10-20 GB.
• 🔹 USB 3.0/3.1: before 5–10 Gbps (~600–1200 MB/s - optimal for 100+ GB.

⚠️ Note: If the phone does not appear as a drive when connecting to a PC, check: 🔌 Cable – some charging cables do not support data transfer. 🔄 Connection mode in the Xiaomi notification curtain (should be) MTP or File Manager). 🛠️ Drivers. ADB (Windows may require installation of Mi PC Suite).

Method 5: Advanced Transfer through ADB (for experienced)

If standard methods don't work (e.g., the phone can't see the card, or files are protected), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a debugging tool, but it lets you manage files directly through the command line.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with drivers installed ADB.
• 🔧 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version → Come back to the extra. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 📡 Adb (download from the official website).

Transfer commands:

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/C:\Temp\Photos\# Copy photos from your phone to your PC


adb push C:\Temp\Photos\ /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/Camera/ # Copy from PC to SD- card

Where XXXX-XXXX — identifier SD-maps (you can find the command adb shell ls) /storage/).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 It works even if the card is not installed in MIUI.
• 🔹 You can transfer system files (for example, screenshots from protected folders).
• 🔹 Supports batch processing (e.g. adb shell mv) /sdcard/DCIM/* /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause data loss, such as the adb shell rm command. -rf /sdcard/DCIM/ It will permanently delete all photos. Always check the paths before you run them!

7. Solving common errors in the transfer

Even if you follow the instructions, you may encounter problems.

If the memory card is determined but the photos are not copied, try:

1. Format the card in the phone (Settings) → Memory. → SD-map → Format).
2. Check the card for errors through the PC (in Windows: Properties → Service → Check).
3. Update the firmware (Settings → About the phone → System update).

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If neither method works, try inserting the card into another phone or card reader.Maybe the problem is your Xiaomi SD slot!

8.Alternative methods: clouds and third-party applications

If porting to SD is not possible for some reason, consider alternatives:

• ☁️ Cloud services: 🔹 Google Photos: Automatic uploading of photos to the cloud (15 GB free). 🔹 Mi Cloud: 5GB from Xiaomi, integration with MIUI. 🔹 Yandex Disk or Mail.ru Cloud: 10–100 GB free of charge.
• 📱 Third-party file managers: 🔹 Solid Explorer: Support for the project FTP, cloud and dual-panel mode. 🔹 FX File Explorer: built-in archiver and access to root folders. 🔹 Total Commander: Plugins for working with ZIP/RAR.
• 🔌 OTG-accumulator: 🔹 Connect the flash drive through USB-OTG adapter and transfer the photo to it. 🔹 Speed is faster than that. SD-cards (up to 400 MB/s) USB 3.0).

Cloud services are convenient for backup, but will not replace SD-Map: You need the Internet to view your photos, and it can take hours to download when you have a weak signal. Third-party file managers, by contrast, often offer more features than standard Xiaomi Files. For example, Solid Explorer can set up automatic photo transfer to the map on a schedule.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi