Combining the memory of the phone and SD-Xiaomi maps: Full guide 2026

Combining the internal memory of the smartphone and SD-Maps are a popular query among Xiaomi owners, especially those who face a shortage of space for applications and files. MIUI (Including Redmi and Poco, this feature is not as obvious as on pure Android, and has its own nuances. Unlike older versions of Android (up to 6.0), which had a built-in Adoptable Storage option, modern Xiaomi smartphones offer alternative solutions – from formatting the card as an internal drive to using third-party utilities.

It is important to understand: full memory integration (when) SD-The map becomes part of the system section. MIUI 12–14 It's not officially supported, but instead you can move data or use the map as an extension, but there are workarounds, including hidden settings and other ways to do this. ADB-This article is relevant for Xiaomi models. 11/12/13 series, Redmi Note 10–12, Poco F3–F5 and other devices based on MIUI Android 11–14.

Why Xiaomi has removed the memory unification feature?

In older versions of Android (Marshmallow 6.0) was the Adoptable Storage feature, allowing you to format SD-The card is an internal memory, but Xiaomi has refused to use it. MIUI 9+ for several reasons:

• 🔹 Productivity: SD-cards (even class) A2) They are slower than the built-in memory. UFS/eMMC, brake.
• 🔹 Security: When you remove the card, the applications installed on it stop working.
• 🔹 Fragmentation: Frequent recording operations on SD cause it to wear out quickly.
• 🔹 Google: Android 10 has restricted access to Adoptable Storage due to stability risks.

However, MIUI has alternatives:

• 📁 Transfer of files to SD-map (photo, video, documents).
• 📱 Using the card as a portable drive (without combining).
• 🛠️ Manual formatting through ADB (power-user).

Preparation SD-maps: requirements and choices

Before you try to combine memory, make sure yours is yours. SD-The card meets the minimum requirements:

⚠️ Attention: Format maps NTFS or ext4 unsupported MIUI "If your card is formatted in one of these formats, it will have to be reformatted with loss of data.

Before the procedure begins:

Poco X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro support cards up to 1 TB, but for stable work with applications it is better to limit 256 GB. Larger cards can slow down due to file system limitations.

Method 1: Formatting SD-Cards as internal memory through settings

This method works for MIUI 12-14, but not available on all models. SD-A card as an extension of internal memory, but not as a complete association.

Instructions:

1. Put it in. SD-card to slot (do not use the card to slot) USB-adapter!).
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
3. Press Three dots (⋮) → Memory settings → Formatting as an internal.
4. Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (may take 5-10 minutes).
5. After formatting, select Transfer Data or Use as Internal.

⚠️ Note: After that, the card can not be removed without losing data, and some applications (such as WhatsApp or Google Pay) may refuse to work with the transferred data.

On Android 11+ and MIUI 12.5+ devices, the formatting function as internal memory can be blocked even if there is a menu item, in which case the system will give an error "Not supported".

Method 2: Combining memory via ADB (for power users)

If the standard method doesn’t work, you can try to force Adoptable Storage to be activated via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a PC and basic command line knowledge.

Steps:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and press 7 times.
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux).
4. Enter the commands in order: adb shell sm list-disks Remember the disk identifier (e.g., disk:179.64).
5. Format (replace disk:X,Y with your identifier): sm partition disk:179.64 private
6. Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you are not sure about your actions, you should use alternative methods (described below).

💡

Before execution ADB-teams, check that on SD-The map has no important data – it will be completely formatted.

Once the command is completed, the card will become part of the internal memory, but:

• 📉 Application speed may decrease (depending on class) SD-map).
• 🔄 The card cannot be used on other devices without formatting again.
• 🚫 Some system applications (such as Mi Video) may not see files on the map.

Method 3: Transfer applications to SD-memory-coupling

If memory integration is not possible, you can transfer some applications to the SD-This method does not require formatting and is reversible.

How to move applications:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or Spotify).
3. Press Warehouse. → Change. → SD-map.
4. Confirm the transfer (may take a few minutes).

Limitations:

• 🚫 Not all apps support portability (e.g. Google Play Services or Miui System).
• 📱 Ported application widgets may not work.
• 🔄 After updating the application, it can automatically return to internal memory.

Alternative: Use apps like AppMgr III or Link2SD (requires root rights that allow for the forced transfer of APK-map.

💡

Transfer of applications to SD-A card without memory consolidation is the safest method, but it does not solve the problem of lack of space for system files and cache.

Alternative solutions: cloud services and memory optimization

If memory integration is not possible or ineffective, consider alternatives:

• ☁️ Cloud storage: Mi Cloud (5GB free for Xiaomi owners); Google Drive (15GB free); Yandex Drive (10GB free). Set up automatic photo/video upload to Settings → Google → Backup.
• 🧹 Memory Cleanup: Use the built-in Cleanup utility in Settings → Memory. Delete the app cache in Settings → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear the cache. Turn off automatic download of media in instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
• 🔄 Factory reset (extreme): If free memory is critically low, reset to Settings → The phone. → Reset settings. Pre-save the data!

⚠️ Note: When using cloud services, consider traffic consumption. For example, automatically uploading photos to Google Photos in original quality quickly exhausts the free space (15 GB).

Frequent problems and their solutions

When combining memory or transferring data to SD-Xiaomi users face typical errors:

If after combining the memory, the phone began to overheat or discharge faster, return the settings to the original state:

1. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
2. Press Three dots (⋮) → Formatting as a portable.
3. Confirm the action (the data will be deleted!).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions