How to combine internal memory and memory card Xiaomi Redmi: 3 working methods

Why Xiaomi Redmi users want to combine memory with the SD-card?

Xiaomi Redmi smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal memory, especially if the device is equipped with a 32 or 64 GB drive. Even after moving photos and videos to a microSD card, the system continues to issue notifications about overflowing storage. The reason is simple: many applications (including instant messengers and games) are installed by default in internal memory, rather than on a removable medium.

The solution to the problem is to combine memory (or “expand internal memory” by means of the system). SD-This feature allows the smartphone to perceive the card as part of the main storage, which makes it possible to:

• 📲 Install applications directly to SD-Map (including WhatsApp, Telegram, games from Google Play).
• 📁 Automatically save cache and application data on removable media.
• 🔄 Avoiding “Insufficient Memory” errors when updating MIUI.

However, the method has nuances: once combined, the card will not be retrieved without losing data, and some applications (for example, Netflix or banking services) may refuse to work with extended memory. In this article, we will discuss 3 proven ways to combine memory on the Redmi Note 10/11/12, Redmi 9/9A/9C and other models with MIUI 12-14.

Method 1: Combining through MIUI settings (official method)

Xiaomi’s most reliable and recommended way is to use the built-in Default Storage feature, which is suitable for devices with MIUI 12 and later (including Redmi Note 11, Redmi 10, etc.).

Instructions:

1. Insert a microSD card (recommended class is UHS-I U1 or higher).
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Additional → Default Storage.
3. Select the Memory Card and confirm the formatting.
4. After restarting the device, the system will offer to transfer data (photos, videos, documents) to the SD-map.

⚠️ Warning: Once combined, the card will be encrypted and tied to your smartphone, and if you take it out and paste it into another phone or computer, the data will be unavailable without formatting.

Method 2: Use of ADB (for power users)

If the MIUI settings do not have the option "Default Storage" (relevant for older versions of firmware or some regions), you can resort to manual combination via ADB. This method requires connecting the smartphone to the computer and working with the command line.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes adb).
2. Activate Developer Mode on Redmi: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on this item.
3. Enable debugging over USB in Settings → Additional → For developers.
4. Connect your phone to your PC and execute in the command line:

adb shell


sm set-force-adoptable true




sm partition disk:179,64 private

⚠️ Attention: Wrong commands ADB If you are not sure about your actions, use the official method (Method 1).

Method 3: Forced transfer of applications to SD-map

If memory integration is not possible (e.g., on a Redmi 8A with outdated firmware), you can manually transfer applications to a memory card, which is less efficient, but allows you to free up some internal storage.

How to move applications:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (like Facebook or Spotify).
3. Slip "Storage" → "Change" → "SD card".
4. Confirm the move (some apps don’t support this feature).

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Not all applications can be ported (especially system applications).
• ❌ Widgets will stop working if the application is SD-map.
• ❌ When you extract the map, the transferred applications will stop running.

💡

Before transferring applications to SD-map clear their cache manually (in the application settings) This will reduce the amount of data being moved and speed up the process.

Comparison of memory combining methods on Xiaomi Redmi

To choose the best way, compare them on key parameters:

For most users, Method 1 (via MIUI settings) will be the best solution. Method 2 is suitable for those who do not have the option "Default Storage", but have experience with ADB. Method 3 is a temporary measure to free up memory without risks.

💡

Memory integration via MIUI (Method 1) is the safest and most recommended method, it does not require root rights and retains a warranty on the device.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you combine memory on Xiaomi Redmi, users encounter common errors.

1. "Can't format the card" error

Causes and solutions:

• 🔹 Incompatible card: Use a microSD class UHS-I U1/U3 (For example, SanDisk Ultra or Samsung. EVO). Class Class Cards 4/6 often unsupported.
• 🔹 Damaged File System: Format the card on the PC FAT32 (through SD Formatter, then repeat the procedure on your phone.
• 🔹 Limitation MIUI: Some of the firmware (e.g., Redmi) 9C NFC) function is disabled. MIUI last-minute.

2. the annexes are not installed on SD-map

Even after successful integration, some applications (such as Google Maps or Genshin Impact) can ignore the removable media.

• 🔹 Install the AppMgr app III (or Link2SD for root users) and force transfer of data.
• 🔹 Clear the Google Play cache and reboot your phone.
• 🔹 Check if the option “Default Installation to Internal Memory” is included in the developer settings.

3.The phone can't see. SD-post-community

If after the reboot the card disappeared from the system:

1. Go to Settings → Memory and check if the removable media is displayed.
2. If the card is not visible, remove it and insert it again (the data will not be lost, since it is encrypted).
3. In extreme cases, reset settings through Settings → Reset → Reset all settings (data on the map will be saved).

💡

If after combining the memory the phone began to brake, check the speed SD-mapping A1 SD Bench, class cards U1 Real-world recording speeds below 10MB/s can slow down the system.

How do I cancel the memory union?

If you decide to return everything “as it was” (for example, to use the card on another device), follow the following steps:

1. Create a backup of important data with SD-maps (after cancellation of the merger it will be formatted).
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Additional → Default Storage.
3. Select "Inner Memory" and confirm the action.
4. Remove the card and format it on your PC (via SD Formatter or standard Windows tools).

⚠️ Note: After cancellation of the combination, all data stored on SD-The card in extended memory mode will be lost without recovery!

If the Default Storage option is not available (for example, after resetting), use ADB-team:

adb shell sm unset-force-adoptable

FAQ: Answers to popular questions