Xiaomi’s internal memory is one of the most painful topics for budget and mid-budget smartphone owners. Even devices with 64 or 128 GB often give a notification “Memory is full”, although you seemingly do not store anything extra, the reason lies in the peculiarities of MIUI: the system reserves space for cache, updates and utility files, and actively duplicates media files in the Mi Cloud.
In this article, we will discuss all working ways to free up memory on Xiaomi (including the Redmi Note 12 Pro, POCO X5, Mi 11 Lite and other models with a focus on porting apps, photos and files to the Internet SD-Important: not all methods are universal, some functions depend on the version. MIUI (13, 14 or HyperOS) and card type (conventional or Adoptable Storage). MIUI, Xiaomi doesn’t advertise in official instructions, but which actually work.
Why does Xiaomi’s memory end so quickly?
Xiaomi’s memory shortage is not an accident, but a consequence of the manufacturer’s architectural decisions.
- 📱 Duplication of media files: MIUI automatically creates thumbnails for the gallery (.thumbnail) and cache for applications, which takes up to 5-10 GB.
- 🔄 Updates MIUI: system downloads update packages (MIUI_OTA) In the background, even if you have disabled auto-update.
- 🌩️ Cache of applications: social networks (Facebook, TikTok) and instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) can take up to 2-3 GB of cache each.
- 📁 Hidden folders: MIUI, Android DCIM/.thumbnails Store temporary files that are not automatically cleared.
For example, on the Redmi Note 10 Pro with 128 GB of memory, users often find that only 15-20 GB is “available”, although only 10-15 applications are installed, the reason for this is the reservation of memory for the system (up to 25-30 GB on new versions of MIUI) and aggressive caching.
⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi smartphone is released after 2022 (e.g. Redmi Note 12 or X-ray) POCO X5 Pro, it may not support the Adoptable Storage format (conversion) SD-In this case, the transfer of applications to the card will be limited.
Preparation: Which memory card to choose for Xiaomi?
Not every microSD is suitable for memory expansion. Xiaomi officially recommends cards of class A1/A2 or UHS-I (U3) with a write speed of at least 30 MB / s.
| Type of card | Volume. | Class speed | Suitable for | Estimated price (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SanDisk Ultra | 128GB | A1, U3 | Photos, videos, apps | 1 200–1 500 ₽ |
| Samsung EVO Plus | 256GB | A2, U3 | Games, 4K-video | 2 500–3 000 ₽ |
| Kingston Canvas Go! Plus | 512GB | A2, V30 | Professional use | 5 000–6 000 ₽ |
Important: cards larger than 256 GB may not work properly on older models (Redmi 9A, Mi A2) due to the limitations of the FAT32 file system, preferably to choose cards up to 128 GB or format in exFAT (but this will disable the ability to port applications).
Before buying, check compatibility on Xiaomi’s official website or in the device documentation. For example, the POCO F5 supports cards up to 1 TB, while the Redmi 10C only supports cards up to 512 GB.
Method 1: Transfer files to SD-hand-write
The easiest method is to move media files (photos, videos, music) and documents to a memory card, which does not require root rights and works on all versions of MIUI.
Transfer photos and videos from DCIM folder
Copy music and podcasts
Move downloads (Download)
Archiving old documents
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- Open the Files app (folder icon).
- Go to Internal Memory → select a folder (such as DCIM or Download).
- Press and hold the file/folder → select “Select all” or mark the desired files.
- Slip on the "Move" button (arrow icon) → choose SD-map → confirm.
To speed up the process, use the mass allocation mode: in the upper right corner, click on three dots → “Select everything.” Note that some system files (for example, from the Android folder) can not be moved - they are necessary for the application to work.
⚠️ Note: If you are moving a photo from DCIM/Camera, They may disappear from the gallery after they've moved. To get them back, open the Gallery» → press three points → «Settings» → Enable the option to "Show files with" SD-map».
Method 2: Configure file saving to SD-default-card
To automatically save new photos, videos and downloads to your memory card, change your default settings:
- 📸 For camera: Open the Camera app. Slip on the gear (settings) → «Select a conservation site. SD-map → confirm.
For downloads
- Open “Settings” → “Applications” → “Application Management”.
- Find Downloads (or Downloads) → Storage.
- Click on "Change» → choose SD-map.
On some models (POCO X3 Pro, Redmi Note 11) the path may be different. If the option “Save Place” in the camera is not, update the app through Google Play or use a third-party camera (for example, Open Camera).
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If you still save your photos to internal memory after you change your settings, reboot your smartphone. Sometimes MIUI resets the settings after you update.
Method 3: Transfer applications to SD-map (only for selected models)
Moving apps to a memory card is the most efficient way to free up space, but it doesn’t work on all devices. Xiaomi has limited this feature in newer versions of MIUI 12+, leaving it only for individual models (e.g. Redmi 9T, POCO M3).
- Open “Settings” → “Applications” → “Application Management”.
- Select any app installed (such as Telegram).
- Press "Storage» → If there is a button “Change” or “Move to” SD-map, function supported.
If you don’t have an option, try alternative methods:
- 🔧 Formatting the card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage): Insert SD-card to the smartphone. When the notification "New" appears SD-map select "Configure» → «Internal memory. Follow the instructions (the card will be formatted and encrypted). ⚠️ Warning: After that, the map will not be read on other devices, and it can also slow down the application.
- 📦 Using cloner applications (such as App Cloner or Parallel Space) that create lightweight versions of programs and allow their data to be stored on the Internet SD-map.
- 🔍 Remove old updates: Go to Files → Internal memory. → MIUI → OTA. Delete all files with the.zip extension (this is firmware archives).