How to transfer photos and videos to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

Porting photos and videos to a memory card in Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is a challenge that every user faces when there is a lack of internal memory. Even models with 128-256 GB fill up over time, especially if you actively shoot 4K videos or store thousands of pictures. Fortunately, the manufacturer has provided several ways to solve this problem, from standard MIUI tools to third-party applications.

In this article, we will discuss all current methods of transferring media files to the SD-map, including nuances for different firmware versions (from MIUI 12 before MIUI 14 Android-based 13/14). You will learn how to automatically save new photos to the card, manually move old files, and what to do if the system does not see the drive. Separately, we will consider the problems with formatting the card as an internal drive – this mode does not work on all Xiaomi devices, and we will explain why.

1.Preparation: Which Memory Card Is Right for Xiaomi

Before transferring files, make sure your microSD card is device-compatible. Xiaomi smartphones support microSD, microSDHC (up to 32 GB) and microSDXC (up to 2 TB) formats, but there are important limitations:

• 📱 Budget models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3): maximum volume - 512 GB, speed class is not lower UHS-I (Class 10).
• 📱 Flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mi 11): Support UHS-II up to 1 TB, but the actual recording speed depends on the firmware.
• ⚠️ ExFAT cards may not be recognized on older versions MIUI (below 12.5) - formatting in FAT32.

To avoid problems, use maps of proven brands: SanDisk Ultra, Samsung EVO Plus or Kingston Canvas Go!. Cheap drives without certification often cause errors when recording high-resolution video.

⚠️ Note: If you plan to use the card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage feature), note that Xiaomi blocks this mode on most models due to the risk of data loss when retrieving the drive.

2. Method 1: Automatically save new photos to a memory card

The easiest method is to set up the camera so that all new photos and videos are immediately recorded on the camera. SD-This will eliminate the need for manual transfer in the future.

Instructions for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (or swipe up the screen on some models).
3. Select the item "Save Place" (or "Memory" in older versions).
4. Indicate. SD-Card instead of Internal Memory.
5. Confirm the choice – now all new media files will be saved to the drive.

On some devices (e.g. POCO F3), this option may be hidden under the Additional → Storage section. If the option is inactive, check:

• 🔄 Memory card inserted correctly (reboot phone).
• 📁 The drive is formatted in FAT32 or exFAT (not) NTFS).
• 🚫 There are no restrictions on the manufacturer (on some Xiaomi models, save on the manufacturer’s product). SD video-locked 4K).

💡

If the camera still saves files to internal memory after changing the settings, try restarting the smartphone or re-inserting the card, sometimes cleaning the Camera app cache in the settings helps.

Method 2: Manual transfer through the built-in conductor

If you need to move existing photos and videos, use the standard MIUI Explorer, which works without a PC connection and requires no additional software.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. Go to Images or Videos (Category tab).
3. Select files by holding your finger on one of them, then mark the rest.
4. Click More → Move (or Copy if you want to leave the originals).
5. In the list of locations, select SD-map, then the destination folder (for example, DCIM/Camera).
6. Confirm the transfer – the files will start to be copied.

Important nuances:

• 🕒 The transfer speed depends on the class of the card: U1 (up to 10 MB/s) vs U3 (up to 30MB/s).
• 📂 If the folder DCIM No map, create it manually, otherwise the camera may not see the files.
• ⚠️ Do not remove the card during the transfer – this will lead to data loss.

Memory card recognized by the system|Enough free space for you. SD|Files are not used by other applications|Smartphone connected to charging (for large volumes)-->

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (the most reliable method)

If you don't have enough space or files (tens of gigabytes), you'll be more comfortable using a PC, which is also useful if MIUI can't see the memory card or if it's copying errors.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB (Preferably original, with support USB 3.0 for speed).
• 📁 Card reader (if you want to remove the card and connect it directly to the PC).

Instructions for Windows:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the notification curtain.
2. Open Explorer (Win + E) on your computer – the phone will appear as a removable disk.
3. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (photo/video is stored here).
4. Copy files (Ctrl) + C) and insert them into the folder on SD-map (Ctrl) + V).
5. Wait for the copy to be completed and safely remove the device.

Advantages of this method:

• ⚡ Faster than the phone (especially when used) USB 3.0).
• 🛡️ Less risk of interruption of the process (on PC, power is stable).
• 🔍 You can sort files before transfer (by date, size, etc.).

⚠️ Note: If the phone is not detected when connecting to the PC, try: Change USB-cable (cheap cables often don't support data transfer). USB in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times. Update the drivers. MTP on the computer (via Device Manager).

5. Method 4: Using cloud services (for backup)

If you don't have a card reader or cable, you can temporarily upload files to the cloud and then download them back to the memory card, a method that is suitable for backup, but not for regular transfer due to speed and traffic restrictions.

Popular services for Xiaomi:

• 🌥️ Google Photos: 15 GB free, automatic sorting by date.
• ☁️ Mi Cloud: 5GB free, integration with MIUI.
• 📦 Yandex Disk: 10 GB free, convenient for users from Russia.

How to transfer via Google Photos:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Enable autoboot: Settings → Backup and synchronization.
3. Wait until the files are uploaded to the cloud.
4. Put it in. SD-Map to phone, open Google Photos and select files to download.
5. Click Save on the device and specify the folder on the memory card.

Cons of this method:

• 🐢 Slow speed with a large amount of data.
• 💰 Limited free space (you will have to pay for additional space).
• 🔒 Risk of data leakage when using unreliable cloud services.

Through the wire on the phone.|Through the computer|Car-save in-camera|Cloud services|Another option-->

Method 5: Third-Party Applications for File Transfer

If standard MIUI tools don't suit you, you can use third-party file-management tools that offer additional features: batch renaming, archiving, and even automatic schedule transfer.

Top.-3 apps:

• 📁 Solid Explorer: support for two panels, cloud storage, FTP.
• 🔄 FX File Explorer: built-in archiver, root access (for advanced users).
• 🤖 Files by Google: simple interface, garbage cleaning, backup.

Example of transfer via Solid Explorer:

1. Install an app from the Play Market.
2. Provide access to the files and SD-map on first launch.
3. Go to the Inner Memory → DCIM.
4. Select files, click Move and specify the target folder on the map.
5. Confirm the action – the files will be moved without loss.

Warning: Some applications (e.g. ES Explorer) may contain ads or collect data. Check reviews and permissions in the Play Market before installing.

7. Problem Solving: Memory card is not defined or files are not portable

Sometimes when you try to transfer files, you get errors, and let's look at the typical situations and how to fix them.

If the memory card is damaged, try to restore data using the following programs:

• 🛠️ Recuva (Windows) – to recover deleted files.
• 🖥️ DiskDigger (Android) – works without root rights.
• 💾 TestDisk (cross-platform) – to restore partition.

⚠️ Warning: If the memory card starts to crumble (files are lost, read errors appear), immediately copy all data to another medium.

8 Storage optimization: how to avoid re-transfer

To avoid having to regularly vacate space, set your smartphone for optimal memory use:

• 📸 Camera: Enable automatic saving on SD (as in Method 1 and set a video size limit (e.g. Full) HD instead 4K, Unless maximum detail is required).
• 🗑️ Cleaning: Use the built-in cleaning utility in MIUI (section Settings → Memory) to delete unnecessary files.
• ☁️ Cloud: set up automatic upload of photos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud, and then delete local copies.
• 🔄 Backups: Once a month, copy important files to your PC or external hard drive.

For advanced users:

• Use Tasker to automatically transfer files to a schedule (e.g., every night).
• Set up Syncthing to sync photos between your phone and PC without clouds.

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Regularly check the status of the memory card through the SD Card Tester app (available in the Play Market) to help detect damage and avoid data loss.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring files to SD in Xiaomi