Owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones often face a lack of internal storage, especially when the Xiaomi Redmi 7 model has only 32 GB of internal memory. After installing a couple of social networks, navigator and messengers, the system begins to issue notifications that the place is almost over, not just an annoyance, but a real limitation that prevents full use of the device, as without free space, messages stop coming, and the camera may not take a new picture.
Fortunately, the architecture of the Android operating system allows you to use the external drive not only as a flash drive for photos, but also as a full extension of the system partition. In this article, we will discuss how to transfer the application to the SD card Xiaomi Redmi 7, turning the microSD into part of internal memory. You will learn about the nuances of formatting, the risks of using old memory cards and ways to circumvent the restrictions that sometimes impose the manufacturer.
The process of data transfer requires care, because the wrong actions can lead to loss of information or unstable operation of the gadget. We will look at the proven methods that work on the MIUI shell, and explain why some programs will still remain on the internal disk. Understanding the principles of the file system will help you to properly organize the space and forget about the constant warnings about the shortage of megabytes.
Preparation of memory card and smartphone for work
Before attempting to move any data, you need to make sure that your drive is serviceable and compatible. SD-The card must be of high speed, preferably Class 10 or UHS-I, Because slow drives will significantly slow down the programs that are installed on them, and if you use the old card left over from the button phone, it can become a bottleneck for the entire system.
Insert a microSD into your Redmi 7 slot and wait for the notification of the new device's connection. Go to the settings and check if the phone sees the drive correctly. If the card has been used on another device before, it may have files that interfere with the correct definition, so it's best to prepare it for formatting right away.
⚠️ Note: The formatting process will completely remove all files from the memory card. be sure to save important photos and documents to your computer or cloud storage before starting the procedure.
It is also important to successfully port applications that the smartphone itself has at least 500 MB of free space; the system requires space for temporary files and cache during partition redistribution. If internal memory is crammed to the end, try to delete a couple of unnecessary videos first or clear the messenger cache through settings.
☑️ Pre-formatting verification
Formatting a map as an internal memory
The key step is to change the type of storage. Android defaults to using the card as a portable storage, but to install the software, we need to turn it into internal memory. → The phone. → Memory (or immediately in Settings) → Memory, depending on version MIUI). Find the item responsible for your SD-map.
In the menu that opens, select the option "Format." The system will offer two options: use as portable storage or as internal. Choose the second option. Then a process will begin, which can take several minutes, at which time the file system is rebuilt, the necessary partitions are created and data is encrypted for security.
| Parameter | Portable storage | Internal memory. |
|---|---|---|
| Access to PC | Direct access | Deactivation required |
| Installation of applications | Unavailable | Available. |
| Speed of operation | Standard. | Depends on the card. |
| Security | Low. | Encryption |
Once formatted, the system can offer to immediately move media files and some data. Accept the offer to free up space on the built-in drive. Now your microSD is integrated into the system, and Android perceives it as a single unit with the main drive.
Why is the card encrypted?
Manual transfer of installed applications
Even after formatting, not all programs will move automatically. You need to manually specify to the system which applications you want to see on the external drive. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find the desired program in the list, for example, a heavy game or a social network.
Inside the app menu, find the memory or storage button. If the program supports portability, it will either change or move to SD-Click on it and confirm the action. It can take anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the cache size and the application data.
It's worth noting that you can't move system applications and some Google services, because it's designed to keep the operating system stable, and if the move button is gray or missing, the developer has banned the external drive.
Setup the camera and save the photo by default
One of the main reasons for the lack of space are photos and videos. Xiaomi Redmi 7 camera by default saves all the pictures in internal memory. To change this behavior, open the Camera app and click on the three menu bars in the upper right corner.
Go to the settings (cogs) and find the item "Save to SD-"Maps" or "Save Priority." Activate this switch. Now all new images, videos and voice recordings will automatically enter the external drive, bypassing the limited internal space.
This doesn't require you to move old files, they stay where they were, but you can manually move your existing albums through the file manager. Open the Explorer app, select Internal Drive, find the DCIM folder, and copy the contents of the file to the map.
⚠️ Warning: Do not delete old files from internal memory until you make sure they are correctly copied to the map and opened in the gallery.
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Use the file manager "Mi Explorer" for quick sorting: it allows you to select files by type and move them en masse, which is much faster than dragging them one by one.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
Users may experience errors during operation, such as writing "Application not installed" or "Read error" often because the card's writing speed has dropped or the file system has corrupted, in which case you can try to remove the card, paste it into your computer and check for errors using standard Windows tools.
Another common problem is that after transfer, the application starts to run slower or crashes, which happens if the card speed class is low (below Class 10), in which case it is better to return the application to the internal drive, leaving only photos and music on the map. The performance of the internal memory is always higher than that of the average microSD.
If the phone stops seeing the card or it is constantly turning off, the contacts may have oxidized. Gently wipe the golden contact with a pin and insert it back. Also check if the card sits tightly in the slot - in budget models, the connectors can be loosened over time.
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The stability of the application depends on the speed of reading / writing the memory card. For heavy games and instant messengers, use only cards of UHS-I format and above.