How to transfer albums to a memory card in Xiaomi: 4 working ways

A full internal memory smartphone is a problem faced by every second owner of Xiaomi. Photos and videos take up the lion’s share of space, and regular cleaning of the cache only temporarily solves the problem. Moving albums to a microSD card is a logical solution, but not always obvious: MIUI does not have a universal “Move” button. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods for modern versions of firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14), including bypassing the system constraints and solving typical errors.

It is important to understand that Xiaomi artificially limits the work with external drives: by default, the Gallery app does not allow you to directly move files to the storage device. SD-This is done to optimize performance, but in practice, it's uncomfortable. We'll show you how to get around these limitations without root rights, using them as standard tools. MIUI, You'll also learn which map formats are supported (FAT32, exFAT or NTFS — The choice depends on the size of the files and the model of the smartphone, and how to avoid loss of quality during the transfer.

Why can’t you just drag files to a memory card?

Unlike a computer where files move drag-and-drop, Xiaomi has three key limitations:

• 🔒 Politics MIUI: The Gallery app by default blocks direct entry to SD-This is due to Google's security policy for Android 11.+.
• 📁 Storage separation: Files created by the camera are saved to internal memory in the folder by default DCIM/Camera. The system does not offer automatic transfer.
• 🛠️ File system limitations: Maps FAT32 Do not support files larger than 4 GB (relevant for video in the Internet) 4K), ExFAT may not be readable on older Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 5).

Also, if you are using SD-The card as a portable storage device (rather than an extension of internal memory), many applications, including the Gallery, will not be able to write data to it without additional settings.

Method 1: Transfer through the standard MIUI file manager

The safest method, which does not require third-party applications, is suitable for MIUI 12-14 on all models, including the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4 and Mi 11/12.

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Images or Categories → Photos and Videos.
3. Select the files you want with a long tap (a tick will appear). To select all the photos in the album, tap on the title at the top of the screen.
4. Click More (three dots in the upper right corner) → Copy in.
5. In the window that opens, select SD-map → Create a new folder (such as Photos) or select an existing folder.
6. Confirm the copy. Once completed, go back to the original folder and delete the files to make room.

⚠️ Note: This method copies, not moves files, and if you delete the originals before you finish copying, the data may be lost. Also note that with this transfer, the albums in the gallery will be broken - the photos will appear in the All Photos section, but the original folders (for example, Screenshots or Camera) will disappear.

Check the vacant space on SD-map|Battery charge > 30% (for long-term operations)|Close all background applications|Create a backup of important files-->

Method 2: Configure the camera to save SD-map

If you want new photos and videos to be saved to your memory card instead of your internal memory, follow these steps, which works on most Xiaomi models, except for the flagships with MIUI for Android One (such as the Mi A2/A3).

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ Settings (or swipe from the right edge of the screen).
3. Scroll down to the Warehouse section.
4. Choose. SD-If no point is available, your model does not support this function (see table below).
5. Reboot your smartphone so that the changes take effect.

⚠️ Note: If after changing the settings, the camera gives an error "Can not save the photo", check:

• 🔄 Memory card format: reformat it to exFAT via phone settings (Settings) → Warehouse → SD-map → Formatting as an internal).
• 📸 Photo/video resolution: reduce the quality to Full HD, if you're filming 4K.
• 🔋 Battery charge: At a level below 15%, the camera may refuse to save files to the battery. SD.

💡

If you don't have a save option on SD, try resetting the camera settings: Settings → Apps → Camera → Storage → Clear the data. After the reboot, the item may appear.

Method 3: Using a memory card as internal storage

This method combines internal memory and SD-The card will be stored in a single storage unit, where applications (including the Gallery) can freely write files to the map.

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
3. Tap your name. SD-maps (e.g. SanDisk) 128GB).
4. Select Settings → Format as internal.
5. Confirm the action. The system will warn you that all data will be erased.
6. After formatting, select Move Data Now (optional) or Move Later.

All new files, including photos, will be saved by default. SD-To move the existing albums:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Reboot the phone.
3. Open the Gallery and wait for the indexing of files (it can take up to 10 minutes).

⚠️ Note: After this formatting:

• 🔐 The card will not be read on a PC without special drivers (it is encrypted).
• 📉 The speed of the system may be reduced if SD-class UHS-I U1 lower.
• 🔄 When you remove the map, some applications will stop working.

Method 4: Transfer albums through a computer (most reliable)

If previous methods have failed or you are afraid of losing data, connect your smartphone to your PC and perform manual transfers, which ensures that files are safe and works even on locked devices.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11 macOS.
• 🔌 Cable USB Type-C (original or certified).
• 💾 Cardholder (optional if the phone does not recognize the card).

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. On a PC, open this computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and you'll see two devices: the phone's internal memory and the phone's internal memory. SD-map.
3. Move to the internal memory → DCIM → Camera (or other folder with albums).
4. Copy the required 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 the method:

• 🔄 No risk of data loss (files are copied rather than moved).
• 📂 Folder structure and metadata (date of shooting, geotagged) are preserved).
• 🛡️ It works even if the phone is locked or not turned on (provided the bootloader is unlocked).

💡

Use a card reader to transfer large amounts of data (for example, 100+ GB), copying through it is 2-3 times faster than using USB.

Solving Common Mistakes When Transferring Albums

Even when you follow instructions, users face problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If the video is not reproduced after transfer:

• 🎥 Check the codecs: files recorded in HEVC (H.265), They may not be able to play on older devices.
• 🔄 Convert your video through VLC or HandBrake in format H.264.
• 📱 Update the Gallery app to the latest version on Google Play.

How to optimize the storage of photos SD-map?

Simply moving albums isn't enough -- you need to set up the system to make good use of external storage.

• 📸 AutoSave to the Cloud: Activate sync with Google Photos or Mi Cloud, but set up to save originals to the cloud SD-To do this, in Google Photos, select Settings. → Backup → Quality. → Original.
• 🗑️ Regular cleaning: Use the built-in cleaning tool in MIUI (Settings → Warehouse → Clear), but exclude folders on SD-scanner.
• 🔍 Search for duplicates: Install Files by Google or SD Maid to find repetitive photos that take up space.
• 📊 Monitoring of occupancy: C Settings → Keep track of which applications are actively using SD-map.

🔹 Advice for flagship owners: If you have Xiaomi 12/13 Pro or Redmi K50, Use hybrid storage:

1. Save the photo on it. SD-map (through camera settings).
2. Store 4K/8K video in internal memory (due to high recording speeds).
3. Archive your video on a PC or cloud every month.

💡

To accelerate the work with SD-Disable indexing of media files: Settings → Additionally. → Indexing files → This will reduce the load on the processor, but new files will be displayed in the gallery with a delay.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the transfer of albums to SD-map