Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal storage, especially when shooting in high resolution. When notifications about filling memory begin to appear daily, and applications work slowly, the only correct solution is to use external information. SD-Transferring media files allows you not only to free up valuable space, but also to speed up the operation of the operating system.
Modern phone models, even budget ones, are equipped with high-quality cameras that create large files. The device's internal memory is primarily designed to install applications and system processes, rather than store photo archives. Proper distribution of data between the internal drive and external media is the key to stable operation of the gadget.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can move images, learn how to set up automatic saving of new images and how to safely transfer an existing gallery without losing file quality.
Preparation of SD-card for work in the Android system
Before you start moving files, you need to make sure that the memory card is properly installed and formatted.Put the microSD card into your Xiaomi or Redmi slot and wait for the system to notify you. If the card is new or previously used on another device, the system will prompt you to format it.
The formatting process creates a file system that is understandable to Android, usually FAT32 or exFAT. It is important to understand that formatting completely clears the media, so pre-save important data on the computer.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove the memory card while recording data or the camera is running, this can cause file system damage and loss of photos.
To check the status of the drive, go to the settings. Open Settings → About Phone → Storage. Here you will see the total amount of available space and the status of the external card connection. If the system sees the drive, you can go to configure the ways of saving.
Setting up automatic photo saving on the map
The most effective way to avoid internal memory overflow is to set up your camera to directly record files to an external medium, which will save you the need to manually move thousands of images in the future. The standard MIUI Camera app allows you to change the default save path.
Open the camera app and click on the three menu bars in the top right corner. Select Settings and scroll down to Save. Activate the Save on switch. SD-Now all new images and videos will be automatically sent to an external drive.
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Use U3 or V30 speed memory cards to record 4K video to avoid jerks and frame skips when shooting.
It is worth noting that some third-party apps, such as Instagram or Snapchat, can ignore system settings and save media files to internal memory, in which case the transfer will have to be performed manually through the file manager.
Use of a standard conductor for transfer
To move existing photos with built-in tools, you'll need a standard file manager. On Xiaomi smartphones, it's called Explorer, and it has a yellow icon with a folder. This tool allows you to manage files just like you do on a computer.
Launch the app and select Images category. The system will automatically scan the device and show all the photos found. Click on the menu icon or tap one file for a long time to highlight it. Use the "Select All" button in the bottom bar to select all photos.
☑️ Algorithm of file transfer
After selecting, click on either Move or Copy (usually in the bottom menu or drop-down list). The system will prompt you to select destination. SD-map (often referred to as SD Card or card manufacturer name. Create a new folder, such as, «Photos_Archive», and confirm the operation.
The copying process can take time if you move high-resolution videos or thousands of snaps.Don't lock your phone's screen or switch to heavy games during surgery so as not to interrupt the background recording process.
Advanced management through Mi File Manager
The built-in Explorer in MIUI has more functionality than you might think, allowing you to sort files not only by category, but also by date, size and type, which is convenient if you only need to find and move heavy videos or screenshots.
Open Explorer and go to the Overview tab, and you'll see the logical structure of the storage, and internal memory is usually labeled Internal Storage or Internal Storage, and external memory is usually labeled Internal Storage «SD-The transition between them is done by a simple tap.
| Parameter | Internal memory. | SD-map |
|---|---|---|
| Reading speed | High (UFS) | Depends on the class of the card. |
| Appointment | System and applications | Media files and documents |
| Security | Default encryption | Requires customization |
| Access to PC | Through the MTP protocol | Like a removable disk. |
Using size-sorting mode, you can quickly identify the heavyweights that occupy gigabytes of space, often forgotten video files or RAW image series that take up 10 times more space than conventional JPEGs.
Why are some files not copied?
After successful transfer, it is recommended to check the contents of the folder on SD-Make sure the files are opened and displayed correctly, and only after checking can you delete the originals from the internal memory if you used the copy function instead of moving them.
Using Google Photos for cloud transfer
An alternative and very reliable way to free up space is to use the Google Photos cloud service, which does not require a physical memory card, but depends on the availability of the Internet and the amount of storage you have on Google One.
The app automatically uploads all new images to the cloud, and once synchronized successfully, you can use the "Free Space" feature to remove photos from the device that are already securely stored in the cloud, which frees up internal memory without the risk of data loss.
However, if your goal is to transfer files to a physical microSD card inside your phone, this method requires an additional step: first, download the photos from the cloud to the phone’s memory, and then, as described above, move them to the phone’s memory. SD-conductor.
⚠️ Note: When you delete photos from the Google Photos app, they are also deleted from the cloud. Use the "Free Space" function only to delete local copies.
The advantage of cloud storage is that data is available from any device, and even if you lose your phone and memory card, your memories will remain in your account, and the combination of local storage on SD and cloud backup ensures maximum security.
Solutions and optimization of work
During operation, there may be situations when the phone stops seeing the map or files become inaccessible. Often the problem lies in improper extraction or software failure. If photos are missing, do not write new data to the map, so as not to overwrite the deleted information.
To optimize work, it is recommended to check the memory card every few months for errors, this can be done by connecting the phone to the computer and running a disk check through the properties of the volume in Windows, and it is also useful to periodically back up important archives on the PC.
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Regularly cleaning the Recycle Bin folder in the gallery and conductor helps maintain order and free up space that is formally already considered remote but still takes up space.
If the card write speed has dropped, it may be filled with fragmented data, which can be done by formatting (pre-backup!) or replacing the drive with a more modern and faster one.