Transferring photos from the memory of the phone to the memory card in Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is still a popular smartphone due to its powerful hardware and flexible settings. But even 64/128 GB of internal memory over time clog photos and videos — especially if you actively shoot on the main camera 64 MP or use Pro mode with saving RAW. The solution is simple: transfer media files to a microSD card. However, many users face errors when trying to move, do not understand why files are duplicated, or do not know how to make a default memory card for new pictures.

In this article, you will find 5 working ways to transfer photos to the SD-Redmi Note 8 Pro card – from standard tools MIUI We'll also look at why some files don't move, how to avoid quality loss, and what to do if the phone doesn't see the card after the transfer. And at the end, answers to frequent questions, including the problem with the “gray” miniatures in the gallery after the move.

1.Preparation: checking the memory card and phone settings

Before you transfer files, make sure your microSD card is compatible with the Redmi Note 8 Pro and formatted correctly.The phone supports cards up to 256GB (officially) and up to 512GB (unofficially, but with possible lags).The optimal choice is Class 10 (UHS-I) or higher for recording video in 4K.

To avoid errors during transfer:

• 🔹 Check the free space on the map: go to Settings → Memory and see the section SD-map.
• 🔹 Format the card on your phone, not on your PC: Settings → Memory. → SD-map → Format as internal (this will delete all data!).
• 🔹 Use the original adapter or card reader: cheap adapters can cause failures.

⚠️ Note: If you format the card as "internal memory", it will be encrypted and will only work on this phone» (FAT32/exFAT).

An important nuance: in MIUI 12/13/14, when formatting a map as an internal system, you can create an Android/data folder that eats up to 10% of the space, which is normal, because Android reserves space for applications.

Method 2: Transfer through a standard MIUI file manager

The easiest method is to use the built-in Explorer (or Files in newer versions of MIUI), which allows you to move files without additional applications, but has a limitation: you can not transfer entire folders, only individual files.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Files app (yellow folder icon).
2. Go to Images or DCIM → Camera.
3. Select the photo: long press on the file → mark the rest.
4. Press More (⋮) → Move it.
5. Choose. SD-map → DCIM → Camera (or create a new folder).
6. Confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Warning: If you see a file not moved error when you move, check if the photo is protected from recording. → «Details) and uncheck the box with "Reading only».

The transfer speed depends on the class of the card: on UHS-I (U3) 100 photos (5 MB each) are copied in ~ 2 minutes, on cheap cards of class 4 - up to 10 minutes.

Method 2: Transfer through the Gallery app

In MIUI, the gallery has a built-in function of exporting photos to a memory card, which is convenient if you only need to transfer individual albums or photos over a certain period.

How to move:

1. Open the Gallery and select an album (like Camera).
2. Click Edit (pencil in the upper right corner).
3. Select a photo and tap it again (⋮) → Export.
4. In the list of places of preservation, select SD-map and file.

Features of the method:

• 📌 Keeps it. EXIF-data (date, geotags, camera settings).
• 📌 Can be exported in original quality or compressed copies.
• 📌 Does not work with video format.MOV (only.MP4).

If the photos in the gallery are displayed with a gray background after export, it means that the originals are left in the internal memory, and only a preview on the map.

1. Go to the Gallery Settings → Show hidden files.
2. Delete the.thumbnails folder on SD-The map (it will be recreated automatically).

Method 3: Automatically transfer new photos to the map

So that new photos are saved immediately on SD-The map, you need to change the camera settings, but in the Redmi Note 8 Pro, this option is hidden in the deep menu and does not work in all versions. MIUI.

Instructions for MIUI 12-14:

1. Open the camera and swipe left to the section More.
2. Tap Settings (⚙) → Preservation site.
3. Choose. SD-card (if the option is inactive, see spoiler below).

Important: Even after the relocation, the old photos will remain in the internal memory, and they must be transferred manually (see methods 1-2).

5. Method 4: Transfer over PC (most reliable)

If your phone is bugged when you transfer or files disappear after copying, use a computer, which guarantees 100% data security and allows you to transfer large amounts (for example, 50 GB of photos at a time).

What you need:

• 🖥️ PC Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).
• 💾 Cartridge (if the phone does not see the card).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your phone to your PC in File Transfer (MTP) mode (swipe down → notification “USB for...”).
2. Open This Computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) – the phone will appear as a removable drive.
3. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera.
4. Copy the photo (Ctrl)+C) and insert them into the folder SD-map → DCIM → Camera on the phone.
5. Wait until the end (don’t remove the USB until the end!)

1. Reboot both devices.

2. Use another USB-port (preferably 3.0).

3. Install MIUI drivers for your model.

4. Enable Debugging by USB In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).-->

Critical error: If you copy files on the card as “damaged” (0 KB), it means that the card is fake or corrupted. Check it with H2testw (Windows) or F3 (macOS/Linux).

6. Method 5: Using third-party applications

If standard methods don't work (for example, due to custom firmware), use third-party file-ymi managers.The best options for the Redmi Note 8 Pro:

• 📁 Solid Explorer - Supports FTP, clouds and dual-panel mode.
• 📁 FX File Explorer – can archive files before transferring.
• 📁 Files by Google – Simple interface and garbage cleaning.

Example of transfer via Solid Explorer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Provide access to the memory and SD-map.
3. In the left panel, select Internal Memory. → DCIM, right-handed — SD-map → DCIM.
4. Select files and tap Move (arrow to right).

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (e.g, ES Explorers can create hidden.nomedia folders on SD-To regain visibility, delete these folders through any conductor with the hidden files enabled.

7. Solving problems after transfer

After moving the photo to the memory card, you may have problems. Here's how to fix them:

If the gallery is not updated after the transfer, do:

1. Clear the cache of the gallery: Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Reboot the phone.
3. If it doesn’t work, install an alternative gallery (like Google Photos or Simple Gallery).

💡

Before any memory card manipulation, back up your photos on your PC or in the cloud. Even the original Samsung/Sandisk cards can suddenly fail with frequent recordings/deletions.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions