Why Xiaomi can’t move apps to Xiaomi SD-map?
Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the problem of lack of internal memory, especially on budget models with 32-64 GB of storage. The logical solution is to transfer heavy applications to a microSD card, but here users are waiting for an unpleasant surprise: in modern versions of MIUI (starting with 12) the standard option of moving disappeared. Why did this happen?
It’s about Android’s limitations and Google’s policies: starting with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, porting apps to the Internet. SD-The map is only available for programs that explicitly support this feature in their code, and most developers (including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) ignore this feature because it can cause errors and slow down. Xiaomi went further – completely removed the button “Move to” SD" interface MIUI, even for compatible applications.
But that doesn't mean it's impossible. There are a few workarounds, from using hidden MIUI functions to manually transferring them through ADB or third-party utilities, and in this article, we'll look at all the current ways, their pros and cons, and explain why some applications can't be ported to a memory card.
Method 1: Built-in MIUI (for older versions)
If your smartphone is running MIUI 11 or older (e.g. Redmi Note 8, Mi 9T), there is a chance that the port option is still available.
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select the app you want (such as WhatsApp or Spotify).
- Slip on Warehouse.
- If there is a button, change or move to SD-map -- press it.
⚠️ Note: Even if the button is active, the application may be slower or error-prone after porting, due to the slow read/write speed of most microSD cards (class) A1 or A2 fails).
Memory card formatted as internal drive (not portable) |
Free space on SD ≥ 2× application size |
The app supports portability (check out Google Play) |
Smartphone does not overheat (transfer loads the processor)-->
Method 2: Formatting SD-card-based
If you don’t have a built-in option, you can try combining the memory card with internal storage, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with Android 6.0+, but has critical drawbacks:
- 🔄 The card cannot be removed without resetting the settings.
- ⚠️ All data will be deleted during formatting.
- 🐢 Application speed can drop by 2-3 times.
- 📱 Some features (such as Mi Share) may stop working.
Instructions:
- Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
- Go to Settings → Storage → Memory Map.
- Tap format as an internal drive (on some models - Expand memory).
- Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (may take 5-10 minutes).
- After the reboot, try migrating apps through Settings → Apps.
What if the “Format as internal” button is inactive?
Method 3: Transfer over ADB (for power users)
If previous methods fail, manual porting over ADB (Android Debug Bridge) is the only way to get MIUI to migrate an application to SD, even if it doesn't support this feature, but beware: the wrong commands can break the application or system!
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
- 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (original, undamaged).
- 🛠️ Utility. ADB Tools by Google.
- 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer's settings).
Step-by-step:
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and allow debugging over USB.
- Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows) and type: adb devices Make sure the device is identified (serial number should appear).
- Find out the batch name of the application (for example, for Telegram it is org.telegram.messenger). This can be done through the App Inspector utility or by the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name"
- Move the app to SD-Map by team: adb shell pm move-package org.telegram.messenger android Replace org.telegram.messenger with the desired package.
- Reboot your smartphone.
adb shell pm set-install-location 2This command forces the system to install all new applications on the SD by default (but does not guarantee the work for already installed).-->
⚠️ Attention: after transfer through ADB Some apps (e.g. Google Play Store, banking software) may stop updating or give an error, "App not installed:
adb shell pm move-package org.telegram.messenger internalMethod 4: Using third-party utilities (with system risk)
Google Play has apps that promise to transfer programs to the Internet SD-card with one click: AppMgr III, Link2SD, Move App to SD But most of them either don't work for MIUI, Or they need root rights.
Consider Link2SD, one of the few apps that can help without root access (but with limitations):
- Install Link2SD from Google Play.
- Open the application and give access to the storage.
- Select the application from the list and tap Move to SD-map.
- If the option is inactive, the application does not support the transfer.
| Annex | It works without root. | Demands ADB | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AppMgr III | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | Could break apps |
| Link2SD | ⚠️ Partially. | ❌ No. | Limited functionality |
| Move App to SD Card | ❌ No. | ❌ No. | It doesn't work for MIUI 12+ |
| FolderMount | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | Tough setup |
⚠️ Attention: Apps like AppMgr III Often use undocumented Android features, which can lead to a malfunction MIUI or even locking your Mi Account (if the system finds the activity suspicious), we do not recommend using it without a backup.
Built-in MIUI| function
Formatting SD as an internal |
Teams ADB|
side of the utility (Link2SD etc.)|
I haven't tried anything, just read.-->
Which applications cannot be transferred to SD-map?
Even if you use ADB or root, some applications are not portable to the memory card.
- 🔒 Data protection: banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff), encrypted messengers (Signal, WhatsApp with backup copies).
- 🎮 Performance: High Demand Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty).
- 🤖 System Restrictions: Google Play Store, Mi Services, Google Play Services.
- 📱 Functionality: applications with widgets (Weather, Calendar), background services (Health Mi Fit).
If you try to move this application, you will get one of the mistakes:
- INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_INSTALL_LOCATION — application blocked for transfer.
- Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_CONTAINER_ERROR] — partitioning SD-map.
- App not moved – a general failure (often due to lack of space or file system incompatibility).
💡
Transferring system applications (such as Mi Browser or Security) can cause a cyclical reboot of the smartphone. If this happens, reset the settings via Recovery Mode (press Power + Volume Up when you turn on).
What to do if the application does not work after the transfer?
If the application has been moved to SD-card, but it gives you errors ("Application stopped", "No Internet connection"), try the following steps:
- Clear the cache: Settings → Apps → [name] → Storage → Clear the cache.
- For ADB, use the adb shell pm move-package command internal.
- Reinstall the app: Remove it, then reinstall it from Google Play (the new version may support SD).
- Check Memory Card: Use the SD Card Tester utility (from Google Play) to diagnose read/write errors.
If the problem persists, the application is probably not designed to work with the SD-In this case, the only solution is to make room in the internal memory by deleting unnecessary files or transferring them to the computer. SD Media files (photos, videos, music) through Files → Categories.
💡
To avoid portability issues, back up your data before the procedure via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Mover utility, which will help restore the system if something goes wrong.