How to transfer applications to a memory card in Xiaomi Redmi: all the ways and nuances

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones sooner or later face a shortage of internal memory — especially if the device from the budget line with 32 or 64 GB of storage. MicroSD card seems to be the obvious solution, but here is the problem: MIUI limits the portability of applications to external media. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to free up space, including hidden settings, circumvention of restrictions and alternative solutions for different versions of firmware.

It’s important to understand that Android technically supports Adoptable Storage, but Xiaomi has disabled it in standard settings. However, there are legal and non-obvious ways to get what you want from manually transferring through menus to use. ADB-We tested each method on current models. 12/13, Redmi 10C/11 Prime) and collected checklists to avoid errors.

If you have already tried to migrate applications and received the message “Can not move to” SD-So, in 90% of cases, the problem is solved without root rights, you just need to know the right sequence of actions and the nuances of your version. MIUI (So, if it's upgraded to branch 14 or branch 15, let's start with the simplest method.

1. Standard transfer through MIUI settings

The most obvious way is to use the built-in portability feature in the app menu, which doesn't work for all programs, but allows you to quickly release 1-3 GB without any additional manipulation.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (like Facebook or Spotify).
3. Slip on Warehouse.
4. If the option is active, click “Change” and select SD-map.

⚠️ Limitations of method:

• 🔴 It works only for some applications (usually social networks, instant messengers, games with cache).
• 🔴 System applications (Google Play Services, MIUI Launcher cannot be moved.
• 🔴 Nana MIUI 14/15 This option may not be available even for compatible applications.

If the Change button is inactive or not, move on to the next method. Also note: after the transfer, the application may run slower - especially if your memory card is UHS-I or lower.

2. ADB Transfer: Bypassing MIUI Restrictions

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method allows you to force the transfer of applications for which the standard option is blocked.This does not require root rights, but will require a computer and 10 minutes of time. Works on all versions of MIUI, including the latest updates from 2026.

First, prepare the device:

Enable Developer Mode (7 taps on the MIUI version in Settings → About phone)

Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For Developers

Install Xiaomi USB Drivers on PC

Download ADB Tools (official package from Google)-->

Next, connect your phone to your PC and execute commands in the terminal (cmd or PowerShell):

adb devices


adb shell pm set-install-location 2




adb shell pm move-package com.example.app /storage/XXXX-XXXX

Where:

• com.example.app is the batch name of the application (you can find out through the App Inspector or the Google Play website).
• /storage/XXXX-XXXX — path SD-map (check with the command adb shell ls) /storage).

⚠️ Note: After the set-install-location 2 command, all new applications will be installed by default on the memory card:

adb shell pm set-install-location 0

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If the move-package command is giving an error, try first to delete the app updates through Settings. → Annexes → ⋮ → Remove updates, then repeat the transfer.

3. Formatting the card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage)

This method converts microSD into a part of internal storage, allowing you to install apps directly on it. It only works on Android 6-9 (on MIUI 10-12), because in new versions Xiaomi has completely removed the feature. If you have Redmi based on Android 10+, skip this section.

Instructions for supported devices:

1. Insert a memory card (preferably class A1/A2 or UHS-I U3).
2. When the notice “New” appears SD-map" tap "Configure the».
3. Select “Inner Memory” (not “Portable Storage”!).
4. Confirm the formatting (the data will be deleted!).
5. Once completed, restart the phone.

⚠️ Critical nuances:

• 🔴 The card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices.
• 🔴 When you remove the map, the applications will stop working.
• 🔴 Speed depends on the class of the card: for Redmi Note 10 Pro and newer recommended UHS-II.

4. Transfer of cache and application data

Even if the app itself cannot be moved, it can often be freed up by moving its cache and user data (such as uploaded maps to Google Maps or media files to Telegram), a method that works for 80% of applications and requires no special knowledge.

How to transfer the cache:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as YouTube).
3. Go to Warehouse → Clear the cache (this will delete temporary files).
4. To transfer media files, use the application’s built-in settings (for example, in Spotify: Settings → Storage → Download folder).

Examples of applications with support for manual data transfer:

• 🎵 Spotify: Settings → Data data → Download folder → choose SD-map.
• 🗺️ Google Maps: Settings → Offline maps → Storage settings.
• 📷 Gallery: Settings → default folder → map.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as WhatsApp) do not allow you to migrate your message base to the Internet. SD-In this case, only backup to the cloud or on the PC will help.

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Cache and media transfers are the safest way to free up memory without the risk of crashes, but are not suitable for system data (such as MIUI updates).

5. Alternative solutions: cloud, cleanup, root

If none of these methods work, consider alternatives:

A. Cloud storage

• 🌥️ Google Photos: Automatically uploads photos/videos to the cloud and removes local copies.
• 🌥️ Mi Cloud: 5GB free for backups (in Settings) → Xiaomi account).
• 🌥️ Telegram: Save files to your favorites instead of downloading to your device.

B. Deep cleaning of the system

Use the built-in MIUI tools:

1. Settings → About phone → Memory → Cleaning (removes garbage and duplicates).
2. Security → Scanning (finds unnecessary APKs and cache)
3. Remove unused applications through Settings → Apps → Permissions → Unused.

Root access (for advanced)

With root rights, you can:

• 🛠️ Use it. App2SD or Link2SD forced transfer.
• 🛠️ Edit the file /system/etc/permissions/platform.xml unlock.
• 🛠️ Install custom recovery (TWRP) and flash the modified firmware.

⚠️ Warning: Root voids warranty and can lead to a device blink if the fstab settings are mistaken. MIUI 14/15 Unlocking the bootloader requires account binding and waiting 7–15 days.

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you migrate apps, you're going to have a typical problem, and here's how to solve it:

If your app doesn’t even port through ADB, check for updates. Often developers add support for external memory in new versions (e.g. Netflix allowed porting from version 8.0).

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Before transferring the game, check its memory requirements. For example, Genshin Impact requires 8 GB on the device and does not work with memory cards of a class below A2.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions