How to transfer applications to a memory card in Xiaomi: 3 proven ways

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the problem of lack of internal memory, especially if the device is equipped with a modest 32 or 64 GB. The solution seems obvious – to transfer applications to a microSD card, but in modern versions of MIUI this feature is either hidden or works with limitations. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to free up space on the phone, including official settings, workarounds and alternative solutions for different models of Redmi, POCO and Mi.

It is important to understand: starting with Android 6.0 (and the corresponding versions MIUI 8+), Google has limited the possibility of full transfer of applications to the Internet SD-But Xiaomi has loopholes ranging from built-in tools to manually mounting a partition through the ADB. We tested all the methods on the devices with MIUI 14/15 They are the ones that really work in 2026 year.

Why Xiaomi restricts the portability of applications to SD-card?

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones inherit Android’s external drive policy, with the main reasons for the restrictions:

• 🔒 Security: Annexes to SD-The card is easier to modify, which increases the risk of infection with viruses.
• ⚡ Performance: Memory cards in the class below A1/A2 slow down applications.
• 📱 Fragmentation: MIUI Optimized for internal memory UFS/eMMC, Not for slow microSDs.
• 📦 License Restrictions: Some apps (e.g. Netflix, banking services) block work from external media.

However, for most user applications (social networks, instant messengers, games), the transfer is possible – you just need to know the right settings. In the following sections, we will show how to do this without and with root rights.

Method 1: Official transfer via MIUI settings (no root)

The easiest way is to use the built-in function. MIUI, But it doesn't work on all models. It supports Android devices. 8.0–12.0 (including the Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4, Mi 10/11). On newer firmware (MIUI 14+) This paragraph may not be available.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want to transfer (such as Telegram or VK).
3. Put it on the storage (or memory) item.
4. If the option is available, click Change → Memory Map → Move.
5. Wait until the process is completed (it can take up to 5 minutes).

⚠️ Note: After porting, some applications may run slower or give errors when updating, and widgets will stop appearing on the home screen until the application is returned to internal memory.

Make sure that the memory card is formatted as internal storage|Make a backup copy of important data|Check the class of the card (recommended) A2)|Close all background applications-->

Method 2: Formatting SD-maps as internal memory

If you don’t have port options in the settings, you can combine the memory card with internal storage.This method is suitable for Android 6.0-9.0 devices (for example, Redmi 5/6/7, Mi A1/A2). On new smartphones (MIUI 13+), the function can be blocked.

How it works: The system formats the microSD into an encrypted Adoptable Storage partition, which becomes part of the main memory.

• 🔐 The map cannot be retrieved without data loss.
• 📉 The speed depends on the class of the card (minimum required). A1).
• 🔄 After the map is removed, the applications will stop working.

Instructions:

1. Insert the memory card into the slot (up to 2 TB is supported, but optimally 128-512 GB).
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Map.
3. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner → Storage settings.
4. Select Internal Memory → Clean and Format.
5. Confirm the action. Once formatted, the map will become part of the system.

⚠️ Note: Once formatted as internal memory, the card cannot be used in other devices without being completely cleaned, and some system updates may reset settings and return the card to its original state.

Method 3: Transfer over ADB (for power users)

If the first two methods fail, manual travel through the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is a method that requires a computer connection, but works on most Xiaomi devices, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO F5 and Mi 13.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock the developer's settings).
• 🔌 USB-TypeC Cable (Original or Quality).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (Download from the official Android website).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging (a request will appear on the smartphone screen).
2. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and go to the folder with ADB:

cd C:\platform-tools

1. Check the connection of the device:

adb devices

(Your Xiaomi serial number should be displayed.)

1. Enter the port command (replace com.example.app with your app’s batch name, such as com.whatsapp):

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

adb shell pm move-package com.example.app

🔹 Transcription of teams:

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (such as Mi Home or Security) cannot be moved - the team will return the Failure error. [NOT_MOVED: -1]. Also, after restarting the phone, some applications can automatically return to internal memory.

💡

To find out the batch name of the application, install App Inspector from Google Play or use the command adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name"

Alternative ways to free up memory without transferring

If the application portability is not possible or feasible, consider these options:

• 🧹 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Memory. → Clear the cache. That'll free up to a few gigabytes.
• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Move your photos/video to Google Photos or Mi Cloud (gives 5GB for free).
• 📁 Media Portability: Use Google Files or Mi File Manager to manually move your photos/music to your site. SD-map.
• 🔄 Lite versions of applications: Install lightweight versions (Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite), which take up 2-3 times less space.
• 🗑️ Removing duplicates: Apps like Files by Google or CCleaner will find unnecessary copies of files.

💡 Council: B MIUI There's a hidden Deep Clean feature that deletes the residual files of remote applications to activate it:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Slip 5 times on the MIUI version.
3. Return to Settings → Further → Deep Cleaning.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When transferring applications to SD-Xiaomi users often face typical problems. Let's analyze the most common problems:

🔧 Technical nuance: On devices with MIUI 14/15 Android 13/14 porting applications through settings is often blocked due to Scoped Storage policy — ADB or formatting the card as internal memory (if supported).

💡

If your Xiaomi is released after 2022, most likely the official portability of applications to the SD-The card is locked. Use alternative methods (ADB, cache cleaning, cloud storage).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions