Why Video Takes Up All of Your Smartphone’s Memory and How to Fix It
Modern Xiaomi smartphones - from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra - shoot video in resolution up to 8K with a bitrate of up to 100 Mbit / s. Even a minute video in this capacity "weighs" up to 750 MB, and an hour of shooting - up to 45 GB. It is not surprising that internal memory is clogged in a matter of days, especially if you actively use the camera or save videos from messengers.
Moving video to a microSD card is the easiest solution, but Xiaomi owners are facing pitfalls from the lack of a card slot in some models to the limitations of the FAT32 file system (maximum file size is 4GB). In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to move video, including hidden MIUI settings, circumvention of restrictions and automation of the process.
Important: Not all methods are suitable for Xiaomi with a hybrid slot (for example, Redmi 9 or POCO X3 NFC), where the memory card replaces the second SIM. Before you start, check whether your model supports the simultaneous operation of two SIM + microSD – this information can be found in the characteristics on the official website or in the Settings menu → About phone → Features.
Method 1: Move through the standard MIUI file manager
The most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, is suitable for transferring already recorded videos - both made by the camera and downloaded from the Internet, the main advantage is that it does not require root rights or third-party applications.
Instructions:
- 📁 Open the Files app** (the folder icon on the desktop or in the app menu).
- 🔍 Go to the Category section → Video (or Device) → Internal storage → DCIM → Camera for camera rollers).
- ✅ Select the video by holding your finger on the file (a tick will appear). To select several files, tap on other videos.
- 📤 Press Move (Arrow Up icon) → choose SD-map → specify the folder (for example, DCIM/Camera or create a new one).
- ✔️ Confirm the transfer button Move here.
⚠️ Note: If the video does not appear in the gallery after transfer, restart the phone or update the media base manually. → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Clear the data (this will not delete files, but only update the index).
Free space on the memory card (at least 10% of the video volume)
Card format (exFAT for files >4 GB)
Lack of protection from writing on the card (lever on the adapter)
Connecting the card as internal storage (if necessary)
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The transfer speed depends on the class of the memory card:
- Class 10/UHS-I – up to 90MB/s (optimum for Full HD video).
- UHS-II/UHS-III – up to 300 MB/s (needed for 4K/8K).
- Class 4/6 – up to 10 MB/s (transfer will take 10 times longer).
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If the video is not being copied due to the “File is too big” error, format the card in exFAT. Connect it to your PC via a card reader, open “This Computer” → right-click on the card → “Format” → select the exFAT file system.
Method 2: Automatically save new videos to a memory card
To avoid manually transferring video after each shot, set the camera to record directly to the microSD. This method works on all Xiaomi memory card-enabled memory cards, but has limitations:
- 🚫 Not available for video in 8K (only in the internal memory).
- 🚫 It does not work in Pro Video or Long Exposure modes.
- 🚫 Can slow down on cheap cards (class below) UHS-I).
How to set up:
- Open the Camera app.
- Tap it on. ⚙️ Settings (cog in the upper right corner).
- Scroll to the Storage section → choose SD-map.
- Confirm your choice (the camera may need to restart).
⚠️ Note: If the camera makes an error "Can't save video" after changing the settings, check:
- 🔋 Battery charge (below 15%, the camera blocks the entry to the card).
- 📛 Card format (for 4K need exFAT or NTFS).
- 🛑 No broken sectors (scan the map through the PC utility chkdsk).
16-32 GB
64–128 GB
256GB and more
I don't use a memory card.-->
Method 3: Use a memory card as an internal storage device (Adoptable Storage)
Adoptable Storage (called Internal Memory in MIUI) allows you to combine the memory card with the internal drive, and then all the applications and videos will be stored on the microSD by default, and the system will perceive it as part of the phone. Importantly, once formatted, the card will not be retrieved without losing data, it will become "tied" to the phone.
How to turn on:
- Put the memory card in the smartphone.
- Go to Settings. → Warehouse.
- Tap it on. SD-map → ⋮ (three-point) → Storage settings.
- Select Internal Memory → Clean and Format.
- Wait until it is completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).
| Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|
| Automatically save video to the map | The card cannot be removed without resetting to factory settings |
| Increases the overall space for applications | Speed depends on the card class (a class below UHS-I will slow down the system). |
| Supports >4GB files (formatted in ext4) | If the card fails, the data can be lost without the possibility of recovery. |
⚠️ Note: Not all Xiaomi models support Adoptable Storage. For example, in the Redmi Note 10 Pro and later, this feature is disabled at the firmware level. → Open the settings. → Warehouse → If there is no "Inner Memory" option, the function is not available.
Method 4: Transfer video over a PC (for large files or batch processing)
If you want to move tens of gigabytes of video or files >4 GB, it's easier to use a computer, which can also help if your smartphone doesn't see the memory card or if it's not portable.
Step-by-step:
- Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable (preferably original).
- On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
- On PC, open This PC → find a Xiaomi device (usually as Redmi/POCO/Xiaomi).
- Go to the Internal Storage folder → DCIM → Camera (for video from the camera) or Movies/Downloads (downloadable).
- Copy the video to a memory card (it will appear as a separate drive, such as an SD Card (D:)).
To speed up the process:
- 🖥️ Use it. USB 3.0 (Blue ports) and high speed cable.
- 🔄 For batch transfer, use Total Commander or FastCopy (they copy faster than standard Windows Explorer).
- 📂 If the video is scattered across folders, use the search extension: enter in the search bar.mp4 OR.mov OR *.mkv.
What if the PC can’t see Xiaomi?
Method 5: Third-party applications for port automation
If the standard methods don't work, you can use specialized applications.
- 🤖 Automatically move videos older than N days.
- 📊 Sort files by folder (for example, Videos)/2026/June).
- 🔄 Sync files with the cloud (Google Drive, Mi Cloud).
Top.-3 tested applications:
| Annex | Features | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Files by Google | Autocleaning, sorting by file types, cloud synchronization | Google Play |
| FX File Explorer | Support for FTP/SMB, batch renaming, root access | Google Play |
| Solid Explorer | Two-panel mode, archiver, file encryption | Google Play |
Example of autotransfer settings in Files by Google:
- Open the app → go to the Cleanup.
- Tap to move to SD-map.
- Select Video → Install a filter (e.g., More than 100MB).
- Press Move and confirm.
⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as Mi Video or Google Photos) may not see video on a memory card if it is formatted in exFAT:
- Open the video via MX Player or VLC (they support all formats).
- Or transfer the video to the DCIM/Camera folder – it is scanned by the default gallery.
Frequent mistakes and how to fix them
When you transfer video to a memory card, Xiaomi users face typical problems, and let's look at the most common and ways to solve them.
Mistake 1: “Not enough space on the map” even though memory is free
Reason: The card is formatted in FAT32 and you are trying to transfer a file >4GB.
- Format the card in exFAT via PC (all data will be deleted!).
- Or break the video into pieces using FFmpeg or MKVToolNix.
Error 2: Video is moved, but not played
Causes and solutions:
- 🎵 No sound, but there's an image. → video recorded HEVC (H.265), It's not supported by some players. MX Player with codecs or convert to H.264 via HandBrake.
- 🖼️ Artifacts or ripped reproduction → The memory card is too slow. UHS-I/UHS-II.
- ❌ File damaged. → Copy the video back to your phone and check the integrity. If the error persists, restore the file via Recuva or EaseUS Data Recovery.
Error 3: Memory card is not detected
Diagnostic activities:
- Reboot the phone.
- Remove the card and check the contacts (wipe with alcohol if there is oxidation).
- Try the card in another device (for example, in a camera or PC through a card reader).
- If the map doesn't work anywhere, it's corrupted. You can try to recover it through PhotoRec.
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If the memory card is no longer defined after formatting in exFAT, return it to FAT32 via PC. Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 5/6/7) do not support exFAT at the kernel level.