How to transfer all photos to a memory card in Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi and POCO lines) often face a lack of internal memory due to the large number of photos and videos. Transferring media files to a microSD card is an easy solution, but many users make mistakes: lose files, encounter slow gallery operation or can not find transferred images. In this article, we will analyze all current methods of transfer (including hidden MIUI functions), explain why some methods work unstable, and show how to avoid typical problems.

It is important to understand: simple copying of the photo on SD-The card doesn't always solve the problem. For example, if you use Google Photos or Mi Gallery, apps may not see files on the external drive without additional settings. 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 latest-edition MIUI 14/15 — instructions are relevant 2026 year-end.

1.Preparation: Which Memory Card to Choose for Xiaomi

Not all microSDs work equally well with Xiaomi smartphones.The manufacturer recommends A1/A2 class cards with write speeds at least below UHS-I (U1).

• 📸 Class class A1/A2: Optimized for random access to small files (just a photo in the gallery), maps without this standard will slow down when viewing thumbnails.
• ⚡ Speed. U1/U3: U3 (from 30 MB/s is needed for video 4K, But I'm good for a photo. U1 (10 MB/s, however, POCO F5 And newer is better to take. U3 — otherwise RAW could be lags.
• 🔢 Volume: MIUI Supports cards up to 2 TB, but in practice, models up to 512 GB are more stable.+ They are often formatted in exFAT, which can cause problems with some applications.

Tip: Check compatibility on Xiaomi before buying – some models (such as the Redmi 10C) do not support cards larger than 256 GB despite the manufacturer’s claims. Also avoid cards with suspiciously low prices: fakes under SanDisk or Samsung EVO often have real speeds 5-10 times lower than claimed.

⚠️ Note: If you use a card from an old phone, be sure to format it directly in your Xiaomi smartphone via Settings → Warehouse → Map. SD → Format. Format on PC (especially in NTFS) will cause error in reading!

2. Method 1: Transfer through the standard MIUI gallery

The easiest method, but it doesn't work on all models, it's suitable for Xiaomi with a clean MIUI (no shells from operators).

1. Open the Gallery app (flower icon).
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → Select.
3. Tag the photos you want to move (or click Select All).
4. Slip on the icon Share (arrow up) → Move.
5. Select SD Card → specify folder (e.g. DCIM/Camera) → Move.

Challenges and solutions:

• 🚫 No option to move: it means yours. MIUI modified (e.g. global version for Russia). Use method 3 or 4.
• ⏳ Long process: when transferring 1000+ You can freeze a photo gallery. You can break the files into batches of 200 to 300 pieces.
• 🔄 Photos missing from gallery: check the display settings in the Gallery → Settings → Show the devices - turn on the map SD.

Battery charge > 50%|Free space on SD > 10% of the volume of the photo|Power saving mode is off|All background applications closed-->

Critical feature: When transferred through the gallery, MIUI creates a hidden.nomedia folder on the memory card if you choose a non-standard location, which will result in photos not being displayed in other galleries (e.g. Google Photos). To fix, delete the.nomedia file through the file manager.

Method 2: Use of a file manager (for experienced)

This method gives more control, but requires attention, and is suitable for transferring all photos at once, including hidden folders (such as screenshots or photos from messengers).

1. Open Files (App from Xiaomi with a blue folder).
2. Go to the internal memory → DCIM → Camera (or another folder with a photo).
3. Press your finger on any file → select all the photos you need.
4. Click More (three dots) → Move.
5. Select SD Card → Create a folder (e.g. Photos) → Move here.

Advantages of the method:

• 📁 You can transfer entire folders (for example, Screenshots or WhatsApp Images).
• ⚡ Faster than through the gallery (especially on the flagships with the UFS 3.1).
• 🔍 All files are visible, including those that the gallery does not show (e.g..thumb for thumbnails).

⚠️ Note: If you are moving the folder DCIM It's the whole thing, don't delete it from the internal memory. Some system applications (like the document scanner) create files there.

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Before transferring, create a folder on the memory card with the same name as on the internal memory (for example, DCIM/Camera). This will keep the structure and make it easier to find files in the future.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (most reliable)

Ideal if you want to move tens of gigabytes of photos without the risk of loss, you will need a USB-C cable (or adapter for older models) and a computer.

Steps:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC. In the window that appears on your phone, select File Transfer (not Charge).
2. On PC, open This Computer → Find a Xiaomi device.
3. Go to the Inner Memory → DCIM (or another photo folder).
4. Copy files to the PC desktop (temporarily).
5. Go back to the root of your smartphone → open SD Card → create a folder (like Photos).
6. Transfer files from the desktop to the SD-map.

Why this is better:

• 💻 Lossless: When copying via PC, the risk of file damage is minimal.
• 🔄 Integrity Check: You can compare folder sizes before and after the transfer.
• 📂 Flexibility: easy to organize files by year/event directly on PC.

Using USB|Bluetooth/Wi-Fi|Cloud services (Google Drive)|Memory card |Another way-->

5. Method 4: Automatically transfer new photos to SD

If you want all new photos to be automatically saved to a memory card, set this up in the camera settings:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Put it on the icon. ⚙️ (setting) → Preservation site.
3. Select the SD Card.
4. Create a folder (like Camera) or select an existing one.

Limitations of the method:

• 📷 It only works for new photos, old ones will have to be hand-transferred.
• 🔧 On some models (Redmi) 9A, POCO M3) This option may disappear after the update. MIUI.
• 🎥 Video 4K may not be retained SD due to card recording speed limits.

Method 5: Transfer over ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work (e.g., custom firmware), you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) which requires command line skills.

Instructions:

1. Turn on the Developer Mode on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (shap 7 times).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, install ADB drivers (download from the XDA Developers website).
4. Open the command line on your PC and type in: adb shell mv /sdcard/DCIM/Camera/* /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/Camera/ (substitute XXXX-XXXX real ID yours SD-The map can be recognized by the LS team /storage)

Warnings:

• 🛠️ Dangerous for beginners: one error in the team can delete files irrevocably.
• 🔒 Some of the rooting rights are required.
• 🔄 After the transfer, you may need to reboot the files to appear in the gallery.

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Use ADB only if other methods have failed. For the average user, the risks outweigh the benefits.

7.Typical mistakes and how to avoid them

Even with proper portability, users face challenges. Here are the most common:

⚠️ Warning: If photos open with artifacts or don't open at all after transfer, don't format the map! Try connecting it to your PC and checking for errors with the chkdsk (Windows) or Disk Utility (macOS.

8.Alternative solutions: cloud and memory optimization

If the transfer is SD-The card doesn’t solve the problem (e.g. you have Xiaomi without a memory card slot), consider alternatives:

• ☁️ Google Photos: Freely stores photos in "high quality" (compression up to 16 MP). → Backup.
• 📦 Mi Cloud: Xiaomi has its own cloud with 5 GB for free.
• 🗃️ Outside SSD: adapter USB-C → USB-A You can connect an external drive (for example, Samsung) T7). MIUI supportive OTG rootless.
• 🧹 Memory optimization: in Settings → Warehouse → Cleaning can remove duplicate photos and cache gallery.

Advice for owners POCO F4 GT And other flagships: if you often shoot videos in the 4K/60fps, Use externally SSD instead SD-Even class cards. A2 They don’t always manage the flow of data. 100+ MB/s.

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Before using cloud services, check your mobile traffic settings! Downloading 10 GB of photos over 4G can cost as a new subscription.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to Xiaomi