How to transfer data to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones: the complete guide

Transferring data to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones is a challenge that most users face when there is a lack of internal storage. Even models with 128 GB of memory (Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO X5 Pro) quickly fill up with high-resolution photos, 4K video and heavy games. The microSD card becomes a salvation, but not everyone knows how to use it correctly.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer data to SD-map 2026 year: from standard functions MIUI 14/15 Up to the Hidden Possibilities of Android 13/14. You will learn how to migrate not only media files, but also applications (with limitations), as well as avoid typical errors that can cause the card to fail. 10C, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13 Lite and others.

Preparation of a memory card: selection and formatting

Xiaomi smartphones support microSD up to 2 TB (theoretically), but in practice the best choice is UHS-I Class 10 or A2 cards from proven brands: SanDisk Ultra, Samsung EVO Plus, Kingston Canvas Go!. Cheap unnamed cards often work slowly or fail when used intensively.

The important thing is formatting. You can format the map right on your phone or on your PC, but there are some nuances:

• 📱 Formatting in Xiaomi: Use the built-in utility in Settings → Memory. → Map. SD → Format as internal, which allows you to transfer applications to it (but the card will be tied to the device!).
• 💻 PC Formatting: Select the exFAT file system for maps >64 GB or FAT32 For smaller maps, use official tools: SD Card Formatter from SD Association.
• ⚠️ Do not use formatting in "fast" mode - this can lead to reading errors in the future.

⚠️ Note: If you format a card as internal memory in Xiaomi, it cannot be retrieved and used in another device without being completely cleaned!

2. Transfer files through the built-in file manager

The easiest way to transfer photos, videos and documents is to use the standard Files by Google or the proprietary MI File Manager. The instructions are relevant for all Xiaomi smartphones on MIUI 12-15:

1. Open the Files app (folder icon).
2. Go to the Internal Memory section and select a folder (e.g. DCIM for photos or Download for downloads).
3. Press and hold the file(s) to highlight, then tap More → Move.
4. In the top panel, select the SD Card and specify the target folder (or create a new one).
5. Confirm the transfer with the Move button.

To speed up the process, you can use the packet mode:

Select all files in the folder (long press → tick at the top)

Use the filter by type (photos/video/documents)

Sort by date or size to select the largest files

Do not interrupt the process – wait for the notification of the end-->

The transfer speed depends on the class of the card: on the UHS-I A2 (for example, SanDisk Extreme), 10 GB of photos are copied in ~ 5-7 minutes, and on the cheap Class 4 - up to 30 minutes.

3. Transfer of applications to a memory card (with restrictions)

Unlike files, transfer applications to SD-Xiaomi has strict restrictions, starting with Android 9 (and MIUI 10+) Google bans full transfer of full transfer APK-However, some of the applications' data (cache, media) can be moved to external media for security reasons:

To transfer some of the application data in a standard way:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (such as WhatsApp or Spotify).
3. Slip Storage → Change → SD card (the option is not active for all applications!).
4. Confirm the transfer. Some applications (e.g. Google Maps) may require a reboot.

⚠️ Attention: Transfer of applications to SD-lower-class A1 For games (Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) use only cards. A2!

4. Automatic transfer of photos and videos from the camera

If you take a lot of photos, you can set up automatic saving of pictures on the memory card. This is true for models with powerful cameras: Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ (200 MP), POCO F5 Pro.

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Tap on. ⚙️ Settings → Warehouse.
3. Select SD Card in Save Photos and Save Videos.
4. For dual-camera models (such as the Redmi Note 11S), check whether you need to save pictures from the main and wide-angle module to the map.

Important nuances:

• 📸 When filming in RAW (dng files take up to 50MB each – the card must be fast (UHS-I U3).
• 🎥 Video in the video 4K@60fps requires a card to write at least a speed below 90 MB/s (For example, SanDisk Extreme Pro).
• ⚡ If the battery is under 15%, the camera can automatically save files to internal memory.

💡

Before an important photo shoot, format the map right in your phone through Settings → Memory → SD Map → Format. This will remove possible file system errors and speed up writing.

5. Data transfer via PC (for large volumes)

If you need to move tens of gigabytes (for example, a backup or movie collection), it is more convenient to use a computer, this is especially true for owners of Xiaomi Pad 6 or smartphones with USB-C 3.1 (POCO F4 GT, Black Shark 5), where the transfer speed reaches 10 Gbps.

Step-by-step instructions for Windows/macOS:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC via the original cable (cheap cables limit speeds to USB 2.0).
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. On PC, open Explorer (Win) or Android File Transfer (macOS).
4. Copy files from Internal Storage folders to SD Card. Use archiving (e.g..zip for packet transfer) to speed up.

The transmission speed depends on:

• 🔌 porta USB: USB 3.0 (blue connector) 10 times faster USB 2.0.
• 💾 Like a card: UHS-II (before 312 MB/s) vs UHS-I (before 104 MB/s).
• 🖥️ PC hard drive: SSD NVMe is copying data faster than it is HDD.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through USB-C → USB-A The speed of the adapter is limited to the slowest link. UHS-II, But the adapter only supports USB 2.0, maximum speed ~40 MB/s.

6.Use of third-party applications for portability

If the standard methods don't work, you can use specialized utilities, which offer additional features: task scheduler, data compression, cloud synchronization, the best options for Xiaomi:

Example of transfer via Solid Explorer:

1. Install the application and give access to the storage.
2. Enable the two-panel mode (button in the top menu).
3. In the left panel, select Internal Memory, in the right panel - SD Card.
4. Drag files between panels or use the Copy/Move button.
5. For larger files (>4 GB), activate the option to Use the clipboard to accelerate.

💡

Partition file managers (such as Solid Explorer) allow you to transfer files on a schedule. Set up an automatic task to move screenshots (/Pictures/Screenshots) to the memory card every evening when the phone charges.

7. Solving problems in data transfer

When working with memory cards in Xiaomi, users often encounter errors, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If the card is no longer defined after being retrieved during the data transfer, try the following:

1. Put the card back in your phone and wait for error checks (can take up to 10 minutes).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and run the command in Command Prompt (Windows): chkdsk E: /f (replace E: with the letter of your card).
3. If the card is not recoverable, use the SD Card Formatter utility for low-level formatting.

⚠️ Note: If after formatting the card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage) the phone began to brake, return the settings to factory via Settings → The phone. → Reset. The map will have to be formatted again!

FAQ: Frequent questions about data portability to Xiaomi