Modern Xiaomi smartphones running on the shell of MIUI 12 offer users impressive functionality, but internal memory is often lacking. This is especially true for budget models, where storage is limited and system files occupy a significant part of the space. When the notification of a shortage of space appears at the most inopportune time, the only sensible solution is to use an external drive.
Transfer of information to SD-The card is not just a release of gigabytes, but also a way to speed up the device, as a crowded system partition slows down the cache writing. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of working with flash memory in the Xiaomi ecosystem, consider the standard methods and hidden capabilities of the Android operating system.
Note that the memory algorithms in MIUI 12 have their own features that differ from stock Android. Some system applications by default store data in internal storage, ignoring the connected card, which requires manual adjustment or the use of special tools.
Preparation of the drive for work in the MIUI system
Before you start transferring files, you need to properly prepare the memory card itself. Poor or old drives can cause data loss or unstable smartphone operation. It is recommended to use cards of class 10 or UHS-I speed to avoid delays when reading heavy files.
After the SIM card is physically installed in the slot, MIUI 12 will automatically detect the new device. A notification will appear on the screen suggesting that you configure the drive. If this does not happen, you should go to the settings menu. To do this, open Settings → About Phone → Storage or use the file manager.
⚠️ Note: Formatting a memory card will completely delete all the data on it. Be sure to back up important files on your computer before starting the procedure.
The system will offer two uses: as a portable storage device or as part of internal memory, one that allows you to easily retrieve the card and transfer it between devices, the other that integrates it into the system, encrypting the data and making it inaccessible on other gadgets without re-formatting.
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Use memory cards up to the size 256 GB for maximum compatibility, though. MIUI 12 Supporting the 512 GB, large volumes can work non-stable--WIDGET:tip
Transfer of photos, videos and documents
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to transfer multimedia files. The camera in Xiaomi smartphones by default can save pictures immediately to an external medium, if such an option is activated. To do this, open the camera app, click on three bars in the corner and select the settings where you need to activate the "Save on" item. SD-map».
For existing photos and videos, it is most convenient to use the built-in file manager. MIUI. Open the Explorer app, go to Images or Video, select the files you want with a long press, and select Move. SD-map.
- 📸 Move the folders. DCIM Pictures as a whole to keep the album structure intact.
- 📄 Documents are better grouped by type into separate folders on an external medium for quick search.
- 🎵 Audio files and downloads from instant messengers take up the most space – they should be cleaned first of all.
It is important to understand the difference between copying and moving. When copying, files are duplicated, taking up space in both storages, which temporarily requires even more free memory. Operation Move physically changes the path to the file, freeing up the internal drive immediately after the process is completed.
Installation and transfer of applications to SD-map
Unlike the older versions of Android, the MIUI 12 no regular "Move to" button SD-It's a map for every application in the standard menu, and it's done by the developers to ensure that the system is stable, because external drives are slower than internal memory.
To port applications, activation of the developer mode and the use of debugging are often required. USB. This forces the system to consider the external card as the main storage for new applications. → The phone. → 7 times press "Version" MIUI».
☑️ Preparation for the portability of applications
After activating additional features, the "Developers" menu may have a "Default to save applications on external media" option, which allows the system to install all new programs on the map, but does not transfer the already installed ones.
⚠️ Warning: When transferring heavy games and social media to a slow memory card, you may experience increased download times and periodic interface freezes.
Use of Adoptable Storage Mode
The most radical but effective method is to use the Adoptable Storage feature, which is a technology that is embedded in Android 6.0 and higher, allowing the system to consider the use of the Adoptable Storage feature. SD-the card as an integral part of the internal storage. MIUI 12 This function is often hidden, but it can be activated via a computer and command line. ADB.
To implement this method, you will need a PC, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. Once you've connected your smartphone to debugging, you're running a formatting command through the terminal, and this action irrevocably changes the file system of the card, making it unreadable on regular computers without special permissions.
adb shell sm partition public:192,1 mixedThis command breaks up the card’s memory, leaving a small portion open to files and giving the bulk to the system, ideal for devices with very little internal storage, such as 16 or 32 GB.
Risks of using Adoptable Storage
Multimedia and download settings
In addition to system settings, it is important to reconfigure the ways of saving in the applications themselves. Browsers, messengers and navigators often have their own storage settings. For example, in Google Chrome or Yandex.Browser, you can specify a folder for downloads on an external medium in the “Downloads” section.
Messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp also allow you to change the way you save media files. Telegram does this through Settings → Data and Memory → The path to files. This is critical, because the cache of these applications can grow to tens of gigabytes, quietly filling the internal memory.
| Type of data | Recommended action | Impact on speed |
|---|---|---|
| Photos and videos | Automatic Save on SD | Minimum |
| Music and books | Manual folder movement | Absent. |
| Navigator cache | Set-up in the annex | Average (depending on the map) |
| System applications | Don't move (risky) | High (possible lags) |
Regularly checking the storage pathways will help avoid a situation where internal memory is again crowded, and some applications may ignore the settings and continue to write to internal memory, so periodically checking the space.
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Automating the save paths in each application is key to order. Don't rely on system settings alone, check each application separately.
Possible problems and solutions
Xiaomi users with MIUI 12 may encounter a number of specific problems when working with external drives «SD-The card is corrupted" or the sudden disappearance of files.This can be due to the file system: Android prefers exFAT or "FAT" FAT32, while the maps are formatted in NTFS, They can not be read without third-party software.
Another common problem is the slow operation of the interface after transferring applications, which indicates a slow rate of writing random blocks on your memory card, in which case it is recommended to return system applications to internal memory, leaving only media files on the map.
- 🔄 If the card is not determined, try restarting the smartphone with the installed drive.
- 🛠 Use the app. SD Maid or analogues for analyzing the state of the file system.
- 💾 If you have frequent read errors, replace the memory card, as the write cycles may be exhausted.
Sometimes the system may require re-authorization or card verification every time the phone is turned on.This is normal behavior for secure partitions, but if this happens with regular files, the file table may have been broken.