Owners of the budget but popular Redmi series smartphones often face a lack of internal storage, especially in the Redmi 9A model, which initially has a modest amount of memory. MIUI operating system over time becomes overgrown with cache, updates and junk files, which leads to a significant slowdown of the device and the inability to install new applications.
The data porting process isn’t always intuitive, as Xiaomi has hidden some of the standard Android features in the latest versions of the shell to optimize performance. However, using the built-in file manager tools and system settings, you can effectively distribute the load between the internal storage and the external media. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the available methods, from simple photo movement to complex permission manipulation.
Before you start taking action, you need to make sure your memory card is in good working order and formatted in a compatible file system. exFAT or FAT32 is the standard for mobile devices and provides the best compatibility. Ignoring the preparation stage can lead to data loss or read errors, so take the initial settings with special attention.
Preparation of a memory card and installation in a slot
The first step is to physically install the drive and set it up in an Android environment. 9A a combined slot, which means that you can install either two SIM-card SIM-You have to choose which is more important: a second SIM card or a memory extension.
Once the card is physically installed, the system will automatically suggest setting it up. MIUI usually offers two uses: as a portable storage or as an internal memory. For most users who just want to store photos and music, the former is suitable, as it makes it easy to retrieve the card and connect it to a computer without losing data.
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Use UHS-I or higher memory cards to avoid delays when recording videos and running heavy applications from external media.
If the system doesn't offer formatting automatically, you have to manually do it through settings, which is a critical step, because without formatting properly, the phone won't be able to write data to a new medium, which takes only a few seconds, but ensures future stability.
- 📱 Insert the card in the tray and wait for the system notifications.
- ⚙️ Go to the storage settings to select the type of use.
- 💾 Confirm formatting by saving important files.
- 🔒 Make sure the card is displayed in the file manager.
Transfer of photos and videos through the Explorer
The easiest and safest way to free up space is to move media files that take up the lion's share of memory. The MIUI Explorer app built-in has enough functionality to mass-process files. You don't have to connect your phone to your computer, all operations are done directly on the device.
To start, open the standard Files app and go to the Internal Shared Drive folder, where you are interested in the DCIM directories (where photos and videos from the camera are stored) and Pictures (screenshots and images from messengers), highlighting large numbers of files better through the “Select All” function or by long pressing followed by selecting range.
⚠️ Note: When moving large amounts of data (over 10 GB), do not turn off the phone screen or switch between apps to avoid interrupting the copying process, which can lead to file corruption.
After selecting the files, click on the "Move" or "Copy" button in the bottom menu. The system will prompt you to select destination. SD-map (usually indicated as SD Card or card manufacturer name, and create a new folder or select an existing one. The process of moving takes time depending on the speed of writing the card.
☑️ Check before transferring the photo
Importantly, after transferring files, the gallery can index new image locations for a while. Android Media Service will scan the map and update the database so that your photos are displayed again in shared feed. If you moved files manually, the old thumbnails can stay until the system clears the cache.
Configure saving photos and videos on the map
To avoid wasting time on manual transfers in the future, it is advisable to set up automatic saving of new images immediately to the external drive. The camera in Redmi 9A has a built-in option for this, but it is not active by default.
Open the Camera app, click on the three bars in the top right corner, and select Settings. Scroll down to the storage section and it will have the option "Save on" SD-Activate the switch, and all new photos and videos will be recorded directly to the external media.
| Parameter | Internal memory. | SD card | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recording speed | High (UFS) | Depends on the class of the card. | It affects the speed of serial shooting |
| Volume | Restricted (32/64GB) | Up to 512GB | Determines the number of photos |
| Security | Tall. | Average (loss risk) | Risk of data corruption |
| Productivity | Maximum | Medium | Affects the opening of the gallery |
Keep in mind that writing high-resolution video (e.g. 1080p or 4K if supported) to a slow memory card can cause recording to stop or artifacts to appear. If you notice such problems, return the save setting to internal memory or use a high-speed card.
Why can't the camera see the map?
Application transfer and memory work
The situation with the transfer of installed applications to Android 10 and higher, which runs Redmi 9A, is complicated by Google's security policies, many application developers prohibit installation of their products on external drives to ensure stability and data protection, but some programs still support this feature.
You can check the portability of a particular application through the settings menu. → Annexes → All applications, select the desired program and find the item "Memory". If the button "Change" or "Move to" SD-The map is active, you're lucky. If the button is gray or not, you can't move the app by system methods.
There is an alternative method that doesn't work for all applications, but it frees up space, which is to transfer cache and app data. In the same memory menu, you can try clicking "Clear" (caution, this will reset the app settings) or, if available, moving some of the data. However, a more effective way for heavy gaming and social media is to use the "Second Space" function or regularly clear the cache.
- 📂 System applications cannot be transferred.
- 🔒 Banks often block their work SD.
- ⚡ Portable applications may be slower.
- 🔄 When you delete the application, the data on the map may remain.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to use third-party software to “force” transfer system applications without root rights. This can lead to a cyclical restart of the phone (bootloop) and the need to flash flash the system.
For users who are critically important to run heavy games from a memory card, there is an option in the Developer Menu. By activating the Developer Mode (click seven times on the build number in About Phone), find the item "Preferred Installation Location." Setting the value "External Drive" can change the behavior of the system when installing new programs.
Using the card as internal memory
In some versions of the firmware MIUI for Redmi 9A The function "Memory Extension" is available, which allows you to format SD-It's a backup, it's a backup, it's a backup, it's an integral part of the system, and it's encrypted, and it's not readable on other devices without formatting it again.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → About Phone → Storage. If the option is available, you will see the item “Use as internal storage.” The system will warn you that all data on the card will be deleted. This method is ideal if you plan to use the card constantly and do not change devices often.
The main advantage of this approach is that it can automatically distribute files, and it can decide where to store the data of the applications and where to store your files, but there is a significant disadvantage: when a memory card or phone fails, data recovery will be extremely difficult, since the encryption keys are tied to a particular device.
If you decide to return the card to normal mode, you will have to format it again, which will lead to the loss of all stored data. So before switching the modes of operation of the drive, be sure to make a full backup to your computer or to the cloud storage.
Waste cleaning and storage maintenance
Even after transferring data to a memory card, Redmi 9A’s internal storage can fill up with system debris.The MIUI shell has a built-in optimizer, but for deep cleaning, it’s better to use specialized tools or a manual method through a file manager.
Notice the folders of messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp. They often save the received files to internal memory, even if the media files are set to save to the card. Android/media/com.whatsapp and Android/data/org.telegram.messenger. Moving the content of the Video and Image folders from these directories to SD-The card can free up a few gigabytes.
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Regularly cleaning up Download folders and messenger cache frees up more space than removing rarely used applications.
It's also worth checking the folder. MIUI → debug_log. In some cases, the system starts to keep detailed error logs that can grow to giant sizes. If you're not a developer and you're not debugging the system, the contents of this folder can be safely deleted.
To keep the file system healthy, it is recommended to connect your phone to your computer every few months and check the disk for errors with Windows or use Android utilities to help identify broken sectors before they lead to the loss of important photos.