Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 8 smartphone often face a lack of built-in storage, especially if you use the basic version of the device with 32 or 64 gigabytes. Modern applications take up a lot of space, and high-resolution photos quickly fill the free space. That is why many users purchase microSD cards to expand the capabilities of the gadget. However, the question arises: how to properly manage files that are on an external medium and transfer them to internal memory for faster application operation or backup.
The MIUI data migration process is convenient, but it has its own nuances that are important to consider. Mistakes can lead to the loss of important documents or malfunction of installed programs. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of moving files using standard system tools and third-party utilities. You will learn how to work safely with the file system of your device.
Before you start taking action, you need to make sure that the memory card is correctly installed and determined by the system. Xiaomi Redmi 8 supports cards up to 256 GB, which is a great indicator for the budget segment. Let’s look at the preparatory stage and the main ways to transfer information.
Preparation of the device and verification of the memory card
The first step is to physically install the drive if it is not already inserted into the device.The tray in Redmi 8 is combined, so it's important not to confuse slots when installing. SIM-After the phone is turned on, the system must automatically recognize the new media and suggest configuring it.
Go to the settings and find the storage section, which shows the total amount of space occupied and the details by file type. If the card is not visible, try restarting your smartphone or checking the integrity of the contacts on the map itself. Correct display of volume is the main sign of serviceability.
⚠️ Note: Before starting any file operations, it is strongly recommended to back up important data on a cloud server or computer, which will protect you from accidental loss of information in the event of a system failure.
Make sure the card file system is Android compatible. It's usually FAT32 or exFAT. If the card was used in other devices, such as cameras or old phones, the system may suggest formatting it. Formatting will completely delete all data, so be careful.
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Use UHS-I or higher speed memory cards to record high-resolution video to avoid delays and jerks when shooting.
Use of a standard conductor for moving
The MIUI shell has a powerful file manager that allows you to perform most operations without installing additional software. To get started, open the Explorer app on the home screen or in the Tools folder. The interface is divided into categories and a file system.
Go to the tab that shows the folder structure, and here you'll see two major repositories: internal memory and SD-Navigation between them is done by simply switching at the top of the screen or through the side menu. Select the memory card as the source of the files.
- 📂 Find a folder with the necessary data, for example, DCIM/Camera photo.
- ✂️ Select the necessary files with a long press or select “All” in the control menu.
- 📋 Click on the “Copy” or “Move” button in the lower action menu.
- 📁 Go to internal memory and select the target folder to insert.
The difference between copying and moving is significant: when copying, the original stays on the map, taking up space, and a duplicate appears in the internal memory; moving removes the file from the original medium after successful completion of the operation; to free up space on the map, you better use the move function.
The speed of the process depends on the amount of data and the speed class of the card. When transferring a large number of small files, the operation can take several minutes, do not interrupt the process or turn off the screen to avoid damage to the file table.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
Default storage setting for camera and downloads
To avoid manual transfer in the future, you can set your smartphone to save new files to the memory card, especially for photos and videos that take up the most space. In Xiaomi Redmi 8, this feature is available in the camera settings.
Open the Camera app and click on the menu icon in the top right corner. In the settings list, find Save to SD-Now all new images will be automatically sent to an external drive, bypassing internal memory.
| Type of data | Can be saved on SD | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Photos | Yes. | Enable in camera settings |
| Video 4K/HD | Yes. | A U3 class card is required |
| Downloads from the browser | Yes. | Configuring in the browser |
| Annexes | Partially. | Depends on the Android version |
A similar setting is in the Chrome browser or standard browser MIUI. When you enter the download settings, specify the saving path to SD-This allows you to download large files, movies or documents without using precious gigabytes of the system partition.
However, it is worth remembering that some system applications can ignore these settings and continue to store the cache in internal memory.
Transfer applications to memory card
The issue of installing applications on a memory card in Android is solved differently depending on the version of the operating system. On Xiaomi Redmi 8, running Android 9 or 10 with a MIUI shell, the possibility of full portability of applications is limited by Google's security policies.
The system allows you to move only a portion of the application data, if the developer has provided this option. To check this, go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Select the desired program and find the memory button. If the Change button is active, you can try to migrate the application.
⚠️ Warning: Moving system applications or mission-critical services can cause a smartphone to run unstable.Move only user-generated content such as games or media editors.
There's a way of formatting a card as internal memory, but it requires you to reset all the data from the phone and the card, and then the system encrypts the card and combines it with the internal storage, which makes the card unreadable on other devices without re-formatting.
Most users prefer to leave the system on the internal fast drive, and only map media files, which ensures maximum interface performance and speed of startup programs.
Why can't we move all the apps?
Working with Multimedia Files and Gallery
The bulk of data on a smartphone is usually photos and videos. The MIUI gallery allows you to easily sort content, but it is not always clear where the file is physically located. When transferring large volumes of media library, it is important to preserve the structure of folders.
If you are manually transferring photos, make sure they fall into standard directories like Pictures or DCIM. in which case they will automatically appear in the gallery tape. Files lying in arbitrary folders may not be visible in the standard viewer.
For video files, the situation is similar. Heavy videos are better stored on a map, but for editing or processing they will have to be temporarily returned to internal memory. SD-The card may be lower, which will lead to slowdown when playing high bitrate video.
- 🎞️ Video in resolution 1080p It is better to keep it on quick cards.
- 📸 RAW-The photos take up a lot of space, their transfer will speed up the work of the gallery.
- 🎵 Music files can be transferred without restrictions, creating a convenient structure.
Use the Favorites feature in the gallery to tag important images before mass transfer, which will help you not lose the really meaningful moments in the process of sorting files between storages.
Solving problems and errors during transfer
In the process, users may encounter an error called “Not enough memory” even if there is space, often because the operation requires a temporary buffer space to move the system, and free up at least 500 MB of internal memory before starting a large-scale copy.
Another common problem is file corruption after transfer, which may indicate poor memory card quality or the presence of broken sectors. Check the card with special utilities on your PC, such as H2testw, to rule out hardware malfunctions.
If the transfer process is stuck on one file, skip it and continue with the others. Often, these files are corrupted or blocked by another process. Once the operation is complete, try to delete the problem file separately.
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Use only quality memory cards from proven brands, as cheap counterparts often have understated real volume and low write speeds.
In some cases, cleaning the Explorer app cache or restarting the device in safe mode helps, eliminating the impact of third-party programs that can block access to the file system.