Owners of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 7 often face a critical shortage of free space, as the basic version of the device offers only 32 GB of internal memory. After installing all the necessary social networks, messengers and navigators, free space ends, which leads to a slowdown in the system and the inability to take new pictures. MIUI operating system has its own features of file management, so simply copying through a computer does not always solve the problem with overflow of the system partition.
Fortunately, engineers have provided the ability to expand storage with a microSD card. Proper use of external drive allows not only to save personal archives, but also partially relieve the system partition, transferring heavy media files. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to properly prepare the media, move data of various types and avoid typical errors when working with the Android file system.
It should be noted right away that porting some system applications may be limited by Google’s security policies and the MIUI shell itself.However, there are proven methods to bypass these restrictions that allow you to maximize the potential of your device. Properly configuring the default save path will be the key to comfortable smartphone operation without constant notifications of space shortages.
Preparation of memory card and compatibility check
The first step before any manipulation is to physically install and initially set up the drive. Xiaomi Redmi 7 supports cards up to 256 GB, however, for stable operation, it is recommended to choose models with a speed class at least Class 10 or UHS-I. Slow cards can cause delays when starting applications or playing high-resolution video.
Once the card is installed in the tray along with the Sim card, the system will automatically prompt the new media to be formatted. This process is mandatory, since the file system must be adapted to Android standards. During formatting, all data on the flash drive will be deleted, so take care of backing up important documents in advance if the card has already been used before.
- 🔍 Make sure the card is inserted before clicking and is determined in the Settings section. → The phone. → Warehouse.
- ⚡ Choose cards from trusted brands like Sandisk or Samsung to avoid data loss.
- 📱 Check the recording speed by running the test through the app SD Card Benchmark from Play Market.
⚠️ Note: If the system does not see the memory card, try to remove and wipe the contacts with a pin, as well as check the integrity of the plastic case for chips.
Configure the save path for the camera and voice recorder
The easiest way to free up internal space is to change the default settings for applications that create bulky files. The standard Camera app in the MIUI shell allows you to manually specify the target folder for new images and videos, which is especially true for those who like to shoot high-resolution video that quickly eats gigabytes.
The same is true for the recorder and the document scanner, which by default store data in internal memory, but their settings often hide the switch to an external drive. Once this option is activated, all new records will be automatically sent to the server. SD-map, bypassing the system partition.
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When shooting 4K or FullHD 60fps video, use only high-speed memory cards, otherwise recording may be interrupted due to lack of buffering speed.
Some third-party photo processing apps, such as Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile, also have their own save path settings, and it is recommended to check each graphics editor installed to prevent duplicate files in internal memory.
Transferring photos, videos and music through a conductor
To move the already accumulated archive of media files, the most convenient way to use the built-in Explorer application from Xiaomi, which has a clear interface and allows you to perform mass operations with files, you first need to go to the Internal Memory section and find the DCIM, Pictures and Download folders.
Once you have selected the files you want with a long tap, select the Move function in the bottom menu, and it is important to move them, not copy them, so as not to waste precious space twice, and once you select the target directory on the external map, the process will take some time, depending on the amount of data.
| Type of data | Standard folder. | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Photo from the camera | /DCIM/Camera | Move it completely |
| Screenshots | /Pictures/Screenshots | Move or remove |
| Downloads from the browser | /Download | Sorting and transfer |
| WhatsApp files | /Android/media | Cleaning through the app |
☑️ Pre-transfer check
Installation of applications on a memory card
The issue of installing apps on external storage in Android is ambiguous. Since version 6.0, the “Adoptable Storage” feature has been introduced, which allows you to combine internal memory and flash drive into a single space. However, Xiaomi often hides this option in the standard settings menu Redmi 7.
To activate the option of porting applications (FORCE Allow Apps on External), the user may need to activate the developer menu. To do this, you need to click several times on the build number in the About section. Once the Developer menu appears, you should find the option “Record to an external drive” or similar and activate it.
⚠️ Note: Transferring Google system applications and services to a memory card can lead to unstable smartphone operation and errors in the alarm clock or notifications.
Even after activation, not all programs will agree to move, critical components must remain on a fast internal drive, move only heavy games or rarely used utilities, so as not to reduce the overall performance of the MIUI interface.
Why can't some apps be moved?
Using a memory card as an internal storage
There's a more radical method that turns a simple flash drive into a full-fledged extension of the system partition, a process called internal storage formatting, and then the card is encrypted and tied to a particular device, becoming unreadable on other gadgets without re-formatting.
This method allows you to map almost any application that the system has previously refused to move there. SD-cards are significantly inferior to the built-in memory of the phone, which can lead to an increase in the loading time of programs and the appearance of micro-freezes in the interface.
- 🚀 Formatting as an internal storage requires a high-speed card (minimum) A1 or A2).
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Use the Internal Storage mode only if you have a high-speed memory card and you are experiencing an acute shortage of space to install applications.
Cleaning up garbage and optimizing after transfer
Once the data migration is complete, it is recommended to clean the system cache completely. Xiaomi’s built-in Security app has an effective Cleanup tool that finds residual files, advertising debris and duplicates. Regular use of this tool helps keep the system in good shape.
It’s also worth checking the settings of messengers like Telegram and WhatsApp, which can be set to automatically clear the cache or change the way media files are saved, and often these apps take up the lion’s share of memory, saving thousands of images and videos viewed.
Remember to check the status of the memory card periodically. The file system can become fragmented, which reduces the speed of reading, periodic copying of data to the computer and back-formatting the card will help maintain high write speed.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
During operation, users may encounter an error «SD-The card is corrupted" or the sudden disappearance of files. Most often this indicates poor contact in the slot or logical failure of the file system.
If the phone stops seeing the card after a long downtime, it may have oxidized the contacts or the controller power failure, in which case formatting the card on the computer using the SD Formatter utility to the exFAT or FAT32 file system helps.
⚠️ Warning: Never remove a memory card while writing data or running applications, this can cause permanent damage to the file table.