How to transfer photos and videos from internal memory to SD- card in Xiaomi Redmi 7A: 5 proven methods

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 7A often face the problem of lack of internal memory, especially if actively shooting photos and videos. Even with a SD- card, the system defaults to save media files in internal memory, quickly clogging it. Transferring files to a memory card not only frees up space, but also speeds up the smartphone — applications do not have to “fight” for free megabytes.

However, standard porting through a gallery or file manager doesn’t always work because of the MIUI features. In this article, 5 working methods for transferring photos and videos, including hidden settings and bypassing system restrictions. We also discuss why some files are not copied, how to avoid quality loss, and what to do if the memory card is not identified.

To start, check if your Redmi 7A supports memory cards, and the model has a microSD slot of up to 256 GB (official support is up to 128 GB, but many users are successful with larger cards), and it is important that the card should be formatted in FAT32 or exFAT, otherwise the smartphone will not see it.

Preparation: verification SD-maps and free space

Before transferring files, make sure that the memory card is properly installed and recognized by the system.

1. Open the Settings → Memory.
2. Check the section "SD- card" - if it is not in the list, remove and paste the card again.
3. If the card is identified but not displayed in the gallery, reboot the smartphone.

Pay attention to the format of the map:

• 🔹 FAT32 — Compatible with all devices, but limited to files up to 4GB. Suitable for photos, but not for long videos in 4K.
• 🔹 exFAT supports files of any size, but may not be readable on older devices (e.g., car radios).
• 🔹 NTFS — Redmi 7A does not support this format for SD- cards.

⚠️ Warning: If you use the memory card as internal storage (Adoptable Storage in Android), transferring files may cause them to be lost when you retrieve the card, in which case it is better to return the card to the status of "Portable Storage" in the settings.

To check the current status of the card:

1. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
3. If you see the option to format as internal storage, then the card is now used as a portable one.

Method 2: Transfer through a standard file manager

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI File Manager, which allows you to copy and move files without additional applications.

Instructions:

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Images or Videos section.
3. Select the files you need with a long tap (hold your finger on the file for 1-2 seconds).
4. Click More → Move (or Copy if you want to leave the originals).
5. Choose. SD-map → destination folder (e.g, DCIM/Camera).
6. Confirm the transfer.

Important: when you move (not copy) files disappear from internal memory. If you want to save the originals, choose Copy.

Check the vacant space on SD-map

Make sure that the card is not used as an internal storage device.

Close all applications that work with media files (gallery, photo editor)

Backup important files on your PC-->

If files are not transferred, possible reasons:

• 🚫 Memory card is protected from writing (check the physical switch on the adapter).
• 🚫 Files are used by another application (e.g., a video editor).
• 🚫 Not enough space on the map (check in Settings → Memory).
• 🚫 The destination folder on the card has incorrect access permissions (try creating a new folder manually).

3 Method 2: Automatically save new photos/video on the SD- card

To save new media files to the memory card, change the camera settings:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Press the gear (⚙️) or swipe left to open the settings.
3. Find the option of storage or memory.
4. Choose. SD-Card instead of Internal Memory.

If the option is not in the camera menu, try an alternative method:

1. Install a third-party camera (like Google Play’s Open Camera).
2. In the application settings, specify the save path on the SD- card: /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/Camera (where XXXX-XXXX is ID of your card).

⚠️ Warning: When using third-party cameras, check the application permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions. Without access to storage, the camera will not be able to save files to the SD- card.

If after changing the settings, the photos are still stored in the internal memory:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🔄 Check if a write limit is set for the Camera application in the security settings.
• 🔄 Format SD- card via smartphone (data will be deleted!).

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If the camera can't see the SD- card, try inserting it into another slot (if any) or using an adapter.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (most reliable)

If your smartphone refuses to transfer files, connect it to your PC or laptop, a method that works even when MIUI crashes.

Step-by-step:

1. Get Redmi on board. 7A computer-to-computer USB-cable.
2. On your smartphone, select file transfer mode (File Transfer or MTP).
3. Open This Computer – Two Disks Should Appear: Internal Memory and SD-map.
4. Copy files from the Internal Storage folder → DCIM → Camera to the SD- card → DCIM → Camera.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 Faster than transferring through a smartphone file manager.
• 🔹 Large files can be transferred (video 4K, RAW-photos).
• 🔹 Minimum risk of data loss during interruption.

If the computer can't see SD-map:

5. Method 4: Using cloud services (for backup)

If you cannot transfer to the SD- card (for example, the card is damaged), temporarily upload the files to the cloud, and then download them back to the new card.

• 🔸 Google Photos – automatically reserves photos/video in original quality (up to 15 GB free).
• 🔸 Mi Cloud is a built-in cloud from Xiaomi (5GB for free).
• 🔸 Yandex Drive or Mail.ru Cloud – convenient for users from Russia (10-20 GB free).

How to transfer via Google Photos:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Log in to your Google account.
3. Enable Backup and Synchronization in the settings.
4. Wait for the files to load (may take several hours with a large volume).
5. Delete files from internal memory, then download them back to the SD- card via the app.

⚠️ Warning: When uploading high-resolution videos (4K, 60 FPS) to the cloud, they can be compressed to Full HD. To avoid loss of quality, use the option "Original Quality" (paid after the free space is exhausted).

The alternative is Mi Cloud:

• 🔹 Go to Settings → Mi Account → Mi Cloud.
• 🔹 Enable synchronization for Gallery.
• 🔹 Once downloaded, files can be downloaded to the SD- map via the web version of i.mi.com.

Method 5: Transfer over ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a low-level file management tool that requires a computer and basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your smartphone (as in Method 3).
3. Connect Redmi 7A to your PC and open the command line in the folder with ADB.
4. Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (you should have your device name) adb shell cp -r /sdcard/DCIM/Camera /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/ (replace XXXX-XXXX with ID of your SD- card, which can be recognized by the ls /storage command)

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 Works even if the file manager blocks the transfer.
• 🔹 System files can be transferred (e.g. screenshots from /Pictures/Screenshots).

Risks:

• 🚨 A team error can result in data loss.
• 🚨 Without root rights, you cannot transfer files from protected folders (e.g., /data).

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ADB is a powerful tool, but it requires caution: If you are not sure about the commands, use simpler methods (via PC or cloud).

7. Problem Solving: Why Are Files Not Portable?

If none of these methods worked, check out these points:

Problem 1: The memory card is not determined

• 🔧 Check the card on another device (e.g., on a PC via a card reader).
• 🔧 Format the card to FAT32 via your computer (use the SD Formatter utility).
• 🔧 Try another card - the current one may be damaged.

Problem 2: Files are copied but not opened

• 🔧 Check the file extension (e.g..jpg instead of.jpeg).
• 🔧 Try opening files on a PC — if they work there, the problem is in the app on your smartphone.
• 🔧 Install an alternative gallery (e.g. Simple Gallery).

Problem 3: There is not enough space on the map, although it is empty

• 🔧 Check if there are any hidden files (enable the display of hidden files in the file manager).
• 🔧 Delete the.thumbnails folder on the map — it takes up a lot of space with sketches.
• 🔧 Format the card via your smartphone: Settings → Memory → SD-map → Format.

If the problem is not solved, the memory card slot may be faulty, in which case, contact the service center.

8.How to avoid data loss during transfer?

To avoid losing photos and videos when transferring, follow these rules:

• 📌 Always copy files before moving (especially if the transfer is via ADB or the cloud).
• 📌 Check file integrity after transfer – open a few random photos/video.
• 📌 Do not remove the SD- card during copying (even if the process is stalled).
• 📌 Make regular backups to your PC or cloud.

For automatic backup, set up:

• 🔄 Google Photos - Wi-Fi reservations.
• 🔄 Mi Cloud is a synchronization of the gallery.
• 🔄 Syncthing is a free software for synchronizing files between devices.

If you are transferring files to a new SD- card, check it for errors first:

1. Connect the card to the PC.
2. Open the command line and type: chkdsk X: /f (where X is the drive letter of the SD- card).
3. Wait until the check is completed.

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Before buying a new SD- card, check it for authenticity using the utility H2testw. Many cheap cards have a real volume less than the declared.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring files to Redmi 7A