Transfer photos to memory card in Xiaomi Redmi 4X: detailed guide

Xiaomi Redmi 4X is still popular with users due to its balance of price and functionality, but its modest internal storage (16 or 32 GB) is often a problem. Photos, especially in high resolution, take up the lion’s share of space, forcing owners to look for ways to free up space. Moving photos to a microSD card is the logical solution, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly without losing data and without disrupting the system.

In this article, we will discuss three proven methods of transferring photos: through a standard file manager. MIUI, You will also learn how to avoid common mistakes (such as why some photos are not copied), which memory card formats Redmi supports. 4X, How to set up automatic saving of new images SD-If you've encountered a message that says "Not enough memory" or "File not copied," you'll find solutions here.

Before you start, make sure your memory card is formatted in FAT32 or exFAT (more on this in the Preparation section). And remember, transferring photos doesn't automatically delete them from internal memory - you'll have to manually erase the originals once you copy them, otherwise the space won't vacate.

1.Preparation: Memory card and compatibility check

Before transferring photos, you need to make sure that your microSD card is compatible with Xiaomi Redmi 4X and correctly installed.The smartphone supports cards with a capacity of up to 256 GB, but there are nuances:

• 🔹 File system format: FAT32 (up to 32 GB or exFAT (64 GB). NTFS Not recommended – reading errors may occur.
• 🔹 Speed class: Class 10 is suitable for photos UHS-I, but for video 4K It is better to choose a card with a marking U3.
• 🔹 Brand: Avoid unknown manufacturers – SanDisk, Samsung or Kingston cards are more reliable.

To check the current map format:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable.
2. Open this computer (Windows) or Disk utility (macOS).
3. Find a removable disk (yours) SD-map) and see the file system in properties.

⚠️ Note: If the card is formatted in NTFS, Your smartphone may not see it or make errors when recording it. Reformat it to exFAT via your computer (all data will be deleted!).

If the card is new, insert it into the Redmi slot. 4X (It is located under the cover, next to the slot for SIM-I'll be in the mail, and I'll be in the mail «SD-If this does not happen, restart the device.

2. Method 1: Transfer through the MIUI file manager

The most universal method is to use an integrated file manager, which requires no additional applications and works even without an Internet connection.

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the home screen).
2. Go to Images or Internal Memory → DCIM → Camera (here are photos taken on camera).
3. Press and hold your finger on any file to activate the selection mode. Tick any photos you want to transfer.
4. Slip the Copy icon (or Cut if you want to remove the originals right away).
5. Go back to the root directory, select SD-map, then create a folder (such as Photos) or select an existing one.
6. Click Insert and wait for the process to be completed.

If the photo is not copied, check:

• 📌 Is there enough space on the map (free space is displayed in properties) SD-map).
• 📌 Is the card not protected from writing (the switch on the adapter must be in the Unlock position).
• 📌 Are your files damaged (try to copy other photos).

⚠️ Note: Cut files will disappear from internal memory immediately after insertion. If the process is interrupted (for example, the battery dies), the data may be lost.

Check the vacant space on SD-map|Turn off the battery saving mode|Close all background applications|Create a folder for a photo on the map in advance-->

Method 2: Transfer through the Gallery app

The Gallery app in MIUI has a built-in function to export photos to a memory card, which is convenient if you only need to transfer individual albums or pictures for a certain period.

1. Open the Gallery and find an album with the right photos (like Camera or Screenshots).
2. Slap the icon. ⋮ (three dots) in the upper right corner and select Select.
3. Check the photo boxes. To select all the shots in the album, click on the ✓ icon at the top.
4. Click on the Share icon (arrow up) and select Save to the device.
5. In the window that opens, select SD-map, then destination folder (or create a new one).
6. Confirm the preservation. The photos will be copied to the selected directory.

The advantage of this method is that you can preview the photo before transferring it, but there are limitations:

• 🔸 You cannot transfer the photo in the original resolution if they were edited in the Gallery (the version is saved after editing).
• 🔸 The process can take longer than through a file manager, especially if the photo is in high resolution.

If there is no option to Save to your device, update the Gallery app through the Play Store or clear its cache in the settings (Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear cache).

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To speed up the transfer, pre-archive the photo in ZIP through the file manager, and then copy the archive to the map. This will reduce time and reduce the risk of errors.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (most reliable)

If transferring directly via a smartphone is difficult (for example, because of card reading errors), the most reliable way is to connect the Redmi 4X to your computer and copy files manually, which is also useful if you need to back up your photo before deleting it.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original to avoid connection problems).
• 💾 Cardholder (optional, if the smartphone is not recognized as a drive).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect Redmi 4X to your computer. In the smartphone notification menu, select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
2. Open this computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) on your computer. There should be two disks: the internal memory of the smartphone and the internal memory of the device. SD-map.
3. Open the internal memory, go to the DCIM → Camera folder (there are photos stored).
4. Copy the required files (Ctrl)+C) and insert them into the folder on SD-map (Ctrl)+V).
5. Wait for the copy to be completed and safely remove the device.

If the computer can't see the smartphone:

• 🔹 Install Mi drivers PC Suite (you can download from the official website of Xiaomi).
• 🔹 Try another one. USB-cable.
• 🔹 Restart your smartphone and computer.

⚠️ Note: When connecting through MTP If you need to transfer a large number of photos (more than 1000), extract the data. SD-card from a smartphone and insert it directly into the card reader of the computer - this will speed up the process by 3-5 times.

5. setting up automatic photo saving on SD-map

So that in the future, new photos are immediately saved to the memory card, rather than to internal memory, change the settings of the camera.

Instructions:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ Settings (cogs).
3. Find the Save Place section (or Warehouse depending on the MIUI version).
4. Choose. SD-map and confirm the choice.
5. Create a folder for a photo (like Camera) or select an existing one.

After that, all new images will be saved directly to the map.

• 📸 If the card is retrieved, the camera will automatically switch to internal memory.
• 📸 Speed of saving photos on SD-The card may be lower, especially if you use a cheap Class 4 card.
• 📸 Video in resolution 4K It may not be saved to the map due to speed limits.

If the option Save Place is not in the camera settings, update the application through the Play Store or reset its settings to factory settings (Settings → Apps → Camera → Reset settings).

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Automatic saving on SD-It saves time, but it doesn't replace backup. Regularly transfer important photos to your computer or cloud!

Typical errors and their solutions

When transferring photos to a memory card, Redmi 4X users often face typical problems, and let's look at the most common and ways to fix them.

If the photos are not displayed in the Gallery after transfer, but are physically present on the map (you can check through the file manager), follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Gallery → Storage.
2. Click Clear the cache and Clear the data.
3. Reboot your smartphone.

If the memory card is constantly "flying" (the smartphone asks it to format), this may indicate physical wear.

• 🛑 Stop using the card so as not to lose data.
• 🛑 Copy all files to your computer through a card reader.
• 🛑 Replace the card with a new one (preferably the same brand and capacity).

7 Storage optimization: what to do after the transfer

Transfer of the photo to SD-The map is only half the battle, so that Redmi can effectively manage memory. 4X, Follow the additional steps:

1. Remove the original photos from internal memory. To do this, open the file manager, go to DCIM → Camera, select the transferred files and click Delete.
2. Clear the cache of apps that take up a lot of space (e.g. Gallery, WhatsApp, Facebook) and this will free up additional megabytes.
3. Set up a cloud backup. Use Google Photos or Mi Cloud to automatically upload photos to the Internet and delete local copies.
4. Check the Downloads folder. Often, it accumulates unnecessary files that can be transferred to the map or deleted.

To automatically clean up your memory, install Files by Google (available on the Play Store) which analyzes unnecessary files (duplicates, temporary data) and suggests that you delete them.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using SD-The card is an internal memory (Adoptable Storage function in Android), and transferring the photo to it will not free up space in the internal storage, in which case the card becomes part of the system, and the data on it takes up the same "virtual" memory. To divide the storage, you will have to reset the card to portable mode (all data will be deleted!).

If you take pictures often, consider buying a larger memory card. The Redmi 4X is best for 128GB (like SanDisk Ultra microSDXC), which will allow you to store up to 30,000 photos in 12MP resolution without compression.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to SD-card