How to transfer a photo from memory card to Xiaomi Redmi 9: all working ways

Transferring photos from the memory card to the internal memory of the Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a task that every smartphone owner sooner or later faces. The memory card (microSD) is convenient for storing large amounts of data, but over time it can fill up, slow down or even get damaged. In addition, many applications (for example, Google Photos or Instagram) work with the internal memory of the phone by default, rather than with an external drive.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to transfer photos from a map to Redmi 9 – from a standard MIUI Explorer to using a PC and cloud services. We will focus on the hidden settings of MIUI 12/13, which allow you to automate the process and avoid loss of image quality. You will also learn how to format the map correctly after transfer to avoid reading errors, and what applications will help optimize the space on the device.

If you've tried to copy files before, but you've come across messages like "Not enough memory" or "File is not supported," there's a problem-solving section at the end of this article, and for those who want to save time, we've compiled a speed-reliability comparison table.

1. Transfer through the standard MIUI Conductor

The easiest way is to use Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer (aka Files), which requires no additional apps to install and works even without an internet connection, and the main advantage is that you control which photos are copied and you can organize them into folders right away.

To get started:

• 📱 Open the Files app (blue folder icon on the home screen).
• 📁 Go to the Device section → SD-map (or external memory).
• 🖼️ Find a folder with a photo (usually this one) DCIM Or Camera, and press it.
• ✅ Select the files you need with a long tap (or check the boxes in the upper right corner).
• 📤 Click Copy (or Cut if you want to remove originals from the card).
• 📥 Return to the Internal Memory section, select the destination folder (for example, DCIM/Camera) and press Insert.

Note that if you copy a large number of files (for example, 500+ photos), the process can take several minutes. In this case, do not close Explorer and do not go to other applications - this may interrupt the operation. We also recommend that you check the free space in internal memory before transferring: go to Settings → About Phone → Memory.

Check the space in the internal memory

Charge your phone at least 30%

Close the background applications (especially messengers)

Turn off the power saving mode

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2. Automatic transfer via Camera Settings

If you want new photos to automatically be saved to internal memory instead of a card, you can change the camera settings, which doesn't carry old photos, but prevents them from getting to microSD in the future.

Instructions:

1. Open the Camera app.
2. Touch the badge. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
3. Select the Save Place (or Memory in some versions of MIUI).
4. Switch from SD-map of internal memory.
5. Confirm the change.

After that, all new images will be stored directly in the memory of the phone, but note that if the internal memory is filled, the camera may start to emit an error "Not enough space." To avoid this, regularly transfer the photo to the PC or the cloud (more about this in the next sections).

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If the camera settings do not contain the Save Place item, update the Camera app via the Play Store or check for MIUI updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.

3. Computer Transfer (Windows/macOS)

If you don't have enough space on your phone or want to back up your photos on your PC, it's a good way to use a computer, and it's also useful if the memory card is damaged and the Redmi 9 can't read it -- sometimes the PC does better at reading.

The connection will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with USB-port (or adapter for Type-C).
• 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (Combined with Phone).
• 💾 Cardboard (if you want to remove the card and connect it directly to the PC).

Option 1: Connecting the phone as a storage device

1. Connect Redmi 9 to your PC via cable.
2. On your phone, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode in the connection notification.
3. On PC, open This computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) – the phone will appear as a removable drive.
4. Copy files from the folder SD-map/DCIM to the desired directory on the PC or to the phone’s internal memory (it will also be visible as a separate partition).

Option 2: Use of a card reader

If the phone is not identified or the card is damaged:

1. Remove the microSD from Redmi 9 (unplug the phone before you do it!).
2. Insert the card into the card reader and connect it to the PC.
3. Copy files manually or use programs like FastCopy (Windows) to speed up the process.

4. Use of cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)

Cloud services are convenient because they allow you to transfer photos wirelessly and access them from any device, but this method has the nuance: stable Internet is required, and free storage is limited (for example, Google Photos gives only 15 GB per account).

Method 1: Google Photos

• 📱 Install the Google Photos app from the Play Store.
• 🔑 Sign in to your Google account.
• 📤 In the settings, enable backup and synchronization.
• 📁 Choose High Quality (free but compressed) or Original Quality (counted for 15GB quota).
• ⏳ Wait for the download to complete (it can take hours with a large amount of data).
• 📥 After uploading, download the photo back to your phone in internal memory via the same Google Photos.

Method 2: Mi Cloud (Xiaomi Cloud)

Mi Cloud is integrated into MIUI and offers 5GB for free.

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Turn on the gallery sync.
3. Wait for the photo to be uploaded to the cloud.
4. Open the Gallery app, select a photo → More → Save to the device.

Google Photo

Mi Cloud

Yandex Disc.

iCloud

Other

Don't use the clouds.

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Important! When you upload to the cloud in Google Photos or exceed the storage quota, the original files can be compressed. If you want to maintain quality, you better use direct portage via Explorer or PC.

5. File Transfer Applications (ES Explorer, Files by Google)

If standard MIUI Explorer seems inconvenient, you can use third-party file managers, which often offer additional features, such as batch renaming or date sorting.

Top.-3 photo-transfer applications:

Example of transfer via Files by Google:

1. Open the application and allow access to the files.
2. Go to section. SD-map → DCIM.
3. Select a photo and click Copy.
4. Return to the root directory, select Internal Memory and paste files.

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Third-party explorers may request additional permissions (such as access to contacts or SMS). Before installing, check reviews and ratings in the Play Store - some applications contain hidden ads or viruses.

Transfer errors and their solutions

Even if you follow the instructions, you may encounter problems, and let's look at some of the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

Mistake 1: "Inadequate memory"

⚠️ Note: If this message appears on the transfer, but the internal memory is supposedly free, the problem may be in the application cache. → Annexes → All applications → gallery → Memory. → Clear the cache.

• 🗑️ Delete unnecessary files (for example, downloaded by messengers) through Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes it frees up hidden memory reserves.
• 📁 Transfer the photo in small batches (50-100 pieces each).

Error 2: "File is not supported" or "Damaged"

This may occur if:

• 📸 Photos taken in format HEIC (Used on iPhone – Convert them to iPhone JPEG PC.
• 💾 Memory card damaged – check it on another device.
• 🔍 Files are hidden by the system – enable the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings.

Error 3: Memory card is not detected

⚠️ Warning: If Redmi 9 stopped seeing microSD after transfer, don't force it out:

1. Disable and re-insert the card (when the phone is turned off).
2. Check the map for viruses via PC (use Dr.Web CureIt!).
3. Format the map (pre-copying the data!) through Settings → Memory. → SD-map → Format.

7.Memory optimization after transfer

After successfully transferring the photo, it is recommended to free up space on the memory card and optimize the phone's storage.

Step 1: Remove duplicates

Use applications like Files by Google or CCleaner to find and delete duplicate photos, and duplicates often occur when you move or sync with the clouds repeatedly.

Step 2: Clear the Gallery cache

The MIUI Gallery creates thumbnails that take up to 1-2 GB.

Settings → Applications → All applications → Gallery → Memory → Clear cache

Step 3: Move other files

If you have video, music or documents on the map, transfer them in a similar way to a photo. For video, it is convenient to use a Explorer with a sorted size (from larger to smaller).

Step 4: Set up automatic cleaning

MIUI has a Memory Cleanup feature that deletes unnecessary files on a schedule:

1. Go to Settings → Memory.
2. Turn on Auto Cleanup and set up a schedule (for example, once a week).

FAQ: Frequent questions