Owners of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones regularly face a lack of internal memory, especially if they actively install modern games such as Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile or PUBG. Even models with 128 GB are quickly clogged with cache, updates and application data. Transferring games to a microSD card seems to be a logical solution, but here users are waiting for the limitations of Android and the features of the MIUI firmware.
Starting with Android 6.0 Google has made it easier to work with external drives, but manufacturers (including Xiaomi) often block full-fledged portability of applications. SD-map 12/11/10/9, Redmi 13C/12C and other models, from standard system tools to methods using ADB Also consider why some games (like Honor of Kings) refuse to work from a memory card and how to get around it.
Important: Before starting the procedure, check if your Xiaomi Redmi model supports microSD memory expansion.In most devices (except the flagship Redmi K series and the other two models). POCO F) card slot hybrid - when installed SD-You lose the ability to use the second card. SIM. Check this out in the characteristics of your model on the official Mi.com website.
Another nuance: the speed of the game from the memory card depends on the class SD-For modern games, you need to UHS-I Class 10 (U3) Class Class cards or higher. 4/6 will cause lags and long loading of textures.
1. Standard portability through Android settings (no root)
The easiest way is to use the built-in Android feature to transfer applications to a memory card, but it doesnโt work with all games and has limitations.
How to move the game to SD-map:
- Open Settings โ Applications โ Application Management.
- Choose the game you want to migrate (such as Clash of Clans or Brawl Stars).
- Slip on Warehouse.
- If the option is active, click Change and select Memory Card.
- Confirm the transfer and wait until the completion (may take up to 5-10 minutes).
โ ๏ธ Note: This method only works for a portion of games. Many popular projects (such as Free Fire or Mobile Legends) block the transfer through settings.
If the Change button is inactive or not, the game does not support portability in the standard way, in which case move on to the following methods.
2. Transfer over ADB (without root but with PC)
The method using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) It allows you to bypass the system restrictions and force the game to be transferred to the SD-This is suitable for most Xiaomi Redmi models on Android 10โ14.
Step-by-step:
- Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings โ About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version until the notification appears You became a developer!
USB debugging
- Back to Settings โ Additionally. โ For developers.
- Turn on the debugging switch over USB.
- Connect your phone to your PC through USB-Cable (use the original Xiaomi cable for stability).
- Download and install ADB Tools on your computer.
- Open the command line (Win) + R โ cmd) and type: adb devices If the device appears in the list, type: adb shell pm set-install-location 2 This command forces the system to install applications on the SD-default-card.
- Move the game through Settings โ Applications (as in the first method) or reinstall it โ it will automatically install on the memory card.
โ ๏ธ Note: After using this command, all new applications will be installed on the SD-To return the installation to internal memory, perform:
adb shell pm set-install-location 0Some games (such as Genshin Impact) may not start after transferring through ADB. In this case, try the method of linking a memory card as an internal drive (section 4).
Download ADB Tools on PC|
Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi|
Activate debugging via USB|
Connect the phone with the original cable |
Check the visibility of the device by the adb device command-->
3. Use of a memory card as an internal storage device (Adoptable Storage)
Adoptable Storage (Basing) SD-The internal memory of cards allows you to bypass the limitations of Android and port any game, but this method has serious shortcomings:
- ๐ The memory card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices.
- ๐ซ After extracting the map, the application will stop working on it.
- โก A fast memory card is required (recommended). UHS-I U3 or A2).
How to tie it SD-map as an internal memory:
- Put the memory card in the smartphone.
- When a notification is received, a new SD-map press Set up Set up.
- Select Internal Memory (not Portable Device!).
- Confirm the formatting (all data on the map will be deleted!).
- After the process is complete, restart the phone.
Now you can transfer games to the map through Settings โ Applications or install them there by default.
โ ๏ธ Note: If the memory card fails or is removed, all games transferred to it will stop running, and the speed of games may decrease due to the limitations of the missing capacity of the microSD.
This method is suitable for devices with a small amount of internal memory (for example, Redmi 9A with 32 GB), but is not recommended for flagships such as Redmi K60, where it is better to use an external SSD via OTG.
4. Transfer of games with root rights (for advanced users)
If your Xiaomi Redmi has an unlocked bootloader and root rights, you can use apps like App2SD or Link2SD to force transfers of games, which is the most flexible method, but requires technical skills.
Instructions for Link2SD:
- Install Magisk and get root rights (see the XDA Developers forum for instructions for your model).
- Download Link2SD from Google Play.
- Launch the application and provide root access.
- Select the game from the list and click Create a link.
- Check the App Data, Cash and Dalvik-cache, then click OK.
โ ๏ธ Attention: Some games (for example, PUBG mobile COC) They have protection against modifications and can ban accounts if root is detected!
Advantages of the method:
- โ Works with any game, including those that block standard portability.
- โ Parts of files can be transferred (for example, only cache or data).
- โ There is no specific memory card binding (unlike Adoptable Storage).
Disadvantages:
- โ Requires unlocking the bootloader and getting root, which deprives of warranty.
- โ Risk of ban in anticheat games (eg, Genshin Impact).
What happens if you upgrade MIUI with root rights?
5. manual transfer of cache and game data (for power users)
Some games (like Asphalt 9 or Need for Speed No Limits) store the main files in internal memory, but allow you to transfer cache and additional data to the computer. SD-This won't free up much space, but it will save you 1 to 5 GB.
How to transfer the game cache to the memory card:
- Connect your phone to your PC via USB in File Transfer (MTP) mode.
- Go to the folder: Internal Memory โ Android โ data โ [game name folder] For example, for Call of Duty Mobile, the path will be: Android โ data โ com.activision.callofduty.shooter
- Copy cache and files folders on SD-map (e.g. in SDCard) โ GameData).
- Remove the original folders from internal memory.
- Create symbolic links (root rights required) or use the FolderMount app to link folders.
โ ๏ธ Note: Not all games support the transferred cache. For example, Honor of Kings, when you detect modified files, may show an error Game corrupted!
To automate the process, you can use the FolderMount application (requires root):
- ๐ Select a folder with game data in internal memory.
- ๐ Specify the target folder on SD-map.
- ๐ Click Bind Folder โ the application will create a virtual link between folders.
6.Alternative solutions: cloud storage and OTG-drives
If the transfer is SD-The card is impossible or ineffective, consider alternative ways to vacate space:
1. Cloud saves (for supported games):
- ๐ฎ Google Play Games โ allows you to save progress to the cloud for some games (for example, Clash Royale).
- ๐ฅ๏ธ Steam Link โ streaming games from PC to phone (does not require installation on the device).
- โ๏ธ NVIDIA GeForce NOW โ Cloud gaming service (powered by Xiaomi Redmi with Android 10)+).
2. External SSD/HDD through OTG:
- ๐พ Connect the outside. SSD (for example, Samsung T7) through OTG-adapter.
- ๐ฎ Install games on an external drive with the help of ADB (Adb shell pm set-install-location 2).
- โก Download speed will be higher than with microSD, but requires a constant connection of the drive.
3. Cleaning cache and unnecessary files:
- ๐งน Use it. MIUI Cleaner (Settings) โ Memory. โ Cleanup).
- ๐๏ธ Remove the old ones. APK-file in the Download folder.
- ๐ Turn off automatic saving of media files in messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram).
Critical information: On Xiaomi Redmi devices with MIUI 14+ firmware, the Memory Cleanup feature in the settings can delete game data if it has not been used for more than 30 days. To avoid this, add the game to battery optimization exceptions (Settings โ Battery โ Battery Optimization โ All applications).
Comparison of methods of transferring games to SD-map
| Method | Root is required. | Supported games | Risks. | Speed of operation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Transfer through Settings | โ No. | โ ๏ธ Only supported games | โ No. | โก Normal. |
| ADB (forced transfer) | โ No. | โ Most games | โ ๏ธ Possible failures after update | โก Normal. |
| Adoptable Storage (Map as internal memory) | โ No. | โ All games. | โ ๏ธ Data tied to card, risk of data loss | ๐ข Slower (depending on the map) |
| Root + Link2SD/App2SD | โ Yes. | โ All games. | โ ๏ธ Loss of warranty, risk of ban in games | โก Normal/high |
| Hand-transferring the cache | โ ๏ธ Desirable. | โ ๏ธ Only cache/data | โ ๏ธ Risk of file damage | โก Normal. |
๐ก
The most universal method without root is to use ADB for forced transfer. If the game refuses to work from a memory card, try to link the SD as an internal drive (Adoptable Storage), but be prepared for a decrease in performance.
FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring games to SD-Xiaomi Redmi card
โ Why does the game not start or fly out after the transfer?
โ Can we move the game? SD-map?
โ Why the option "Move to" SD-The card is inactive for my game?
โ How to move the game to SD-Map of Xiaomi Redmi with Android 14?
โ Which memory card is better for games on Xiaomi Redmi?
๐ก
If the game is transferred to SD-card slows down, try to disable background optimization in the settings MIUI: Go to Settings. โ Annexes โ Application management โ [play-name] โ Battery โ It will prevent the system from automatically closing the game.