Transferring games to a memory card in Xiaomi Redmi: the complete guide

Modern mobile games take up gigabytes of free space, and owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face a critical shortage of internal memory. When the system storage is crowded, the device starts to work slower and installing new applications becomes impossible, in which case the only way out for many users is to use an external microSD drive.

However, the standard procedure for data transfer in the shell MIUI or HyperOS has its own features and limitations that not everyone knows about. Simply moving files through a file manager is often not enough to properly work heavy duty. 3D-In this article, we will discuss proven methods of expanding the functionality of the memory card and consider the nuances that will help to avoid loss of progress in games.

Before you start to take action, you need to make sure that your drive is compatible and formatted correctly. Incorrect preparation can lead to the fact that the system simply does not see new files or refuses to install applications. Let's take a detailed look at the preparatory stage.

Preparation of memory card and system diagnostics

The first step is to physically install the card and set it up in the system. Xiaomi smartphones support cards up to 256 GB and up, but data read speed plays a crucial role here. For games, it is critical to use Class 10, UHS-I or V30 drives, as low speed will lead to long level loads and friezes.

Once the card is in the tray, the system will suggest you to choose a use case. For our purposes, the optimal, although not always available by default, is the "Internal Memory" mode. If this option is not available immediately, the card must be formatted as "Portable Storage" to have access to the file system. Attention: formatting will completely delete all data from the card, so save important files to the computer in advance.

⚠️ Attention: Using cheap memory cards with low write speed can cause damage to game files and errors when starting applications.

You can check the current memory status through the system menu. Go to Settings → About Phone → Storage. This shows detailed statistics of space. If the internal memory is more than 90% occupied, the system may not work stable, and data transfer will become a priority.

• 📱 Make sure the card is inserted before clicking and is determined by the system.
• 🔄 Format the drive through smartphone settings, not on PC.
• ⚡ Check the speed of reading the map with applications like A1 SD Bench.

Once you've done this, you can move to direct data portability, depending on the Android version and the MIUI shell, the methods available may vary, and consider the basic way through system settings.

System method of transfer through settings

The built-in Android functionality allows you to move some applications to an external drive, but game developers often block this ability. However, it is worth a try, as this is the most secure method that does not require third-party software. Go to the Settings menu → Apps → All applications.

Find the game you want in the list. If the developer has authorized the transfer, the "Change" or "Move to" button. SD-The map will be active. You click on it and you will start the migration process. The progress bar will show the status of the operation, which can take from a few seconds to minutes depending on the size of the game.

Unfortunately, for most modern heavyweight games, such as PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty or Genshin Impact, this button will be inactive (grey).This is a limitation of the Android system itself, which requires that the main files of the application be in secure internal memory for security and performance.

In this case, the system method allows you to transfer only part of the cache or additional data, if the game supports it, the main body of the application will remain inside, this already gives some gain in space, but does not solve the problem fundamentally.

• 🔍 Look for the “Change” button in the menu of a specific application.
• 💾 Move only those games where the system gives you this opportunity.
• 🚫 Don’t try to port Google or Xiaomi system services.

Use of the Memory function in MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi shells have their own memory management tool that sometimes allows more flexibility in managing data. In newer firmware versions, this functionality is often hidden or integrated into general storage settings. Try going to the Security → Cleanup app.

Here, the system will analyze the disk and can suggest moving large files, photos and videos to the memory card. While this won't take the game itself, freeing up cache space and updates is an important part of optimization.

Some users use third-party launchers or special modes, but current versions of MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS close such loopholes.

If standard methods don't work, you can try to force the ability to move through the developer menu, which doesn't work on all models, but it's worth trying, because it doesn't require a computer.

Activation through the developer menu

To access hidden settings, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the item "Version" MIUI" or "Version". OS". After the message “You became a developer” you can go to the settings.

In the extended menu, find the option Additional → For Developers. Scroll down to the "Applications" section. Find the option "Force allow apps on external." Activate this switch.

Once this function is enabled, you need to restart the smartphone. Now, when you recheck the settings of some games (as described in the second section), the transfer button may become active. However, even if the transfer is successful, the game may not work stable or crash.

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If the game stopped running after activating the developer menu, simply return the switch to its original position and move the application back to internal memory.

Working with game cache and OBB files

The most effective way to free up space without losing functionality is to transfer the cache of games. Many heavy projects store graphics and sounds in the Android/obb or Android/data folder. These files can be moved to the memory card manually, but the game will need to specify a new path to read them, which is difficult without Root rights.

However, there is a "symbolic link" method that requires you to connect to a computer and use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is an advanced method: you need to move the folder with the game to the card, and in its place in the internal memory create a pointer link. For the system, the game will be seolah-to be inside, although the physical data is on the SD.

For ordinary users, a safer option is to set up a way to save downloaded maps and resources inside the games themselves. For example, in World of Tanks Blitz or Brawl Stars, you can choose the settings in the settings. SD-map as a place to load additional packages.

⚠️ Note: Manual movement of folders from Android/obb without creating symbolic links, the game will stop seeing its data and require re-downloading.

If you do decide to work with files, use the built-in MIUI Explorer or Files by Google. Going to the Internal Memory → Android → obb will show folders with packet names (for example, com.pubg.imota). Copying these folders on a map can be the first step to freeing up space if you plan to get root rights in the future.

• 📂 Check the settings of each game individually for the selection of the download path.
• 🗑️ Remove old remote game caches in the folder Android/obb.
• 💡 Use cloud storage for photos and videos to make room for games.

Typical errors and problem solving

During the transfer process, users often encounter errors such as “Not enough memory” or “Application not installed.” This may be due to the card file system. For modern applications, the card must be formatted in exFAT or FAT32, but exFAT is preferable for files larger than 4 GB.

Another common problem is the progression regrowth, where if you reschedule a game and it starts again when you start, it means that the saved data is stored in the internal memory and the cache has moved, or vice versa, in which case synchronization through Google Play Games or Mi Account helps.

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The main problem with the transfer is speed incompatibility. The internal memory of the smartphone is many times faster than any other device. SD-The card, therefore, the transfer of heavy 3D-Games often lead to poor performance, even if space is vacated.

Also worth remembering is the lifetime of the memory card: the permanent recording and overwriting of game files (log files, cache) quickly wears out cheap drives. If the game “flys out” 10 minutes after launch, it is possible that the sector of the card is damaged.

To diagnose, try to run the game by transferring it back to your internal memory, and if the errors are gone, the problem is exactly speed or integrity. SD-In this case, it is recommended to replace the drive with a model with a higher reliability rating (for example, SanDisk Extreme or Samsung). EVO Plus).

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions