Owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones often face an unpleasant situation: the internal memory of the device is full, and the system insists on removing something unnecessary. This problem is especially acute for fans of mobile games, which can take several gigabytes each. Built-in drive capacity of 64 or 128 GB may not be enough even for a basic set of applications, not to mention modern heavy projects with high graphics.
Fortunately, many smartphone models feature a microSD card slot, which allows you to expand the available storage space. However, the standard Android mechanism and the MIUI or HyperOS shell do not always allow you to simply drag the game to an external medium with a single button. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from standard features to advanced methods using a computer that will help you free up precious gigabytes of internal memory.
It’s worth noting that the efficiency of the transfer depends on the version of the operating system and the specific model of your gadget. If you have an old Android 6-9 device, the process can be easier thanks to built-in features that were later hidden by the developers. Owners of the newest flagships will have to resort to more complex but effective methods that require careful and accurate follow the instructions.
Preparation of a memory card and smartphone
Before you start manipulating game files, you need to properly prepare the external drive. Using a poor-quality or slow card can lead to games that will take a long time to load, and in the process of passing there will be lags or departures. It is recommended to use cards of the standard Class 10 or higher, as well as the UHS-I series to ensure sufficient speed of reading and writing data.
Put the memory card into your device's slot and wait until the recognition process is over, and then the system will suggest you choose the format for using the drive, and here's an important caveat: to transfer applications and games, the card must be formatted as internal memory, not as portable storage, which will make the files on the card inaccessible to other devices without re-formatting, but will open the possibility of writing these applications there.
Note that formatting will completely remove all data from the map, so copy important photos and documents to your computer or the cloud in advance. The process takes a little time, and it is absolutely impossible to interrupt it so as not to damage the file system.
⚠️ Warning: After formatting the card as internal memory, do not remove it while the smartphone is on, this can lead to errors in reading data and incorrect operation of transferred games.
If you are using a two-symbol slot of the combined type, make sure that installing a memory card will not deprive you of the opportunity to use the second one. SIM-In some budget models Xiaomi slots are combined, and the choice is to make in favor of expanding memory if you are an active gamer.
Standard methods of transfer through MIUI and HyperOS settings
The first and easiest way to try is to use the built-in features of the system. Some versions of the MIUI shell still have the ability to move applications to an external drive through the settings menu. To do this, go to Settings, then select the App item and find All Apps.
In the list of installed programs, find the game you want. Click on it to open the control menu. If the system allows for portability, the "Change" or "Move to" button will be active. SD-However, in modern versions of Android 11, 12, 13 and 14, this feature is often blocked by the interface developers, and the button may be missing or inactive.
There's also an alternative way through the storage menu. Go to Settings → Memory. This can show the memory card as a separate partition. Click on it and select the formatting option as internal storage. Then the system will suggest that you move some of the data, including the application cache, to the new volume.
Not all games support portability with regular means; app developers decide whether their product can be placed on external media; heavy online projects often block this ability to protect against cheating and ensure stable operation.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
Use of Adoptable Storage
Adoptable Storage technology, which is implemented in Android, allows you to combine internal memory and microSD card into a single space. When this feature is active, the system perceives the card as an integral part of the smartphone. This is the most effective method for Xiaomi devices, where direct transfer by the button is hidden.
Some models require activation via a developer menu or specific commands to activate this mode. If the standard formatting doesn't suggest selecting "Use as internal storage," it may be that the manufacturer has blocked this option software-based, in which case using a computer and debugging over USB helps.
The advantage of this method is that it's transparent to the user, and once you've connected the map, the system decides where to write the new data, and it can transfer some of the games that are already installed automatically, so you don't have to manually manage the files every time.
Risks of using Adoptable Storage
It is important to understand the difference between transferring the application itself (APK) and its cache (volume files with graphics and sound). Adoptable Storage allows you to transfer both, but priority is often given to the cache that takes up the most space.
Transfer of games with computer and ADB
If the standard methods don’t work, the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) tool comes to the rescue, a powerful tool for developers to control the system via the command line from a computer. To work, you will need smartphone drivers, the ADB platform and the USB debugging enabled in the developer menu.
First, you need to activate the developer mode. Go to Settings. → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the item Version MIUI or HyperOS version. Once you have an activation message, go back and find the menu Advanced Settings. → For developers and include the Debugging item USB.
Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. Open the command line in the ADB folder and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesYou'll see a debugging permission request on your phone screen, you'll click "Allow," and then you'll enter a command that will force you to transfer applications to an external drive:
adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2A value of 2 indicates the priority of the external card, a value of 0 returns the default settings (auto), and 1 installs only in internal memory. After you execute the command, restart the device and try to move the game through the standard application menu.
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Team team. ADB It does not transfer files instantly, it only opens the possibility of using the system. SD-map as the main place for new installations and movements.
Working with file managers and game cache
Often, the main weight of the game is not installation files, but cache located in the folders Android/obb and Android/data. In new versions of Android, access to these directories is limited, but file managers like Total Commander or MI File Manager with special rights can help.
The idea is to manually move the game's data folders to a memory card and create symbolic links. However, on Xiaomi smartphones without Root rights, you can't create simlinks. So we use the replacement method: we transfer files to the map, and in the original drop we leave empty stub files or using special assistant apps.
One of the most effective ways is to use an App2SD utility or analogues that automate the process, and they analyze the device and show you which applications you can move, and if the application is labeled as "Moveable," the program will perform a single click operation.
| Type of data | Location. | Can I transfer it? | Impact on play |
|---|---|---|---|
| APK file | System section | Yes (via ADB) | Basic functionality |
| Cash (Obb) | Android/obb | Yes (manually) | Graphics, levels, sounds |
| Data (Data) | Android/data | Limitedly. | Preservations, logs |
| Downloads. | Download | Yes (automatically) | Absent. |
When you manually copy, it is important to keep the folder structure, and if you move the com.game.name folder, it must be on the same path on the memory card, otherwise the game will not see its files and will require re-downloading.
Possible problems and solutions
In the process of optimizing storage, users may encounter various errors, and the most common problem is that the game stops running or gives an error "No space" although the map is free, this happens if the card has been extracted or formatted again, and the paths to the files have changed.
Another problem is performance loss: the memory card has a lower random read speed compared to the built-in UFS flash memory. Heavy games can load levels longer or slow down during active texture loading, in which case it is worth returning the game to internal memory.
⚠️ Warning: Don’t try to transfer Google system apps or services to a memory card, which can cause the entire smartphone to run unstable and endless reboots.
If you lose your widgets or game notifications after you migrate, try clearing the app cache again after you move, and sometimes it takes time for the system to index new paths to the files.
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For maximum speed of the game, keep it on SD-The map is only a cache of heavy projects and themselves APK-Keep files in internal memory if technically possible.