How to transfer applications from the memory of the phone to the memory card in Xiaomi: all ways

Why Xiaomi can’t move apps to Xiaomi SD-map?

You have bought a Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5, You put a 256GB memory card in, but it's hard to move the apps, and it's not a bug, it's not a bug, it's not a bug, it's how it works. MIUI It's because of the Android restrictions that Xiaomi has tightened for security and performance, and Google banned full-featured porting of apps to the Internet back in 2017. SD-map FAT32 or exFAT, leaving this feature only for cards with the Adoptable Storage file system (which is the same as the Adoptable Storage file system). MIUI supportive).

But there are workarounds.

• 🔹 Official Portability Methods (for supported applications)
• 🔹 Manual movement through settings MIUI
• 🔹 ADB-force-transfer
• 🔹 Limitations and why some apps can’t be moved
• 🔹 Alternatives: How to Free Your Memory Without Transfer

We warn you immediately: starting with MIUI 12.5 and Android 11 Xiaomi has completely removed the option “Move to” SD-It's a map from the interface for most applications, but that doesn't mean there's no solution, it's just going to be using hidden features or third-party tools.

Method 1: Transfer over MIUI settings (for supported applications)

Despite the limitations, some applications (usually lightweight utilities or cache games) can still be migrated in the standard way, check if this method works on your device:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want to migrate (like Google Maps or Telegram).
3. Slip on Warehouse.
4. If the option is available, a button will appear to Move to SD-map (press it).

Importantly, this only works for applications that the developer has labeled as supporting external memory, and most modern programs (including WhatsApp, Instagram, banking apps) block this option.

Free space on SD-card (minimum 1 GB)|Card format (preferably exFAT)|No errors in reading the map|Support for the transfer by the application itself-->

Method 2: Forced transfer via ADB (for advanced users)

If you don’t have a port button in your settings, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that lets you manually tell the system where to install the app, a technique that works on most Xiaomi devices running Android 8-13, but requires a PC connection.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original)
• 📱 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version, then return to the additional → For developers → Debugging by USB)
• 🛠️ Installed Xiaomi drivers and package ADB Tools (you can download from the official Android website)

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Find out the batch name of the application (for example, for Telegram it is org.telegram.messenger). You can do this through the command: adb shell pm list packages | grep "application name"
5. Move the app to SD-Command card: adb shell pm set-install-location 2 Then reinstall the application - it will automatically install on the memory card.

⚠️ Attention: forced transfer through ADB It can cause an application to crash, especially if it uses widgets or background processes.Some applications (e.g. banking) may stop running after such a transfer.

Method 3: Use SD-The card is an internal memory (adoptable storage)

In older versions of Android (up to 9.0) there was an Adoptable Storage feature that allowed you to format. SD-Xiaomi does not officially support this mode in new firmware, but on some models (for example, Redmi 5 or Mi). A1) It can be turned on through ADB.

Pros of the method:

• 🔹 Applications are installed on the map automatically
• 🔹 There are no restrictions on transfer (even for games)

Cons:

• 🔸 The card becomes “tied” to the phone – it can not be retrieved without losing data.
• 🔸 Speed is lower than internal memory (especially on cheap Class 10 cards)
• 🔸 On new models of Xiaomi (C) MIUI 12+) This method is often blocked.

How to turn on (if supported):

1. Put it in. SD-phone-card.
2. Connect with ADB and execute the command: adb shell sm set-force-adoptable true
3. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → SD-map → Set up → Internal memory.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen (the map will be formatted!).

⚠️ Note: once activated, Adoptable Storage card will not be used in other devices without full formatting. SD-Cards due to frequent recording operations.

💡

Before activating Adoptable Storage, back up the data from the card – it will be completely erased!

Table: Compatibility of transfer methods with Xiaomi models

Why some applications cannot be moved to SD-map?

Even if you use ADB or root access, some apps stubbornly refuse to move to the memory card.

• 🔒 Security: Banking applications (SberBank Online, Tinkoff) and instant messengers (WhatsApp, Viber) block the transfer to protect data from copying.
• 🎮 Performance: High Demand Games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile) brakes when starting with SD-The developers prohibit the transfer of cards.
• 🔄 Background: Apps with widgets or persistent notifications (weather, fitness trackers) may not work properly with external memory.
• 📱 Limitations MIUI: Xiaomi artificially blocks the transfer of system applications (theme, security) and Google services.

What do you do in these cases? There are a few workarounds.

• 🔹 Move only the cache and application data (via Settings) → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear cache/Transfer data).
• 🔹 Use cloud storage (Google Drive, Mi Cloud) for backups.
• 🔹 Delete unnecessary files through Settings → Warehouse → Cleanup.

💡

If an application cannot be moved, try clearing its cache, often freeing up 1-3 GB of memory without removing the program.

Alternative ways to free up memory without transferring applications

If the transfer is SD-The map is not possible, try these methods:

1. Cleaning up cache and garbage: 🧹 Go to Settings. → Warehouse → Clean and run the scan. 🗑️ Remove unnecessary files from Download folders, DCIM (photo/video, Bluetooth.
2. Transfer of media files: 📸 Use the Gallery or Files to move photos/videos to the SD-map. 🎵 Bring music to Google Play Music or Mi Music.
3. Disabling pre-installed applications: 🚫 Go to Settings. → Apps, select an unnecessary system application (such as Mi Video) and click Disable.
4. Use of Lite versions of applications: 📱 Install lightweight versions of social networks: Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite, Twitter Lite.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling system applications can cause your phone to malfunction.Don't turn off Google Play services, MIUI Daemon or Security.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring applications to SD-map