How to transfer applications to the SD card on Xiaomi Redmi 9

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 9 often face a situation where internal memory of 32 or 64 GB becomes critically small. Android operating system with the shell MIUI takes up a significant amount of space, and modern applications and multimedia quickly fill the remaining space, which leads to a slowdown of the device and the inability to install new programs.

Fortunately, the Redmi 9 features a separate microSD card slot to expand storage, but standard tools don’t always allow applications to be moved, as manufacturers often block this feature to ensure stability, and there are proven ways to bypass the restrictions.

In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can increase your memory, learn how to properly prepare your drive, use hidden developer functions, and use command line tools to fully integrate your external card into your system. Importantly, formatting the card as internal memory will result in the complete deletion of all the data on it, so back up in advance.

Preparation of a memory card and smartphone

Before starting any manipulations, you need to make sure that the drive used is compatible and serviceable. For comfortable application operation, it is recommended to use cards of the UHS-I speed class or higher, since low reading speed can cause lags in the interface.

MIUI will automatically suggest formatting a new drive.Accept this action by choosing a FAT32 or exFAT file system for basic use.If you plan to carry heavy games, make sure the card size is at least 32GB.

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Use only original or certified memory cards from well-known brands, and cheap ones can quickly fail when apps are actively recording data.

After formatting, check the map in the Settings menu → About Phone → Storage. Make sure the system sees the full storage capacity. If the card is defined as portable storage, you can’t transfer applications to it in Xiaomi by standard means, you will need to use more advanced methods, which will be discussed below.

Using Developer Mode for Transfer

The first method doesn't require a computer connection or complex software, but it doesn't work with all applications, and the idea is to activate a hidden menu that compels the system to consider an external card available for program installation, a regular Android feature that manufacturers sometimes hide.

To activate, go to Settings → About phone and quickly press 7 times on the item Version MIUI. After the inscription “You became a developer” appears, go back to the main settings menu, select More → For developers, find the option "Preferred installation location" or "Default write" and select SD-map.

⚠️ Note: After this function is enabled, some system applications may not work stable. If you notice a failure, return the setting to the original position "Internal memory».

This method allows you to transfer only those applications whose developers have provided such a possibility, heavy games and system services will remain in internal storage, but it will help to free up a few gigabytes by moving the cache and data of messengers.

ADB Method: Turning SD into Internal Memory

The most effective way to trick a system into thinking that a memory card is part of internal storage would be to have a Windows computer, USB-Cable and Platform Tools (ADB). This method requires care, as you will work with partitions of the disk.

First, turn on USB debugging. Go to the Developer Menu and activate the USB Debugging Switch. Connect your smartphone to your PC with a cable. On your computer, open the command line in the ADB folder and enter the connection check command:

adb devices

You'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone, confirm it. If the console displays the serial number of the device, the connection is established. Then you need to enter shell mode with the adb shell command, and now we'll work directly with the phone's file system.

Creating a section for applications through the command line

Once you enter shell mode, you need to identify your memory card ID, type in the sm list-disks command, and the system will give you a list of disks, for example, disk:179.64, and remember or copy this number, which is critical for future operations.

The next step is to split the map, and we'll create a hidden partition for applications, and you can type in a command to replace the disk:XXX,XX with your number:

sm partition disk:XXX,XX private 100%

Private indicates that you have a secure partition, and 100 percent allocates all the available area to it, and once you do that, the phone can reboot, and the memory card will be unreadable for PCs and other devices, because it will be encrypted and tied to that particular smartphone.

⚠️ Note: The process of formatting through ADB It will completely destroy all the data on the map. It will be impossible to restore it in the standard way.

Once you restart, the system will treat the card as internal memory, and you can transfer almost any application to it through the program management menu, and the amount of internal memory available in the settings should increase significantly.

Transfer of photos and media files

Even if you don't use the ADB method, you have to migrate media to free up space. The camera and messengers by default store data in internal memory, and you can change this behavior in the settings of the Camera application itself or through the file manager.

Open the standard Explorer or download Mi File Manager. Go to the folder DCIM → Camera. Select all the photos and videos, click "More" and select "Move." Point the way to the next one. SD-map, creating a folder for the structure there.

You can do the same with the Download folder and messenger documents, and in Telegram and WhatsApp, you can change the way you save files in the settings of the application itself so that new data immediately goes to the map, which will prevent the system partition from filling up quickly in the future.

Possible problems and solutions

There may be errors in operation, such as when you transfer applications over ADB, the phone may be slower, because the memory card's speed is usually lower than the speed of the built-in flash drive, and if the lags become unbearable, the partition will have to be removed.

Another common problem is that the widgets of the ported applications disappear, and when you reboot, the system may not have time to pick up the external partitions, in which case, try not to remove the card or turn off the phone completely using only the reboot, and also check the contacts of the card by erasing them with a stripe.

⚠️ Warning: Do not remove the memory card "hot" if it is ported applications, this will lead to the crash of programs and possible data loss.

If the system writes "Formatting error" or «SD-The card is damaged, try formatting it on your computer through the utility SD Formatter is in Overwrite mode. Then repeat the procedure for connecting to the phone. Sometimes it helps to reset all the phone settings to the factory, but this is an extreme measure.

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Using a memory card as an internal one (via ADB) gives the maximum result, but reduces the overall speed of the device and ties the card to a specific phone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)