How to transfer applications to SD-Map in Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Transfer of applications to SD-The map in Xiaomi smartphones is a pressing task for users with limited internal memory, POCO And Mi is getting more and more built-in storage, and many people are still running out of space because of the abundance of games, messengers and multimedia files. MIUI restricts the transfer of applications to external drives by default, and some methods work only on certain versions of the firmware.

In this article, we will analyze all available methods of transfer – from standard functions. MIUI You'll learn which applications can be ported and which will remain in internal memory, how to circumvent system limitations, and what to do if you want to do something about it. SD-The map is not recognized. We'll focus on the nuances for different versions separately. MIUI (12 to 14) and smartphone models – from budget Redmi 9A The flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

Why Xiaomi restricts the portability of applications to SD-card?

Many users wonder why MIUI doesn’t have the full app portability feature it did in older versions of Android, and the reasons are rooted in the architecture of modern operating systems and Xiaomi’s policies:

• 🔒 Data security: Annexes to the SD-It is easier to steal or replace the card, especially if the drive is retrieved and connected to other devices. MIUI By default, it blocks the transfer of system and banking applications.
• ⚡ Productivity: SD-cards (even class) A2) They are slower than the built-in memory. UFS 2.1/3.0. Application portability can cause lags, especially in games.
• 📱 Android Fragmentation: Starting with Android 6.0, Google has limited portability due to compatibility issues. Xiaomi followed these guidelines by removing the feature in newer versions MIUI.
• 💾 Adoptable Storage: In MIUI 12+ Removed formatting support SD-Maps as internal storage (Adoptable Storage function) that was in Android 6-9.

But some applications can still be migrated, so you have to know the hidden settings and use workarounds, and then we'll look at all the working ways.

Method 1: Standard portability through MIUI settings (for supported applications)

This method works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12/13/14, but only for those applications that support portability. Unfortunately, their minority is usually simple utilities, instant messengers (such as Telegram) or games with low weight.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want to migrate (like Facebook Lite or VK).
3. Click on Warehouse (or Memory in some versions).
4. If the option is available, a button will appear to Move to SD-Map (English - Move to English) SD card).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (it may take 10-30 seconds).

⚠️ Note: After porting, some features of the app may not work well, for example, notifications from WhatsApp or Viber may come with a delay if the app is not available. SD-slow-card.

Format the map in FAT32/exFAT (not NTFS)|

Use a Class A1/A2 (UHS-I) card |

Check the vacant space (minimum 500 MB) |

Disable "Saving charge" for stable operation

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Method 2: Formatting SD-Cards as internal memory (only for older versions) MIUI)

Before we go. MIUI 12 (based on Android 10) in Xiaomi smartphones was Adoptable Storage feature, allowing you to "tether" SD-This allowed you to install applications directly to the drive, unfortunately, in newer versions of firmware, this option is removed, but on older devices (for example, Redmi Note 7 or Mi). A2) It can still be activated.

How to do this:

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → SD-map.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Slip on Format as internal (newer versions don’t have this option!).
5. Confirm the formatting – all data from the card will be deleted.
6. After restarting, the system will offer to transfer some data to the SD-map.

⚠️ Note: After formatting SD-The card as internal memory cannot be retrieved and used on other devices without completely erasing the data, and it can also slow down the system if the card is slow (class below). A1).

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If your model doesn’t support Adoptable Storage, try rolling back to an older version of MIUI via Fastboot. however, this is risky and could lead to a loss of warranty.

Method 3: Transfer over ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that lets you manually tell the system which apps to move, which works on most Xiaomi devices but requires a computer connection.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on the MIUI version until the notification "You're a developer" appears.

USB debugging

Settings → Additional → For Developers

ADB-driver

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command forces the system to default to install applications on SD-map.

Facebook

adb shell pm move-package com.facebook.katana

(Replace com.facebook.katana with the batch name of the desired application).

List of packet names of popular applications:

• 📱 WhatsApp: com.whatsapp
• 💬 Telegram: org.telegram.messenger
• 🎮 Genshin Impact: com.mihoyo.GenshinImpact
• 📷 Instagram: com.instagram.android

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support portability ADB. System utilities (e.g. Mi Browser or Security) and security games (e.g., Mi Browser or Security, PUBG Mobile won't be moved, either after the update. MIUI settings may reset.

Method 4: Transfer of cache and media files of applications

If the app itself cannot be moved, you can free up space by moving its cache and media files (such as uploaded photos to Instagram or music to Spotify). Many apps allow you to manually specify a path to save data.

Examples:

• 📸 Instagram: Settings → Account. → Preservation of originals → choose SD-map.
• 🎵 Spotify: Settings → Sound quality → bootloader → point the way SD.
• 🎮 Genshin Impact: Move the Resources folder (GenshinImpact_data) manually through the file manager.
• 📥 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Telegram folder → choose SD-map.

For manual transfer:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC or use a file manager (such as Mi File Manager).
2. Find the application folder in internal memory (usually in /Android/data/[packet name]).
3. Copy it on. SD-map (e.g. in the /SDCard/Android/data/[packet-name]).
4. In some applications (for example, Netflix) you need to specify a new path in the settings.

⚠️ Note: Not all apps work properly after manual data transfer. For example, Google Maps may stop updating offline maps if they are moved to the map. SD-hand-write.

Problems and solutions in transferring applications to SD-map

Even if you've managed to migrate applications, there may be problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to solve them:

If SD-map is not defined at all:

1. Check if your Xiaomi model supports memory cards (e.g., the Xiaomi 12S Ultra does not have an SD slot).
2. Clean the contacts of the slot with alcohol and cotton.
3. Try another card (SanDisk Ultra A2 or Samsung EVO Plus is recommended).
4. Update the firmware through Settings → About the phone → System update.

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If none of these methods worked, consider cleaning the cache (Settings → Storage → Clean), removing unnecessary apps, or using cloud services (Mi Cloud, Google Drive).

Alternative ways to free up memory in Xiaomi

If the applications are transferred SD-The card is not possible or does not solve the problem of memory shortage, use alternative methods:

• 🧹 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Warehouse → Clean. Select the app cache and click Clear (can be released) 1-3 GB).
• 🗑️ Remove Duplicates: Use Mi File Manager → Categories → Duplicates: Apps like Files by Google or CCleaner can also help you find unnecessary files.
• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Activate Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud! Set up automatic upload of photos and videos in Google Photos.
• 🔄 PC port: Connect your smartphone to your computer and copy heavy files (video, music). PC Suite for backup.

It’s also worth checking which apps take up the most space:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Sort by size (click on three dots → Sort by size).
3. Remove or clean up unnecessary apps (like pre-installed games from Xiaomi).

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring applications to SD-map