How to transfer applications from your phone to a memory card on Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

The filled internal memory on Xiaomi’s smartphone is a problem that every second user faces. Even models with 128 GB and 256 GB are often clogged with apps, cache and multimedia. MIUI Unlike pure Android, where the feature is available out of the box, Xiaomi's firmware limits the ability to work with the software. SD-map, and here's why.

Modern versions MIUI (Starting from the 12th, they block the standard portability of applications to the external drive by default, this is due to Google's security policy and performance optimization: applications on the external drive are not available. SD-The data on the card is slower and can be damaged by removing the drive, but there are at least three ways to get around the restrictions, two of which do not require root rights. Next, we will analyze each method, its pros, cons and pitfalls, as well as tell you which applications cannot be transferred and why.

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

Starting with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google introduced the concept of Adoptable Storage, a feature that allows you to “bind” the device» SD-card to device as part of internal memory, but Xiaomi has refused to fully support this option in the MIUI, And that's why we're leaving users with only partial solutions:

• 🔒 Data security: Annexes to the SD-The card is more vulnerable to theft or damage, for example, when removing the drive during operation of the program, errors may occur.
• ⚡ Performance: Reading/write speed even at the UHS-I card 2–5 less than the internal memory eMMC/UFS. This is critical for games and heavy apps.
• 📱 Fragmentation MIUI: Xiaomi firmware optimized for internal memory, and app portability could disrupt system stability.

However, the limitations are not absolute: Xiaomi allows you to transfer some of these applications (cache, media files) and some lightweight programs (for example, messengers or utilities), full-fledged transfer is possible only with root rights or through ADB – but there are nuances.

⚠️ Note: Transfer system applications (e.g. com.miui.gallery or com.android.settings) to SD-The card can cause a cyclical reboot of the device, and only the Fastboot can restore the functionality.

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Method 1: Transfer through MIUI settings (without root)

This is the easiest method, but it doesn't work for all applications, only programs that the developer has labeled "portable" are supported, for example, Telegram, VK or Google Maps often allow you to move some data, but games like Genshin Impact do not.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want (such as WhatsApp).
3. Slip on Warehouse.
4. If the option is available, a button will appear to Move to SD-map (or modify) → SD-map).
5. Confirm the action and wait until the process is completed (may take up to 5 minutes).

Important: Do not remove the memory card after the transfer, otherwise the application will stop working.

• 📌 Widgets of the transferred application will disappear from the main screen.
• 🔄 Auto-update application can reset the port settings.
• 🚫 Some features (such as real-time notifications) may not work well.

You can only transfer user applications (not system)

SD-The card is formatted as a portable storage (not as an internal memory)

There is enough free space on the map (at least 20% more than the size of the application)

The application is not a launcher or service (for example, Nova Launcher cannot be moved)

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Method 2: Use of ADB (for power users)

If you don’t have a port option, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which works on most Xiaomi devices (including Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3, Mi 11), but requires a PC connection.

What you need:

• 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB (You can download from the official website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap the version number → return to additional settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-Type C Cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission on the smartphone screen.
2. Open the command prompt (Win + R → enter cmd) and go to the folder with ADB:
3. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices (the name of your device should appear).
4. Find out the batch name of the application (for example, for Facebook it is com.facebook.katana). | grep"facebook"
5. Move the app to SD-Map by team: adb shell pm set-install-location 2 Then: adb shell pm move-package com.facebook.katana

If the command is successful, you will see Success. On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 9A) after porting through ADB, the application may not be updated via Google Play - you will need to manually install APK.

⚠️ Note: Pm set-install-location 2 and move-package commands do not work for applications using OBB-In this case, you will only transfer part of the data, and the main files will remain in the internal memory.

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

This method allows for the “combination» SD-A card with internal memory, but it has critical flaws:

• 🔐 The map will be encrypted and will only work on this device.
• ⚠️ After the card is removed, the phone may freeze or restart.
• 📉 The system speed will drop by 10–30%.

How to activate:

1. Put it in. SD-slot card (preferably a class) UHS-I U3 higher).
2. Go to Settings. → Warehouse → SD-map.
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Click Format as internal memory and confirm the action.
5. After formatting, select Move Data Now (optional).

💡

If you still decide to use SD-card as internal memory, select a card with a high rewrite resource (e.g. Samsung) EVO Plus or SanDisk Extreme. Cheap class cards C10 will fail after 3-6 months of intensive use.

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What applications cannot be transferred to SD-map?

Even if it is technically possible to transfer some programs, you should not move them to an external drive.

• 🎮 Games with OBB-Files (such as Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG): The main data will remain in the internal memory, and the transfer only APK-file won't work.
• 📱 Launchers and widgets (e.g. Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher): After the transfer, widgets will stop updating.
• 🔒 Banking applications (e.g. SberBank Online, Tinkoff): due to security requirements, they block work from external drives.
• 📡 Applications with background services (e.g. Google Maps, Yandex.Navigator): may slow down or not update maps.
• 🤖 System utilities (e.g, MIUI Security, Google Play Services: the transfer will lead to malfunctions in the phone.

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Alternative ways to free up memory on Xiaomi

If the applications are transferred SD-The card is not helpful or impossible, use alternative methods:

• 🧹 Cache Cleanup: Go to Settings → Apps, select a "heavy" app (like Facebook) and tap Clear cache.This can free up to 1-3 GB.
• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Move photos and videos to Google Photos or Mi Cloud, and then delete local copies.
• 🗑️ Removing duplicates: Use Files by Google or SD Maid to find unnecessary files.
• 🔄 Media transfer: Music, movies and documents can be manually moved to SD-A card via any file manager (e.g., Mi File Explorer).
• 📦 Lite versions of applications: Replace "heavy" programs with lightweight analogues (for example, Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).

Hand-cleaning the cache.

Transfer files to SD-map

I use cloud storage.

Remove unused applications

Another way.-->

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Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When transferring applications to SD-Xiaomi users often face some problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

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If, after transferring the application to SD-The card has started to behave unstable (fly out, do not update), return it back to internal memory.

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FAQ: Answers to popular questions