Xiaomi’s current smartphones have impressive specs, but the built-in memory is often not enough to install all the games and programs needed. MIUI 12 has become even more resource-intensive, and the cache of popular messengers and social networks can take up tens of gigabytes in a short time. Users are naturally looking for ways to expand the available space using microSD drives, which remain the standard in many budget and mid-budget models.
Unfortunately, the company’s policy in the latest versions of the shell has changed, and the standard function of moving programs to an external medium is often hidden or completely absent from the settings menu, this is due to optimization of system speed and application stability, since memory cards work slower than internal flash memory.
In this guide, we will look at all the available ways, from standard settings to the use of special features of the developer. You will learn what risks exist when transferring data, how to properly prepare a memory card and what to do if the desired menu item is not active. Proper file management will help to extend the life of your device and avoid constant reporting of space shortages.
Preparation of memory card and smartphone for work
Before you start transferring data, you need to make sure that your drive meets the speed requirements. For the correct operation of applications from external media, it is recommended to use cards of Class 10 or higher, labeled UHS-I. Slow cards can lead to program freezes and reduce the overall performance of the Xiaomi system.
Insert a microSD card into the device slot and wait for it to be determined. The system will automatically prompt you to format the drive if it has been used in other gadgets. It is important to understand that the formatting process will completely delete all existing files, so copy important photos and documents to your computer or to the cloud in advance.
☑️ Pre-transfer check
After formatting, check the status of the drive in the settings menu. Go to Settings → About Phone → Storage to make sure the system sees the external drive and displays its volume correctly. If the card is defined as portable storage, you can store media files on it, but additional actions will be required to install programs.
⚠️ Note: Do not remove the memory card while the applications that have been transferred to it are running, this may damage the program files or completely lose the stored progress in games.
Standard method of transfer through MIUI settings
Some versions of MIUI 12 retain the ability to manually move individual applications, a method that is the most secure because it doesn’t require superuser rights or system files to be changed, but it doesn’t work for all programs, as developers determine whether their product can be moved to an external medium.
To start, open the settings menu and find the App section, then select All Apps. In the list, find the program you want to move and click on it. If portable, the Change button or the Memory option with the drive selection option will be active in the menu that opens.
Click on the change button and select SD-The system will copy the required files, and it should be noted that some of the data will still remain in internal memory, since system libraries and cache often need to be located on a fast disk for stable work.
- 📱 Open the settings and go to the application section.
- 📂 Select a specific application from the list of installed.
- 💾 Click the "Change" button and select SD-map.
- ⏳ Wait for the data copying process to be completed.
If the motion button is inactive or absent, it means that the application developer has banned such an operation, in which case the standard methods will not solve the problem, and you will have to resort to more complex system settings or use the card only to store photos and videos.
Activate Adoptable Storage through ADB
For smartphone owners who don't have regular portability, there's a method of forcing internal memory to be combined with a memory card, called Adoptable Storage, which allows the system to think of the microSD card as an extension of internal storage, allowing it to be installed on any application.
This method requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and using the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) debugging tool. You will need to download the Platform Tools for your operating system and enable USB debugging mode in the Developer Menu on your phone.
adb shell sm partition-override:179,64 privateIf you do this, you'll format the map and turn it into a system partition, and once you reboot the device, the card will only work on that smartphone, and the data on it is encrypted, and you won't be able to read it on another device without resetting it.
Risks of using ADB teams
⚠️ Note: After activation of Adoptable Storage, the memory card will cause all ported applications to fail.
Use of special opportunities for developers
There is a hidden menu in the MIUI shell that sometimes allows you to force the transfer of applications, which is less radical than formatting through ADB, and can be activated directly on the device without using a computer.
Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Developer. If this section is hidden, you need to quickly click on the build number in About Phone seven times. In the developer menu, scroll down to Force allow apps on external.
Activate this switch and restart your smartphone. Once turned on, try going back to your app settings and see if you can move, and this method doesn't guarantee 100% success for all programs, but it greatly increases the chances of transfer.
| Parameter | Standard regimen | Developer mode | Adoptable Storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security of data | Tall. | Tall. | Medium (depending on the map) |
| Difficulty setting up | Low. | Low. | Tall. |
| Application compatibility | Limited. | Expanded | Complete. |
| Impact on speed | No. | Minimum | Notable on cheap cards |
Use of features for developers requires caution. Do not change other options in this menu unless you are sure about their purpose, as this can lead to malfunctioning of the MIUI 12 interface or malfunction of wireless modules.
Transfer of multimedia and application cache
Even if you can’t migrate the application itself, in most cases, it is possible to move its data, especially for messengers and navigators. for example, Telegram, WhatsApp and Yandex.Navigator allow you to choose the way to save downloaded files and maps in their internal settings.
Go to the settings of a particular application and find the section related to data storage. SD-This will free up a significant amount of internal memory without affecting the system files of the program.
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Use Google’s Files app or Xiaomi’s built-in Explorer to packetly move DCIM, Download, and Documents folders to a memory card to free up space manually.
You can also change the camera settings. Open the camera app, click on the settings menu and select Save to SD-Now all new photos and videos will be automatically recorded on an external drive, which is the most effective way to combat space shortages.
- 📸 Set the camera to save the photo to the map.
- 💬 In messengers, specify the path of the cache to the external carrier.
- 🗺️ Download offline maps of the navigator on microSD.
- 🎵 Move the music folder to the root of external memory.
Regular cleaning of cache and transfer of heavy media files allow to keep the system in good shape, internal memory remains free for temporary files and updates, which positively affects the speed of the interface response.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
During operation, there may be situations when the ported applications stop working or the system stops seeing the card, often due to a deterioration in the contact in the slot or damage to the file system of the drive.
If the problem persists, check the card for errors, using built-in Android tools or connecting the card to your computer through a card reader and running disk check, file system errors can block access to application data.
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The quality of the memory card directly affects the stability of the smartphone, cheap drives of unknown brands often fail when actively recording these applications.
In some cases, the MIUI update may reset the port settings. After a major firmware update, it is recommended to recheck the storage settings and repeat the data transfer procedure if necessary, and make sure that the card is not more than 90% full.
⚠️ Attention: Frequently writing and overwriting data to a memory card reduces its lifespan. It is recommended to periodically back up important data from card to computer.