Transfer applications to memory card in Xiaomi Redmi 7

Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 7 often face a lack of built-in storage, especially in the basic versions of the device. Modern applications occupy a significant amount of space, and the MIUI system itself requires enough space for cache and temporary files, which leads to a slowdown of the gadget and the inability to install new programs.

Fortunately, engineers have designed a microSD card slot that allows you to expand the available space. However, standard means of the system to transfer absolutely all programs to an external medium is not always possible. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods, including hidden functions and advanced tools.

Before you start, make sure your memory card has a sufficient write speed. For applications to work comfortably, it is recommended to use cards of UHS-I class or higher. Slow drives can cause critical errors in the work of programs installed on them.

It’s worth noting that the latest Android security policies restrict apps’ direct access to external drives, which is designed to protect user data, but makes it uncomfortable to try to free up internal memory.

Preparation of memory card and compatibility check

The first step is to properly prepare the external drive, not every memory card works correctly in conjunction with a Xiaomi smartphone, and if the drive has been previously used in other devices or cameras, it must be formatted.

Put the card into the slot and wait for the system to notify you. Go to the settings menu and select "Storage" and you'll see a list of available drives and information about the occupation of space.

To work with applications, the card must be formatted as internal storage or have a file system supported by Android. Most often, formatting is used in FAT32 or exFAT.

• 📱 Insert the memory card into the switched off or on smartphone through the tray of SIM cards.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → The phone. → Storage for checking the display of the drive.
• 🗑️ Click “Clean” or “Format” if the system suggests doing so for proper operation.
• 📂 Make sure there is no important data on the map, as formatting will remove all information.

After preparation, you can start configuring, and it's important to understand that some system applications are not portable under any circumstances, and this is a limitation that the developers of the operating system put in place for stability.

⚠️ Note: Formatting a memory card will completely destroy all data on it. Be sure to back up photos and documents before starting the procedure.

Check the speed of writing a map with specialized tests available on Google Play.The slow read speed can cause heavy games to load longer than with the built-in memory.

Standard method of transfer through MIUI settings

The MIUI shell on Redmi 7 has an integrated application management mechanism that allows you to move some programs to an external medium, unless the application developer has banned this feature.

To start, open your phone's settings and find the Apps section, and here's a complete list of the software you've installed, and select the program you want to move.

If transfer is possible, you will see the active button "Move to". SD-Otherwise, the button will be inactive or absent. This depends on the manifest of the application itself.

The process of moving can take from a few seconds to several minutes, depending on the size of the program. During the operation, it is not recommended to open the moving application.

Settings → Appendices → All Appendices → [Select Appendix] → Storage → Change → SD- Map

Some system utilities require root permissions to change the installation path, and standard MIUI tools cannot move them because they are integrated into the system partition.

After the transfer, some of the data will still remain in internal memory, which is necessary for the performance and storage of shared libraries used by several programs.

Using a Developer Mode for Forced Transfer

There is a hidden feature in Android that allows you to force apps to an external drive, and to activate this feature you will need access to the developer menu.

Open About Phone and press the MIUI build number seven times until you become a developer, and then a new option will appear in the advanced settings.

Find the Developer section and scroll down to the "Forced Apps to be Uploaded to an External Drive" section. Activate this switch.

Once you turn on this option, restart your smartphone. Now, in the application management menu, the port button can become active even for programs that did not previously support this feature.

• 🔓 Activate the developer mode with quick clicks on the software version.
• 🛠 Find the menu item "Forced unloading of applications».
• 🔄 Restart the device to apply changes.
• 📲 Check the list of applications – the port option should appear.

Using this method can cause some programs to work in an unstable way, and if the application starts to fly or slow down, put it back in the internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: Forced transfer of system components can lead to a cyclical device reboot (bootloop).Be careful with system applications Google and Xiaomi.

Not all apps work properly in this mode, and desktop widgets may stop updating and notifications may come with a delay.

Advanced methods using ADB and command line

For advanced users who are not afraid of the command line, there is a more powerful method that allows you to change the attributes of the application package, forcibly pointing the path to the command line. SD-map.

You'll need a computer, USB-cable and installed drivers ADB. You need to turn on the phone debugging USB developer-menu.

Connect your smartphone to your PC and start the terminal. Type a command to get a list of packages and find the application you want. Then use the pm move-package command to move.

adb shell pm move-package com.example.app external

This method requires precision. An error in the name of the package can cause the command to fail or be executed for an incorrect application.

Once the command is executed, the application will physically move to the external drive, but when the application is removed or resets, it can return to internal memory.

Using ADB provides flexibility, but requires technical literacy, and it is not recommended to use it for mission-critical applications such as banking clients or instant messengers.

Features of working with multimedia and cache

Even if the application itself is transferred to a memory card, its cache and downloaded files (photos, music, documents) are often stored by default in internal memory.

Go to the settings of the app itself (e.g. Telegram, WhatsApp, or Spotify) and find the Storage or Data section and change the way you save files to your memory card.

This is especially true for multimedia files, and photos and videos take up the most space, and by redirecting the camera to record directly to the video. SD-map, you will save gigabytes.

In some cases, the application may not have its own path setting, then you will have to use a file manager with root rights or create symbolic links.

• 📸 Open the camera settings and select “Save to” SD-map».
• 💬 In messengers, find the settings of the file download path.
• 🎵 In music players, specify a folder on an external medium.
• 🗺 Download offline maps of the navigator immediately to the external drive.

Regularly cleaning the cache also helps free up space.Use Xiaomi's built-in "Security" utility to automatically clean garbage files.

Remember that the speed of working with cache on SD-Apps can take longer to open heavy images or videos.

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Use memory cards labeled A1 or A2. These speed classes are optimized for running applications, not just storing files, which is critical for Redmi 7.

Possible problems and ways to solve them

During the transfer process, users may encounter various errors, most often the system reports that the movement is impossible, or the application stops working after the transfer.

If the application crashes immediately after launch, try to return it to internal memory, and a particular version of the program may not be compatible with the work through the external interface.

Sometimes the memory card is identified as damaged, in which case try formatting it on your computer by creating a new partition, or check the contacts in the tray. SIM-map.

A file system failure can cause data loss, and backup important files regularly to a cloud service or computer.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone starts to run slower after porting apps, bring the heaviest programs back.Redmi 7's built-in memory is faster than most microSD cards.

Also, when you remove the memory card, all portable applications will become unavailable, and their icons may disappear from the desktop before re-inserting the drive.

For a stable system, it is recommended to keep 10-15% of internal memory free, even if you have a large memory card, which is necessary for system processes and updates.

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The optimal strategy is to transfer only heavy games and media files to the map, leaving system applications and messengers in internal memory for maximum speed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)