How to transfer programs to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones: all ways + hidden MIUI chips

Xiaomi smartphone owners sooner or later face a shortage of internal memory — especially on budget models with 32 or 64 GB of storage. Even after cleaning the cache and removing unnecessary files, the system stubbornly says: “Memory is full.” The solution seems obvious — to transfer programs to a microSD card, but here users are waiting for pitfalls. Unlike older versions of Android, modern Xiaomi smartphones based on MIUI limit this feature, and some applications refuse to work from external media.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to transfer programs to the SD-map 2026 Year - from standard instruments MIUI You'll learn which apps can be ported without risk, how to get around system limitations, and why map formats A1/A2 High read/write speeds increase the chances of success in the 3 We will also analyze whether to use adoptable storage on Xiaomi and which models support this feature without failure.

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

Xiaomi smartphones run on the proprietary shell MIUI, which imposes strict restrictions on working with external media, this is not a whim of the manufacturer, but a consequence of Google's policy and the technical features of Android:

• 🔒 Data security: Annexes to the SD-It is easier to steal or replace cards, especially if the cards are retrieved and used on other devices.
• ⚡ Performance: Even the fastest microSD (UHS-II, A2) into 5–10 time-slower than the built-in memory UFS 2.2/3.1, What's holding back programs.
• 📱 Optimization MIUI: The shell caches frequently used application data in internal memory to speed up work.
• 🔄 System Updates: After Update MIUI Some portable applications may stop running.

Google also banned the portability of system applications and services to external media with Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

• 📱 Google Play Services, Google Play Store
• 🔐 Applications with administrator rights (antiviruses, password managers)
• 🎮 Cheat-protected games (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact)
• 💳 Banking applications (Sberbank Online, Tinkoff)

⚠️ Attention: Transfer of applications to SD-The card can cause data loss when the card is removed or the file system crashes. For example, in Redmi Note 12, when formatting the card as internal storage, the smartphone stops loading after being removed before re-inserting the media.

Which memory card to choose for Xiaomi: technical requirements

Not every microSD is good for porting applications, and if you use a cheap Class 4 or Class 10 card that doesn't have A1/A2, MIUI can block you from installing programs on it, and here are the minimum requirements for stable operation:

To check card speed before buying, use apps like A1 SD Bench (available on Google Play). If the actual write speed is below 10 MB/s, porting applications will be accompanied by lags and errors.

Method 1: Standard transfer through MIUI settings (without root)

This is the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi models (including Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X4/X5, Mi 11 Lite).However, it is suitable only for some applications - those that support portability are marked in the settings with a special icon.

Instructions:

1. Insert the memory card into the slot (if a hybrid slot is used, you will have to donate the second one). SIM-card).
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select the application you want to transfer (such as Telegram or VK).
4. Click on "Storage" → "Change" → "Memory Map".
5. Confirm the transfer and wait until the completion (may take up to 5 minutes).

Limitations of the method:

• 🚫 Not all apps support portability (e.g. WhatsApp, Instagram, most games).
• 🔄 After updating MIUI Some transferable programs can “fly” back into internal memory.
• ⚠️ System applications (Camera, Gallery, Phone) cannot be transferred.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F3, Xiaomi 12T) post-transfer SD-It may disappear from the menu. To return it, reboot your smartphone or check the All Apps folder in the launcher.

Method 2: Formatting a card as an internal memory (Adoptable Storage)

This method allows you to combine the memory card with the internal drive, after which the system will perceive it as part of the main storage. SD-The map (including games) is also a serious drawback:

• 🔒 The card is tied to the device and will not be read on other smartphones/PCs without formatting.
• ⚡ Application speeds will drop by 30-50% compared to internal memory.
• 🔄 After the card is removed, the smartphone can freeze on the boot (especially on the Redmi). 9A/10A).

How to activate Adoptable Storage:

1. Insert the memory card and wait for its recognition.
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Map.
3. Click on three dots in the top right corner → “Storage settings” → “Format as internal.”
4. Confirm the action (all data on the map will be deleted!).
5. After formatting, select “Move Data Now” or “Move Later”.

Importantly, not all Xiaomi models support this feature. For example, on the POCO X3 Pro and Redmi Note 10 Pro, the option is available, but on the Xiaomi 13 Lite it is not. Check compatibility in advance!

Method 3: Transfer over ADB (for power users)

If the standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) — a debugging tool that allows you to manually specify to the system which applications to transfer to SD-This method works even on applications that are in the MIUI labeled as “not supporting transfer".

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times).
2. Turn on "Debugging by" USB" In Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC, install it ADB-Drivers and open the command line in the folder with the platform-tools.
4. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your Xiaomi.
5. Find out the package name of the application (for example, for Telegram it is org.telegram.messenger) using: adb shell pm list packages -f
6. Move the app to SD-Map by team: adb shell pm move-package org.telegram.messenger /storage/1234-5678 (substitute 1234-5678 real ID Your card can be recognized by the adb shell ls command /storage).

Limitations:

• 🔧 Not all apps will agree to be moved (e.g. Google Chrome or YouTube will give you a Failure error). [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_INSTALL_LOCATION]).
• 🔄 After a reboot, some programs may return to internal memory.
• ⚠️ Wrong teams ADB may damage the system (e.g., transfer of system applications).

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command forces the system to default to install applications on SD-card (if formatted as an internal card).-->

Method 4: Use of third-party applications (with risks)

Google Play has utilities that promise to transfer applications to the Internet SD-One-click card – for example, AppMgr III, Move App 2 SD or Link2SD. However, on modern Xiaomi smartphones, they work unstable and can cause a serious problem:

• 🐌 Slowing down of transferred programs (due to internal memory emulation).
• 🔄 Loss of data when updating applications.
• 🚫 Blocking certain functions (such as notifications).

If you do decide to do this, follow the algorithm:

1. Install Link2SD from Google Play and provide root rights (if any).
2. Select the portable app and click "Create a link".
3. Move all three components: APK, data, and cache.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 13/14 apps Link2SD Often cause the error "Not enough space on the device", even if the map is free 100+ This is due to the limitations of the file system. F2FS, Which Xiaomi is using in new models.

What to do if the transferred application does not work?

After the programme has been moved to SD-map she can:

• 🔳 Do not start (the icon is, but when pressed, nothing happens).
• 🔄 Fly out at opening.
• 📵 Notify us not to show notices.
• 🔕 Lose data after rebooting.

Decisions:

If nothing helps, check the card for errors using the SD Card Tester app or format it in exFAT via your PC.

💡

Transfer system applications (e.g. Camera or Contacts) to SD-The card will lead to a malfunction of the smartphone. MIUI It blocks such actions at the core level.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the transfer of programs to SD-map