Transfer of data to SD-map to Xiaomi: apps, photos and files

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal memory, especially on budget models with 32 or 64GB of storage.The microSD memory card seems like the obvious solution, but the standard Android features and shells MIUI This article will discuss all the working ways to transfer applications, photos, videos and other files to the portable portable. SD-map – from official methods to workarounds for experienced users.

It’s important to understand that current versions of Android (starting with 6.0) block full portability of applications to external media for security reasons. However, there are nuances for Xiaomi: some models (such as the Redmi Note series or POCO) support hybrid storage through Settings → Memory, while others will require manual intervention. We tested all methods on MIUI 14/15 and identified those that actually work in 2026.

1. Preparation SD-maps: formatting and type selection

Before you can transfer data, you need to prepare the memory card correctly. Xiaomi offers two formatting options: as a portable storage (FAT32/exFAT) or as an internal memory (Adoptable Storage), which depends on the choice of data you can transfer.

If you plan to only store photos, videos and documents on the map, choose Portable Storage. This mode is compatible with any device (including computers), but does not allow you to port applications.

• 🔄 The card will be encrypted and tied to a specific smartphone – on another device, the data will be inaccessible.
• ⚡ Card speed is critical: applications need a class UHS-I (U1/U3) or A2.
• 📉 In internal memory mode, the card will become part of the system, and it cannot be removed without resetting the settings.

To format the card as an internal memory:

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → [Your card name] → Three points (⋮) → Storage settings.
3. Select the internal memory and confirm the formatting.

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If the apps are not portable after formatting as internal memory, check if your Xiaomi model supports this feature. For example, the Redmi 9A and POCO M3 work with Adoptable Storage, while the flagships of the Xiaomi 13 series do not.

2. Transfer of applications to SD-map: official method

If your smartphone supports internal memory, SD-maps, you can transfer some applications through standard settings MIUI. However, there are limitations:

• 📱 Only those applications that support this feature are ported (many games and social networks do not).
• 🔗 Some of the data (cache, settings) will remain in the internal memory.
• 🔄 After the transfer, the application can run slower – it depends on the speed of the card.

Instructions for the perenos:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want to transfer (such as Telegram or VLC).
3. Press Warehouse. → Change. → SD-map.
4. Confirm the transfer and wait until it is completed (may take a few minutes).

Map formatted as internal memory |

Card speed is not lower than Class 10/U1|

The application supports portability (check in its settings)|

Battery charge > 50% (energy-intensive process)

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If the option to change is inactive, it means:

• 🚫 The app does not support portability (such as WhatsApp or Google Play Services).
• 🛠️ The card is not formatted as internal memory.
• 📵 Your Xiaomi model blocks this feature at the firmware level (relevant for flagships).

16-32 GB |

64G.NET |

128GB |

256GB and more |

I don't use it.-->

Bypassing restrictions: porting applications without map formatting

If your smartphone doesn't support internal memory, or you don't want to tie the card to the device, you can use workarounds, which require superuser rights or special applications.

Method 1: App2SD application (requires root)

Utility. App2SD allows you to forcibly transfer applications to SD-even if they don't support it:

1. Install App2SD from Google Play.
2. Provide root access (if you don’t know how to get it, read our bootloader unlock guide).
3. In the list of apps, select the ones you want to transfer and click Move to SD.

Method 2: Link2SD (for power users)

Link2SD creates symbolic links by redirecting some of the application data to a map, which is less aggressive than full porting, and works without root on some firmware.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right Link2SD It can cause app crashes or data loss.Before setting up, back up through Settings → System system → Backup.

Instructions for Link2SD:

1. Install Link2SD from Google Play.


2. In the application settings, select the card file system (FAT32/exFAT/Ext2).




3. Reboot the smartphone.




4. In the list of applications, select the desired one and click "Link to SD)."

4. Transfer of photos, videos and documents to SD-map

Unlike apps, media files and documents are transferred to the SD-A map without restrictions, Xiaomi offers several ways:

Method 1: Through a File Manager

1. Open the Files app (or Mi File Manager).
2. Go to the file folder (for example, DCIM for photos or Downloads for downloads).
3. Select files, press More. → Move it → SD-map.

Method 2: Automatically save to the map

To ensure that new photos and videos are immediately saved to the SD-map:

1. Open the camera. → Settings (⚙️) → Preservation site.
2. Choose. SD-map.
3. Restart the Camera app.

Method 3: Through PC (for large volumes)

If you need to transfer tens of gigabytes of data, it is more convenient to use a computer:

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Copy files from internal memory (Internal Storage) SD-conductor Windows/macOS.
3. After copying, check the files on your smartphone – sometimes they may not show up because of the cache.

5. Problems and errors in the transfer to SD-map

Even after a successful transfer, Xiaomi users face typical problems, and consider the most common and ways to solve them.

Error: “Not enough space on the device” when transferring applications

Reason: The card is formatted as portable storage, but you're trying to migrate the app.

• 🔄 Reformat the card as an internal memory (see section 1).
• 🗑️ Clear the app cache through Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.

Mistake: "SD-card is "damaged" or not determined

Possible causes and solutions:

• 🛠️ The card is physically damaged – try inserting it into another device.
• 🔧 Incompatible file system – format the card in exFAT via PC.
• 🔋 Contacts oxidized – wipe the card and slot in the smartphone with alcohol.

Issue: Annexes to SD-card-stop

This is typical of Class 4/6 cards or forgeries.

• ⚡ Buy a card with a marking A2 or U3 (For example, SanDisk Extreme).
• 🔄 Transfer the most resource-intensive applications (games, video editor) back to internal memory.
• 📵 Turn off auto-update applications on SD via Google Play → Settings → Auto-update.

⚠️ Note: If, after transferring applications to SD-The card has started to overheat or discharge quickly, return them to internal memory. Low quality cards can put a high load on the processor when reading / writing.

6.Alternative solutions: cloud storage and OTG-drives

If the transfer is SD-The card does not solve the problem of memory shortage, consider alternatives:

Cloud storage

Services like Google Photos, Mi Cloud or Yandex Drive allow you to free up internal memory by uploading files to the cloud, for example, Google Photos can automatically delete local copies of photos after backing up:

1. Install Google Photos from the Play Market.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. Turn on the option to vacate the seat.

OTG-accumulator

If your Xiaomi supports OTG (most models starting with the Redmi 4X), you can connect an external SSD or flash drive via a USB-C/OTG adapter.

• 🎮 Storage of large games (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).
• 📽️ Watching movies in high resolution without downloading them to internal memory.
• 📁 Backup of all smartphone data.

Memory cleaning applications

Utilities like Files by Google or CCleaner help you find and delete unnecessary files.

• 🗑️ Application cache.
• 📂 Duplicate photos and videos.
• 📥 Old ones. APK-file-up.

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Cloud storage and OTG-drive-in SD-It's a map, but it helps to spread the load, so you can store media files in the cloud, and apps in a memory card.

Frequent questions about data transfer to SD-map