Are you tired of constantly notifying you about memory shortages on your Xiaomi smartphone? Photos take up the lion’s share of internal storage, and transferring them to a memory card or to the cloud seems a difficult task? In fact, the process of changing the photo saving folder takes no more than 5 minutes — if you know the right settings. In this article, we will analyze all possible ways, from standard MIUI tools to hidden camera functions and third-party applications.
The problem is especially relevant for owners of budget models Redmi and POCO with 32-64 GB of memory, where every megabyte counts. But even flagship Xiaomi 13/14 or Mix Fold eventually face filled storage due to high resolution images (up to 200 MP in new models).
Why photos are saved to internal memory by default
Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones are initially set to store all media files in the DCIM/Camera folder on the internal drive, for three reasons:
- 🔹 Speed of operation: internal memory (eMMC/UFS) faster than microSD cards, which is important for serial shooting or recording video in the video 4K/8K.
- 🔹 Security: files on a memory card are easier to lose when the media is removed or damaged.
- 🔹 Compatibility: Some camera features (such as Pro Mode or Night Mode) may not work with external drives.
But for most users, the benefits pale in comparison to the main problem: lack of space, especially if you shoot in RAW format (files weigh 20 to 50 MB each) or use the camera for video, in which cases, transferring photos to a memory card or to the cloud becomes not a luxury, but a necessity.
⚠️ Note: If you use a class memory card UHS-I (speed 30 MB/s), when shooting video in 4K@60fps You may have lags or breaks. Check the class of the card in the characteristics (optimally — U3/V30 higher).
Method 1: Change the save location in the camera settings
The easiest method is to set up the storage space directly in the Camera app, which works on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones with MIUI 12 and later.
- Open the Camera app (the icon on the home screen or menu).
- Touch the gears. ⚙️ in the upper right corner (or swipe from the right edge of the screen if you use gestures).
- Go to Settings → Storage (or Settings → Save Place in older versions).
- Choose one of the options: 📱 Internal memory (by default) 💾 Map. SD (if established) ☁️ Xiaomi Cloud (requires authorization in Mi Account)
Confirm your choice and restart the camera.
After that, all new photos and videos will be saved to the selected place, the old files will remain on the same medium - they must be transferred manually (we will discuss this below).
Make sure that the SD card is formatted as internal memory (if necessary)
Check the free space on the target medium (minimum 10% of the volume)
Close all applications that use the camera (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)
Reboot your smartphone after changing your settings (recommended)
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If the SD card option is inactive (grey), it means:
- 🔌 The card is not inserted or recognized by the system.
- 🔄 The card is formatted as a portable storage (you need to reformat to Internal Memory via Settings). → Memory).
- 📵 Card damaged or incompatible (check on another device).
Method 2: Transfer photos through the “MIUI File Manager”
If you've already taken a lot of pictures and want to transfer them to a memory card or other media, use the built-in Explorer, which is suitable for one-time transfer or regular memory cleaning.
Step-by-step:
- Open the Explorer app (File icon with the inscription Files).
- Go to Images or DCIM → Camera.
- Press and hold your finger on any file, then select the rest of the photos (or click Select All in the top menu).
- Slip the Copy icon (or Cut if you want to remove the originals).
- Return to the root directory, select the SD Card (or other folder) and click Insert.
To speed up the process, you can use the Sort function (the filter icon in the upper right corner) and transfer files in bundles - for example, only videos or pictures from the last month.
| Action. | Internal memory. → Map. SD | Map. SD → Internal memory. |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer speed | ~20–50 MB/s (depending on the card class) | ~80-150 MB/s (UFS 2.1/3.1) |
| Time for 10GB photo | 3-10 minutes | 1-3 minutes |
| Risk of data loss | Low (if the card is correct) | Very low. |
| Whether a reboot is required | No. | No. |
⚠️ Note: If you transfer files from internal memory to a microSD card formatted as portable storage, some applications (such as Google Photos) may not see them in the gallery. To avoid this, format the card as internal memory in the Memory settings → Map. SD.
Method 3: Automatic synchronization with Xiaomi Cloud
If you don’t want to depend on physical media, use Xiaomi Cloud cloud storage, which provides 5 GB for free (for Chinese accounts, 100 GB for 90 days on the first activation).
- ☁️ Photos are available on all devices (smartphone, tablet, PC).
- 🔄 Automatic backup when connecting to Wi-Fi.
- 🔍 Easy search by date, place or objects in pictures (thanks to) AI).
How to set up autoload:
- Open Settings → Accounts and Sync → Mi Cloud
- Sign in to your Mi Account (or create a new one).
- Activate the gallery synchronization switch.
- Select the download quality: 📸 Original (retains original resolution, takes up more space) 🖼️ Compressed (reduces the weight of files without severe quality loss)
Download over Wi-Fi
Important: After uploading photos to the cloud, the originals will remain on the device. To make room, go to Gallery → Albums → Xiaomi Cloud, select files and click Remove from the device (basket icon).
What to do if Xiaomi Cloud does not sync photos?
Method 4: Using third-party apps (Google Photos, FolderSync)
If standard MIUI tools don't suit you, look for third-party solutions that offer more flexibility: automatic sorting, backup to multiple clouds, or transferring files on schedule.
Top.-3 photo-management applications:
| Annex | Advantages | Deficiencies |
|---|---|---|
| Google Photo | ☁️ 15 GB free 🔍 Recognition of persons and objects 📱 Cross-platformity (Android/iOS/web-based) | ❌ Compression of photos at a free tariff ❌ Restriction on high quality video |
| FolderSync | 🔄 Synchronization with any cloud (Dropbox, Yandex Drive, etc.) ⏰ Automatic Scheduled Transfer 🔐 Encryption of files | ❌ Paid (free version with restrictions) ❌ A complex interface for beginners |
| Simple Gallery | 🗃️ Support for hidden folders 🔍 Advanced search for metadata 🎨 Built-in editor | ❌ No Automatic Download to the Cloud ❌ Advertising in the free version |
To set up Google Photos:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Open it and log in to your Google account.
- Slip on the avatar in the upper right corner → Photo settings → Backup.
- Turn on the switch Backup and Synchronization.
- Select the download quality (Original or High).
- In the Settings → Free up space section, you can delete local copies after downloading to the cloud.
Xiaomi Cloud
Google Photo
Yandex Disc.
Dropbox
Other/not using-->
How to return standard saving settings
If after experimenting with settings you want to return everything “as it was”, follow the following steps:
- Open the Camera app and go to Settings → Storage.
- Choose Internal Memory.
- If you’ve previously used the cloud, turn off autoboot: For Xiaomi Cloud: Settings → Mi Cloud → Gallery Sync (disable). For Google Photos: Open the app → avatar → Settings → Backup (disable).
Conductor
After resetting the settings, all new pictures will be saved to the folder. DCIM/Camera on the internal drive, as in the first setting of the smartphone.
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Before resetting your save settings, make sure all important photos are copied to a safe place. Once you return to the camera's factory settings, old files on the memory card or in the cloud will not be deleted, but new ones will start to be written to internal memory, which can lead to its quick filling.