How to get Xiaomi to save apps to a memory card: the full guide

Why Xiaomi does not allow to transfer applications to the Internet SD-map?

If you have tried to manually transfer the application to a memory card in a Xiaomi, Redmi or smartphone POCO, You may have heard a message saying, "You can't move to the SD-It's all about politics. MIUI And the limitations of Android, which are getting tougher with each update, since Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google has banned the arbitrary porting of apps to external drives by default, for the sake of security and stability of the system. Even applications that theoretically support transfer are often blocked by the shell.

But the good news is that you can get around these limitations, depending on the model and version of the smartphone. MIUI There are several ways available, from standard settings to use. ADB-It is important to understand that not all applications can be ported: some (for example, system or high-performance) do not fundamentally support the work with the user. SD-Also, you should consider that exFAT memory cards may not work properly with ported applications, so it is better to use them. FAT32 or NTFS (if maintained).

In this article, we’ll break down all the current techniques for modern Xiaomi devices, including Android 12/13/14 models with MIUI 14/15. If your smartphone is older than 2018, some methods may not work – we’ll mention that too.

Method 1: Standard Setting Transfer (not working on all models)

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI function, which unfortunately is not available on all devices: Xiaomi is gradually removing this option from new firmware versions.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (such as Telegram or Google Maps).
3. Slip on Warehouse.
4. If there is a button Change or Move to SD-map - you're lucky!

If there is no button, your model doesn’t support this method, and it often works on older devices (until 2020) with MIUI 11 and below, and on newer smartphones (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and later), this method will likely not be available.

⚠️ Attention: Even if the transfer button is active, some applications may not work as smoothly after moving, especially messengers and online games. Test the transfer on unnecessary applications before touching important ones.

Method 2: Formatting SD-maps as internal memory

This method works on most Xiaomi devices, but has serious consequences: once formatted, the card will not be used on other devices (it will become “tied” to the smartphone), but the system will perceive it as part of internal memory, and many applications will be installed there by default.

Instructions:

Backup your data from the card (everything will be erased)|

Use a UHS-I or A1/A2 class card for better speed |

Charge your phone at least 50% |

Connect the card directly to the slot (not through the OTG-adapter)-->

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → Memory card (or Warehouse) → SD-map MIUI).
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Click Format as internal (or internal Storage in English firmware).
5. Confirm the action and wait until it is completed (may take up to 10 minutes).
6. After formatting, restart the smartphone.

Now, when you install new applications, the system will ask you to select a save location to migrate the programs you already have:

1. Go to Settings → Apps.
2. Select the app and tap the Warehouse → Change.
3. Indicate. SD-storage-place.

⚠️ Note: Once formatted as an internal card, it cannot be retrieved without resetting the phone settings, and some apps (such as WhatsApp or banking) may refuse to work with external memory even after that.

Method 3: Transfer over ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a debugging tool that lets you manually specify which apps you can port, which works on most Xiaomi devices but requires a computer connection.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux.
• 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🔧 Installed Xiaomi drivers (you can download from the official website).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (download).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn on the smartphone Developer Mode: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap it 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect your phone to your computer and select File Transfer (MTP) mode.
4. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows) and go to the folder with ADB (e.g., cd C:\platform-tools).
5. Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices If the device is displayed, enter: adb shell
6. Now you need to find the batch name of the application. To do this, type: pm list packages -f | grep"/data/app" Find the desired application in the list (for example, com.whatsapp for WhatsApp).
7. Move the app to SD-Map by team: pm move-package com.whatsapp Replace com.whatsapp with your application's batch name.

If the command is executed without errors, the application will be moved. You can check the result in the settings of the application store.

pm get-install-location

If the result 0 [auto] or 2 [external], So the transfer is possible.-->

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

In Google Play there are many utilities that promise to transfer applications to the Internet. SD-map: AppMgr III, Move App 2 SD, Link2SD. However, on Xiaomi devices with modern versions MIUI They're extremely limited, because these programs use the same mechanisms as the standard Android settings, and Xiaomi blocks them at the system level.

However, some utilities can help in some cases:

• 📌 AppMgr III — It shows you what apps you can migrate, and it suggests you do it in one click. 8-10, New versions often make mistakes.
• 🔗 Link2SD — It requires root rights, but allows you to port even those applications that do not normally support SD-Risky method because it violates the guarantee.
• 📱 Files by Google – does not tolerate apps, but helps to clean internal memory by finding unnecessary files.

If you still decide to try third-party utilities, consider:

• ⚠️ Most of them require root access, which deprives of guarantees.
• ⚠️ Transfer of system applications can lead to bootloop (a looped reboot).
• ⚠️ Some programs contain advertising or paid features.

💡

Party of the annex for portability SD-The card only works on rooted devices or older versions of Android. On modern Xiaomi smartphones, their efficiency is close to zero.

Method 5: Transfer of cache and media files of applications

If you can't move the app itself, you can at least free up space by moving its data: cache, downloads, media files. Many programs (e.g. Telegram, VK, Google Photos) allow you to manually specify a folder to store files.

How to do this:

• 📁 For Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Telegram folder → point the way SD-map.
• 🎵 For music players (e.g. Poweramp): Select the Download Folder on an external drive in the settings.
• 📷 For Google Photos: Settings → Backup and synchronization → Device folder.
• 🎮 For games: Some titles (e.g. Genshin Impact) allow you to select the location of additional files.

You can also manually transfer folders with application data (for example, /Android/data/com.whatsapp/) on SD-a card using a file manager and then create a symbolic link (this requires root rights or ADB). However, this method is fraught with errors, so it is better to use it only for non-critical data.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you try to move applications to SD-Xiaomi users often face problems, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

• 🔄 "The app doesn't respond after the transfer, meaning it doesn't support external memory. ADB, To force the system to ignore the constraints (pm install command) -f -r -d /path/apk).
• 🚫 "Transfer button is inactive – check that the memory card is formatted as FAT32 and inserted into the slot (not through the OTG). Also make sure there is enough space on the map.
• 🔌 "SD-Card not defined — try restarting your phone or inserting the card into another smartphone to check. If the card is damaged, format it on your PC.
• 📉 "After the transfer, the application resets — some programs (such as games) are tied to internal memory, their data can be erased when transferred. Always back up before manipulation.

Another common problem is that applications slow down after they're migrated. SD-cards (even class) A2) They're slower than internal memory. If you notice lags, try it:

• Use a card with a higher write speed (e.g., SanDisk Extreme).
• Only transfer applications that do not require high performance (messengers, readers).
• Clear the cache of transferred applications once a week.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions