Owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO Often face a critical lack of free space, especially on models with basic memory configuration. MIUI, It's cache-filled, it's got updates and it's got heavy media files, it fills up the available volume quickly, and it slows down the device, and it can be expanded with an external memory card or a solution. USB-storage.
However, the standard connection of the flash drive through OTG-The adapter allows you to transfer files, but not install applications on them. To circumvent this limitation and make Android perceive an external drive as part of the system partition, you need to activate the hidden Adoptable Storage feature. This process requires care, as it involves the complete formatting of the external media.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail how to make a flash drive internal memory Xiaomi, what tools will be required and how to avoid common errors. You will learn about hardware preparation, working with console commands ADB and the nuances of the ext4 file system in the Android environment. It is important to understand that the procedure may vary depending on the version of the firmware and model of your gadget.
Technical requirements and equipment preparation
Before you start manipulating, you need to make sure that your hardware meets the minimum requirements for stable operation of the system with extended storage. Not every flash drive is suitable for use as a system partition, since read and write speed plays a critical role here. Using slow drives can lead to interface freezes and data loss.
You'll need it. USB-flash drive with a capacity of at least 16 GB, although for comfortable work it is better to use models from 32 GB and above. USB 3.0 or higher to provide sufficient bandwidth for applications to run. OTG-cable or adapter compatible with your smartphone connector (Type-C or Micro-USB).
- 📱 Smartphone Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO debugging-on USB.
- 💾 USB-drive (flash drive) with high write speed, preferably (Kingston, SanDisk, Samsung).
- 🔌 Quality OTG-Adapter that supports data transfer, not just charging.
- 💻 Computer with drivers installed ADB perform activation commands.
Particular attention should be paid to the state of the flash drive itself. If the drive is old or has been used in aggressive conditions, its write life may be close to exhaustion. When activated, the internal memory mode will constantly log and write cache, which significantly accelerates the wear of memory cells. It is recommended to use a new flash drive that does not have important data, since it will be fully formatted.
⚠️ Attention: The formatting process will destroy all data on the flash drive without recovery.
Activation of the developer mode and debugging via USB
To interact with Android system settings that are hidden from the average user, you need to obtain advanced access rights through the developer menu. MIUI This process has its own characteristics and requires confirmation through SIM-card or account Mi. without debugging USB The computer will not be able to send the necessary commands to the device.
The first step is to activate the hidden menu, and to do this, go to the basic settings of the phone and find the "About Phone" item, and you need to quickly click on the MIUI version seven times until you notice that you have become a developer, and then a new section will appear in the additional settings menu.
Go to Settings → Additional Settings → Developer’s → Find the “USB Debugging” option and activate it in the list that opens. The system will issue a warning about potential risks – confirm the action. Also, this menu may require you to enable the “Install via USB” and “Debug (Wi-Fi only)” option, if available in your firmware version.
When you connect your smartphone to your computer, you'll see a request for debugging permission on the screen, and you'll check the box "Always allow from this computer" and click "OK." If your computer can't see the device, check the drivers installed. ADB integrity USB-And the quality of the cable is as important as the adapter itself.
Formatting a flash drive through Android settings
After connecting the flash drive through OTG-Android is usually going to use it as a portable storage device, but we need to change that status. MIUI There is a built-in, but hidden formatting capability for internal memory, but most often requires manual start of the process through the console.
First, plug in the flash drive and wait for the notifications. Go to the storage settings. If the system only says "Clean" or "Use as a portable storage", the standard methods are not solved. However, if you are lucky and have a global firmware with specific regional settings, you may see an item "Use as internal storage".
In the case of a standard situation, when the menu does not offer the desired choice, we use a formatting command: connect the phone to the PC, open the command prompt in the folder with ADB and enter a command to check the connection:
adb devicesIf the device is displayed in the list, you can move on to the next step. It is important to understand that the flash drive must be formatted into a file system that is understandable by Android for system needs, usually ext4 or a specific section of F2FS. Standard formatting in FAT32 or exFAT will not allow you to install applications.
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Use the original. OTG-Xiaomi cable or certified accessory – cheap analogues often do not support data transfer, working only in charging mode.
Use ADB to activate Adoptable Storage
The most reliable way to turn a flash drive into internal memory is to use the ADB command line. This method works on most Xiaomi devices, regardless of the MIUI version, but requires accuracy in typing commands. We will use the sm (storage manager) utility that manages disks in Android.
First, you need to determine the ID of the connected disk. Type the command into the console:
adb shell sm list-disksIn the answer, you'll see an identifier like a disk:179.64 or something like that. Write down this number, which is unique to your flash drive. Next comes the command that initiates the partitioning process. The syntax is as follows:
adb shell sm partition disk:XXX,XX private 100Instead of disk:XXX,XX, substitute your ID. Private indicates that you have a private partition, and 100 means that 100% of the USB drive will be given to the system. If you want to leave some space for files, you can specify a smaller value, but this will make it more difficult to manage.
| Team team. | Description of action | The result |
|---|---|---|
| sm list-disks | Shows a list of connected physical disks | Definition of flash drive ID |
| sm partition... private | Creates an encrypted partition for applications | The flash drive becomes an internal memory |
| sm list-volumes | Displays the status of all volumes | Verification of the success of the operation |
| sm set-force-adoptable true | Forced includes support for external cards | Appearance of the formatting menu in GUI |
Once you've done the command, the system can reboot or just reconfigure the partitions. In the storage settings, the flash drive will now show up as part of the internal memory. Importantly, the data on the flash drive is encrypted and linked to a particular device. If you move it to another phone, you won't be able to read the data without completely resetting it.
⚠️ Warning: If the phone goes into a bootloop after the command, immediately disable the flash drive.
Application portability and data management
Once formatted successfully, the system begins to perceive the flash drive as an extension of the main partition, but applications are not automatically portable. You need to manually move heavy programs and games to a new volume, this is done through the application management menu.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Select the program you want (like a heavy game or messenger). If transfer is possible, there will be a Move button or a store menu item. Note that system applications and some Google services do not support porting to external drives even in internal memory mode.
☑️ Verification of success of the transfer
Use built-in Explorer or third-party file managers to manage files. Photos and documents can continue to be stored in internal memory by default unless otherwise selected in the camera settings. It is recommended that you set up automatic media content saving to a new volume to maximize the load on the main module.
Possible mistakes and ways to solve them
There are a lot of things that can happen when you're running extended memory «USB-The drive is damaged" or the flash drive suddenly shut down.This is often due to a lack of power that the smartphone supplies to the port. USB. Use of double-use USB-cable USB-External power hub can solve the problem.
Another common mistake is that you can't install apps, which happens if the USB drive file system is unstable or the write speed has dropped below the threshold required for Android to work, in which case the system can block the write to the disk to prevent data loss.
What to do if the transfer button is missing?
If the flash drive is no longer defined, try formatting it on your computer in FAT32 and repeating the procedure from scratch. In some cases, cleaning the Storage service cache in the menu of applications hidden from the user helps, and the stability of the work depends on the quality of the drive itself.
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Using cheap, brandless flash drives to expand the smartphone’s memory is almost guaranteed to lead to performance issues and data loss.
Impact on the performance and service life of the device
Expanding memory through USB-The interface has its physical limitations. USB 2.0 (which is often used in Xiaomi’s budget models) is significantly lower than the built-in flash memory of eMMC or the same as the current one. UFS. This can lead to longer loading of applications transferred to the flash drive and an increase in the system response time.
Also, the constant recording of logs and cache on the flash drive reduces its life. Conventional consumer flash drives are not designed for such intensive work as the internal memory of a smartphone. The average life of such a bundle can be from 6 months to a year of active use.
However, for devices with critically low storage (16-32GB), this is often the only way to continue to be comfortable, and regular backups to the cloud or computer will help minimize the risk of losing important information.