How to make applications on Xiaomi saved to a memory card: all ways

Are you tired of constantly notifying you about a memory shortage on Xiaomi, even though you have a 128GB microSD installed?The problem is that by default Android and MIUI save apps to internal memory even if the memory card is inserted.It's not just an inconvenience - over time, the smartphone starts to slow down, games and messengers fly out, and the system offers to free up space by deleting important data.

In this article, we will discuss all working methods for transferring applications to SD-Map of Xiaomi, Redmi and devices POCO (relevant MIUI 12-14 and Android 10-14:

• 🔹 Why Not All Apps Can Be Moved to Map (and How to Get Around the Limits)
• 🔹 Step-by-step instruction through settings MIUI (rootless)
• 🔹 How to format SD-The card is like an internal memory and how dangerous it is)
• 🔹 Hidden features for Hybrid Slot models (where SIM and microSD are combined)
• 🔹 Alternative methods for games and heavy applications (with and without root)

Spoiler: starting with Android 9 and MIUI 11, Google and Xiaomi severely limited the ability to port apps to the Internet SD-And then there's just proven solutions, no magic buttons that don't work.

Why Xiaomi does not allow you to save applications to the default memory card

The reason is the Android architecture and Xiaomi's policies, and here are the key factors:

• 📱 Google’s Limitations: Starting with Android 6.0, Moving Apps to Google SD-Google has made the card partially blocked, and Google has motivated this by security (memory cards are slower than the internal memory) and stability (when you remove the card, the applications will stop working).
• 🔧 MIUI Modifies Android: Xiaomi’s firmware has removed some portability features available in “pure” Android. MIUI 14 no option "Move to" SD-Map in the app menu – it was removed after users complained about failures.
• 💾 Memory card type: If your microSD is formatted as portable storage (rather than internal memory), the system blocks most applications from being installed on it.

There are technical nuances:

• 🚀 Productivity: SD-maps (even UHS-I Class 10) into 5–10 time-slower than the built-in memory UFS 2.2/3.1. Transferring games or messengers to a map can cause lags.
• 🔒 Security: Some applications (banking, with, with, with) DRM) do not support work with external drives because of the risk of data leakage.

But that doesn't mean that transfer is impossible. Then there's working methods for different scenarios.

Method 1: Transfer applications through MIUI settings (without root)

This is the official method that works on most Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO devices with MIUI 12-14, suitable for applications that support portability (usually lightweight utilities, not games).

Steps:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want to transfer (such as Telegram or VK).
3. Put it on the vault.
4. If the option is active, click "Change" and select "SD-map".
5. Confirm the transfer and wait until the completion (may take up to 5 minutes).

Limitations of the method:

• ❌ Does not work for system applications (Gallery, Camera, Settings).
• ❌ Not available for games and heavy-duty applications (e.g. Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile).
• ❌ The option may not be available if the card is formatted as a portable storage.

If there is no "Change" button, the application does not support portability, and the following method will help.

Method 2: Formatting SD-maps as internal memory

This is a radical method that allows you to install applications on a memory card by default, but it has serious side effects:

• 🔄 The card will be encrypted and tied to the device, and once it's extracted, the data on it will become unreadable.
• ⚠️ If the card fails, you will lose all the applications installed on it and their data.
• 🐢 Application speeds may drop (especially if the card is cheap or worn out).

How to do this:

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select "Storage settings."
4. Click on "Format as internal".
5. Confirm the action (all data on the map will be deleted!).
6. After formatting, select "Move Data" (optional).

What will change after formatting:

⚠️ Note: Once formatted as internal memory, the card cannot be used in other devices without being completely cleaned. A2 (They're too slow for applications).

If you decide on this method, after formatting go to Settings → Annexes → Application management, select the desired application and click "Move to" SD-Now this option should appear for most programs.

Method 3: Using ADB for forced transfer (no root)

If previous methods didn’t work, you can try forced porting via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a semi-official method that works on most Xiaomi devices but requires a connection to a computer.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-Type-C Cable (original so there are no connection issues).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB smartphone.

Step-by-step:

1. Activate Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers. Turn on USB Debugging.

"File transfer"

CMD

Terminal

ADB

adb devices

If the device is displayed, move on.

WhatsApp

com.whatsapp

App Inspector

Google Play

package.name

adb shell pm set-install-location 2


adb shell pm move-package package.name

What teams mean:

• set-install location 2 – set-install location SD-map as default installation location.
• move-package – transfers the specified application.

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support forced portability. If you see a Failure error after the command [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_INSTALL_LOCATION]", This means the application is blocked for portability at the Android level.

This method works for ~60% of apps, but does not guarantee stability. For example, Instagram or TikTok can start to fly out after a transfer.

💡

Before using ADB, back up your application data through Settings → Apps → Backup. This will help you recover data if something goes wrong.

Method 4: Transfer the cache and media files of applications to SD-map

If you can't move the app, you can free up the internal memory by moving the cache and media files (photos, videos, downloads) that work for instant messengers, social networks and some games.

How to transfer cache and data:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Telegram).
3. Put it on the vault.
4. Click "Clear Cache" (this is safe, the data will not be deleted).
5. If you have the option to “Move Media Files” (for example, on WhatsApp), select it and specify the path to the site. SD-map.

Examples of applications that support media transfer:

• 📸 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse → The Road to Media → choose SD-map.
• 🎵 Spotify: Settings → Sound quality → Save songs → Download folder.
• 🎮 Genshin Impact: Transfer is only possible through root (see next section).

For games like this. PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile can be manually moved to the folder Android/obb on SD-card, but this requires root rights or the use of a file manager with access to system folders (e.g, FX File Explorer).

Method 5: Transfer applications with root rights (for advanced)

If you're ready to unlock the bootloader and get root rights, there's more to it.

• 🎮 The game is called Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail).
• 📱 Installation of applications SD-default-card.
• 🔧 Forced transfer of system applications.

What you need:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (instructions for Xiaomi here).
• 🛠️ Installed by Magisk or SuperSU for root.
• 📱 Annex App2SD or Link2SD (available on Google Play).

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader and get root (this is a separate procedure, takes ~30 minutes).
2. Install Link2SD from Google Play.
3. Open the application and provide root access.
4. Select the app from the list.
5. Click "Create a link" and select SD-card.
6. Reset the device.

⚠️ Note: Getting root rights resets the warranty and can cause a device to fail if something goes wrong, and some banking applications (e.g., SberBank Online) will stop working on rooted devices.

Pros of the method:

• ✅ It works for 90% of apps, including games.
• ✅ You can transfer system applications (for example, Gallery).
• ✅ Speed is faster than when formatting a card as internal memory.

Cons:

• ❌ Complicated procedure (you need skills to work with the ADB and Fastboot).
• ❌ Risk of losing data in case of an error.
• ❌ Certain functions MIUI (For example, Mi Pay will stop working.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When transferring applications to SD-Xiaomi users face typical errors. Let's analyze the most common:

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the application is unstable after transfer, return it to internal memory.
• 📉 Avoid porting widgets and launchers – they may stop updating.
• 🛡️ Check regularly SD-Error map through Settings → Memory. → SD-map → Check it out.

💡

If your Xiaomi device does not support porting applications to your home SD-Consider alternatives: clearing the cache, deleting unnecessary files, or buying a smartphone with a large amount of memory (for example, Redmi Note 13 Pro).+ 512GB).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions