How to set the game to SD-Xiaomi card instead of internal memory: the full guide

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones sooner or later face a lack of internal memory — especially if you actively install games from Google Play or Mi App Store. Even models with 128 GB are quickly clogged with cache, updates and heavy projects like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile. The solution seems obvious: move the installation to SD-But here, users are in for a nasty surprise: default. MIUI Blocks this capability by offering only “data transfer” after installation.

In this article, we will discuss three working methods to trick the system into installing games directly on an external drive, without root rights or complex manipulations. The methods tested on the Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro and Xiaomi 12T running MIUI 13/14 and Android 12/13, but are relevant for other models of the brand. Importantly, not all games support installation on SD (especially online projects with cheating protection), but for most offline games, the methods will work.

Why Xiaomi is blocking the installation of games SD-map?

The reason lies in the architecture of Android and Google's policy, since Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the system supports two modes of operation. SD-map:

• 📁 Portable Storage – The card is used as a removable drive (photos, music, documents) and games and applications are installed only in internal memory.
• 🔄 Adoptable Storage – The card is formatted as part of the system memory, but Xiaomi has disabled this mode. MIUI Due to the risk of data loss and slowdown.

In addition, game manufacturers often prohibit installation on SD due to:

• 🛡️ Piracy protections – it’s easier to control internal storage licenses.
• ⚡ Productivity — SD-cards (especially class) UHS-I or lower) are slower than the internal memory UFS 2.2/3.1.
• 🔒 Security - data on SD easier to copy or replace.

⚠️ Note: If the game requires a permanent Internet connection (for example, PUBG Mobile or Free Fire, it may refuse to work SD-maps even after successful installation. Before transfer, check the game requirements on Google Play.

Method 1: Formatting SD-Cards as internal memory (for advanced memory)

This is the most reliable way, but it has critical drawbacks: once formatted, the card cannot be retrieved without losing data, and it will be “tied” to a particular phone, only suitable for A1/A2 cards (such as the SanDisk Extreme or Samsung EVO Plus) with a volume of 64 GB.

Instructions:

1. Put it in. SD-card to your phone and wait for it to be recognized.
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Click Format as Internal → Clean and Format.
5. After the process is complete, restart the phone.

Now, when you install games, the system will suggest you choose a save location, and it's important that you don't use the card in other devices without being cleaned.

Make a backup copy of data from the card|Make sure the class map A1/A2|Charge your phone at least to 50%|Use a map of the size of 64 GB-->

Method 2: Post-installation transfer (official method)

If the previous method seems risky, use the built-in MIUI feature, which does not allow you to install the game directly on the SD, but transfers some files after installation, does not work for all games, but is supported by most offline projects.

Step-by-step:

1. Set the game in a standard way (into internal memory).
2. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Find the game in the list and tap it.
4. Select Warehouse. → Change.
5. Indicate. SD-map and confirm the transfer.

Note that only a fraction of the data (usually cache and additional files) will be transferred, and the main.apk file will remain in internal memory. For heavy games like Asphalt 9, this will free up 1-3 GB.

⚠️ Note: Some games (such as Honor of Kings or League of Legends: Wild Rift) block data transfer to the Internet. SD In this case, only the method of formatting the card as internal memory will help.

Formatting a map as an internal memory|Transfer through settings MIUI|Used. ADB-team|I've tried nothing.-->

Method 3: Using ADB to Force SD Installation

For power users, there's a way to trick the system with Android Debug Bridge (ADB). It allows you to forcefully indicate SD-The default installation location is the map, and it requires you to connect your phone to your PC and have a basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. On your phone, activate Developer Mode (7 times tap the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone) and turn on Debugging over USB.
3. Connect the phone to the PC and type in the command line:

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command forces the system to install applications on SD-The default card. To return the settings to the original state, use:

adb shell pm set-install-location 0

The advantage of the method: works for most games, even those that block the transfer through the menu.

💡

Before using ADB, check if your Xiaomi model supports pm set-install-location. On some firmware, it is disabled - in this case, only the root or custom recaveri will help.

Which games will not work with SD-map?

Even if you manage to install the game on an external drive, some projects will not start. Here is a list of categories of games for which the transfer is guaranteed to not work:

• 🎮 Online shooters with anti-cheat (PUBG Mobile, Free Fire, Call of Duty Mobile – Blocking Launch from the Internet SD Due to the risk of file modification.
• 💎 Games with DRM-protection (NBA 2K Mobile, FIFA Mobile – require verification of the internal storage license.
• 🔄 Frequently updated games (Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars) – updates can break the work when installed on the site SD.
• 🎭 Games with high reading speed requirements (Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail) — SD-The cards do not provide sufficient loading speed of textures.

If your game falls into one of these categories, it’s best not to waste time on portability.

• 🗑️ Cleaning the cache through Settings → Memory. → Cleanup.
• 🔄 Moving media files (photos, videos) to SD manually.
• ☁️ Using Google Drive (Mi Cloud) for backups.

How to choose SD-map?

Not every microSD is good for installing games, cheap C10 or U1 cards will slow down levels and cause lags, and you need a drive with the following characteristics to play comfortably.

Examples of suitable maps:

• 💾 SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I A2 128GB — Best choice for price/quality.
• 💾 Samsung EVO Plus microSDXC UHS-I U3 256GB — reliability and high speed.
• 💾 Lexar Play microSDXC UHS-I A2 512GB — For those who have a lot of heavy games.

Before buying, check the card for authenticity with apps like SD Insight – the market is flooded with fakes that pretend to be A2 but work like C10.

💡

Even the fastest. SD-The card will work slower than the built-in memory UFS. If the game is delayed after the transfer to SD, Try returning it to internal storage or optimise your graphics settings.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When migrating games to SD, Xiaomi users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• 🚫 "Insufficient space on the device when installed on SD Reason: The card is formatted as portable, not internal.Solution: Use Method 1 (formatting as internal memory) or Method 3 (ADB).
• 🔄 The game is dyed after being transferred to SD Reason: Low card read speed or anti-cheat lock Solution: Return the game to internal memory or buy a class card A2.
• 📱 After extraction SD The card was connected as an internal memory and the data is tied to it.Solution: Do not retrieve the card without first transferring the data back.
• ⚠️ "Application not installed" after transfer Reason: Damaged files or incompatibility with SD. Solution: Remove the game and reinstall it by selecting internal memory.

⚠️ Note: If you have used Method 3 (ADB) And after you reboot the phone, the games are reset into internal memory, repeat the command. MIUI Reset the installation settings after rebooting.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions