How to download applications to a memory card in Xiaomi phones: all ways + problem solving

Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi line and POCO) They often have modest internal storage, especially in budget models. When internal storage is scarce, users try to install apps on a memory card — but face the limitations of Android and the proprietary shell. MIUI. In this article, we will discuss all working methods for transferring applications to SD-map, including hidden settings, circumventing restrictions and solving common errors.

It’s important to understand that modern versions of Android (starting with 6.0) block full portability of applications to external drives for security reasons. However, there are loopholes in MIUI, and for some Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro or POCO X3), advanced options are available. We tested all methods on current versions of firmware (up to MIUI 14) and collected only working solutions.

Why Xiaomi is limiting the installation of applications SD-map?

Smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi, artificially restrict the functionality of working with memory cards for several reasons:

• 🔒 Data security: Annexes to the SD-It is easier to steal or replace the card, especially if the drive is retrieved and connected to other devices.
• ⚡ Performance: Memory cards (even class) A2) They are slower than the built-in memory. eMMC/UFS, slowing down applications.
• 📱 Google: Starting with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google has banned the full port of applications to the Internet SD rootless.
• 💰 Marketing: Manufacturers want users to buy models with a large amount of internal memory.

However, MIUI has left semi-official ways to circumvent these restrictions, such as some apps (like Google Maps or Netflix) that support partial data transfer to a memory card, and system applications like Gallery or Music have separate storage settings.

Preparation SD-Maps: Formatting and Selecting the Right Standard

Before you try to install applications on a memory card, you need to prepare it correctly. Xiaomi supports two modes of operation with SD:

1. Portable Storage: The card is used as a removable storage device for files (photos, music, documents) and cannot be moved to it.
2. Internal Storage – The card is formatted as part of the system and can be used for some applications, and this mode is not available on all Xiaomi models.

To check and change the mode of operation of the card:

1. Put it in. SD-card to the slot (on some models, for example, Redmi Note 10 Pro, only hybrid slot is supported - you have to choose between the second one). SIM memory-card).
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Map.
3. Click Format as internal storage (if the option is active).
4. Confirm the action – all data on the map will be deleted!

⚠️ Note: After formatting the card as an internal storage, it will not be read on other devices (for example, on a PC or camera) without full formatting, and some banking applications (Sberbank, Tinkoff) will refuse to work if they find that part of the system is on the computer. SD-map.

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

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which doesn’t work for all applications, but frees up some of the internal memory.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the app you want to migrate (like Facebook or VK).
3. Click Warehouse → Change (if the option is active).
4. Select a Memory Card and confirm the transfer.

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support portability, such as system utilities (Phone, Messages) and high-demand games (Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile) will remain in internal memory. Also, after the transfer, some applications may run slower or give errors when updating.

If the Change option is not active, try the following:

• 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes the option appears after the reboot.
• 📥 Update the app to the latest version (via Google Play).
• 🗑️ Clear the app's cache in Settings → Annexes → [Name of the annex] → Memory. → Clear the cache.

Method 2: Use a memory card as an internal storage device (Adoptable Storage)

This method allows for the "binding" SD-card to system so that it is perceived as part of internal memory. 9A option is not available, but POCO F3 — eat).

Step-by-step:

1. Put it in. SD-Card to phone and wait for it to be found.
2. Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Map.
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Tap format as internal storage (if you have an option).
5. Confirm the action and wait for the formatting to be completed (it can take up to 10 minutes).
6. Once the phone is restarted, the card will be displayed as part of the internal memory.

⚠️ Note: After this formatting:

• The card cannot be removed without resetting the phone to the factory settings.
• Some apps (such as WhatsApp or Telegram) may refuse to save media files to SD.
• The speed of the system may decrease if the card is slow (class below A2).

💡

Before formatting your card as internal storage, check its speed with the A1 SD Bench app (available on Google Play). If the write speed is below 10 MB/s, it is best not to use this method - the phone will slow down.

Method 3: Porting applications with ADB (for power users)

If built-in methods MIUI You can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) — a debugging tool that allows you to manually specify to the system which applications to transfer to SD-This method requires connecting the phone to the PC.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).
• 🛠️ Utility. ADB (Download from the official Google website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap to unlock Developer Settings, then turn on Debugging by USB).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and allow debugging over USB (a request will appear on the smartphone screen).
2. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows) and go to the folder with ADB:

cd C:\platform-tools

1. Check the connection of the device:

adb devices

(You should have your phone name displayed.)

1. Run the command to port the app (replace com.example.app with the batch name of the app, for example com.facebook.katana for Facebook):

adb shell pm set-install-location 2


adb shell pm move-package com.example.app

If the command is successful, the application will be transferred to SD-To get it back, use the map:

adb shell pm move-package com.example.app 0

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support this method, for example, Xiaomi system applications (such as Mi Home or Themes) will not be able to move. MIUI Transferred applications can be reset into internal memory.

💡

ADB-The most universal way to transfer applications to SD-Xiaomi card, but requires command line skills. Suitable for applications that do not support portability through standard settings.

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

Google Play has utilities that promise to transfer applications to the Internet SD-map, for example, AppMgr III or Link2SD. However, their effectiveness is in modern Xiaomi with MIUI 12-14 It is extremely limited due to Android security policy.

What can be done with these applications:

• 📂 Transfer cache and application data (not by yourself) APK-file).
• 🔄 Create symbolic links (requires root rights).
• 📊 View a list of applications that can theoretically be moved.

Example of AppMgr III:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and grant administrator rights (if requested).
3. In the list of applications, tap on the one you want to transfer.
4. Select Move to SD card (if the option is active).

⚠️ Note: Most of these utilities require root access, which will cancel the warranty on Xiaomi and can lead to unstable system operation. MIUI 13+ These apps are practically useless without root rights.

Solving typical problems when transferring applications to SD-map

When trying to transfer applications to a memory card, Xiaomi users often encounter errors. Let's consider the most common and ways to fix them.

If the app stopped updating through Google Play after the transfer, try:

1. Put it back in your inner memory.
2. Update through Play Market.
3. Move it back to SD-map.

To solve the problem with the “gray” transfer buttons in the MIUI settings, sometimes resetting the application settings helps:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset app settings.
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

Alternative ways to free up memory on Xiaomi without transferring to SD

If porting applications to a memory card is impossible or ineffective, consider other ways to free up internal storage:

• 🗑️ Cache cleaning: In Settings → Memory. → Cleaning can remove unnecessary temporary files.
• ☁️ Cloud Storage: Move photos and videos to Google Photos, Mi Cloud or Yandex.Disk.
• 🎵 Streaming music: Use Spotify, Yandex Music or YouTube Music instead of downloading tracks.
• 📱 Lite versions of applications: Install lightweight versions of social networks (Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite).
• 🔍 Search for large files: In Settings → Memory. → Memory analysis find and delete unnecessary files size >100MB.

You can also disable the preloading of media in messengers:

• On WhatsApp: Settings → Storage → Autoupload Media → Disable for Mobile Data.
• In Telegram: Settings → Data and Memory → Autoboot Media → Select Never.

💡

MIUI has a hidden feature to clean up junk files. Enter the Phone app code ##4636##, then select Warehouse → Clear cache. This will delete temporary files that are not visible in the standard settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring applications to SD-map