How to connect memory card and memory of Xiaomi phone: full instructions with nuances

Why Combining Memory on Xiaomi is Not Always a Good Idea

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal memory, especially on budget models like the Redmi 9A or Poco M3. The solution seems to lie on the surface: insert a microSD card and combine it with an internal drive.

The fact is that Format as an internal drive (aka Adoptable Storage in Android) doesn’t work as users expect, it doesn’t just glue two memory into one, it creates an encrypted partition that is linked to a particular device, which means that once you combine the card, you can’t read it on another phone or computer without formatting it, and some applications (like WhatsApp or Telegram) may refuse to save data to “jointed” memory, citing security restrictions.

Another thing is that when you combine, the speed of the memory card becomes critical. If you use a cheap Class 4 or Class 10 microSD (without UHS), the system will slow down when you write files, and applications will take longer to load, so before starting the procedure, you should weigh the pros and cons.

What Xiaomi models support memory integration

Not all Xiaomi smartphones allow you to format your memory card as an internal drive, which depends on the Android version and the MIUI shell.

📱 Support for Android 6.0–9.0 (MIUI 8–11): Most of the models, including the Redmi Note 4/5, Mi A1/A2, Mi 6/8, Supports the integration through standard settings.
⚠️ Restrictions on Android 10+ (MIUI 12 and later: Xiaomi has removed this feature from the interface for many devices (e.g. Redmi Note 8 Pro, Poco) X3). But it can be returned through ADB.
❌ Complete lack of support: some MediaTek-based models (e.g. Redmi) 9C) Adoptable Storage is not supported even if you ADB.

To find out exactly if your phone supports unification, check:

Put the memory card in the slot.
Go to Settings → Memory → Memory Map.
If you have the option to format as an internal drive, the function is available.

📊 What Xiaomi model do you use?

Redmi Note 10/11/12

Poco X3/X4/X5

Mi 11/12/13

Redmi 9/10/13C

Another model

Step-by-step: how to combine memory through settings

If your smartphone supports the function, follow this instruction. Importantly, make a backup of the memory card data before you start, as it will be fully formatted.

Insert the memory card into the slot (if the phone supports hybrid slot, make sure the SIM card is not occupied).
Open the Settings → Memory.
Click on the name of your card (for example, SD-map: 64GB).
In the upper right corner, tap three points (⋮) and select Memory Settings.
Choose Format as an internal drive.
Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (may take 5-15 minutes).

☑️ Preparation for memory consolidation

Make a backup of data from the mapCheck the free space on the map (at least 10% of the volume)Charge your phone at least 50%Make sure that the UHS-I (U1/U3) class card is

Done: 0 / 4

After formatting:

🔄 The memory card will become part of the internal storage and will be displayed as Expandable Memory.
📁 Files from it can be moved through the File Manager or application settings.
⚠️ Some system applications (such as the Camera) may not see the default combined memory.

⚠️ Note: If you remove the memory card after the connection, the phone may stop loading or not work properly.

How to return the MIUI 12/13/14 function to ADB

If your Xiaomi settings don’t have the option of formatting the card as an internal drive, you can unlock it via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), a method that works on most Android 10 and newer devices, but requires a computer.

You'll need:

🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).li>
🛠️ Utilities. ADB and Fastboot.
📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap to unlock for developers).

Instructions:

Connect the phone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.
Open the command line (or Terminal) and type:

adb shell


sm list-disks

You will see something like disk:179.64, which is your memory card ID.

sm partition disk:179,64 private

Replace 179.64 with your ID. Once the command is executed, the phone will automatically restart and the card will be formatted as internal memory.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) may be protected after this procedure. MIUI, And the card will be identified as damaged, and then you can only reset the settings completely.

💡

If the sm partition command doesn’t work, try mounting the card first through sm unmount disk:179.64, and then repeating the procedure.

Which memory card to choose for the combination: speed and volume

Not all memory cards are equally well suited for use as internal storage, cheap models can slow down the system, and too large ones can not be supported by the device.

Parameter	Minimum requirements	Recommended values	Notes
Class speed	Class 10	UHS-I (U1/U3) or A1/A2	Class 4/6 cards will slow down when writing files.
Volume.	8GB	32–128 GB	Some phones do not support cards >256GB.
File system	FAT32 (up to 32 GB) or exFAT (above)	exFAT	After the system is combined, the card will be automatically reformatted to EXT4 or F2FS.
Brand	Anybody.	SanDisk, Samsung, Kingston	Avoid no-name cards – they are often forged.

To test the speed of the card before buying, you can use applications like A1 SD Bench.

📊 Reading: at least 50 MB/s.
📊 Record: at least 20 MB/s (for A1) or 30 MB/s (for A2).

What happens if you use a slow card?

When combined with a slow card (such as Class 4), the system will start to “hang” when writing files, and applications will open longer, and in some cases, MIUI may even ban the use of such a card as internal memory, giving an error “Low Write Speed”.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Memory integration on Xiaomi is often accompanied by errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

1.The phone does not see the card after the merger

If after formatting the card disappeared from Settings → Memory, try:

🔄 Reboot the phone.
🔌 Remove and re-insert the card (but not while the system is running!).
🛠️ Perform a reset of settings through Settings → Additionally. → Reset settings (data on the phone will be saved, but the settings of the applications will reset).

2. "Memory card damaged" error

This error occurs if:

🔴 The map is formatted in NTFS (not supported by Android).
🔴 The file system is corrupted (for example, after being extracted during recording).
🔴 The phone does not support card size (for example, 512 GB on a budget model).

Solution: Format the card on your computer in FAT32 (for cards up to 32 GB) or exFAT (for cards over 32 GB), then repeat the process of combining.

3. Applications are not installed on the map

Even after successful integration, some applications (such as Google Play Store or Banking apps) may refuse to save data to the card, due to Android's security policy.

Install App Mgr III (or similar) from Google Play.
Find the desired application in the list and select Move to SD-map.
If the option is inactive, try disabling battery optimization for that application in Settings → Apps.

⚠️ Note: Some system applications (e.g. Camera or Gallery) may not see combined memory due to limitations. MIUI. In this case, only manual indication of the save path in the application settings will help.

How to disconnect the memory and return the card to its original state

If you decide to abandon the combined memory, you can return everything back in two ways: through the settings of the phone or using the computer.

Method 1: Through the MIUI settings

Go to Settings → Memory → Expandable Memory.
Press three points (⋮) and choose Format as a portable drive.
Confirm action. The card will be formatted in FAT32 or exFAT and will become a normal removable memory.

Method 2: Using a computer (if the phone can't see the card)

If the card is defined as “damaged” or the phone refuses to format it:

Connect the card to the computer through the card reader.
Open Disk Utility (MacOS) or Disk Utility (Windows).
Find your card, delete all partitions and format it in FAT32.

After that, the card will again become a normal removable drive, but all data on it will be deleted.

💡

If you plan to sell or rent your phone for repair, be sure to disconnect the memory in advance, otherwise the new owner will not be able to use the card without completely resetting the device.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions

Can I combine memory on Xiaomi without losing data?

No. When you format a card as an internal drive, all the data on it is deleted. Back up to your computer or the cloud.

Why did the phone’s memory not increase after the merger?

The combined memory is not added to the internal memory, but instead the system uses the card as an additional storage for applications and files, and in the settings it will be displayed separately as Expandable memory.

Can I use the card as an internal memory and at the same time as a removable drive?

No. Once formatted as an internal drive, the card becomes part of the system and is not readable on other devices, and to get it back to its original state, you need to format it again.

Why do apps slow down after transferring to the map?

This is due to the slow speed of writing/reading a card, using UHS-I U3 or A2 cards to minimize the brakes, and avoid transferring heavy games to the map (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile).

What to do if the phone says "Memory card protected from recording"?

Check the physical lock switch on the card (if there is a problem) if the card remains, format the card on your computer in FAT32 using the SD Formatter utility.