How to install applications on a memory card in Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal memory, especially if the device is from a budget or medium-range. microSD card seems to be the obvious solution - a cheap expansion of 128 GB or even 512 GB. Not all applications want to be installed on an external drive, and some fail when they're transferred. SD-map?

The case is the limitations of the Android operating system and shell MIUI. Starting with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google introduced Adoptable Storage, which allows you to “tether” the memory card as part of internal storage, but Xiaomi disabled this option in most models, leaving only the standard Portable Storage mode. This means that the applications are installed in internal memory by default, and SD-The card can only be transferred to their cache and some data.

In this article, we will discuss all working ways to transfer applications to a memory card in Xiaomi smartphones, including official methods through settings. MIUI, Workarounds for power users and the nuances of working with different versions of Android, you will also learn which applications should never be ported to the Internet. SD-card so as not to lose the functionality of the device.

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

At first glance, banning full-fledged applications from external drives seems counterintuitive, but Xiaomi (and other manufacturers) have good reasons for such restrictions:

✅ Performance: microSD cards, even class memory cards A2, work 5–10 time-slower than the built-in memory eMMC/UFS. This is critical for applications that actively use cache or work in the background (messaging, games, social networks).

✅ Security: External drives are easier to fake or hack, storing sensitive data (e.g. banking applications) on the Internet SD-The card increases the risk of leakage.

✅ System Stability: If a memory card suddenly goes off (for example, due to poor contact), the applications installed on it may crash or stop running altogether.

Xiaomi leaves users with several legal ways to optimize their use. SD-We'll go over the maps in detail.

Official method: transferring part of the application data to SD-map

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in MIUI function to transfer cache and some of these applications. This method does not require root rights and is suitable for most Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4, Mi 11 Lite and others.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

1. Insert the memory card into your smartphone and wait for it to be recognized. Make sure it is formatted in the FAT32 or exFAT file system.
2. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
3. Select the app you want to migrate. Click on it.
4. Stick to the item Warehouse (or Memory in some versions of MIUI).
5. If the option is available, you will see the Change or Move button. SD-Press it.
6. Confirm the transfer. The process may take a few seconds.

⚠️ Note: Not all applications support this functionality, such as system utilities (Mi Browser, Camera) and many games (PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact will not be able to transfer.

Memory card formatted in FAT32/exFAT|

Free at least 10% of the card size |

The application is not system |

The device is not connected to the PC (mode) MTP switched off)-->

After the transfer, part of the application data will be stored on SD-The main files will remain in internal memory, which will save 20% to 50% of the space depending on the type of application.

Extended method: formatting SD-The card is an internal memory (adoptable storage)

If your Xiaomi smartphone runs on Android 6.0-9.0, you can theoretically activate the hidden Adoptable Storage feature, which allows you to use the device. SD-The card is part of the internal storage, but Xiaomi blocks this mode in most firmware. MIUI. The restriction can be circumvented in two ways:

🔹 Through ADB-commands (computer and debugging required) USB):

adb shell sm set-force-adoptable true


adb shell sm partition disk:179,64 private

🔹 Through third-party utilities like App2SD or Link2SD (Root rights are required).

⚠️ Note: This method has critical shortcomings:

• 🔴 The memory card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices.
• 🔴 When extracted SD-Application maps installed on it will stop working.
• 🔴 The speed of the system can drop significantly, especially on cheap class cards. A1.

We recommend using this method only as a last resort if internal memory is catastrophically lacking and alternative methods have not helped.

What applications can be transferred to SD-map, and which ones can't.

Not all programs work equally well with external storage, and below is a table of recommendations for porting different types of applications:

It is especially dangerous to transfer SD-map:

• 🔐 Two-factor authentication applications (e.g. Google Authenticator).
• 💳 Wallets and payment systems (Google Pay, Apple Pay).
• 🎮 Online games with anticheat (for example, Call of Duty Mobile).

💡

If you urgently need to free up space in internal memory, it is better to delete unnecessary files through Settings. → Warehouse → Cleaning. Transfer of system applications to SD-The card can lead to a cyclical reboot of the smartphone.

Alternative ways to save memory without transferring to SD-map

If porting applications to a memory card is impossible or ineffective, try these methods:

📌 Clearing the cache:

Many apps (especially social networks and instant messengers) accumulate gigabytes of unnecessary data to clear the cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Facebook).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.

📌 Use of cloud storage:

Services like Google Photos, Mi Cloud or Yandex Drive allow you to automatically upload photos and videos to the cloud, freeing up space on your device. MIUI has a built-in Storage Optimization feature that deletes local copies of files already uploaded to the cloud.

📌 Transfer of media files:

Music, movies and photos can be manually moved to SD-a card through any file manager (e.g. Mi File Manager:

1. Open the Conductor.
2. Select the files you want to transfer.
3. Click Cut (not "Copy"!).
4. Go to the folder on SD-map (e.g., map, /storage/XXXX-XXXX/DCIM/).
5. Press Insert.

📌 Disabling Preloading Content:

Many apps (like YouTube or Netflix) upload data in advance to speed up browsing. This takes up space. Turn this feature off in the app settings.

💡

Regular cleaning of cache and transfer of media files to SD-The card can free up to 30% of internal memory without risking system stability.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When working with SD-And these are the common problems that people often face with Xiaomi maps, and here are the common ones that we're going to solve:

🔸 "Can't transfer the app to SD-map"

Causes and solutions:

• 📛 Systems annex → Not portable (e.g. Mi Home or Security).
• 🔒 Memory card protected from recording → Check the switch on the adapter SD.
• 🗃️ The map is formatted in NTFS → reformat in FAT32 exFAT.

🔸 "Annex to the SD-map not updated"

This is normal Android behavior. To update the program, transfer it back to internal memory, update it, and then move it back to the map.

🔸 "The smartphone can't see. SD-map"

Possible causes:

• 🔌 Bad contact. → Remove and repaint the map.
• 🛠️ Damage to the file system → Format the map (the data will be lost!).
• 🔋 Lack of food → Connect the charger and restart the device.

🔸 "The games are laid after transfer to SD-map"

The solution is to put the game back in internal memory, and memory cards (even A2 class) don’t provide enough read/write speed for modern games.

⚠️ Note: If, after transferring the application to SD-The card is overheating or discharged faster, immediately return it to internal memory.

Choosing a memory card for Xiaomi: what to look for

Not all microSDs are equally useful. For smartphones, Xiaomi recommends cards with the following characteristics:

📌 Class speed:

• 🟢 A1 — Minimum option for storing photos and music.
• 🟡 A2 — Optimal choice for transferring applications.
• 🔴 U3/V30 and above – excessive for smartphones, suitable for video shooting 4K.

📌 Volume:

• 📱 For budget models (Redmi) 9A, POCO C31) — 64–128 GB.
• 📱 For flagships (Xiaomi 13, Black Shark 5) – 256-512 GB (if you plan to store games).

📌 Brand:

The best options for price/quality ratio:

• 💳 SanDisk Ultra (series) A2) — reliability and speed.
• 💳 Samsung EVO Plus – optimized for Android.
• 💳 Kingston Canvas Go! Plus is a budget option with good reviews.

⚠️ Warning: Avoid no-name memory cards, especially those with suspiciously low prices. They often have less than the actual volume claimed and fail after a few months. H2testw (Windows or SD Insight (Android).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions