How to install games on a memory card in the phone Xiaomi Redmi

Lack of internal memory is a classic problem for owners of budget and mid-budget smartphones of the Xiaomi Redmi line. When the built-in storage is filled with system files, photos and heavy applications, the device starts to work slower and installing new games becomes impossible. Users often wonder whether it is possible to effectively use an external microSD card to host game data to free up precious gigabytes of main memory.

Modern versions of the Android operating system and shells MIUI or HyperOS has its own external drive features, unlike the older versions, where you could just choose to install on the device. SD-When you download the map, it now requires a deeper intervention in the system settings, but if you do it right, you can greatly expand the capabilities of your gadget.

In this guide, we will look at proven methods that allow you to transfer applications and their cache to an external drive. We will look at both standard system tools and more advanced methods that require a connection to a computer. It is important to understand that the speed of games depends on the speed class of your memory card, so you need to approach the choice of media responsibly.

Preparation of memory card and compatibility check

Before you start manipulating the file system, you need to make sure that your drive meets the requirements. For installation of heavy games with volumetric graphics, a conventional class 4 or 6 card will not work - the games will be loaded or got stuck for a long time. The optimal choice will be a UHS-I or UHS-II card with a speed class of at least 10.

Put a card in your Xiaomi smartphone slot and wait for it to be determined. The system may suggest using the drive as a portable storage or as internal memory. For our purposes, it is critical to understand the difference: in portable storage mode, you will only be able to store media files and documents, but you will not be able to transfer the applications themselves.

⚠️ Note: When formatting the card for internal memory, all data on it will be permanently deleted. Be sure to back up important photos and documents before starting the procedure.

It's also worth checking the phone's technical capability. Not all Redmi models support the memory-unification feature known as Adoptable Storage. Often, manufacturers restrict this capability software to encourage the purchase of models with large amounts of internal storage. If standard methods fail to activate the feature, you'll have to resort to third-party tools.

Standard method of transfer through Android settings

The first one, which is worth trying, doesn't require a computer connection or complex commands, and it works on devices where the manufacturer hasn't blocked the ability to format the card as internal storage, so go to your smartphone's settings menu and find the memory section.

The path to the menu you want can vary depending on the version of MIUI. It's usually at Settings → About Phone → Storage or Settings → Memory. If you see your card in the list, click on it. The menu that opens should have three dots in the top right corner or a button with settings.

• 📱 Select "Format as internal storage" (or "Internal memory").
• 🔄 The system will warn about data loss and low speed compared to the built-in memory – confirm the action.
• ⏳ Wait for the process to be completed, which can take a few minutes depending on the size of the card.
• 📲 After formatting, the system will offer to transfer existing data and applications to a new medium.

If you go to the Applications section after formatting, you can select the game from the installed program list and see the Change or Move button. Once you activate it, you transfer most of the game data to the map, but it is worth noting that the system files will still remain on the built-in drive.

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Use memory cards only from proven brands like Samsung, SanDisk or Kingston. Cheap cards from marketplaces often have understated real-world write speeds, leading to friezes in games.

Adoptable Storage Activation through ADB for Advanced Advertising

If there is no item in the standard menu to format the card as internal memory, then the manufacturer has hidden this function. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This method allows you to send a hidden command to the system, forcibly activating the desired mode of operation with the drive.

To start, you will need a computer (Windows, macOS or Linux) and a cable. USB. You need to activate the developer mode on the phone. → About the phone and seven times quickly click on the item "Version" MIUI" Or "OS version." Once you have "You're a developer," go back to the main settings menu.

In the expanded settings menu, find the "Developers" option and activate the "Debug USB" switch. Connect your smartphone to your computer with a cable. You'll see a request for debugging permission on your phone screen -- tick "Always Allow" and click "OK."

adb shell pm set-install-location 2

This command tells the system that the new applications must be installed on the external storage by default, but to work properly, you need to format the map. Enter the following command by replacing the disk:XXX,XX with your card ID (this can be recognized by the adb shell sm list-disks command):

adb shell sm partition disk:XXX,XX private 100

Once the command is executed, the card will be formatted and encrypted, and now it will work as part of the internal memory, and the system will begin to distribute game files between the built-in storage and the card.

⚠️ Note: After formatting the map through ADB It will stop reading on other devices without re-formatting. Do not remove the card from a working phone, so as not to damage the file system.

Transferring the cache of games and OBB data manually

Even if memory integration is not possible, many games allow you to store your heavy resources (textures, sounds, levels) separately from the executable file, which is often in the OBB or Data folder, and by moving it to a map, you can free up a significant amount of space.

Modern versions of Android restrict access to system folders, so you may need an extended file manager, such as MT Manager or Total Commander with plugins, to migrate. First, find the folder with the game in the Android/obb or Android/data directory.

Select a folder with the name of the game package (e.g. com.pubg.imobile) and select the option "Slice". Then go to the memory card. Create a similar structure of Android/obb folders there and paste files. Then, in the game's settings (if you have one), specify a new path to resources.

Not all games support manual cache transfer. Some titles check path integrity and require re-uploading or refuse to start when files are repositioned, in which case only the game is deleted and re-installed with a memory card selection if the developer has provided such a possibility.

Optimization of games from external storage

After successfully transferring games to a memory card, it is important to ensure stable performance. The read speed of data from a microSD is always lower than that of an embedded memory such as UFS. To minimize loss of performance, you should close the background processes and free up RAM before starting a heavy game.

Use the built-in Game Turbo (or Game Center) tool in Xiaomi's shell. Add your games to it. This service prioritizes gameplay by limiting the background activity of other applications and improving sensor response. This is especially important when the game is launched from a slower external medium.

Check the status of the memory card regularly. The file system on external drives can fragment faster. Periodically copy important data to the computer and conduct a full formatting of the card to restore the speed of writing and reading. Also monitor the temperature of the smartphone, as active memory can cause heating.

⚠️ Warning: If a game starts to fly out or loads for a long time after a transfer, try clearing its cache in the application settings. If the problem is not solved, your card speed may not be enough for this game.

Possible problems and ways to solve them

During operation, there may be situations when the transferred games stop working correctly, often because the Android system lost its way to files on an external medium, this happens after a system update or power failure. First of all, try restarting the device.

If the games are gone or appear as "Not installed," check if the map is correctly defined. Go to the storage settings. If the system suggests formatting the map, take your time, it will lead to loss of data. Try to extract and paste the map again first or rewrite the partition table via your PC.

Another common problem is file system incompatibility. Android works best with an exFAT file system for cards over 32GB. If your card is formatted in FAT32, there may be errors when writing files larger than 4GB, which is critical for modern graphics games.

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The stability of the memory card games depends on the quality of the drive itself and the absence of physical damage to contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)