Owners of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5A Often face a critical lack of built-in space, as the basic version of the device offers only a small amount of space. 16 GB of memory, of which free remains about 8-9 GB. Android system. 7.0 Nougat, installed on this gadget, by default prohibits direct installation of modern programs on an external drive, which leads to a rapid filling of internal storage and slowdown of the interface. However, there are proven technical ways to get around these limitations and get the device to use the device. SD-map as a full continuation of the system section.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail the process of formatting a drive as internal memory, and also consider how to use USB debugging to force data transfer. It is important to understand that interfering with system settings requires care, since incorrect actions can lead to data loss or unstable operation of the operating system. We have prepared a step-by-step algorithm that will help you free precious megabytes and install the necessary messengers or games.
Before you start taking action, you need to assess the state of your drive and prepare backups of important files. Formatting a memory card as internal memory completely destroys all the data on it, so be sure to copy photos and documents to your computer. After preparation, you can move to configure the device to turn an external microSD drive into a full-fledged analogue of built-in storage.
Preparation of memory card and device for work
The first step is to choose a high-quality media, since the speed of installed applications depends on the speed class of your card. For comfortable use in conjunction with Redmi 5A, it is recommended to use a microSD card with a volume of 32 GB with a speed class of at least Class 10 or UHS-I. Slow cards can cause "freezes" and twitching of the interface, since the system will constantly access the external drive to load application resources.
Once the card is installed in the slot, the device will offer several use cases, but for our purpose, standard formatting will not work. We will need to put the drive in the "Inner Memory" mode, which will allow the Android system to consider it part of the root partition. This process will rewrite the file system into a format that is readable only by this particular smartphone, so you will not be able to use the card on other devices without re-formatting.
To start the work, perform the following actions:
- 📱 Insert the memory card in the switched off smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 5A slot.
- 🔋 Make sure the battery is at least 50% powered to avoid shutting down during formatting.
- 🔄 Wait for notification of finding a new drive in the notification curtain.
- ⚙️ Go to the Settings menu → Memory for storage management.
⚠️ Note: Once the card is formatted as internal memory, it will not be retrievable without losing data and accessing applications.
The quality of the memory card plays a crucial role in the stability of the system. Cheap carriers of unknown brands often have real capacity much less than claimed, which can lead to cyclical phone reboots or damage to the application database. If you plan to actively use this method, invest in trusted brands such as SanDisk or Samsung to ensure data durability.
Formatting SD-maps as internal memory
The standard MIUI interface can hide the formatting option, so sometimes you need to be a little tricky when choosing a menu item. In some versions of the Redmi 5A firmware, the system itself will suggest formatting the card when you first turn on, but if this does not happen, you need to find the corresponding item manually. The process of converting the drive to an internal format is called "Adoptable Storage" and is a regular feature of Android, starting with version 6.0.
To start the procedure, go to Settings → Memory and click on your memory card name. From the menu that opens, select "Format" and wait for the formatting type to appear. This is where you select "Use as internal storage", after which the system will warn you of low speed potential if the card does not meet high standards.
The formatting process includes several stages:
- 🗑️ The system will offer to choose the type of formatting - agree to "Inner memory".
- ⏳ The process of cleaning and re-marking sectors will begin, which can take from 2 to 10 minutes.
- 📲 After completion, the smartphone will offer to transfer existing data (photos, contacts) to a new disk.
- ✅ Confirm the transfer to make room in the main section.
If the menu does not have a direct choice of formatting type, it is possible that the manufacturer has blocked this feature in the shell. MIUI. In this case, you can try running the process through the hidden test menu. To do this, dial the combination ##6484## or use the phone application. ADB-However, it is often enough to simply select the item "Clear" SD-map in the settings, and the system itself will offer use cases.
What to do if the formatting button is inactive?
Once formatted successfully, your card will become part of the system, and when you install new apps, the system will default to save them to an external drive unless the settings indicate otherwise, addressing the lack of space for heavy gaming and social media, which take up a significant amount of space.
Using ADB for Forced Transfer
In situations where standard methods do not work or the interface MIUI Blocks the possibility of choice, the developer's toolkit comes to the rescue ADB (Android Debug Bridge, which allows you to send commands directly to the operating system, bypassing the graphical limitations of the shell. 5A You'll need a computer, USB-cable and minimum set of drivers.
The first thing you need to do is activate the developer mode on your smartphone. To do this, go to Settings → About your phone and quickly click on the build number seven times (MIUI Version). After the message "You became a developer", a new section will appear in the settings menu "Additional" or "Extended settings", where you need to find the item "For developers".
Turn on USB debugging and follow the following steps:
- 💻 Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable in "File Transfer" mode".
- 🖥️ On PC, open the command line in the folder with installed ADB.
- 📱 On the phone screen will appear a request for debugging permission - click "Allow".
- ⌨️ Enter the command to check the connection: adb devices.
adb shell pm set-install-location 2This command forcibly changes the priority of installing applications on external storage. SD-The card, 0 is the automatic selection system, and 1 is the internal memory only. Once you have the command, you need to restart the device so that the changes take effect. APK-The system will try to place them on the map.
⚠️ Attention: Team ADB Some system services and secure applications (such as banking clients or WhatsApp) may ignore this setting and require only internal storage for security reasons.
Using ADB gives you more control over the file system than standard settings, but remember that when you reset your phone to the factory settings, these changes will be lost and you will have to repeat the procedure, and some MIUI firmware updates may block this command from running, requiring root permissions to bypass it.
☑️ Pre-use checks ADB
Table of compatibility and limitations of methods
Not all methods work equally well across different software versions. Below is a comparison table to help you choose the best way to expand memory for your Xiaomi Redmi 5A depending on the current version of MIUI and Android.
| Method | Android version | MIUI version | Efficiency | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formatting (Adoptable Storage) | 7.0 Nougat | MIUI 9/10 | Tall. | Loss of data during retrieval |
| ADB (Install-location 2) | 7.0 Nougat | Anybody. | Medium | It does not work with system apps |
| Transfer through settings (staff) | 7.0 Nougat | Global | Low. | Not available for all applications |
| Root rights and Link2SD | Anybody. | Anybody. | Maximum | Loss of warranty, risk of brick |
As you can see from the table, the most reliable standard method is to format the card as internal memory, but it imposes restrictions on the mobility of the drive. The ADB method is more flexible, but less effective for heavy games. The choice depends on your priorities: stability or the ability to quickly change the memory card.
It is worth noting that with the release of new versions of Android, Google is gradually abandoning the Adoptable Storage feature, considering it potentially dangerous for user data and performance, so on newer devices this method may be completely eliminated from the system, but for the Redmi 5A it remains a topical solution.
Optimization of work after data transfer
Once applications have moved to a memory card, it is important to set them up correctly to avoid performance problems. The external storage file system works differently than the built-in flash memory and requires some optimization. First of all, it is recommended to disable auto-update applications through the mobile network so as not to create unnecessary load on the I/O channels of the card.
You should also defragment regularly (if the file system allows it) or just periodically check the card for errors. MIUI has a built-in optimization tool that can be found in the Security app, running this feature will help clear the cache and correct possible logical errors in the file structure.
Service recommendations:
- 🧹 Once a month, clean the cache of heavy apps through settings.
- 📉 Do not fill out a memory card more than 85-90%, This will reduce the speed of recording critically.
- 🔌 Avoid retrieving the card while your phone is running or updating apps.
- 📸 Photos and videos are best saved immediately to the map, configuring this in the camera settings.
💡
Use Files by Google to clean your junk files regularly, and it safely removes temporary files that take up space on your memory card without affecting important data.
If you notice that the phone started to work slower after transferring applications, try moving the most commonly used programs (messengers, browser) back to internal memory. System processes and frequently used applications work faster on the built-in drive, whereas games and rarely used software can be safely kept on the computer. SD-map.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
During operation, there may be situations when applications stop opening or disappear from the desktop, most often due to damage to the card file system or a violation of the contact in the slot. If the Xiaomi Redmi 5A has stopped seeing installed programs, first of all check whether the card sits safely in the slot.
A common problem is the appearance of the error "Application not installed" when trying to update the program transferred to the SD-This is because the signatures of the applications or the paths to the data have changed, in which case you need to remove the problem application and install it again, carefully monitoring the choice of installation site.
A list of typical errors:
- ❌ "SD-Card damaged – formatting or replacement of the drive is required.
- ❌ "Not enough space" in the presence of free volume - file system error, formatting helps.
- ❌ Applications fly out immediately after launch – low card speed or conflict versions.
- ❌ Phone doesn’t see card – contact contamination or physical slot breakdown.
⚠️ Warning: If your phone is constantly writing about card damage, don't ignore this message.Continuing to work with a damaged drive can cause the smartphone's memory controller to fail completely.
In case of persistent errors, it makes sense to check the card on the computer using utilities like H2testw or F3. These programs allow you to identify the real volume and presence of broken sectors. If the card is fake or worn, no software methods will help - you will need to replace the media with a quality original.
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Stability of the smartphone with applications on SD-The card is directly dependent on the quality of the drive itself, and savings on the memory card often lead to unstable operation of the entire system.