How to increase memory on Xiaomi TV 4S: from flash drive to hidden settings

Xiaomi Mi TV TV 4S With its bright screen and smart features, it quickly becomes the center of entertainment in the house — until the memory runs out. “Not enough space to install the app,” “Clear the cache,” or sudden hang-ups when launching Netflix or YouTube are familiar to many owners of this model. Unlike smartphones, where memory can be expanded microSD, Xiaomi TVs are getting more complicated: only external drive is officially supported, but there are hidden ways to optimize.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods to increase the available space on the Mi. TV 4S (including 32GB and 64GB versions. From plugging in the flash drive format FAT32 Before you move apps to the cloud and fine-tune the system, without the risk of "bricking" the TV. MIUI TV, If your TV is already choking on space, start with the section on optimizing internal memory, and it will have an immediate effect.

Technical Limitations: Why Xiaomi Memory Is a Resource TV 4S It ends up so fast.

Models of Mi TV 4S (2018-2021) are equipped with capacitive eMMC drives for 32 or 64 GB, but is actually available to the user much less. MIUI TV and pre-installed applications are diverted to 8-10 GB, and the rest is quickly eaten:

• 📺 App cache: YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video can take up to 500MB-1GB each after multiple sessions.
• 🎮 Games: Even simple arcades from Google Play (if installed) require 1-3 GB per installation files.
• 📁 System Updates: Firmware files are temporarily stored in internal memory and are not always automatically cleared.
• 🔄 Logs and dumps: MIUI TV Creates debugging files when crashes that can weigh hundreds of megabytes.

The key problem is that there's no microSD slot. You can only connect the external drive through the microSD. USB 2.0, but the system does not allow:

• ❌ Install applications directly to the flash drive (media files only).
• ❌ Use an external drive as an extension of internal memory (Adoptable Storage disabled).
• ❌ Transfer the application cache to USB-accumulator.

But there are workarounds, like forcing the flash drive to be the default storage location for downloads and screenshots, and using cloud services to offload memory, which is discussed in the next sections.

Method 1: Connecting an external flash drive or hard drive

The most obvious method is to use USB-storage device (flash drive or external HDD/SSD). But there are nuances:

1. Formatting: Xiaomi TV TV 4S Supports only the file system FAT32 (the maximum file size is 4 GB; or NTFS (For files larger than 4 GB, exFAT does not work!
2. Power: External hard drives (2.5) may not get enough power from the power supply USB-Use a Y-cable with additional power from the TV port. USB-hub.
3. Speed: USB 2.0 limits data transfer speed to 480 Mbps (~60 MB/s, therefore for 4K-Video is better used SSD.

How to connect:

1. Format the flash drive into FAT32 (for example, through a utility HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool).
2. Put the drive in USB-TV port (better to use the back port for stability).
3. Go to Settings. → Devices → USB-Select "Use as a media device".
4. In the application settings (for example, Gallery or Video Player), specify the flash drive as the default save location.

Format in FAT32|Check the speed of reading/writing|Use the back. USB-port|Disable "Fast Retrieval" in Windows settings (if formatted on PC)|Create a Download folder for downloads-->

What can be stored on a flash drive:

• 🎬 Films and TV series (formats supported) MP4, MKV, AVI).
• 🎵 Music (MP3, FLAC, WAV).
• 📷 Photos and screenshots (automatically saved to the flash drive if you specify the path in the settings).
• 📄 Downloads from the browser (for example, upk files for manual installation).

⚠️ Warning: Do not remove the flash drive while playing video or updating firmware. This can damage the drive file system. USB-device, try to turn it off, reboot the TV and reconnect it.

Method 2: Optimize internal memory without external devices

If the flash drive isn't an option, you can make room right in your internal memory.

1. Cleaning the app cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select an app (like YouTube) and click "Clear Cache." For bulk cleaning, use Settings. → Memory. → Clear the cache.
2. Remove Unnecessary Apps: Many pre-installed apps (such as Mi Home or Game Center) can be removed. To do this, select Delete from the app menu (not all system applications can be uninstalled).

Transferring data to the cloud

• Screenshots and screen recordings are automatically saved to internal memory → Pictures. Move them to Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
• To do this, connect your Xiaomi account in the settings and enable autosynchronization.

Hidden files that can be deleted:

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To see hidden folders in File Manager, click Menu → Settings → Show hidden files, but be careful: deleting system files can cause crashes!

If after cleaning the memory still runs out, check the Settings section. → Memory. → Details, there may be a hiding place:

• 🗑️ "Other files are often remnants of deleted applications or temporary data, which can be cleared through Settings. → Memory. → Clear other files.
• 🔄 "System data" - take up to 1-2 GB. reset to factory settings will help, but delete all user data.

Method 3: Using Cloud Storage

Cloud services won’t increase the physical memory of a TV, but they will allow you to offload it by transferring media files and backups to the network. TV 4S accessible:

• 🌥️ Mi Cloud (5GB free): Integrated into the system, automatically syncs screenshots and recordings.
• 📁 Google Drive: You can connect via browser or Files by Google app if you have Google Play installed).
• 🎬 YouTube: Upload video to a private playlist instead of storing it on your TV.
• 🎵 Yandex.Disk or Mega: Available via browser, but require manual download.

How to set up autosynchronization with Mi Cloud:

1. Go to Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Sign in to your Xiaomi account (or create a new one).
3. Enable the options "Synchronization Gallery" and "Backup".
4. In the Gallery, select folders to automatically download (such as Screenshots).

The advantages of cloud storage:

• ✅ No need for physical devices.
• ✅ Access to files from any device.
• ✅ Automatic backup.

Cons:

• ❌ Requires a stable Internet (minimum 10 Mbps for streaming video).
• ❌ Limited free space (e.g. 5GB in Mi Cloud).
• ❌ Downloading large files (>1GB could take hours.

Method 4: Advanced settings through ADB (skilled)

If you are ready for experiments, you can try reassigning storage paths through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge: This method requires connecting the TV to your computer and basic command line knowledge.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔌 Cable USB-A → USB-A (or USB-C → USB-A new-model).
• 🛠️ Utilities. ADB Fastboot (download from Android Developers website).
• 🔧 Developer mode on the TV.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About the TV. Press 7 times on "Version" MIUI TV", until the notice "You've become a developer" appears. → Additionally. → For developers and include "Debugging by" USB".

Connect the TV to the PC

• Connect the TV and the computer with a cable.
• On the TV, confirm the debugging permission (a request will appear).
• Check the connection: Adb devices must show the serial number of the TV.
• Reassign storage paths (example for YouTube cache): adb shell pm set-install-location 2 adb shell setprop persist.sys.storage_preload 1 Note: These commands attempt to force external memory to be used, but MIUI TV It may not work due to manufacturer restrictions.

⚠️ Attention: Wrong commands ADB Do not change the settings unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, the command adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.chrome will remove the Chrome browser, but may disrupt other applications.

What can be done through ADB:

• 🗑️ Remove system applications (for example, com.xiaomi.mitv.appstore – Xiaomi brand store).
• 🔄 Transfer the cache of some applications to the flash drive (limited support).
• 📊 View detailed information about the occupied space: adb shell df -h

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ADB — powerful instrument, but on MIUI TV For example, the adb shell sm set-force-adoptable true does not work due to the limitations of Xiaomi.

Method 5: Alternative applications and launchers

Standard launcher MIUI TV It's not optimized for memory savings, but it can be replaced or augmented with third-party solutions:

• 🧹 Reduce background RAM and memory consumption.
• 🔍 Simplify access to files on external drives.
• 📱 Install “lightweight” versions of apps (e.g. YouTube Go instead of the standard YouTube).

Best Alternatives for Xiaomi TV 4S:

How to install APK-manually:

1. Download APK to a flash drive (for example, from the APKMirror website).
2. Connect the flash drive to the TV.
3. Open File Manager, find the file and start the installation.
4. In the security settings, allow installation from unknown sources (Settings → Security → Unknown sources).

⚠️ Note: Some launchers (such as Nova Launcher) may not work properly on the MIUI TV - due to lack of touch control support, check compatibility on forums before installation (e.g, 4PDA or XDA Developers).

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you try to increase your memory Xiaomi TV 4S And users are facing typical problems:

• 🚫 "USB-Device not recognized": Cause: Wrong file system (e.g. exFAT) or power shortage Solution: Format the flash drive into FAT32 And use the Y-cable for power. HDD.
• 🔄 "Apps are not installed on the flash drive: the reason: MIUI TV Solution: Use cloud storage or manually transfer media files.
• 📉 "Memory ends immediately after cleaning": Reason: Background processes or corrupted files. Solution: Perform cache reset via Settings → Memory. → Clear the cache or restart the TV.
• 🔧 "ADB Not seeing TV: Reason: Not included debugging USB Solution: Check the cable connection and repeat the steps to turn on the developer mode.

How to diagnose a memory problem:

1. Go to Settings. → Memory and see what takes up the most space.
2. If the "System Data" section is inflated, try resetting to factory settings (Settings) → Reset).
3. For a deep diagnosis, connect through ADB and execute: adb shell dumpsys meminfo This command will show detailed use of RAM and memory.

Frequent questions