How to transfer all photos to a memory card in Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

A full internal memory smartphone is a problem that every second owner of Xiaomi faces. Especially acute is the issue when the system begins to issue warnings about the shortage of space, and the main “garbage” is taken up by thousands of photos accumulated over the years of use. Transferring them to a microSD card seems logical, but not everything is so simple: MIUI has its own nuances of working with external drives, and standard methods often do not work due to manufacturer restrictions.

In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of transferring photos - from built-in tools. MIUI We will also reveal hidden settings that Xiaomi does not advertise in the official instructions. You will learn how to circumvent the system limitations, which models support formatting. SD-The cards are internal memory, and what to do if the smartphone "can't see" files after transfer, and we will pay special attention to data security - how not to lose pictures when manipulating memory.

Why you can’t just move the photo to SD-map?

Many users try to migrate photos in the standard way – through Files → Select → Move, but face errors or limitations, because MIUI (especially in versions 12-14) uses secure folders for media files, and also applies a storage policy associated with the Mi Account.

• 🔒 File protection DCIM: The system blocks direct changes to the folder with photos taken by the regular camera to prevent accidental deletion.
• 📱 Android Restrictions: Starting with Android 11, Google has tightened the rules for working with external drives – applications are forbidden to freely write files to the Internet SD-card without explicit permission.
• 💾 Format SD-If a card is formatted as a portable (rather than internal memory), many applications will not be able to write data to it.
• 🔄 Sync with Mi Cloud: Photos uploaded to the cloud can be duplicated or blocked when you try to transfer.

In addition, some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro) by default disabled the option Use as internal memory for SD-This is done to improve security, but it's difficult to manually manage files.

Method 1: Transfer through the built-in Files app (for MIUI 12–14)

The most obvious method is to use a standard file manager, which is suitable for most modern Xiaomi smartphones, but has limitations.

1. Open the Files app (the folder icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Images or Categories section → Photos.
3. Press and hold your finger on any photo, then select the rest of the photos (or tap All).
4. Slip on the icon Move (or Copy if you want to leave the originals).
5. In the window that opens, select SD-map → Create a new folder (such as Photos) or select an existing folder.
6. Confirm the transfer button Move here.

⚠️ Note: If the Move button is inactive or absent, it means yours. SD-The card is formatted as a portable card, in which case the system only allows copying, not moving. To fix this, you will have to reformat the map (see Method 4).

Method 2: Using Google Photos to Automatically Transfer

If manual transfer seems difficult, you can use the Google Photos cloud service, which is suitable for those who are willing to temporarily upload photos to the Internet and then download them to the Internet. SD-Advantage: Maintaining the structure of albums and metadata (date, geotagged).

Instructions:

1. Install Google Photos from the Play Market.
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. In settings (Photo → Settings → Backup and Synchronization) enable Backup.
4. Wait until all photos are uploaded to the cloud (can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on internet speed).
5. Put it in. SD-Map to smartphone and go to Google Photos → Library → Devices.
6. Select all photos, click Save on the device and select the folder on SD-map.

💡 Useful tip: Before uploading to Google Photos, check if there is enough space in your account. 15GB is free, but if the photo is in high resolution, this may not be enough.

Method 3: Transfer over a computer (the most reliable method)

If previous methods have failed or you are afraid of losing data, the most reliable option is to connect your smartphone to a PC or laptop and transfer files through the Explorer. This method is universal and works even on older Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi 4X or Mi A1).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer through USB-cable (preferably original).
2. On the phone in the notification panel, select File Transfer (or MTP) mode.
3. On PC, open This computer (My Windows PC) – your Xiaomi will appear as a removable drive.
4. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera (there are photos taken by the camera).
5. Copy all files (or highlight the necessary ones) and paste them into the folder on the SD-map (it will be displayed as a separate disk).
6. Once you have finished copying, check the integrity of the files and delete the originals from the internal memory (optional).

⚠️ Attention: Never take out USB-This can cause damage to the file system on both the phone and the computer. SD-Always use Safe Device Removal in Windows or Extract in macOS.

Method 4: Formatting SD-cards as internal memory (for example, for MIUI 13–14)

If you want all new photos to be automatically saved to SD-This method is suitable for models with Adoptable Storage support (for example, Redmi Note 11 Pro).+, POCO F4, Xiaomi 12T). However, it has serious consequences:

• 🔄 Once formatted, the card will be encrypted and will not be read on other devices.
• 📵 The card cannot be retrieved without data loss (the system will use it as part of the internal storage).
• ⚠️ When resetting the phone to factory settings, all data on the map will be erased.

If you are satisfied with this, follow the instructions:

1. Put it in. SD-smartphone-card.
2. Go to Settings. → Memory. → SD-map.
3. Slip on three dots in the upper right corner and select Storage Settings.
4. Click Format as Internal → Clean and Format.
5. After the process is complete, restart the phone.
6. All new photos will be saved to SD-default-card.

🔹 Important: Copy all data from the card to the computer before formatting - the process completely erases all files! Also note that after that the card will not be used in other devices without re-formatting.

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Formatting SD-The card is an irreversible process, and then the card becomes "tied" to a particular smartphone and will not be recognized on a PC or other phones.

Method 5: Third-party applications for transfer (ES Explorer, Files by Google)

If standard methods don't work, file managers from third-party developers come to the rescue, and they often have extended access rights to the file. SD-maps and allow you to bypass restrictions MIUI. Let’s look at two proven options:

1. ES Conductor (for power users)

ES File Explorer was once the leader among file managers, but after the scandals with advertising, its popularity has fallen.

1. Download ES Explorer (or its old version without ads).
2. Open the application and provide all the permissions requested.
3. Go to Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera.
4. Select the photo, click More → Move to and select SD-map.

2. Files by Google (Simple and secure option)

Google’s official app is more reliable and doesn’t contain hidden features:

1. Install Files by Google.
2. In the Cleanup section, select Files → Images.
3. Select the desired photos and click Move.
4. As the destination, specify the folder on SD-map.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. Total Commander) may request permission to access all files. Do not provide it unnecessarily, it may compromise the security of your data.

Common mistakes and their solution

When transferring photos to SD-Xiaomi users often face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

💡 Useful advice: If after transfer photos are not displayed in the standard gallery MIUI, Try using alternative apps like Google Photos or Simple Gallery, which work better with external drives.

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Before mass transferring the photo, back up to your computer or the cloud, and this will save you from losing data when crashes occur.

FAQ: Frequent questions about transferring photos to SD-card in Xiaomi