How to increase memory on Xiaomi smartphone: from microSD card to hidden MIUI features

Xiaomi smartphone owners sooner or later face a shortage of internal memory — especially if the device from the budget line of Redmi or Poco with 32/64 GB on board. High-resolution photos, game cache, app updates and MIUI system files eat precious gigabytes faster than it seems. But don’t rush to buy a new phone: there are at least 7 ways to increase the available space — from the banal to the little-known.

In this article, we will discuss all the options from installing a microSD card (including models without a slot) to fine-tuning MIUI and using cloud services. Separately, we will focus on the hidden function "Application Storage", which allows you to transfer some programs to an external drive even without root rights, and at the end - a checklist for memory optimization and answers to frequent questions.

1. MicroSD Memory Card: How to Choose and Configure

The most obvious way to expand memory is to install a microSD card, but there are nuances: not all Xiaomi models support external drives, and even if they do, the speed depends on the card class, for example, to record video in 4K or modern games, you need a UHS-I U3 or A2 class.

How to check your model compatibility? Go to Settings → About Phone → Features and find the item “Memory Card Support.” If it is not available, the slot is missing (as in Xiaomi 13 Pro or Black Shark 5). For models with a hybrid slot (for example, Redmi Note 12), you will have to choose either a second SIM or a microSD.

• 📌 Memory card classes: Class 10 — photo, U3/A2 — video and application.
• 🔄 Formatting: Always use exFAT for maps >64 GB (in) FAT32 I can't write files. >4GB).
• ⚡ Speed: for games and applications, a minimum of 90 MB/s (see package).

⚠️ Note: In Xiaomi models with MIUI 14+ When you first connect a card, the system will suggest using it as "portable storage" or "internal memory." Choose the second option only if you are ready for full formatting, after which the card will not be read on other devices!

2. transfer applications to a memory card (including the hidden MIUI function)

Even if you have a microSD installed, the default is that the applications are stored in internal memory. There are two ways to transfer them to MIUI:

Method 1: Standard transfer (without root rights):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select an app (such as Telegram or Spotify).
3. Click "Storage" → "Change" → select a memory card.

❗ Limitation: Not all applications support portability (especially system and secure games).

Method 2. Hidden Application Storage (operates on MIUI 12-14):

Activate Developer Mode (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – press 7 times). Then go to Settings → Additional → Developer → and enable the App Store option. Then, the application management menu will allow you to port even those programs that were previously blocked.

For Poco and Black Shark models with root rights, you can use App2SD, which allows you to transfer up to 80% of your application data to an external drive, but remember that after transferring some games can slow down due to the slow speed of reading the map.

3.Cache and garbage cleanup: MIUI hidden tools

MIUI is known for actively cacheing data — sometimes it takes up to 10-15 GB to cache — and can be cleaned by standard means:

1. Settings → Storage → Clean – deletes temporary files.
2. Settings → Applications → Application Management → [Select App] → Storage → Clear the cache.

But there are hidden tools:

• 🧹 Deep Clean: Enter ##4636### in the dialer, select "Use statistics" → "Clear the data".
• 🗑️ Removal of duplicates: Settings → Warehouse → Files. → Duplicates (working on the MIUI 13+).
• 📁 Cleaning up downloads: folder /storage/emulated/0/Download It often contains unnecessary files.

⚠️ Note: Do not clear the cache of system applications (such as MiuiSystemUI or SecurityCenter) – this can lead to an interface freeze or reset settings!

To clean automatically, install MIUI Cleaner (built-in app) and set up a schedule. The alternative is SD Maid (requires root rights), which finds garbage in folders that are not available to standard tools.

4. Cloud Storage: How to Free Memory Without Losing Data

If you can't physically expand the memory (like Xiaomi 13 Ultra without a microSD slot), you'll have the cloud. Xiaomi has its own solution, the Mi Cloud, but it only gives you 5GB for free.

How to set up autoload photos in Google Photos:

1. Install the Google Photos app.
2. Go to Settings → Backup and Synchronization.
3. Select the quality "High" (unlimited storage) or "Original" (counted from 15 GB).
4. Enable the option "Backup when connecting to Wi-Fi".

Once you upload the photos to the cloud, you can delete them from your phone, freeing up space.

1. Open Google Photos → Photos.
2. Press three points. → "Make room".

💡

If you use Yandex Drive, enable the option “Download only over Wi-Fi” in its settings, so as not to waste mobile traffic.

5. MIUI Optimization: Disabling Unnecessary Functions

MIUI is one of the heaviest shells on Android, and it consumes memory in the background.

• 🎵 Mi-music and Mi-video: these apps cache content even if you don't use them. Turn off auto-update in Settings → Annexes → Application management.
• 📡 Auto-update MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system and disable automatic download of firmware.
• 📊 Usage statistics: Settings → Battery and productivity → Battery usage statistics – disable data collection.
• 🛒 Advertising in MIUI: In Settings → Memory. → Cleaning off "Recommendations".

Another hidden memory eater is Game Turbo, which creates cache for games even if you're not playing them.

1. Settings → Special facilities → Game Turbo.
2. Turn off Auto Start and Game Optimization.

⚠️ Attention: Disabling system applications through Settings → Annexes → Showing all applications can lead to errors in the work MIUI. Use the Adb shell pm disable-user command --user 0 application package (required) ADB).

6. Alternative methods: OTG-drives and network storage

If your Xiaomi does not have a microSD slot, but there is support for OTG (On-The-Go), you can connect an external drive via a USB-C → USB-A adapter.

1. Buy it. OTG-adapter (stands) ~200–500 ₽).
2. Connect a flash drive or external SSD (formatted in exFAT).
3. Use a file manager (such as Mi File Explorer) to work with files.

For continuous use, it is more convenient to configure network storage (NAS):

• 🖥️ Connect an external hard drive to the router with USB-port.
• Set up sharing via Samba or FTP.
• In Xiaomi, use the FX File Explorer app to connect to the NAS.

The advantage of NAS is that files are available on all devices on your network, and the disadvantage is that you need stable Wi-Fi to watch videos or photos.

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OTG-drives are suitable for temporary memory expansion, and NAS - for long-term storage of large files (movies, backups).

7.Extreme measures: reset to factory settings and root rights

If all methods have been tried and memory is still lacking, radical methods remain:

Reset to factory settings:

Delete all data, but return the phone to "clean" state.

1. Make a backup through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
2. Move your important files to your PC or cloud.
3. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset settings and select “Erase all data”.

root rights and custom firmware:

Root access is available:

• Transfer all applications to microSD (including games)
• Remove MIUI system applications (e.g. Mi Browser, Mi Video)
• Use Link2SD to link applications to a memory card.

⚠️ Attention: Getting root rights voids warranty and can lead to device blink (especially on newer models with Anti-Rollback).For Xiaomi, use the official Mi Unlock unlocker and firmware TWRP.

The alternative to root is custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, which is stripped of MIUI junk and takes up less space, but it requires unlocking the bootloader and ADB experience.

FAQ: Frequent questions about memory enhancement on Xiaomi