Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often face a shortage of internal memory, especially in entry-level models where storage is limited to 64 or 128 gigabytes. MIUI and the new HyperOS occupy a significant part of the space, leaving the user with less space to install modern “heavy” games and multimedia content.
Fortunately, modern technology allows you to use USB-flash drives connected through an adapter OTG, Not only for viewing photos and videos, but also for installing applications, which can significantly relieve internal storage, but requires proper configuration and understanding of how the Android file system works. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of the process, from the preparation of equipment to the solution of typical errors.
It should be noted that standard system tools transfer full application data to an external drive is often limited by Google's security policies. However, there are proven methods to circumvent these restrictions and make the system perceive the flash drive as a full-fledged memory extension.
Preparation of equipment and compatibility check
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that your device physically supports external connectivity. USB-Almost all modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with a port USB Type-C or Micro-USB with support for the function OTG (However, the presence of a connector does not guarantee stable operation with any type of drive, especially if it is a large flash drive or high read speed.
To successfully implement your plan, you will need a high-quality cable-adapter or flash drive with a built-in Type-C connector. Cheap Chinese adapters often do not give enough voltage, which can simply not see the connected device or permanently turn it off during operation. It is recommended to use original accessories or products of proven brands such as Baseus, Ugreen or Samsung.
☑️ Checking connection readiness
For working with applications on Android, the format exFAT or FAT32 is optimal, although modern versions of MIUI can work with NTFS. If the flash drive was previously used on a computer, it is better to format it beforehand to avoid access rights conflicts and application cache writing errors.
⚠️ Note: Using old or damaged flash drives can cause the system to freeze and the smartphone battery to quickly discharge, as the power controller will constantly try to stabilize the power supply.
Setting up USB-storage MIUI HyperOS
Once the flash drive is physically connected to the smartphone, the system will automatically detect the new device. Unlike older versions of Android, which required manual mounting, modern shells from Xiaomi do this almost instantly, but to install applications, we will need to change the standard mode of the drive.
Immediately after connecting in the curtain notifications will appear a message about the new USB-You click on it, you'll be in the mode selection menu, and you'll activate File Transfer or Photo/Video mode by default. We also need to find the option associated with using it as internal storage, or just make sure that the system sees the drive correctly in the Settings section. → Memory.
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If the system doesn’t see the flash drive, try rebooting your smartphone with the drive already connected – this often helps USB drivers to properly initialize the device.
In some cases, especially on global firmware versions, there may be no direct "Use as internal memory" button, and in such a situation, the system will perceive the flash drive as a removable medium, which is not a problem, since we can force the system to install applications there through the developer menu or special utilities.
It is important to understand the difference between transferring media files and installing applications. To work correctly, programs must write their data with certain access rights. So even if the flash drive is displayed in the file manager, additional formatting may be required to install the software in a special format that only Android can understand.
Adoptable Storage (Advanced Memory)
Adoptable Storage, which was introduced in Android 6.0, allows the system to combine internal memory and external storage into a single space. Unfortunately, many manufacturers, including Xiaomi, often hide this feature in the standard interface to encourage the purchase of models with a large amount of internal storage.
However, you can activate this feature through a hidden menu of engineering settings or using ADB commands (Android Debug Bridge), which is the most reliable way to make the system think that the flash drive is an integral part of the smartphone. Once activated, all new applications will be offered by default for installation on an external drive.
Risks of using Adoptable Storage
To activate via the console, you'll need to connect your smartphone to your computer, enable debugging over USB, and type in the sm partition command, which irreversibly changes the partition structure on the USB drive, and if you decide to return it all back, you'll have to format it again, which will delete all the data.
On the one hand, you get virtually unlimited space for games, on the other hand, application speed can decrease if you use a slow flash drive, since the read speed from USB is usually lower than that of an embedded eMMC or UFS module.
Install applications through the file manager
If you don't want to resort to sophisticated methods of activating hidden functions, you can use a simpler, but less automated way. APK-For this, you will need any file manager, such as the built-in Explorer from Xiaomi or the more advanced MIXplorer.
Copy the application installation files (.apk format) onto a flash drive from your computer. Then connect the drive to your smartphone, open the file manager, and find the file you want. When you start the installation, the system will suggest you choose a location to save data. In some versions of MIUI, if you have a connected USB drive, this choice appears automatically.
For some Google system applications and services, this method may not work because it requires a strict internal partitioning, but for user programs, games and utilities, this approach works flawlessly, and the main thing is to make sure that the flash drive has enough free space and it is not in power saving mode.
After installing the application icon will appear on the desktop on a par with the others. For the user, the process of launching the program will not differ from the standard one, but in the storage settings, it will be indicated that the application is placed on the desktop. USB-This makes it easy to free up internal memory by simply removing unnecessary heavy programs.
Transfer of already installed applications to USB**
Often there is a situation when the application is already installed and takes up a lot of space, and there is no desire or possibility to reinstall it again (for example, lost game progress data), in such cases, you can try to transfer the already installed application through the system settings, if the firmware allows you to do this.
Go to the Settings menu → Annexes → All applications. Find the program you want in the list and click on it. If you can move it, you'll see the active button Move to the next one. USB-drive or Change in the "Storage" section. By clicking on it, the system will copy the necessary files to the USB drive and update the paths in the registry.
It is worth noting that not all developers allow the portability of their applications, because some programs are critically dependent on the speed of access to data, and placing on a slow external medium can cause errors in the work, in which case the transfer button will be inactive or absent.
| Type of application | Possibility of transfer | Impact on speed | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy-graphics games | Partially (cache) | Medium/High | Better to leave it inside. |
| Social media | Tall. | Low. | Can be moved |
| Office applications | Tall. | Low. | Recommended |
| System services | Impossible. | - | Don't touch it. |
Large game cache transfers (such as PUBG or Genshin Impact) often require special cache managers, as standard tools do not always transfer only OBB data files. Root-rights file managers, such as Root Explorer, allow you to manually move folders from /Android/obb/ internal memory to the corresponding path on the USB drive.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
In the process of using a smartphone with applications installed on the flash drive, users can face a number of typical problems, most often they are associated with a sudden shutdown of the drive or errors in reading data. The system can send messages such as "Application stopped" or "Can't open file" if the connection with the system is USB-The storage device will be interrupted even for a split second.
One of the common causes of failures is power shortage. If you use a flash drive without power, which is what most of them are, then active recording can cause power drawdowns. USB One solution is to use quality control. OTG-cable with additional power wire or active USB-hub.
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The stability of the application from the flash drive directly depends on the quality of the connection and the speed class of the drive itself - saving on accessories is unacceptable here.
Also, keep in mind the thermal mode, especially if it's in a metal case, when you're actively working with an external drive, it can get very hot, prolonged overheating leads to trottling (speed reduction) and potential data loss. Try not to cover your smartphone while you install or use heavy applications from the flash drive.
⚠️ Warning: Never remove a flash drive while the application is running, and this is guaranteed to damage the program's database and require its complete reinstallation with no progress.
If you notice that applications have started to load longer than usual or periodically fly out, check the state of the file system of the flash drive. It may have logical errors that can be corrected by connecting the drive to the computer and running the standard procedure for checking the disk.