Smartphone owners Xiaomi often face a lack of built-in memory, especially on budget models with 32 or 64 GB of storage. SD card can be a lifesaver, but simply inserting it into the slot is not enough - by default, the system only uses it to store media files. To really expand the memory, you need to make a card main storage for applications and data. In this article we will analyze all working methods for devices on MIUI, including official and alternative methods.

The process depends on the version Android and firmware: on new ones models Xiaomi (with Android 10+) the function Adoptable Storage is often disabled by the manufacturer, and on older ones it may work with restrictions. We will look at options for different scenarios: from standard formatting to using ADB and third-party utilities. It is important to understand that not all applications will be able to be transferred to the card - some (for example, system ones or those with high performance requirements) will remain in the internal memory.

Before you start, check two key points:

  1. Your SD card should be class 10 (UHS-I/UHS-II) or higher - slow cards will lead to system lags.
  2. The card should not contain important data: when formatting in mode internal memory it will be completely cleared and encrypted.
📊 Which Xiaomi model are you using?
Redmi Note 10/11/12
POCO X3/X4/X5
Mi 11/12/13
Redmi 9/10/13C
Other model

1. Official method: format the SD card as internal memory

The easiest method is to use the built-in function MIUI to format the card as internal memory expansion. It works on most devices with Android 6.0–9.0, but on new versions it may be hidden or blocked.

How to check support:

Go to Settings → Storage → SD card. If there is an option "Use as internal memory" -your device supports this method. If not, read the following sections about ADB or alternative solutions.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Insert SD card into the slot (if your model supports hybrid slot, make sure it is not occupied by a SIM card).
  2. Open Settings → Storage and tap on the name of your card.
  3. In the upper right corner, click on the three dots and select "Storage settings".
  4. Select "Format as internal" and confirm the action.
  5. Wait for the process to complete (may take 5–15 minutes). After rebooting, the card will appear as part of the internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: Once formatted, the card cannot be removed and used in other devices without completely erasing the data. It will be linked to your smartphone and encrypted.

Make a backup copy of the data from the card|Check the speed class (minimum Class 10)|Charge the phone at least 50%|Make sure there is free slot (not hybrid)-->

2. Method via ADB: forced activation of Adoptable Storage

If there is no option in the settings to format the card as internal memory, you can unlock via Android Debug Bridge (ADB). This method works on most devices Xiaomi c Android 8.0–12.0, but requires a connection to a computer.

What you will need:

  • 🖥️ A computer with installed drivers ADB (you can download from the official Android website).
  • 📱 Enabled USB debugging on your smartphone (Settings → About phone → MIUI version - tap 7 times, then return to Advanced settings → For developers → USB debugging).
  • 💾 SD card Class 10 or higher (recommended UHS-I/UHS-II for stable operation).

Step by step instructions:

  1. Connect the phone to the computer via USB and select mode "Transfer files".
  2. Open the command line (CMD on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
  3. Enter the command to check the connection: 
    adb devices

    If the device is displayed, you can continue.

  4. Launch the shell ADB: 
    adb shell
  5. Find out the ID of your SD card: 
    sm list-disks

    Usually it looks like disk:179,XX (where XX are numbers).

  6. Format the card as internal memory: 
    sm partition disk:179,XX private

    Replace XX with the actual numbers from the previous step.

  7. Reboot the phone: 
    reboot

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI after this procedure, the card may not be displayed in the storage. In this case, try repeating the command or check the card for errors via a computer.

What to do if ADB does not see the device?

If the command adb devices returns an empty list:

1. Make sure that USB debugging is enabled and confirmed on the phone (a request will appear when you connect for the first time).

2. Try a different USB cable (preferably the original one).

3. Update the ADB drivers on your computer (for example, via SDK Platform Tools).

4. Reboot your phone and computer.

5. On Windows, try running ADB as administrator.

3. Transferring applications to an SD card without formatting

If you do not want to format the card as internal memory (for example, to use it on other devices), you can transfer individual applications manually. This method is less effective, but does not require complex manipulations.

How to transfer applications:

  1. Open Settings → Applications → Management applications.
  2. Select the application you want to transfer (not all support this function).
  3. Tap "Storage" and select "Change".
  4. Click "SD card" and confirm the transfer.

Method limitations:

  • 🚫 Not all applications support transfer (especially system ones and games with cache).
  • 📉 Application performance may drop if the card is slow.
  • 🔄 After updating the application, it may automatically return to the internal memory.

⚠️ Attention: Do not transfer to the card widgets i background services (for example, instant messengers or antiviruses) - this may lead to malfunctions in their operation.

💡

To speed up the operation of migrated applications, use SD card high read/write speeds (for example, SanDisk Extreme or Samsung EVO Plus).

4. Alternative methods: third-party utilities and root

If the official methods do not work, you can use third-party apps or obtaining root access. These methods provide more opportunities, but require caution.

Popular utilities for transferring applications:

Name Root required? Features Link
AppMgr III ❌ No Transferring applications without formatting the card, support Android 5.0+ Google Play
Link2SD ✅ Yes Creating symbolic links for data transfer, support ext2/ext3/ext4 Google Play
FolderMount ✅ Yes Transferring data folders (for example, game cache) to the card Google Play

How to work with Link2SD (for example):

  1. Install the application and provide root access.
  2. Select the file system for the second partition on the card (recommended ext4).
  3. Restart the phone.
  4. In the list of applications, select those that you want to transfer and click "Create link".

⚠️ Attention: Receiving root access voids the warranty and can lead to unstable system operationOn new models Xiaomi (for example, Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5) unlocking the bootloader is complicated - read current guides on forums like 4PDA or XDA Developers.

5. Features for different Xiaomi models

The manufacturer makes changes to the firmware MIUI, so the process may differ depending on the model. Here are the key nuances for popular ones. rulers:

Redmi Note 10/11/12 i POCO X3/X4/X5:

  • 🔧 On these models Adoptable Storage is disabled by default, but it can be activated through ADB (see section 2).
  • 📱 Hybrid slot (second SIM card or SD card) - if you use two SIM cards, you will have to choose.

Mi 11/12/13 and flagships:

  • 🚫 On flagships, the function of transferring applications is often is completely blocked —even ADB may not help.
  • 💡 Alternative: use cloud storage (Mi Cloud, Google Drive) or external SSD drives via OTG.

Redmi 9/10/13C and budget models:

  • ✅ On older firmware (Android 10 and lower) Adoptable Storage can work "from boxes."
  • ⚠️ Budget models often have slow processors - using the card as internal memory can slow down the system.

On models with a processor MediaTek (for example, Redmi 10C or POCO M4) moving applications to the card can lead to lags due to poor optimization of storage drivers.

6. Possible problems and their solutions

When using SD cards as main memory, failures may occur. Let's look at typical situations and ways to resolve them.

Problem 1: The card is not recognized as internal memory

  • 🔹 Check whether your model supports the function (see section 1).
  • 🔹 Try formatting the card to computer in FAT32, then repeat the procedure on the phone.
  • 🔹 If you use ADB, make sure you have entered the correct drive ID (disk:179,XX).

Problem 2: Applications are not transferred to the card

  • 🔹 Some applications (for example WhatsApp or Google Play Services) do not support transfer.
  • 🔹 Check if the space on the card is occupied (there must be at least 10% free space in the storage settings).
  • 🔹 For games with large cache (for example Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) use FolderMount s root.

Problem 3: The phone slows down after transfer

  • 🔹 Make sure the card has data-i="256">(minimum high speed class (minimum UHS-I).
  • 🔹 Do not transfer to the card system applications and those that work in the background.
  • 🔹 Try disable interface animation in the developer settings (Settings → Advanced → For developers → Animation scale).

⚠️ Attention: If, after transferring applications to the card, the phone starts data-i="266">or overheat or turn offimmediately return them to the internal memory - this is a sign of incompatibility of the card with the device.

7. Optimizing work with an SD card as main memory

To minimize lags and crashes, follow these recommendations:

System settings:

  • 🔧 Disable automatic application updates v Google Play — this will prevent spontaneous transfer of data back to the internal memory.
  • 🔧 In the developer settings (Settings → Advanced → For developers), enable "Do not save actions" —this will reduce the load on the card.
  • 🔧 Use light launchers (for example, Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) to reduce consumption resources.

Memory card care:

  • 🛠️ Once a month check the card for errors via a computer (in Windows: Properties → Service → Check).
  • 🛠️ Do not remove the card while applications are running - this may lead to data corruption.
  • 🛠️ Regularly clear the cache applications transferred to the card (via Settings → Storage → Clear cache).

Alternative solutions:

  • ☁️ To save space, use cloud storage (Google Photo for photos, Mi Cloud for backups).
  • 🖥️ Connect external SSD drive via OTG —it's faster and more reliable than SD card.
  • 📱 Consider purchasing a smartphone with more memory - sometimes it's cheaper than fighting restrictions.
💡

If your smartphone Xiaomi was released after 2021, most likely, the official transfer of applications to The SD card is blocked. In this case, the only working options are to use ADB (with restrictions) or buy a device with a large amount of built-in memory.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about using an SD card as main memory

Is it possible to use an SD card as internal memory on Xiaomi with Android 13?

On most new models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13), the function Adoptable Storage is disabled at the firmware level. You can try the method with ADB, but there is no guarantee of success - transferring individual applications or using cloud storage.

Why after formatting the card as internal. memory, it is not visible in “My Computer”?

This is normal: after formatting in Adoptable Storage mode, the card becomes part of the internal storage and encrypted. It will not be displayed as a removable drive on the computer. To return it to its original state, you need to format it via Settings → Storage → SD card → Format as portable (data will be deleted).

Can I transfer WhatsApp to an SD card?

Officially WhatsApp does not support transfer to external media. However, you can:

  1. Use Link2SD s root access to create a symbolic link.
  2. Manual folder transfer WhatsApp via a file manager (but this can lead to failures).
  3. Configure automatic backup to Google Drive and clear the cache manually.

⚠️ Risk: when transferring without root messages and media files may no longer be displayed.

How to return the SD card to normal mode after formatting as internal memory?

To unlink the card to the phone:

  1. Go to Settings → Storage → SD card.
  2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select "Format as portable".
  3. Confirm the action - the card will be cleared and will become removable again.

If the option is not available, connect the card to the computer and format it as FAT32 or exFAT via standard Windows/macOS tools.

Which SD card is best to buy for use as main memory?

Recommended specifications:

  • 🔹 Speed class: UHS-I (U1 or U3) or UHS-II.
  • 🔹 Capacity: from 64 GB (optimally 128–256 GB for comfortable work).
  • 🔹 Manufacturer: SanDisk Extreme, Samsung EVO Plus, Kingston Canvas Go! Plus.
  • 🔹 Format: exFAT (for cards over 64 GB).

❌ Do not take cards with marked Class 4/6 or unmarked UHS —they are too slow to work as the main storage.