10 Steps to Enable Adoptable Storage on MIUI 11 Phones

This trick helps you enable the built-in adoptable storage on Xiaomi phones running MIUI 11 without unlocking bootloader nor rooting. This feature allows you to use an external Micro SD Card like internal storage. Hence, you can move apps and their data to the external SD Card.

Previously, we posted a dirty little trick on how to enable adoptable storage using a Windows-based tool. The one you are going to see below does not need any additional tool nor a computer. Therefore, it can be done easier and more efficient.

What is Adoptable Storage?

Adoptable storage is completely the opposite of portable storage. Portable storage allows you to use external SD Card as portable media to store files. Portable means easily mounted on any device. On the other hand, adoptable means not portable.

Once mounted on a specific device, the SD Card cannot be used on other devices. Once the SD Card is adopted by an Android phone, it bounds with that device forever until you format it.

Shortly, the adoptable storage is a new technology to make an external SD card act like internal storage. Therefore, you can use it to store installed Android apps and data.

How to Enable Adoptable Storage on MIUI 11

Before we proceed, make sure you create backups of all your data from the SD Card. The procedure requires you to format the SD Card.

On top of that, please use only an SD Card with high read-write speed. We recommend you to use at least Micro SD Card Class 10 (10MB/s). Using Micro SD Card UHS-I (10MB/s) or UHS-II Mark 3 (30MB/s) is more recommended.

Step 1. Open Settings on your phone.

Step 2. Type Storage in the search bar, then tap on the Storage (My device storage) option.

Step 3. Choose Erase SD Card option.

Step 4. The next page asks you whether to use the mounted SD Card portable or phone storage. Using it as the phone storage means you’ll use it for extra phone storage which in this case is as adoptable storage. Hence, choose Phone Storage.

Step 5. Choose Format SD Card from the displayed option.

Wait for the system to complete formatting the SD Card.

Step 6. At this point, you have basically set your SD Card as adoptable storage. The system will ask you whether to move content now or later. For the sake of this tutorial, simply choose Move Content.

Step 7. Wait for the process to go. It may take a while and probably a little bit longer depending on how many apps and data being moved.

Please make sure you don’t use the phone for any other tasks during the process. Also, make sure the phone has enough battery juice. Do not hesitate to connect the phone to its charger if the battery level is minimum.

Step 8. Tap Done once the process has finished.

Step 9. Reboot your phone.

Step 10. Go to Settings again, then go to My Device, then All Specs. Take a look at the Storage section and notice its capacity has increased.

Cannot Find Phone Storage vs Portable Storage Options?

In some Xiaomi phone models, the “How will you use this SD Card?” feature is not available under the Format SD Card option. If this the case, simply follow some additional steps below.

Step 1. Launch the Play Store app on your phone.

Step 2. Search and install the Activity Launcher app (Play Store link).

Step 3. Open the app once installed.

Step 4. Choose Files then com.android.documentsui.LauncherActivity.

Step 5. Tap the three lines menu at the top left-hand corner to launch the Sidebar menu. Choose the SD Card then tap on the three dots menu at the top right-hand corner.

Step 6. Choose Storage Settings.

Step 7. Choose Format as Internal.

Step 8. Next, tap the Format SD Card button.

Step 9. At this point, you can then follow the next steps as outlined in the previous section starting from Step 6: Moving content to SD Card.

Enjoy!

Credits belong to feds64.

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