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How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

If you ask me, the Xiaomi Mi A1 is probably one of the best budget phones of 2017 and it offers great value for money. For just under Rs 15,000, you get an excellent dual camera setup for capturing admirable photos. This phone helps to get things done easily and yet it looks simple, all thanks to its native Android interface.

ContentsStep 1:Format the SD cardStep 2. Format as internal storageStep 3:Move your appsBe careful when ejecting the SD cardGet the most out of your Xiaomi Mi A1 How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

But when it comes to internal storage, I wish the Mi A1 offered a bit more. Since Android installs apps on the internal storage, even the 64GB offered by the device is not enough for all my favorite HD games and apps. Fortunately, the internal storage of the Xiaomi Mi A1 can be easily increased. Unlike other Xiaomi phones running MIUI 9, this procedure is simple, thanks to stock Android. The trick is to borrow extra space from the SD card by formatting it as part of internal storage. This process uses the adoptable storage feature of this phone.

Note :The only requirement here is that the SD card must be a high-speed class 10 SD card. SD cards have fewer read-write cycles compared to the internal storage of a phone. So, a slow SD card can degrade your phone's performance over time.

Step 1:Format the SD card

If you reuse an old memory card, make sure you have made a backup. Once done, format the SD card.

Fun fact :Adoptable Storage was introduced with Android Marshmallow.

Step 2. Format as internal storage

After formatting, go to Settings> Storage Settings .

How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1 How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

Tap the Portable Storage map and once inside, tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner. Here choose Storage Settings, which will open the SD card menu.

How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

Select the Internal format option to start the process.

This will erase all data in the SD card and make the SD card part of the internal memory. Meanwhile, it will also encrypt the SD card so that it is linked to your Mi A1.

How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1 How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

It also means that you will not be able to use that SD card unless you format it through the phone. The whole process will take about 5-7 minutes.

Also see: The first 7 things you should do with your Xiaomi Mi A1

Step 3:Move your applications

Once the phone formats the SD card as part of internal storage, you can immediately move your apps, files, and photos to the SD card.

How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1 How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

As soon as the process is complete, head to the Storage Settings of your Mi A1 and Ta-Da! You will see that the two storages are unified and your phone has a deliciously higher internal storage. Awesome, right?

Be careful when ejecting SD card

Please note that unexpected ejection of the card will result in an unstable phone and cause apps to close.

This is because the phone now treats the memory card as part of its inbuilt storage. So be sure to format the card as portable storage before unmounting it.

How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1 How to increase internal storage on Xiaomi Mi A1

To reformat the card, tap the SD card option in Storage Settings and click on the three-dot menu. Select Format as Laptop .

Before that, make sure you have moved all your apps and files to internal storage.

Also read: How to Backup WhatsApp Messages on Android Phone and Email

Get the most out of your Xiaomi Mi A1

This is how you can increase the internal storage on your Xiaomi Mi A1. So the next time you see a "low internal storage" pop-up, you'll know exactly what to do.

See Next :Top 11 Xiaomi Mi A1 Tips and Tricks You Can't Miss