How to Increase Internal Memory on Any Xiaomi Phone

Namrata Gogoi is an author covering Buying Guides and device-related tips and tricks. She loves learning and writing about gadgets and accessories that are functional, innovative, and have a positive impact on people’s lives. Since 2016, she has covered smartphones, computer accessories, household electric appliances, and any product that helps bring convenience to one’s life. Previously, she worked as an IT Analyst at TCS but found her calling at Guiding Tech.

In March this year, we had written a post on how toincrease the internal storage on Androiddevices using adaptable storage. If you recollect, we had mentioned that not all phone makers — including Samsung and Xiaomi — give the option to increase the internal memory. That’s quite a bummer, isn’t it?

But all is not lost yet, we have been tweaking our Xiaomi devices since then, and have come up with this cool solution to increase internal memory on any Xiaomi phone.

This solution (as the old one) also makes use of an SD card to borrow the said memory, however, it also includesflashing a custom ROMto enable the adaptable storage.

Conditions for this Trick to Work

So, without further ado, let’s get started.

#1. Backup All the Data

Aforesaid, the process includes flashing a custom ROM into the device which means that you are essentially wiping all the data of the device. So before you proceed, make sure that all theapps, data and contacts have been backed upsafely on a computer or cloud.

#2. Create an MI Account

Yet again, this is a prerequisite for flashing your phone as creating an MI account helps you tounlock the bootloader.

This process usually takes 3-4 days and requires you to write to the Mi admins to let you have the developer rights. Xiaomi keeps the bootloader locked to keep the user’s private data safe from counterfeited ROMs or devices.

#3. Download Developer ROM

As you might already know, each Xiaomi device has two or more types ofROM associated with it— a Global ROM and a Chinese ROM. As obvious, the Global ROM runs only on phones with Snapdragon processors and the Chinese ROM will run on the MediaTek processors.

In this step, all you need to do is select your phone (In our case, it’s a Redmi Note 3) and choose the developer ROM. Clicking on download will automatically download a zip file onto your computer.

#4. Transfer the ROM

Now that the ROM has been downloaded to the computer, transfer the zip file to your phone using a data cable. Here, make sure that the file is copied to the internal storage of your device. Once that’s done, head over to theUpdater app (in Tools), tap on on the three-dot menu and manually select the ROM from internal storage.

This process usually takes about 8-10 minutes to complete after which the phone will boot in the new developer mode.

The bootloader controls how the device in question will boot and getting into the bootloader is what is known as Fastboot.

#5. Enter the Fastboot Mode

The next steps call for another tool which goes by the name ofMi Unlock. This tool helps to enter the Fastboot mode. Once downloaded, Mi Unlock also requires you to sign-in using the same Mi credentials.

Upon verification of the Mi account, switch off your phone and hold down the volume down key and power button simultaneously until you see a bunny on the screen.

After entering the Fastboot mode, connect your phone to PC using a data cable and click “Unlock” (on the unlock tool).

#6. ADB and Custom Recovery

Unlocking the device completes the first half of the process. The second half makes use of another set of tools,

The popular forum XDA Developers features an installer called “15 seconds ADB Installer v1.4.3” which suggestive of its name, makes sure that all the necessary files are copied inside the program files folder of your PC in a jiffy.

These files will be inside a folder calledMinimal ADB and Fastboot.

Navigate over to the folder, right-click to open command prompt and type in thebelow command,

fastboot oem unlock-go

If your system doesn’t let you open command prompt from within the folder, thenclick here. Theoem unlockcommand helps to ascertain if the device has been successfully unlocked.

To copy the files, type in the below command:

fastboot flash recovery [TWRP image name]

Here, replace the image name with the name of the TWRP file which you downloaded.

#7. Install Lineage ROM

Copy the Lineage ROM file (downloaded in step 6) to the internal memory of the phone. Now, boot the phone in recovery mode i.e., hold down the power button and the volume up button until you seeTWRP flashingon the screen. Tap on Backup option which will take anNANDroid backup of your Androiddevice

An NANDroid backup is a clone of an Android device’s file system and is usually created using acustom Android recoverybut it may be also be created using an app. Once the backup is taken, it’s time to wipe the device.

Do make sure that youwipe the cachetoo along with the system data andinternal storage. Now that everything’s fresh and clean, tap on install and install both the zip files  — Lineage ROM and then the GApps.

After both the zip files have been installed, the device will reboot again. This process will take approximately 10-12 minutes after which your phone will take up thestock Android looksimilar to the one found on the OnePlus3 orMoto G5 Plus.

#8. Enable Adaptable Storage

As they say, that patience always pays off well and this holds absolutely true to this case. Once everything has been completed successfully — and your phone has adorned an entirely new look — you’ll be able to enable the adaptable storage.

Head over toSettings>Storage,thenUSB > Portable storageand tap on the hamburger menu on the upper right corner. Tap on settings and selectFormat as Internal storage>Erase and format.Once done, the device storage will show a cumulative of both the memories.

This point calls for a fair bit of warning — as the phone treats the SD card as part of the internal storage now, an unplanned ejection may result in an unstable phone and may cause a forceful shutdown of apps.

That’s All!

So that was how you can increase the internal memory of yourXiaomi device. Undoubtedly, it’s a tad long process but at the end of the day, you get a significantly increased memory and a relief from the memory related issues. Of course, flashing a new ROM  means that you’ll have to bid farewell to the built-in IR blaster. But hey, more storage, remember?

Also See:How to Increase Resolution of your Android Device without Root

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 03 February, 2022

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

More in Android

I Tried Gemini in Google Messages: Here’s How It Works

4 Ways to Fix WhatsApp Voice Messages Not Working

JOIN THE NEWSLETTER

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

© 2024 Guiding Tech Media. All Rights Reserved.