Table of contents:
- Turn off the mobile, insert the card and turn it on again
- Format the card from a computer
- Or through another Android mobile
- Use low-level tools to format the card thoroughly
- CHKDSK, the command that solves everything
- DISKPART if CHKDSK doesn't work
- Restore the mobile completely
Although it may seem like a rare problem, the truth is that it is not precisely the users who report that their Xiaomi phones do not detect the SD card or do not recognize it. The origin of this problem may vary depending on the case, although it is usually related to the card and not so much to the phone. For this reason, it is necessary to follow a series of checks to rule out that the problems are derived from the device.
The methods that we will see below are compatible with any Xiaomi mobile and any version of MIUI. Xiaomi Mi A1, A2, A3, A2 Lite, Redmi Note 4, Redmi Note 5, Redmi Note 6 Pro, Redmi Note 7, Redmi Note 8, Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi 8, Mi 9, Mi 9T, Mi 9T Pro, Redmi 5, Redmi 6, Redmi 7, Pocophone F1…
Turn off the mobile, insert the card and turn it on again
If we have inserted the micro SD card when the mobile is fully operational, it is likely that MIUI has not detected the module correctly. A simple solution, but at the same time effective, is based on turning off the mobile and reinserting the card in the corresponding cabin.
With the removable tray inserted in the device, we will press on the power button until the phone turns on. The theory tells us that the card should be detected without major problems.
Format the card from a computer
Have you previously used the card in an external device, such as a camera, an SD adapter or a tablet with a different version of Android or operating system? In this case, it is very likely that it has a format that MIUI, and failing that, Xiaomi, is not able to recognize. The best solution to this problem is to format the card from a computer.
In Windows this process is as simple as right-clicking on the unit that corresponds to our micro SD card (E:, F:, G: etc.) and selecting the Format option. The type of format to select will be FAT32, and the best thing to do for it to run correctly is to disable the Quick Format option.
If we have a computer with macOS, we can use Disk Utility to follow this same process. Has something gone wrong? Remember to raise the Lock tab on the card adapter. Otherwise, any read or write operation will be blocked.
Or through another Android mobile
If MIUI still does not recognize the card, it is very likely that the FAT32 format is causing a conflict with it. The solution is to resort to another mobile, be it from Xiaomi or any other brand with Android, and format the card through the system options.
On Huawei phones, for example, this process is as simple as resorting to the Storage section within the Settings application. Within this we will click on the memory card and select the Format option. Finally we will go to the option to Delete and format.
With the card ready and the phone turned off, we will reinsert it into the Xiaomi terminal following the process described above.
Use low-level tools to format the card thoroughly
At this point we can assume that the recognition problem lies with the card and not with the phone itself. To repair the card, we can use programs such as HP Format Tool or Low Level Format Tool to apply what is known as low-level format.
The process once we have installed one of the two programs is very similar to the one we have described with the Windows utility. In the case of Low Level Format Tool, we will have to make sure that we click on the Low Level Format section and then on Format this Devices with the Perform quick wipe option disabled.
This process may take a few minutes, and in no case will we be able to remove the card from its tray.
CHKDSK, the command that solves everything
The CHKDSK command is a tool executable through the Windows command machine that allows us to repair any drive hosted on our computer.
To invoke this command we will have to open the CMD, which we can access by typing the same name in the Windows search bar, but not before right-clicking on the program icon to run it with administrative privileges.
Once inside, we will write the following command:
- chkdsk n : (where n is the drive letter of our memory card, which we can check on This computer)
After applying the command by pressing the Enter key, the system will begin to check for errors on the card. To repair them we will enter the following command:
- chkdsk n : / f (where n is the letter of the external drive)
The repair process can take several minutes. When it is finished we will write the exit command and eject the card from this computer.
DISKPART if CHKDSK doesn't work
The DISKPART command is another of the tools we can use to solve the problems of the micro SD card. Accessing it is as simple as entering the diskpart command within the CMD (but outside the CHKDSK command). Later we will introduce the following command to know the registration of our card:
- disk list
A list with all the units connected to the computer will then be displayed. Detecting our unit is as simple as observing its size, which is usually expressed in GB.
Finally we will introduce the following command string:
- create partition primary
- select partition n (where n is the number of the drive we want to delete)
- active
- format fs = fat32
With these commands the card will be formatted in FAT32, now it is fully functional.
Restore the mobile completely
The card works in other mobiles and even in other operating systems and Xiaomi still does not detect it. What can we do?
Completely restoring the phone is the only workable solution before taking it for service. We can do it through the Settings application in My device / Backup and reset / Delete all data / All files on the phone. If we have a somewhat outdated version of MIUI, we can find the option in Additional settings / Backup and restart / Delete all data.
