Do you want to use your MicroSD card as a real storage expansion and install apps on it? To do this, you need to format it as internal memory. This is quite easy to do on most phones, but unfortunately some manufacturers, such as Sony, LG or Samsung, do not have this feature by default. But if your smartphone is equipped Android Marshmallow or later, you can use the command line. However, after this, avoid Android updates. We will tell you how to combine memory correctly in this article.
Easy way
If you're lucky, your smartphone will allow you to do this without connecting it to your PC. This method will likely be your only hope if you use more new version Android (7.0 Nougat or 8.0 Oreo). Here's how to check:
- Install the SD card in Android phone and wait for it to be recognized
- Open Settings > Storage
- Tap your SD card's name.
- Tap the three vertical dots on the right top corner screen.
- Click "Settings" .
- Select Format as internal memory.
- Click "Clean and Format"
- Android will then prompt you to transfer your data
If your smartphone doesn't allow you to do this, the process becomes more difficult. We'll get to it below.
What to do if your phone doesn't allow you to format microSD as internal storage
Some smartphone manufacturers are disabling the usual Android feature for formatting microSD as internal memory, hiding the ability to do this from your phone. But you can still activate this process using a PC without requiring any root privileges.
The exact steps vary depending on Android versions your phone. This method worked well on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and Android 8.0 Oreo, but we encountered difficulties on Android Nougat.
For phones using Android 6.0 Marshmallow
When the MicroSD card is formatted as internal memory, applications can be stored entirely on it. This means that if you download an application with a total size of 2 GB, then there should be 2 GB of space on the SD card. If, however, the MicroSD card is formatted only as a backup, there will not be enough memory, as writes on Reddit.
Just because a menu option is invisible doesn't mean it doesn't work. A few days after the publication on Reddit, it became known that the command line can also format a MicroSD card as internal memory in the Galaxy S7. We have successfully tested the instructions with Samsung Galaxy S7, Sony Xperia Z5 and LG G4 running under Android control 6.0 Marshmallow.
All three smartphones run Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box or after an update and have a MicroSD card slot. Additionally, there is no menu option to format the MicroSD card as internal memory. The function is only available in HTC One A9 and Motorola on all Moto smartphones.
Why did Samsung, LG and Sony hide this item? I connected each of the three smartphones to the computer, and each of them had one MicroSD card.
Then I entered in the commands described in my blog. As soon as you open the window command line and connect the smartphone, you can enter the first command:
- adb shell
Now the command line is ready to run system commands on your smartphone. In this case, we want to format the SD card or part of it as internal memory. Even if Sony, Samsung and LG deny us this opportunity in graphical interface user, we can still run this command through the console. First, however, we need the SD card ID. You can find it out with the following command:
- sm list-disks
In my case the disk is called 179.64 . Perhaps yours is different. Please note the exact ID. In the next command we will format and partition the MicroSD card. Your content will be deleted. If there is on the map important files, copy them to another disk or computer. If you want to keep a MicroSD card in your smartphone all the time, you can now partition all your memory. To do this, enter:
- sm partition disk:179.64 private
The operation takes a few seconds or minutes, depending on the capacity of the memory card. If you only want to use a certain percentage so that other devices can read it, you must exclude it from the private section. The 50:50 split command looks like this:
- sm partition disk:179.64 mixed 50
This is the end of Paul O'Brien's leadership, but not the end of the job. If you now want to use the re-allocated memory, you must also migrate your applications and data. This can be done through the “Storage” section in the menu Android settings. Select your MicroSD card, then go to the top right side of the menu and click "Move Data". You cannot select this menu item before splitting.
Now all downloaded applications will be completely written to the MicroSD card. Only system applications and updates use internal memory. This means you will never receive an error message due to out of space.
Smartphones with Android Oreo
Recent Android updates have changed the rules a bit, but you can still use this method with ADB. Just start working with ADB using the method above, but after entering shell adb you will be prompted to set certain values.
Enter the following lines to unlock the ability to format microSD cards as internal storage on your phone:
G8141:/ $ sm set-force-adoptable true
G8141:/ $ sm list-disks
- disk:179.0
G8141:/ $ sm partition disk:179.0 private
G8141:/ $ sm set-force-adoptable false
G8141:/$ exit
We tested this method on a Sony Xperia XZ Premium running Android 8.0 Oreo and it worked. In the screenshots below you can see a 16 GB microSD card, installed as internal memory:
Problems with system updates and Nougat
Some readers have reported difficulties installing system updates on Android 6.0 after using the above methods. Updating to Android 7.0 Nougat is not possible after installing MicroSD as internal storage. Our test devices running Android 7.0 Nougat don't even respond to the console commands shown above.
Due to the lack of documentation online, we can only recommend performing a number of operations before updating the system. Do backup copy photos or music to your computer or the cloud and free up as much memory on your SD card and smartphone as you can.
Remove unnecessary applications and return the data to internal memory. Then format the MicroSD card as removable media. Only then will you be able to install the Android update safely.
What's the catch?
MicroSD cards are not as fast as the built-in memory of a smartphone. So don't waste your money on cheaper ones and instead buy yourself memory cards with reasonable read throughput. and MicroSD from Sandisk turned out to be, in our opinion, the best in terms of price/quality ratio. At bandwidth 74 MB/s writes you shouldn't experience any lag. Such cards are best suited for installation as internal memory
Interestingly, only the LG G4 was able to read the extended memory correctly. Samsung showed unnaturally a large number of used memory, and Sony's memory was even negative. However, we didn't have any complications, and even when we were connected to the computer, we were able to access all of our data properly, although we could only see a general part of the memory and not a specific part. Difficulties arose only when the system was updated (see above).
Memory expansion: complete success
We subjected all the smartphones described above to the same endurance test. We have installed Final Fantasy IX on all devices. The game size is 1.8 GB. After installation, it is easy to see which of the two types of memory, internal or SD card, was used. In all cases, there is 1.8 GB less space once installed on the SD card. This degree of success cannot be achieved with SD cards formatted as external memory, as complete data migration is not possible.
Compare the internal memory and SD card memory values in the screenshot to confirm.
What happens if you remove the microSD card?
Of course, the question is what happens if the MicroSD card disappears from the system. In fact, this creates a serious problem for your applications. Eventually, they can no longer access their data. Since your operating system partitions and factory reset information are still stored in the internal memory, a removed or broken SD card cannot cause much harm. When we removed the MicroSD card, the application icons simply disappeared, and when we reinstalled them they came back.
If you lose your SD card or break it, your data will be lost. Since they are encrypted as internal memory, you may have no hope of recovering the data. Instead, use regular backups. So go ahead and enjoy cheap memory expansion for your Marshmallow smartphone.
Safely Removing Internal Broken SD Card
To safely remove the SD card from your smartphone, you must reverse the above process. Since you probably don't have enough storage space on your internal memory, you'll first need to transfer photos and other data to another storage location, such as HDD your PC.
Then go back to settings "Storage and USB Drives" and press "Move data to internal memory" on the menu. Then format the SD card like external memory. Do both steps (backup and format) so that your data cannot be lost and you can use the SD card with other devices.
The green robot's "stomach" is smaller than a thimble. Especially on devices with little memory. I fed him a dozen or two super-mega-needed programs - and the place ran out. But... many of us have the opportunity to install a second “stomach” in the gadget and continue feeding.
Today we’ll talk about transferring applications from internal memory to an SD card in Android smartphones and tablets.
Which apps can be transferred and which ones can't?
Among mobile applications There are those that can be transferred between drives and those that cannot. When you transfer a program to external media, some components remain in the same place - in the permanent memory of the device.
If the program is relatively autonomous and not too fussy in terms of the location of files and data, it will remain functional. And if it is deeply rooted in the operating system, when the work of other structures depends on it, the transfer can end disastrously - not only this program will stop working, but also everything that interacts with it. For this reason, you should absolutely not try to move system applications.
Ability to transfer products to microSD third party developers not the same. It depends on whether the program author has provided for this possibility. They don’t write about this in the characteristics - everything is learned experimentally, but such experiments do not threaten serious consequences. If after transferring the program does not work, it is enough to return it to its place or reinstall it into the device’s memory.
Moving by system means
Modern versions of Android, starting from 6.0, support transfer software to cards without additional funds. They use a micro SD card as an extension of the internal storage, and the movement function is built into the firmware.
To transfer a program from the memory of a smartphone or tablet to a card in Android 6.0 and higher, do the following:
- Open system settings and go to " Device» – « Applications».
- Open the menu (properties section) of the desired program with a short touch.
- Tap " Storage", then " Change».
- In the window " Changing storage location» select « Memory card».
The instructions are applicable to devices of many brands and models, but adjusted for individual characteristics. Some manufacturers, for example, Samsung, instead of " Storage"You need to go to the section " Memory" Others have a button Move toSD" is located in the menu of applications that support this function. Well, others... simply didn’t bother and refused to implement the transfer function into the firmware of their devices.
The ability to transfer applications to SD cards “without intermediaries” also exists in very old versions of Android - 2.2 and lower, and everything that appeared later - up to the sixth version - requires third-party tools, which will be discussed further.
Mobile software for moving applications to SD
AppMgr III
Utility AppMgr III (App 2 SD) it is convenient in that it makes it possible to perform similar operations with several objects at once (batch management of installed software). This is not only a change in the installation location of the software, but also:
AppMgr III simplifies and speeds up many tasks for maintaining a mobile gadget, supports all versions of Android starting from 4.1, but is officially incompatible with devices from certain manufacturers, in particular Xiaomi. Operations with some objects require root rights.
Link2SD
Exclusive feature of the utility Link2SD– moving absolutely all user applications to SD cards, even those that do not allow this. The truth is, nothing is said in the description about whether the developer guarantees their continued performance.
Other functions and features of Link2SD:
- Changing attributes of user software to system software and vice versa.
- Freezing unused software.
- Batch transfer of software to SD cards and device memory.
- Batch removal and reinstallation of programs, batch clearing of cache and data. Clear the cache of all installed software with one touch.
- Removing potentially malicious software.
- Manage device reboot.
- Create custom shortcuts.
- Sorting installed applications by various parameters, search and much more.
Link2SD is more omnivorous than AppMgr III: it runs on any version of Android, starting from 2.3, and Xiaomi devices generally supports (although, according to user experience, not all). Most operations require root rights; it does not work on some firmware without root. Free version The utility is quite good - functional and convenient, but plagued by intrusive advertising.
Files To SD Card
A simple utility FilesToSDCard designed for transferring files to a memory card different types– graphics, video, music and, of course, applications. In addition, it allows you to choose an SD card as the location for saving new files (by default, Android saves everything on the device).
Files To SD Card is used to unload memory mobile gadgets And Reserve copy data. Despite the fact that the manufacturer claims support for a limited number of devices: Lenovo A2010 LTE, Samsung GalaxyCore, Moto G, Vodafone Smart Prime 6, Nokia One and Sony Xperia M4, the utility runs on almost any smartphone and tablet running Android 5.0 and higher. On most firmware everything works without root.
Move to SDCard
A program with a simple name " Move to SDCard» pleases users with simplicity and good results. In addition to the main function, which coincides with the name, the utility can:
- Move software from the card to the device memory.
- Sort applications by name, size, installation date.
- Display information about applications: installation location, date, time, size, name executable file(apk).
- Search for software on your device and on the Internet.
The utility is compatible with most brands and models of mobile gadgets, including very Chinese and very old ones (supports Android 2.3 and higher). Some features require root privileges.
File manager
File manager from the developer Best App is an improved explorer, a replacement for the standard file manager on Android smartphones and tablets. Changing the installation location of applications is just one of its functions.
Other features of the File Manager include:
- Copying, pasting, cutting, moving, deleting, renaming, downloading - that is, all standard operations with files and folders.
- Integration with , OneDrive and DropBox.
- Access to open resources on the local network.
- Clearing cache, junk data, duplicates.
- Sorting objects into categories.
- Transfer files over Wi-Fi to others mobile devices, computers and Smart TV.
- Analyze and graphically display storage space usage.
- Archiving and unarchiving files. Supports all major compression formats: rar, zip, 7z, 7zip, tgz, tar, gz.
- Organizing and storing documents of various formats: doc, ppt, pdf and others.
The explorer is very lightweight and easy to learn, is not overloaded with redundant functions, and is undemanding in terms of hardware resources. Runs on Android 4.2 and higher. Some functions require root rights, but everything basic works just like that.
All-In-One Toolbox
All-In-One Toolbox– utility for comprehensive optimization and maintenance mobile system. Painless transfer of applications from internal memory to SD card and vice versa is also one of its functions.
Other useful features of All-In-One Toolbox:
- Management of startup software (user and system).
- Removing unnecessary data (cleaning up garbage, caches, duplicates).
- Complete removal of programs with clearing of remaining files.
- Speeding up a device by releasing random access memory from running services and programs.
- Reduced battery consumption.
- Encryption of personal data.
- Display a list of large files.
- Explorer with the function of sorting objects by category.
All-In-One Toolbox – good tool to speed up and maintain smartphones and tablets with limited resources - small amounts of storage and RAM, not the most productive processor, weak battery. Runs on devices of any brands and models, perhaps with a few exceptions. Some functions require root rights and depend on the Android version.
As most often happens, this is not an exhaustive list of utilities with the ability to transfer applications to an SD card and back. There are hundreds of them, but each with its own quirks and character. I hope this short review will help you find exactly what you like, and will also be tough for your Android device.
(4
ratings)
If your device does not have enough internal memory, can use SD card as internal storage for your Android phone. This feature, called Adoptable Storage, allows the Android OS to format external storage media as permanent internal storage. The information on the installed SD card is encrypted and cannot be subsequently used on another device.
SD Card is a very convenient option for storing photos, songs and videos. Even if you have a large amount of internal memory on your Android smartphone, you may always need a large chunk of memory to store long videos shot with the camera high resolution your phone.
It is important to know
There is one drawback, the SD chip can lag when recording high-definition video.
Android by default installs applications in the internal memory and only occasionally uploads data to the SD card. Thus, you are deprived of installing any additional applications, if your phone is experiencing a noticeable lack of internal storage, for example, in the case of budget Android One devices.
What is storage storage?
Storage storage is the main memory of your smartphone, but if necessary, it can be expanded using an SD card.
This on Android it is called Adoptable Storage. This will allow you to use the removable microSD card installed on your Android phone as your primary storage. This way, you can easily solve the problem of how to make an SD card the main memory on Android and overcome the lack of space if the phone has a small internal volume.
Features of using the card as the main storage
There are a number of important features that should be taken into account during this procedure.
Will be useful
When using a storage device, be it an SD flash drive or a USB drive, it is important to remember what format the device is in and whether the operating system supports it Android system, and there are four main file format types: FAT32 or exFAT, ext4 or f2fs.
How to change phone memory to android memory card? The question is not entirely correct, it is impossible to completely replace it, you can only “increase” additional volume.
Using your SD card as your main storage can be a great solution for music lovers and those who like to watch TV shows on the way to work or on a long trip. But, as often happens, memory expansion always depends on the cost of the required device, after all, they differ both in speed and in volume, as well as in the adaptable information storage function. Here are some nuances that can be viewed from different angles - both negative and positive:
- SD cards are slow. This is the painful reality of today's tiny memory chips. Even though they can store tons of data, they are slower than phone storage and have a limited number of read-write cycles.
- Permanent integration into the operating system. Using the Adoptable Storage feature operating system Android encrypts the external SD card used as internal storage so it is tethered to specific device, without the possibility of further use on another smartphone. The key used to encrypt data on the SD card is stored in main memory Android devices. Thus, it is impossible to remove the accepted storage to another phone due to its encrypted nature of the data (you can remove the card, but it will not be detected on another phone).
- Not all programs can be installed. Almost Android can install almost all applications on the internal storage. However, this also depends on the consent of the application developer. He has the right to enable or disable support for the accepted storage in the application by adding the appropriate attributes to the code of the downloaded program.
- Place the SD card on your Android phone and wait for it to be detected or displayed in .
- Now open Settings.
- Scroll down and go to the "Storage" section.
- Tap your SD card's name.
- Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner of the screen.
- Click Storage Settings.
- Select the "as internal option" format.
It is important to know
Using SD cards as persistent storage will require more frequent read/write operations, which will degrade its performance over time, and in the worst case, may result in complete data loss. It will be especially offensive if there are important documents or treasured photographs or unique videos.
First, before you change the phone's memory to a memory card, your Android will do a performance test of the SD card to make sure that it is fast enough and can meet the parameters for use as a main drive.
However, you can remove the external removable storage from your device and revert it back to being a simple flash drive. The device will remember the settings that are on this card in order to restore the settings when the accepted device is connected later. So you can also use another storage device.
It is important to know
Always make sure that you do not remove the default SD card during the unmount procedure, otherwise the storage media may be damaged.
How to use SD card as internal memory on Android?
How to replace the phone's internal memory with an external SD card on Android? Configuring your SD card to act as internal storage on Android is essentially a fairly simple process. There is nothing complicated about this and you will see for yourself later.
note
Please note that your SD card will be formatted during the process. Don't forget to back up your data by temporarily transferring it to the main unit of the phone, desktop computer, laptop or other smart device.
It is possible that the Adoptable Storage function is not supported by your device, even if the smartphone runs Android 6.0 or higher (this can happen, it all depends on the model and brand of the smartphone). The device manufacturer may have disabled this function. However, there are command line methods that allow you to force the use of a flash drive to store data.
Below are the basic formatting steps.
On the next screen you have one last chance to decide for yourself if you want to change your mind
Starting with version Android 6.0, it became possible to use a flash card as internal storage device data. Now the device, after certain actions, can use the memory available on the SD as freely as the internal one. The article will tell you how to connect an SD card in this quality and what restrictions are imposed on it.
How to connect a flash drive as internal memory
Before connecting the drive, you must transfer from it all important information. During the setup process, it will be completely cleared and the data will not be returned.
First of all, you need to go to Settings, and then go to the section " Storage and Drive", where you should click on the SD card.
Next you need to select “ Tune" and click " Inner memory" Immediately after this, the device will warn the user that all information will be deleted and it will become impossible to read it on other devices without full formatting.
Here you need to select “ Clear and Format" and wait for the memory clearing process to complete. You may then receive a message indicating that the media is running slowly. As a rule, this means that the flash drive used is not very good quality and its use as device storage may also affect the performance of the smartphone itself. For good and fast work recommended to use UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) drives. 
After formatting is completed, the smartphone will ask you to transfer information, you should agree with this and wait until the work is completed. After the transfer, the work of turning the flash drive into internal memory will be almost complete; all that remains is to reboot the device. 
Features and limitations of using an SD card
There are a few things you should be aware of before you start using a flash drive in this way.
- After conversion, all data, except for some applications and system updates, will be placed on the SD drive.
- When connected to a computer, only this part of the memory will be available for interaction.
In fact, all actions are performed only with a flash drive, the real internal storage of the phone not available for interaction and is practically not used at all. Firstly, this means that when you remove the drive, almost all your data, photos and applications will be lost. Secondly, if the volume of the flash drive is less than the actual storage capacity of the smartphone, then the amount of available memory will decrease, not increase.
Format the card using ADB for use as internal storage
The function is not available on some devices, but it is possible to connect a flash drive as storage in another way. However, it is worth noting that this method is very labor-intensive and can cause damage to the device Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better not to do this on your own.
To use this method, you will need to perform many steps. You need to download from the site and install Android SDK, then download and install from the official website device drivers, and also, you need to enable “ debug modeUSB» on the device.
- adb shell
- sm list-disks (after execution, an id will be issued in the form disk:ХХХ,ХХ should be written down and entered in the next line)
- sm partition disk:ХХХ,ХХ private
Then you will need turn off the phone, go to settings and click on sd, select menu and click “ Transfer data" That's it, the actions are finished.
How to set a memory card to standard mode
To return the flash drive to standard mode, you just need to go to its settings, as in the first option, and select “ Portable media" Before doing this, all important information should be transferred to another location, because the drive will be formatted during the process. 
Some phones have slots for memory cards (usually microSD format).
If your phone supports SD cards, you can:
- increase your storage capacity by inserting such a card;
- use the card for some functions and applications.
Note. Some of these steps can only be performed on devices running Android 6.0 and later.
How to install an SD card
Step 1: Insert SD card- Find out if your phone has an SD card slot and where it is located. To do this, visit the manufacturer's website.
- Turn off your phone.
- Place the SD card in the slot. If you raised the retaining tab, lower it.
- A notification will appear when you insert the SD card.
- Click Tune.
- Select the desired storage type.
- Removable storage
You can move an SD card to another device along with all the files stored on it (such as photos and music). Applications on removable storage cannot be moved. - Internal storage
The SD card can store apps and data only for that phone. If you insert the card into another device, all data on it will be deleted. After this, the card can be used on a new phone.
- Removable storage
- Follow the onscreen instructions to set up your SD card.
- When finished, click Ready.
How to use an SD card
How to transfer apps and filesHow to transfer apps to an SD card configured as internal storage
Important! Not all applications can be transferred to an SD card.
- Select Applications.
- Select the app you want to move to your SD card.
- Click Storage.
- In the Used section, click Change.
- Select SD card.
- Follow the instructions on the screen.
How to transfer files to an SD card configured as removable storage
Step 1: Copy files to SD card
Step 2: Delete files from internal storage
When the SD card is used as internal storage
- Open the Settings app.
- Click Storage and USB drives.
- Select your SD card from the list.
- You will see how much space is used and how much is free. To see what files or apps are taking up space, select a category.
When the SD card is used as a removable storage device
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification panel.
- Under the SD card notification, tap Open.
Important! Before removing the SD card, you need to disconnect it, otherwise you risk losing the data on it. After you remove the card, some apps may not work until you reinsert it and connect it again.
Step 1: Disconnect SD card
Step 2: Remove the SD card
- Find out where the SD card slot is located on your phone.
- Turn off your phone.
- Remove the SD card tray or the back cover of the device (depending on your model). If necessary, lift the tab that holds the card.
- Remove the SD card from the slot. If you raised the retaining tab, lower it.
- Reinstall the SD card tray or back cover of the device.