How to transfer from internal memory to external. How to move apps from internal storage to SD card in Android

17.09.2019 Operating Systems

Many Android smartphones have memory card support. It is very convenient if you need to expand the amount of memory - just insert a USB flash drive. A huge number of files can be transferred to a memory card, including videos, songs, folders with various information, etc. In this article, we will tell you what needs to be done for this.

You will need a file manager. On most smartphones, FM is already built into the firmware, so this should not be a problem. If you haven't found a file manager, just download the one you like in the Play Market. We use "File Manager +" (File Manager +) in our example.

Run.

Choose "Main memory" - it is from the main memory that you will transfer files to a memory card (SD card).

Here you will see a list of folders and files that are in the smartphone's memory. Let's say you want to transfer music to a memory card. Choose a folder - in our example it is called Music.

Before you is a list of files. Select the desired one by tapping and holding your finger on the object. The object is selected. If there are several files, you can also select them by simply tapping on the ones you need. Then click on the "Copy" or "Move" button - in the second case, the files are not copied, but moved (similar to the "Cut" function).

You now see the "Cancel" and "Paste" buttons. This means that the necessary files are copied or prepared for moving.

Return to the main page of the file manager and select "SD card".

You have opened the memory card. If you click on the "Insert" button, the files you selected will be copied or moved.

Please.

However, in this case, the data will be transferred to the root of the memory card - this is not convenient in all cases. Therefore, we recommend that you create a folder for these files. Click on three dots.

Select New, then Folder.

Give the folder a name, such as "Music", click OK.

The folder has been created.

Open and transfer files already into it.

In the same way, you can transfer not a file, but an entire folder, both from main memory to a USB flash drive and vice versa.

Often, owners of Android smartphones are faced with the fact that the internal memory of the device is packed to capacity, and therefore it is not possible to install a new application. In order to answer the question of how to transfer applications to a memory card, we have prepared this material.

Longtime fans of Android OC know that since Android 2.2 and up to Android 4.4 there was a function to transfer applications to a memory card. Some firmware still have it, and therefore, the first thing we recommend is trying the following method.

Internal features of Android OC

We go to "Settings" and select "Applications". After selecting the software that you plan to transfer, open its settings window and select “Transfer to SD card” from the menu. We remind you that almost all developers guarantee the stable operation of their product only if it is installed on an internal drive.

Another option is available starting with Android 6.0. You can use the SD card as part of the internal storage using the Adoptable Storage feature. The system will format and encrypt the flash drive, making it impossible to use the card outside of your smartphone.

The activation of the Adoptable storage function is as follows: in the smartphone settings, select the “Memory” section, then click on the SD card and go to its “Settings” with a long tap, then select the item “Format as internal memory” and “Erase & Format”.

After completing these steps, select the option “Use as internal storage”, and then restart the smartphone. After that, an additional tab “Memory” will appear in the application menu, with which it can be transferred to the SD card. If these methods are not available in your firmware, and the desired application cannot be transferred, then you should turn to special applications.

Software

« Move to SDCard"- the simplest program designed to transfer applications. Selecting “Move to memory card” in the menu, find the desired application, click on it and click “Move”. Also among the functions of the program you will find the ability to remove applications and manage APK files, that is, install applications from third-party sources.

If you have root-rights, using this application, you can clean your smartphone from pre-installed garbage. The program is free, but if you are annoyed by ads inside the application, you will have to pay 67 rubles for its disappearance.

AppMgr III

A more advanced tool that allows, in addition to the banal transfer of applications, to also perform any manipulations with them. The transfer works exactly according to the same scheme as in the previous application, so let's dwell on its other features. AppMgr III can remove or hide an app, open its Google Play page, navigate to its settings in Android, or clear the cache.

With the help of root rights, you can significantly expand the functionality - delete applications without confirmation, freeze them, and also automatically transfer applications to a memory card after installation. The full version of the program, which allows you to install the program widget, update modules hourly, and so on, costs 179 rubles.

Link2SD

And here is a fully functional manager for advanced users. Let's make a reservation right away that the application requires root rights and settings, and therefore, for a one-time transfer of the application, you can use a less labor-intensive option.

First you need to create a hidden area on the memory card in the ext3/ext4 file system. The application uses this area as an emulator of the phone's internal memory. This can be done through the Android axis itself through Recovery, and with the help of third-party applications for Windows.

In the first case, the route is as follows:

Switching to recovery mode. Depending on the smartphone, this can be achieved by the following methods:

simultaneously press the volume and power buttons;
press the power button, and immediately after - the volume button;
Press the volume, power, and home buttons at the same time.

Once in Recovery, select the Advanced item and click Partition SD Сard.
Select the ext3 file system and specify the size, for example 1024 megabytes. The size of the paging file is set to zero, it is already present in the system.
We reboot the smartphone, after rebooting the memory card should decrease by the size of the hidden partition.

Another way for those who do not want to experiment with Recovery is to create a partition using EaseUS Partition Master. After installing this utility on a home PC, connect an SD card to it.

Having found the desired drive in the main program window, click on its partitions and click “Delete Partion”. When we have the only partition with the Unallocated file system left, we select the reverse action - “Create Partition” and select ext3 as the file system type. Now we have a hidden section at our disposal.

Working with Link2SD

After creating a hidden partition, you should give the application root rights and restart your smartphone. Transferring an application to a memory card is now carried out in two ways:

How to switch Android phone memory to a memory card

Let's clarify that in this case we are considering a situation where the user needs to make sure that downloaded files and programs are saved on microSD. By default, Android settings are set to automatically download to internal memory. So we will try to change that.

First, consider the options for transferring already installed programs, and then - ways to change the internal memory to the memory of a flash drive.

On a note: the flash drive itself should have not only a large amount of memory, but also a sufficient speed class, because the quality of the games and applications located on it will depend on this.

Method 1: Link2SD

This is one of the best options among similar programs. Link2SD allows you to do the same thing that you can do manually, but a little faster. In addition, you can forcefully move games and applications that are not moved in the standard way.

You can download Link2SD

Instructions for working with Link2SD are as follows:

The main window will list all applications. Choose the right one.
Scroll down the app information and click " Move to SD card».

Please note that those applications that are not transferred in the standard way may reduce their functionality. For example, widgets will stop working.

Method 2: Memory setup

Let's go back to the system tools. On Android, you can specify the SD card as the default location for installing applications. Again, this doesn't always work.

In any case, try doing the following:

1. Being in the settings, open the section " Memory».

2. Click on " Preferred installation location' and select ' SD card».

3. You can also assign storage to save other files by designating the SD card as " Default Memory».

The arrangement of items on your device may differ from the examples shown.

Method 3: Replacing the internal memory with an external one

And this method allows you to deceive Android so that it perceives a memory card as system memory. From the toolkit you will need any file manager. The example will use root explorer.

Attention! You do the following procedure at your own risk. There is always a chance that this will cause problems with Android, which can only be fixed by flashing.

The procedure is as follows:

1. In the root of the system, open the folder "etc". To do this, open your file manager.

2. Find the file " vold.fstab' and open it with a text editor.

3. Medium and the whole text, find 2 lines starting with " dev_mount» without a lattice at the beginning. They should be followed by the following values:

« sdcard /mnt/sdcard»;
« extsd /mnt/extsd».

4. You need to swap the words after " mnt/" to become like this:

« sdcard/mnt/extsd»;
« extsd/mnt/sdcard».

5. Different devices may have different symbols after “ mnt/»: « sd card», « sdcard0», « sdcard1», « sdcard2". The main thing is to change their places.

6. Save changes and restart your smartphone.

As for the file manager, it is worth saying that not all such programs allow you to see the above files. We recommend using ES Explorer.

Method 4: Transfer applications in the standard way

Starting with Android 4.0, you can move some apps from internal storage to SD card without using third party tools.

To do this, you will need to do the following:

1. Open " Settings».

2. Go to the "Applications».

3. Tap (touch your finger) on the desired program.

4. Click the " Move to SD card».

The disadvantage of this method is that it does not work for all applications.

In this way, you can use the memory of the SD card for games and applications.

One of the most exciting issues when using modern devices is transferring applications to an external drive. Typically, the resource of phones is 4-8 GB, but over time it becomes insufficient to actively use and save the necessary information. The way out will be to transfer applications to the android sd card, and our article will tell you how to do this.

The standard amount of internal memory of most modern Android phones is about four gigabytes. Of these, 1 GB is occupied directly by the operating system itself, another 2 GB is accounted for by media files. Only 1 GB is left for installing additional software, which is very small by modern standards. To expand the capabilities of your phone, it is advisable to transfer applications to the android memory card. Thus, you can save RAM, as well as use the necessary programs without the risk of overloading the device.

How to transfer applications to a memory card using regular means

For such manipulations, standard phone firmware is used. The method is very simple, but not always working, because some downloads and programs are not originally intended to be saved anywhere other than the internal storage of the device. At the same time, you can first try just such an algorithm of actions and transfer all installed programs to the internal memory of the device.

How it's done:

In the phone settings, find the "Applications" section.
Open the desired tab and click settings.
In the settings, select the "move to sd card" function.

Many files do not support this option and may not work correctly afterwards. It all depends on how the developer originally planned to use his project. It may also happen that your android version does not support this feature. She appeared in an early version of 2.2, but by the fourth it disappeared from phones. Now, in some Android firmware, the ability to transfer applications to a storage card has been restored, but it is better to determine this empirically, based on the capabilities of your smartphone.

What applications can be transferred to a memory card

In order for downloads to be saved to the internal storage, instead of the phone's RAM, this item must be specified in the settings of the program itself. If the developer has disabled this option, it is unlikely that you will be able to transfer the file. To limit the search circle, you should immediately exclude many widgets, “live” wallpapers and downloaded alarm clocks from the list of possible options. By default, they will be saved exclusively on RAM, and when transferred to an sd drive, they will not work correctly.

What applications are available for transfer:

Games and entertainment resources.
Reference books, dictionaries.
Animation gadget settings.
Additional programs downloaded by yourself.

The cardinal way to solve the problem with overloaded memory will be a complete factory reset. You can do this by following the instructions on the Internet for your model. This will improve the performance of the phone, but it will also bring inconvenience, because the necessary files will need to be found and downloaded again.

How to transfer applications to a memory card programmatically

If the question of how to transfer applications to an sd card in android is still relevant for you, the best option would be to use superuser rights (root-rights) and get access to changing the basic phone firmware settings. This option is not always acceptable (certain skills are required, the warranty on the phone is removed), so it would be preferable to install special programs for this.

What applications will help save memory:

"Move to sd card". The free version will allow you to evaluate the compatibility of the device. In addition to the redistribution function, the program well "cleans" the phone from unnecessary files.
AppMgrIII. One of the best options in this segment. Allows you to forcefully move the selected file, but this can be done after gaining access and root rights. However, this will void the manufacturer's warranty (undesirable for new devices) and may also interfere with the downloaded file.
FolderMount. In the usual sense, the program does not free up space on RAM, but has an important function to save resources. With it, you can transfer the game cache from the internal storage to the drive.
Link2SD. The simple interface and high efficiency of this program have already been appreciated by many users. It allows you to place downloads in a separate section of the map's file system.
cleanermaster. The universal program for cleaning up software “garbage”, which is loved by many, has another important advantage. The paid version of the program allows you to mount selected downloads to the drive.

An effective solution would be to set up the sd card as an internal drive. This feature is already available on devices running Android 7 and above. You must first discard all the information from the card (it will be formatted at startup), and then select the “Configure” option in the settings section. Following the prompts of the program, you can expand the resource of your phone without additional software.

Many users will be interested to know how to transfer applications to a memory card on Android 7. This will save your device's RAM, as well as make your downloads more productive. This can be done in different ways, which are presented in our article.

An error message that means there is not enough space in the memory of your smartphone comes at the most unexpected moment. For many owners, this message brought a lot of trouble.

Where does the place go?

Given that many applications update automatically, we are not always able to control the amount of memory used. Most of the space is occupied by games, graphics applications, maps. The place is occupied not only by the game distribution itself, its program files, but also by the databases and other resources stored in the cache. Installing more and more new games, applications and programs, you run the risk of running out of space.

How to move applications to a memory card?

You can always find a way out. There are several options for how to move applications to a memory card. Android up to 2.2 does not have the function of transferring an application to a memory card. It requires a special approach. Also on Android 4.4 Kit Kat, manufacturers have closed the application transfer function for security purposes. In other versions, the instructions are simple.

To transfer, open the settings Find the "Applications" section. On the SD card tab, you will find all applications that support moving. Now you need to select those programs that you really want to move. If an application is flagged, it is currently running and system files cannot be moved. Before you move applications to a memory card, you must disable them. Let's make sure we make the right choice. Click on the name of the program. Information about it will open. Here is the location and amount of space occupied. To complete the operation, it remains to click on the "Move to SD card" button and wait for the operation to complete.

The action also has a reverse course. Not all programs are completely transferred. A small part of the system files still remains in the phone's memory.

AppMgr3 Application

The AppMgr III program is designed to help users. With it, you can easily move applications to the CD card and vice versa. Previously, this program could be found under the name App 2 SD. The utility has additional useful features. With its help you can:

Hide the application icon from the general menu.
Set up a notification when the application installation is complete.
Fast

In the program interface, sorting is done in the form of convenient tabs. Even a beginner can figure it out. The AppMgr program is also convenient to use because it automatically divides all applications into three types:

On phone - are in the phone's memory, but transfer is supported.
On SD card - already moved to the SD card.
Phone only - applications that do not support transfer.

Thanks to this property, it is easy to estimate the amount of information before moving applications to a memory card. "Android" supports other programs that perform a similar task. The utility works great on tablets. The disadvantage is that some smartphone models require the latest operating system firmware. Check before transferring applications to the memory card, android 4. 2 (and higher) may already be installed. If not, update your operating system.

App to Move Cache

FolderMount helps move the application cache to the memory card. The fact is that cached files occupy almost the largest place in the smartphone’s memory. When transferred in the usual way, they remain. If you completely delete the cache, you can lose a number of settings and passwords. But there is a way out. The folder with cached files can be moved to a memory card.

Using FolderMount is quite simple. It works under Root user rights. To move cache files, run FolderMount. In the "Name" line, select the name of the application. In the term "Source" specify the folder with the cache files, the path will look like this: Android / obb / "your folder with the name of the application" /. In the "Destination" item, specify the folder on the SD card where the cache needs to be moved. To transfer, click the checkmark icon in the upper right corner. When it turns green, the transfer is complete.

Link2SD App

A simple, colorful application with a user-friendly interface. Useful functions of the program:

Moves any selected applications to the memory card.
The application can delete, freeze and unfreeze system and user applications.
The program is able to convert system applications into user applications and vice versa.
Link2SD can clear app data and cache, sort, search, and filter available apps.

Root rights are required to use. Make sure before you move applications to a memory card - "Android" is higher than version 2.1? It is noteworthy that the movement, as well as the reverse action, is performed by pressing a single button. Run the program. Find an app and select it from the list. Go to the App info tab. To move the application to the memory card, click the "Link to SD card" button. To return "Remove Link".

How to move more apps?

Not all programs can be moved. There is a little trick. It is available for self-confident users. An example would be the HTC smartphone. Try it and see for yourself. Before moving applications to a memory card, install the SDK program on your computer. Then connect your smartphone to it via USB cable.

In the directory where the SDK program is installed, find the adb file and copy its path.
We go to the command line and write the copied path, supplementing it with the command: C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools\ adb shell.
Press "Enter", after which the $ icon should appear on the next line.
We write again: pm SetInstallLocation 2, press "Enter".
If $ appeared in the line, then everything is in order.

Close the phone, turn it off, go to "Applications". You can see that there are now many more programs available for navigation.

Moving applications on "Android" versions below 2.1

Although the operating system itself does not support the move action, there is a way around this condition. For cash, check if a special firmware is already installed on your device. If this is not the case, it is still possible to transfer applications to a memory card. To do this, you need to connect your mobile device to your computer via a USB cable.

The method is available for advanced users. For those who are just starting to learn how to use a smartphone, it is better to take the help of a specialist. The rule for all users and all programs without exception: make backups of your applications! This will help save data in case of an error.

After connecting the mobile device to the computer, we will prepare the SD card for transfer. We launch the MiniTool Partition Wizard application, which will help us split it into sections. It is important that there is no necessary information on the map. Copy all the data from it to your computer. We are going to delete already existing sections, and along with all the information on them. For fidelity, you can format the card. After it becomes clean, we proceed to create the necessary partitions:

Primary FAT32 partition - leave more space, because all user data will be stored here.
Primary ext2 is the partition for our applications.

Only now you can move applications. We recommend using the Link2SD utility. Download the program. Reboot after installation. Install when prompted by selecting ext2. Run the utility and start the transfer according to the instructions.

If there are no Root rights?

Some manufacturers install their own firmware. While you can always refer to your device manual for instructions on how to move apps to a memory card, most of the time these smartphones cannot be rooted. This is done for security, on the one hand, and on the other, to impose paid programs. Let's face it - not everyone considers this a fair decision. The question arises: "How can applications be moved to a memory card without the appropriate system permission?"

Reinstall the operating system completely. Manufacturer settings that cannot be changed will be erased. Download the distribution kit from the official site. Reinstallation won't cost anything, but it will take a lot of time. You will need to use a desktop computer. All programs will have to be reconfigured. This option is for advanced users.

Bypass restrictions. How to move applications to a memory card.

Lenovo a516 is a popular budget smartphone. The amount of memory is small - 4 GB. This is with a fairly fast processor and a bright screen. Of course, the owners are tempted to fill the phone's memory with games. The problem is that the Lenovo launcher is installed on top of the operating system. Some settings become unavailable. Many point to the impossibility of moving an application to a memory card in one click. Indeed, with its small size, this is a significant drawback. To help the owners of a wonderful smartphone, several ways have been devised on how to move applications to a memory card. Lenovo has put up good protection, but there is a chance to bypass the restriction.

You can use one of the applications, but they all work under Root rights. Despite this, there is a way to transfer. You will have to take care of installing an additional Framaroot application. Download it and put it on your SD card. Install the app. After launch, you will be prompted to select permissions. SuperSU and SuperUser rights will have Root access. Select one of the already created users and wait for the notification about the installation of Root rights. Restart your smartphone. Make sure SuperSu is in the list of applications. If everything worked out, then you will be able to perform previously inaccessible actions, for example, move applications to a memory card. Android will allow you to do this.