How to download applications to an android memory card. Lack of internal memory on a smartphone - step-by-step instructions on how to use an SD card as internal storage

Many people face the problem that they cannot or simply do not know how to move applications and other multimedia data to a memory card. This kind of problem can be solved by changing standard settings Android or using third-party applications.

Danger of the problem

Tablets and phones can be equipped with built-in memory of 2, 4, 8 or even 16 gigabytes. But many people lack even this volume. Large quantity Music, photos, videos and applications will quickly fill up the system memory. Because of this, Android will not allow you to install new programs, since .

Removal unnecessary applications and clearing the cache are just temporary solutions to the problem. You can transfer some of them to the built-in memory, but it’s not rubber either. The best option will be the purchase of an SD card. Having inserted it directly into your phone or tablet, you will certainly have a question about how to install downloaded applications onto a memory card. Transfer is possible, but the methods depend on the version of your operating system.

The method for solving the problem is different for certain versions OS. As is known, on at the moment Most devices run on Android 4.0, 4.1.x, 4.2.x, 4.4, 5.x and 6 versions, so here you first need to find out which one is installed directly on your gadget.

It's very easy to do. Follow these steps:

Now let's move directly to the solution.

Solution for Android versions 2.2 - 4.2.2

If you have an operating system up to version 4.2.2, then you are in luck, as you can configure saving applications to a memory card without Root rights. To do this, follow these steps:

Now, when you install any application with Google store Play or download other data, the memory card will be used as the default storage location. However, this is an incomplete transfer. All subsequent programs will indeed be installed on the memory card, but the previous ones must either be deleted and then installed again, or moved manually.

To do this you should:

  1. Go to the “Settings” menu.
  2. Select “Applications” and indicate one of the downloaded ones.
  3. Find the “Move to SD” button and press it.

Please note that not every application or music on a memory card can be saved in this way. Some system and some downloaded applications cannot be rewritten to a memory card. Then transferring files is possible only if you have Root rights. This also applies to devices with firmware from Android 4.4.

Using Third Party Applications

A special tool will help speed up the transfer process. AppMgr application Pro III. You can download it for free at official store Play Market applications. This program has wide functionality, while allowing you to perform various manipulations with programs, as well as clear the application cache.

In the program itself, you will see three main sections: “roamable”, “on SD card” and “on phone”. If you have applications in the “movable” block, this means that moving these programs is possible.

To carry out the transfer, you must:

The program interface also includes a "transfer all" function. So in a couple of clicks you will transfer all possible programs. After these steps, all shortcuts to the moved applications will appear in the second section “on the SD card”.

An alternative program (in particular for devices with OS version 4.4 or higher) can be Link2SD. Her main feature is that it can move programs not only completely, but also partially. This means that you can install individual libraries on the memory card. However, for her full-fledged work You will need superuser rights. The program is installed in one file, there are no copies, and there is no need to install anything.

Link2SD has over ten million downloads and overall assessment users above 4 points.

To use this application, you need to follow the steps of the following instructions sequentially:

Be careful, since with its help you can even transfer some system applications, the memory card becomes an integral part of the memory of your gadget. Saving key data during updating, as well as loading will be carried out from the SD card. Extraction can lead to the most unfavorable consequences, ranging from partial failure of some programs to inoperability of the entire Android system.

The phone does not see the memory card

One of the most frequently asked questions among owners of Android devices is why the phone does not see the memory card. If the smartphone does not detect it, then all the methods described above are useless. In this case, you need to solve the problem with the card itself.

Let's look at the reasons why the phone does not see the SD card:

  • Contacts have been sent. This is a common occurrence, and the solution is very simple - remove and insert the card into the gadget. Now he must see her.
  • The phone does not see the memory card due to bad sectors. Then try checking it for errors and then simply formatting it.
  • The phone may not recognize the memory card due to a lock. The password can be removed in a specialized service.
  • The hardware of the smartphone is damaged. If no memory card is detected, then you need to take the smartphone to a service center.
  • Incompatible card. It is possible that the mobile simply does not support the memory card format. IN modern phones and tablets for Android control MicroSD is used.

As soon as the gadget can detect your SD card, feel free to try the methods presented. Try your best possible programs move to SD. Majority system applications(especially Google services) are becoming “heavier”. This leaves in system memory There is less and less consolidated space. A memory card will help unload it.

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    Details under the cut.


    Attention! I personally tested this method on Android 2.3. You can find out about the possibility of this method working on Google.


    First you need to install Android SDK Tools (Windows link). After installation, you need to download the packages. You will see how to do this in the screenshot below:



    Now go to your phone settings and go here:
    Applications>Development>USB Debugging (check the box).

    Now connect the device to your computer via USB. Go to the folder where you installed SDK Tools. Selecting the platform-tools folder right mouse, click "Launch" command line Here".


    In the command line window that opens, type (all without quotes):


    After the "$" icon appears, print the following (case is important):


    “pm getInstallLocation” and press Enter. You should see the following on your screen:



    This means that the system itself will determine which applications to install where. This doesn’t suit us, so we write:


    "pm setInstallLocation 2"


    This is how we communicate that we want applications to be installed on the memory card. Let's check the result:


    "pm getInstallLocation"

    The answer should be:



    Now close the command prompt window and disconnect your phone from the computer. Reboot it. Now all applications will be installed on the memory card.


    It is worth noting that when downloading from Play Store and temporary information will still be recorded in the phone’s internal memory. There is no way to cure this without root, but if you install programs not from the Play Store (from a pre-downloaded APK), you can install the program without recording temporary information. You can do this as follows.


    Install APK program Leecher on your computer (in principle, you don’t even need to install it, just unpack it; included in the topic), download it from Google Play to the phone the Device ID program (only 13 kB) and find out the unique ID of your phone.
    Then, by launching the APK Leecher program on the computer, we enter our account information, ID and make some settings (download folder, language) and now we can search for applications and download them directly on the computer from Google Play. There is no need to worry about your data - it does not leak anywhere, but is only used for authorization. Program settings:


    Now you can download programs to your computer and, after transferring the downloaded APK files on a memory card, install them on your phone.
    Example of the program:


    Best regards, timblaer.

    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 permanent memory device

    If the program is relatively autonomous and not too fussy in terms of the location of files and data, it will remain operational. 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 on cards without additional funds. They use a micro SD card as an extension 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 the " 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 apply 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 - needs third party tools, which will be discussed further.

    Mobile software for moving applications to SD

    AppMgr III

    The utility is convenient in that it makes it possible to perform similar operations with several objects at once (batch management 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 servicing a mobile gadget, supports everything Android versions, starting from 4.1, however, it is officially incompatible with devices from certain manufacturers, in particular Xiaomi. Operations with some objects require root rights.

    Link2SD

    An exclusive feature of the utility is that it moves absolutely everything to SD cards. custom applications, even those who 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 designed to transfer 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 backup 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

    The program with the simple name “” pleases users with its 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

    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:

    • Copy, paste, cut, move, delete, rename, download - everything 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 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

    – utility for complex optimization and services mobile system. Painless transfer of applications from internal memory to SD card and vice versa is also one of its functions.

    Others useful features 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 RAM 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 one short review will help you find exactly what you like, and will also be tough for your Android device.

    Also on the site:

    How to transfer apps from internal memory to SD card in Android updated: August 13, 2018 by: Johnny Mnemonic

    Every Android OS user sooner or later faces a problem when the internal memory of the phone is not enough, and there is no place to save all the applications from Google Play or photos! Moreover, the user often finds out about this only when there really is more, and he has to think about what to delete in order to free up several tens of MB for the next application or photo.

    In fact, all programs, games, photos can be stored on a removable SD card (2, 4, 16 GB and others) to save space in the device’s main memory. The Android system is designed in such a way that all downloads are saved in the smartphone’s memory by default, which is why it gets clogged up quickly.

    Install (transfer) applications to the SD memory card

    To transfer applications, you must have an Android operating system of at least version 2.2 installed. It was installed by default in devices purchased back in 2010-2011. The ability to transfer also depends on the application developer. Some companies simply forget to build into their programs a function for transferring programs and games, while others do it on purpose!

    Transferring applications to an SD card in Android 2.2 and higher

    And so, to install an application on an Android SD card, you must first download it and then move it to the card. To do this you need to do the following::

    1. Go to the settings of the Android operating system.
    2. Next, go to the “Applications” tab.
    3. To view the list of programs on the SD card and phone, click on the “SD card” item. It will be here full list applications that can be transferred to removable card from the internal memory of your device. Moreover, under the product name the occupied space in megabytes or gigabytes will be displayed.
    4. Select the application you want to transfer to the SD card and click on it once.
    5. A tab will open with complete information about the product. There will also be a tab “Move to SD card”. Click it and wait for the process to complete. The transfer time directly depends on the characteristics of your smartphone and the weight of the application itself.

    It is also worth paying attention to the fact that the program will not be completely transferred to removable media because some system files still remain in the internal memory of your mobile phone.

    Transferring Apps to SD Card in Android 4.4 KitKat

    In the operating room Android system 4.4.2 KitKat and higher, there are some restrictions on transferring applications to the SD card. As Google explains, these are precautionary measures. But, as a rule, the phone’s system memory is not enough, and you don’t want to delete programs, so users still need some way to install the application on the Android SD card. What to do in this case?

    There is a solution, and several different options!

    1. First you need to check whether the app you want transfers to the card or not. Many developers have learned to bypass this protection and immediately released updates so that users can special problems transfer data from phone to flash drive.
    2. If you have a Sony phone, then you don’t have to worry about the built-in Android protection 4.4.2. For many models, specialized algorithms were built in to allow applications to be transferred to the card and back without any problems.
    3. Perhaps the methods listed above did not help you, but you still shouldn’t despair! Was developed special utility and added to Google service Play. Its functionality allows you to transfer programs and games to the device’s SD card. Read the description below.

    Special programs for Android

    The developers came up with special applications, which in automatic mode solve this problem for many novice users.

    Here are the most convenient and quite popular:

    SDFix Software: KitKat Writable MicroSD

    SDFix: KitKat Writable MicroSD is free on Google Play. Currently has about 1-5 million downloads. The only condition is that you have full root rights.

    To install it correctly, follow the instructions:

    1. Open the Google Play service and enter the name of the program.
    2. Download the app on your smartphone and open it.
    3. A tab with product information will appear. Click Continue.
    4. As soon as the program asks for root rights, agree.
    5. Your phone will reboot, after which you can easily transfer programs and games to the SD card in the standard way!

    App 2 SD program

    A simply colossal number of programs have been developed for Android that allow you to work with applications, display full statistics about each of them, delete unused ones, clear the cache and much more. One of the most convenient utilities in this category it is AppMgr III (App 2 SD). Allows you to transfer programs with cache(by the way, here are the instructions), view full statistics, remove several programs at once and much more!

    If you are a user of an Android phone, tablet or smartphone, it is almost inevitable that at some point you will run out of free space.

    Don't worry - there are several simple steps so that you can install applications on the memory card.

    Today, smartphones and tablets have begun to take on a greater role in our lives and the problem of data storage has become more pressing.

    Not taking a lot of pictures or moving them to a computer or to the cloud solves the problem, but the best thing would be to install applications and everything else on an SD memory card, which greatly expands the capacity of the devices.

    To install or move apps to your storage card, there are several possible scenarios you can consider.

    Some of them depend on the currently installed firmware version, others have restrictions imposed by the developers.

    In addition, it is not unimportant that an application installed on a memory card will work slower than on the internal one.

    Therefore, it would be better to use this solution only for programs that are not needed very often or those whose effectiveness does not necessarily depend on the storage location.

    How to install applications on a memory card in Android 6.0

    Convert SD card to internal environment storage is a new concept introduced in Android 6.0.

    This solution is different from traditional way using cards in tandem from your phone or tablet computer from several points of view.

    By default, you have the option to use a flash drive to store movies, music or photos. In addition, you can copy a lot of things to it from your computer.

    Converting an SD flash drive into an internal storage medium makes the device recognize it as a place to store applications and data obtained through those applications, in addition to photos, music and movies.

    From that point on, you take the step where the card will store applications unless the developer explicitly prohibits it.

    By the way, it's worth knowing that you can move applications from the internal memory at any time, regardless of whether you want it or are convinced that it will work faster.

    The big problem with converting a flash drive to internal memory is that it will have to remain in the phone permanently and cannot be used by anyone else portable device or PC.

    Moreover, if you remove it, there is a high chance that the proper functioning of the device will be affected.

    All these restrictions are due to the fact that the flash drive is formatted in file system EXT4 and Linux systems encrypt data using AES algorithm 128 bit.

    Most important aspect The thing you should note in all this information is that it would be good to do backup copy data before this process begins.

    NOTE: It's a good idea to use a flash drive from famous brand, SanDisk, Kingston, Samsung, Sony, etc. but in any case, the installation wizard that is included with the operating system will check performance.

    First steps to installing applications on a flash drive in Android 6.0

    When you connect a flash drive, a “master” should appear. In the first step, it will ask if you want to configure new map memory as internal or removable disk.

    In this particular case, we are developing a scenario in which we check the box next to the line “Use as internal memory”.


    Please confirm that you agree. Then you will be offered another confirmation that if there is your data on the flash drive, it will be deleted.

    The final step will involve actually formatting and encrypting the external drive.

    Finally, to make the process easier, you will be asked to move most of data that can be transferred from the internal memory to the formatted one.

    If you do not want to move applications to a memory card, but only images, movies and documents, then it is better to choose a flash drive as a portable storage medium.

    How to move applications from internal memory to sd card on android

    To move, click “Settings” and go to the “Memory” section.

    There we select “Device memory”.

    Then click “Browse”.

    Now at the very top right, select “Options” and click “Change”.

    Now click “Options” again, click “Move” and select “Memory Card”

    Now create a folder or select an existing one.

    Now one click at the very top right on the word “Done” and wait for the process to complete.

    NOTE: developers often make changes to their own basic version Android, so if the built-in method doesn't work, .

    Moving apps to the memory card in older versions of Android

    Depending on the device interface installed by the manufacturer, the procedure may differ. On Nexus we look for the section “ Device Manager" and "Applications Menu". On a Samsung, in Settings, click "Applications" and go to "Application Manager."

    You will be prompted for several actions. You can ignore them, just click “Move to SD card” and wait a bit.


    Find the apps that are taking up the most space and repeat the process.

    Soon you will have a lot of space. It is quite possible that moving to an SD flash drive will not work.

    You will receive notifications that the software developer has decided to prevent it from moving back and forth. Good luck.