What Apps Can You Move to Sd Card

A nice feature many Android devices offer is a microSD slot, and nicer still is the fact that the Android Os allows you to move many apps over to external storage to help free up space on the main device. For those with devices that offer lots of storage, this perk might not matter much, but for those with older or upkeep devices, it could be the but way that additional apps can be installed.

Accept, for example, the HTC Legend I used to utilize, which offered a mere 160MB of storage space, or Sony's Xperia Ray, which boosted that to a still-insulting 300MB. Sure, these devices weren't expensive when new, but storage that limited is downright ridiculous. It'due south no wonder, and so, why so many users seek out ways to move apps to their SD card.

If yous're an Android user who's moved apps earlier, chances are good that you're well aware of the limitations. Some apps are deemed as likewise important by their developer, and thus can't be moved via normal methods. Many apps that ship with the device tin't be moved either.

Ultimately, it'south up to the app's developer to allow or disallow its motion permissions, and even with the tweaks mentioned on this page (with the exception of using root), the apps still may not be movable afterwards. Your all-time bet would be to then electronic mail the developer and ask why, or go the way of rooting your phone so that you lot can force information technology. It shouldn't be and then complicated, but it is.

Guide Index:

• Part 1 – Downloading Android'south 'ADB'
• Part 2 – Setting Upwardly Your Phone Or Tablet
• Office three – Moving Apps On Android 4 & Before
• Part 4 – Running The Tweak On The Device Itself
• Part v – Moving Apps On Android 5 & Beyond

It needs to be stressed that even if an app (or game) can be moved, there are potential risks for going through with it. Hither are some general guidelines of what not to motion:

Apps That Shouldn't Ever Be Moved

• Widgets: If you desire to use a sure widget, don't motility the app that provides it.
• System Tools: Important tools might not operate well or at all on external storage.
• Important Apps: If you can't afford a certain app becoming unavailable, don't move it.

Consider that to be your showtime and terminal warning!

Things to behave in heed: Some apps may remain unmovable after these tweaks are practical, which is common of apps that come up preinstalled on the device. In this instance, the all-time fix is to root the phone and either delete the app from the system'due south ROM with Titanium Backup, or force the app to me moved with Link2SD. Either one of these options is required for Android 5.0 and afterwards. It'south likewise important to note that fifty-fifty after certain apps are moved, some data is likely required to remain on the internal storage. Don't consider these tweaks to be miracle solutions.

With that all covered, let's get right to information technology.

Part i – Downloading Android's 'ADB'

NOTE! If you're interested in running this tweak right on the device itself, rather than a computer, please refer to the 4th section, "Running The Tweak On The Device Itself", as information technology tin can be a major time-saver.

The first footstep to running this tweak on a computer is downloading Android's ADB tool. That acronym stands for "Android Debugging Bridge", a protocol that allows users to interface with their phone as if they were accessing a control prompt on the device itself.

There are iii options for acquiring ADB and its related files.

The easiest method is to download information technology from our servers:

• Windows (10.2MB; VirusTotal Scan)
• Mac OS 10 (2.5MB; VirusTotal Scan)
• Linux (3.8MB; VirusTotal Scan)

One time the archive is downloaded, extract information technology to a location of your option, and then move onto Part 2. Alternatively, you tin procure the correct files via these other ways:

For Linux users, ADB can frequently be installed via a distro repository. In Ubuntu, for example, 'sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb' will install information technology in a wink. For other distros, a simple Google search should aid. In some cases, calculation a tertiary-political party software source might be required. If ADB can't be installed through a repo, movement on to the next method.

For those who would rather download the tool on their own, it tin exist grabbed here. You'll have the option to download a developer suite called Android Studio, or the standalone SDK tools. Y'all'll want to become with the second option, as it'south a much smaller download and doesn't need to exist installed. Unfortunately, Java is required regardless of which road yous take.

In Windows, the "android" file in the "tools" binder can be double-clicked. In Os X and Linux, a terminal needs to exist opened that the "android" file can be dragged and dropped into. That will enter the exact path into the terminal, at which betoken you can hit enter and the SDK manager volition load. In all OSes, it'll look like what's seen below. From hither, the SDK Platform-tools can be checked and installed (I'd recommend clicking "Deselect All" and selecting just the platform tools.)

In one case the platform tools are installed, ADB will be found in a folder chosen "platform-tools" somewhere on the machine. Equally seen in the in a higher place screenshot, the install binder can be wherever the folder was extracted to. Yous are costless to move the folder somewhere else before running the 'android' application.

Role 2 – Setting Up Your Phone Or Tablet

What needs to be configured on a device can vary, only often, enabling the "USB debugging" selection in the programmer menu is enough. If this menu isn't nowadays in the main menu of the system settings screen, y'all'll need to get to the "About phone" or "About tablet" section and look for "Build number". Sometimes, this is located right inside this menu; other times it can be nestled inside another (eg: "Software Information"). Tap the build number seven times, and the developer options carte du jour will be unlocked.

If enabling USB debugging alone isn't plenty, you lot'll want to fish effectually for other USB-related options. One thing worth checking is whether or not the phone is set to "MTP" mode. Having this option disabled shouldn't affair, simply on some devices, it could.

If running Windows: before connecting the device to the estimator, y'all'll desire to make sure that its official drivers are installed. Note that whether or non you lot're able to access the device's storage from inside the computer when it's continued is unrelated to interacting with it through ADB. Almost always, you'll need to go out of your fashion to install a driver. Starting here is a practiced idea. If the official driver doesn't help, or you tin can't find one, y'all may wish to try installing Intel'due south ADB driver, meant to be used in conjunction with Intel USB ports.

If that fails, I'd recommend heading to Google and searching for your exact device along with "official driver" or "ADB" (eg: "Sony Xperia Ray official commuter".) Otherwise, yous'll exist forced to run the tweak on the device itself (so roll down to part 4!)

Part three – Moving Apps On Android 4 & Earlier

With the software and device prepped, it'southward time to connect the Android device to the computer, load up a control prompt or terminal, and head to the 'platform-tools' folder. If you're on Linux and installed ADB through your distro's repository, chances are skillful that y'all tin can simply open a terminal and be ready (running the 'adb' control, without quotes, volition verify that). For everyone else, there are a few ways to become about this.

The most common method is to manually type in the commands that volition bring you to that folder; eg: in Windows: 'cd C:\Users\Username\Downloads\platform-tools'. Alternatively, you can:

In Windows: Open the 'platform-tools' folder, and while holding Shift, right-click an area inside the folder and choose "Open control window here". An example can be seen below:

In Os X: Open Organization Preferences and then go to the Keyboard section. From here, click on the Shortcuts tab, and and so Services to the left. In the list to the right, scroll down and enable the "New Tab At Folder" choice. Right-click the 'platform-tools' folder afterwards and cull "New Tab At Folder". Here'due south an example.

In Linux: Open the 'platform-tools' folder and right-click an area inside to run into if it offers yous the ability to open a final right there. If it doesn't, open a last manually and move to the folder (eg: 'cd Downloads/android-sdk-linux/platform-tools'). Here'south an case.

Once a control prompt or concluding is opened and you're in the right location, the first thing to practice is see if the calculator can see the device. Typing in 'adb devices' tin can take intendance of that. Be sure to uninstall Android emulators (eg: Bluestacks) earlier attempting this tweak, and brand sure no other Android devices are plugged in. Just one device should be present, as seen in the instance below.

A random cord of numbers and "device" following it ways that the computer can interact with it just fine. If it says "unauthorized", information technology means that you'll need to continue the phone unlocked and grant permission for the access (it's an automatic pop-upward). Running 'adb devices' again should properly testify the device.

The bones commands are:

Pre-Android 4:

adb shell pm getInstallLocation (To see what it'southward set to.)
adb crush pm setInstallLocation 2 (To set information technology to external storage.)
adb beat out pm getInstallLocation (To verify that the tweak worked.)
(0 = Auto; 1 = Internal Phone Storage; 2 = microSD External Storage

Android 4 and newer:

adb beat pm get-install-location (To run into what information technology's set to.)
adb beat pm set-install-location ii (To set it to external storage.)
adb beat out pm get-install-location (To verify that the tweak worked.)
(0 = Auto; 1 = Internal Telephone Storage; two = microSD External Storage

Note: As seen in the above screenshot, an alternative method is to blazon 'adb shell' get-go, which essentially logs you into the device. Then the commands can be run without 'adb vanquish' at the start. The 'su' command seen in the same screenshot is simply necessary if the device is rooted (and that should just thing for Android 5+.)

Note: In Mac Bone X and Linux, each control might need to be prefaced with a dot and a backslash ( ./ ). The exception would be if you installed ADB through a repository in Linux. Hither are example shots from Mac Bone X and Linux.

Once the storage location is set to "2", you can check through the apps that were unmovable and see if the situation has changed. Beneath is an case of an app that was unmovable before the tweak, and movable later.

Figuring out which apps tin can or can't exist moved is the well-nigh tiresome part of using Android, just fortunately, apps exist to make the chore a lot easier to bargain with. One solution I've used is an app chosen "App 2 SD", as it's both free and intuitive.

If you compare these 2 screenshots, the tweak was extremely constructive in this particular case. If you're not so lucky, and y'all're still desperate for space, yous should consider rooting your device and either using Link2SD to strength the apps to move, or use Titanium Fill-in to delete the apps yous'll never utilize from the system ROM. The latter is something you'll want to be conscientious with, but the former is something I talk about in part 5.

Part 4 – Running The Tweak On The Device Itself

Tweaking the "Move to SD" option on the device itself can salve a lot of time versus doing it on a computer, though it can withal be a petty tedious. The get-go pace is to hope that y'all have sufficient gratis space for a terminal emulator, and if so, the second step is to go to the Play Store and download i. I don't have a particular preference, but this i has served me well.Note:This method of tweaking requires the device to be rooted.

After opening, the commands can be run right away. Because we're already within of the crush, 'adb beat' does not need to preface the rest of the commands. And so 'adb shell pm get-install-location' volition simply get 'pm go-install-location'. If for some reason the commands do not work and the device is rooted, enter 'su' (making sure to grant permission on the device), and and so keep with the commands.

In the emulator I used, typing the commands out proved to be a real job. 'su' wants to become 'sure', every bit i instance. If you're stuck, and the application wants to keep irresolute what you're trying to write, type in a comma right earlier a space, delete information technology, and then hitting infinite to continue with the side by side part.

If the command set just fine, you lot tin refer to the latter half of function 3.

Office 5 – Moving Apps On Android five.0 & Beyond

For the almost office, the "Move to SD" mechanic on Android 4 and earlier is skillful. It's a flake of a chore to tweak, just information technology can at least be pulled off without having to root the phone. We're not then lucky when it comes to Android five+. After all of the comments I've seen upwardly to this point, I think it's safe to say that this tweak will non piece of work on Lollipop (and probably Marshmallow) unless the device is rooted.

If that'southward neat plenty, even more has to be done if we're to take proper advantage of Link2SD, the app that will allow us to move apps to external storage through sheer force.

Past default, Android will format external storage as FAT or exFAT, which is fine for regular storage, but poor for applications. This boils downwardly to the lack of back up for the permissions organization Android uses. That means that in order to take advantage of Link2SD's motion ability without running into issues, your microSD card will demand to be split into two partitions; one for regular storage, and the other for Android app storage.

Important: You don't have to go through the hassle of repartitioning, but it could cause bug with sure apps that rely on being able to read and write permissions. Your mileage will vary if you decide to accept this route.

To take intendance of the partitioning, I'd recommend using an open-source tool for the PC called GParted. Information technology can be downloaded here, and can either exist burned to a CD, or copied to a flash drive (instructions are establish at the link). If you lot accept a USB flash drive of at to the lowest degree 4GB, and the data can be backed-up, I'd recommend downloading the ISO and copying information technology over to the drive using Rufus.

After making absolute sure that the data on your microSD carte du jour is backed up, unmount it through Android's "Storage" section. You can then plug the card into your reckoner (via an adapter or card reader), and open upwardly GParted. You'll see a screen like this (make certain that the proper drive is selected in the top-right drop-downwards carte du jour):

In that location should just be one partition, and if information technology happens to be "fat32", you're in luck: you'll just demand to compress that partition in society to make room for the new i. If it'due south exFAT, the partition will take to be destroyed, equally GParted doesn't back up the file system due to licensing issues. My carte was formatted in Android to exFAT, so what I did was delete all of the partitions, and then create a FAT32 division for storage that uses about 80% of the menu's bachelor space, and and so created an "ext4" partition using the remaining space. Afterwards configuring the division layout to your liking, you can employ the changes, and and then eject the carte du jour.

Notation: exFAT will exist required if files greater than 4GB will need to be stored. To pull this trick off, you'll need to find a partitioner (in Windows, likely), that can handle both exFAT and ext for both reading and writing.

Subsequently that's all dealt with, the card can be returned to the mobile device, and the device tin can exist booted support. Once Link2SD is opened, it'll automatically detect the partition setup, so enquire you what file system you made the partitioning that volition shop the app information. In my example, I used ext4.

With that configured, we can get to moving some apps to the SD card. As with the tweak with Android 4 and before, there are cases when 100% of an app'due south information cannot exist moved; but well-nigh will be. This is the case with Grand Theft Automobile Vice City, which I am using for this case. Originally, the entire 1.4GB game is stored on the phone, but afterwards moving, about of the data is moved while 10MB remains on the device itself.

This leads me to another important point: Link2SD's free version can move just the app itself. If yous're looking to motility a massive application that has additional data, such as this ane, the paid version will be needed. Fortunately, it costs nigh $ii, which I consider well worth it for the amount of future headache information technology volition save yous.

Once an app is moved to the SD card, Link2SD's primary program listing will reverberate it. One thing I found interesting in testing is that while GTA Vice City was unmovable before Link2SD got involved, the unusable "Motility to SD card" push button became "Motility to device storage" after the tweak. Why this is notable is that it proves that Android could allow the app to motility over using the same tweak we use in Android iv and earlier.

Oh well… at least there are other options!

This article was originally published on Dec 21, 2011, and was updated in September 2013, and October 2015.

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Source: https://techgage.com/article/moving_your_non-movable_android_apps_to_an_sd_card/

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