How to transfer files to a memory card. How to transfer applications to an SD card: using special programs and built-in tools. Transferring game cache and data to a MicroSD card

An error message indicating that 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 space 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, graphic applications, and cards. Space is occupied not only by the game distribution itself, its program files, but also by databases and other resources saved in the cache. By installing more and more 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 reasons. In other versions the instructions are simple.

To transfer, open settings. Find the “Applications” section. On the SD card tab you will find all applications that support movement. Now you need to select those programs that you really want to move. If an application is checked, it is currently running and system files cannot be moved. Before you move applications to the memory card, you must disable them. Let's make sure the right choice is made. Click on the program name. Information about it will open. The location and amount of space taken up is indicated here. To complete the operation, all you have to do is click on the “Move to SD card” button and wait for the operation to complete.

The action also has the opposite effect. Not all programs are completely portable. 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 its help, you can easily move applications to a CD card and back. Previously, this program could be found under the name App 2 SD. The utility has additional useful functions. With its help you can:

• Hide the application icon from the general menu.
• Set up a notification when 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:

1. On phone - are in the phone’s memory, but support transfer.
2. On SD card - already moved to the SD card.
3. 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 the memory card. Android also supports other programs that perform a similar task. The utility works great on tablets. The downside 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.

Cache Moving Application

FolderMount helps move the application cache to a memory card. The fact is that cached files take up perhaps the largest space in the smartphone’s memory. When transferred in the usual way, they remain. If you completely delete the cache, you may 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 “Source” term, specify the folder with the cache files, the path will look like this: Android/obb/ “your folder with the application name”/. In the “Destination” item, specify the folder on the SD card to which the cache should be moved. To transfer, click the check mark 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 remove, freeze and unfreeze system and user applications.
• The program is capable of converting system applications into user ones and vice versa.
• Link2SD can delete data and application cache, sort, search and filter existing programs.

Root rights are required to use. Make sure before you move applications to the memory card - is Android higher than version 2.1? It is noteworthy that the movement, as well as the reverse action, is performed by pressing one button. Launch the program. Find the application 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 can I move more apps?

Not all programs can be moved. There is a little trick. It is available for users who are confident in their abilities. An example would be the HTC smartphone. Try it and see for yourself. Before moving applications to the memory card, install the SDK program on your computer. Then connect your smartphone to it via a 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, adding the command: C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools\ adb shell.
• Press “Enter”, after which the $ sign should appear on the next line.
• Again we write: pm SetInstallLocation 2, press “Enter”.
• If $ appears in the line, then everything is fine.

Close, turn off the phone, go to “Applications”. You can see that there are now many more programs available to move around.

Moving applications on Android version below 2.1

Although the operating system itself does not support the transfer action, there is a way to work around this condition. Please check to see if your device may already have special firmware installed. If this is not the case, it is still possible to transfer applications to the memory card. To do this, you will 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 master the use of a smartphone, it is better to take the help of a specialist. Rule for all users and all programs without exception: make backups of your applications! This will help save data in case of an error.

Having connected 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 break it into sections. It is important that the map does not contain any relevant information. Copy all data from it to your computer. We are going to delete existing sections, and at the same time all the information on them. To be sure, you can format the card. After it is clean, we proceed to create the necessary sections:

1. Primary FAT32 partition - leave plenty of space, because all user data will be stored here.
2. Primary ext2 - section for our applications.

Only now can you move applications. We recommend using the Link2SD utility. Download the program. After installation, reboot. Install when prompted by selecting ext2. Launch the utility and begin the transfer according to the instructions.

If you don't have Root rights?

Some manufacturers install their own firmware. Although you can always check the instructions for your device on how to move applications to a memory card, most often you cannot use Root rights on these smartphones. This is done for security, on the one hand, and on the other, to impose paid programs. Let's face it - not everyone thinks this is a fair decision. The question arises: “How can I move applications 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 from the official website. Reinstallation will not cost anything, but will take a lot of time. You will need to use a desktop computer. All programs will have to be configured again. This option is for advanced users.

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

Lenovo a516 is a popular budget smartphone. The memory capacity is small - 4 GB. This is with a fairly fast processor and a bright screen. Of course, owners are tempted to fill the phone's memory to capacity with games. The problem is that the Lenovo launcher is installed on top of the operating system. This will make some settings unavailable. Many people point out the impossibility of moving an application to a memory card in one click. Indeed, given its small size, this is a significant drawback. To help the owners of a wonderful smartphone, several ways have been invented to move applications to a memory card. Lenovo has put in 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 transfer method. You will have to worry about installing the additional Framaroot application. Download it and place it on your SD memory card. Install the application. After launch, you will be offered a choice of rights. SuperSU and SuperUser rights will have Root access. Select one of the already created users and wait for the notification about installing 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 unavailable actions, for example, move applications to a memory card. Android will allow you to do this.

Almost all phones and tablets released in 2018-2019 have a large amount of built-in memory, which is expandable using a microSD card of 32 GB or more (in mid-class models and flagships). But among owners of old and inexpensive devices with internal storage of 4 GB or less, the issue of lack of free space on a smartphone is especially acute. In this article, we will look in detail at all the ways to transfer applications to an SD memory card in Android.

The instructions are intended for both beginners and experienced users, so it talks about transferring applications not only using standard means, but also using special programs that require root rights.

You can also free up space in the internal memory by deleting system applications.

How to transfer applications to a memory card using accessible means

Since the earliest versions of Android, the system has had the ability to transfer most installed applications to an SD card. Instead, in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, it became possible to use a memory card as an internal drive (this method is also described in the article).

Let's look at the function using the example of a Samsung phone running Android 5.0:

Go to Settings and select Apps. Depending on the manufacturer and firmware, the item may be called “Application Manager”, “All Applications”.

Select the downloaded game or program. If the application can be moved, the “Move to SD card” button will be active. Click on it.

If the button does not work, the developer has prohibited installation of the application on the memory card and it will not be possible to move it using standard means.

AppMgr III (App 2 SD) for transferring applications

In order not to open the settings of each game or program and not see whether they can be transferred or not, use the AppMgr III (App 2 SD) utility - in it, the moved applications are collected in a separate tab.

Hold your finger on app cards to mark them. Select the ones you need and click on the folder icon at the top. In the new window, click on the red arrow, which will take you to the application details page. To go to the settings of the next selected program or game, press the Back button.

AppMgr III will also tell you which applications should not be installed in external memory so that all their functions work correctly.

Using an SD card as internal memory

This feature was introduced in Android 6.0 and works in Android 7 Nougat, Android 8 Oreo and Android 9 Pie. It allows you to use a memory card as a built-in storage device. Since SD replaces internal storage, it makes sense for the flash card to be larger than the internal memory. And for applications to work quickly, the SD card must have a high write speed.

Data from a memory card formatted as an internal drive will not be read if you install the SD card in another smartphone or tablet. To use the card in a new device, you will have to format it as portable storage.

After connecting, a message will appear in the notification shade that a new memory card has been detected. Just click “Configure”, select “Internal memory” in the window that opens and follow further instructions. Don't forget to transfer files from the SD card to another storage device, as they will be deleted during the formatting process.

Detailed instructions for setting up the card:

1. Go to “Settings” → “Storage” (may be called “Storage and USB drives” or “Memory”).

2. Click on "SD Card".

3. In the upper right corner, open the menu, select “Settings” (in some firmware “Memory”).

4. Click Internal Storage.

5. A warning will appear on the screen that all data saved on the SD card will be deleted during the formatting process. Therefore, copy them first, and then click “Clean and Format”.

6. If your smartphone uses low-class SD (for example, microSD Class 6), a message will appear on the screen that the memory card is slow.

7. Before completing the formatting process, you will be prompted to transfer some files and applications to the SD card. Select the option you want, click Next and then Transfer.

8. Finally, click “Done” and manually restart your phone.

Now open “Settings” → “Applications” → “Application details” (if this item is not there, proceed to the next step) and select the installed program or game.

Click “Storage” (may be called “Memory”), then click the “Change” button and select the SD card.

In the window that appears, click “Move” and wait for the transfer to complete.

Formatting a memory card as an internal drive using ADB

If your smartphone has Android 6, 7, 8 or 9 installed, and there is no option to format the SD card as internal storage in the settings menu, the manufacturer has not added such an option to the firmware. But users can format the memory card themselves using the utility.

To do this, activate on Android, connect your mobile device to your PC and run ADB from the command line or from Windows PowerShell if one of the latest builds of Windows 10 is installed on your computer. Enter the following command and press Enter (in Windows PowerShell, add ./ before the command).

The console will launch and the “$” sign will appear in it. Type the command and click Enter:

The line below will display the view's SD card ID disk:NNN,NN. Replace NNN,NN to the value of the received identifier and run the command:

Wait for the command to complete. Then go to Settings → Storage and select SD card. Expand the list of options by clicking on the three dots at the top and click “Transfer data.”

Select "Transfer" and wait for the process to complete. Finally, click “Done.”

How to move multiple apps to SD card in Android 8 Oreo and 9 Pie

To avoid performing the same steps to transfer applications separately, use the AppMgr III (App 2 SD) program, which was described at the beginning of the article. Only on Android 8 Oreo and Android 9 Pie you will have to give AppMgr III a couple of permissions.

Launch the application. A notification will appear that the program needs access to your usage history. Click Allow, select AppMgr III from the list of applications, activate the switch and return to the program. You can also configure access to your usage history by going to “Settings” → “Applications and notifications” → “Advanced settings” → “Special access” → “Access to usage history”.

Select the games and programs that you want to move to the flash card and click on the image of the folder with the arrow inside. In the "Move to Map" window, click on the red button below.

A message will pop up saying that AppMgr III needs permission to change system settings. Click on the switch and you will be taken to settings. Activate the toggle switch and return to the application. The options for this permission are located under Settings → Apps & notifications → Advanced settings → Special access → Change system settings.

You will then be prompted to allow AppMgr III to automatically perform actions without manual confirmation for each application. Click "YES", go to the "Accessibility" section, select "AppMgr III", switch the toggle switch to the "ON" position and confirm by clicking "OK". Then return to the program.

Application transfer will begin immediately. Just wait for it to complete.

At the end it will show that the applications have been moved to the memory card.

Transfer games to SD card in Android

Most of the user memory is occupied by the cache of installed games. To move it, we will use the FolderMount program, which can mount directories from internal memory to external memory. It requires .

Download FolderMount from Google Play, launch it and provide Superuser rights.

In the “List of Pairs” tab at the top, click on “+”.

Come up with and enter the name of the folder pair in the first line.

Click on the second one, after which the built-in file manager will open. The game cache is located in the “Android/obb” directory, and the application cache in “Android/data”. Go to the folder you want to mount and click on the checkmark.

The screen will ask if you want to create the destination folder automatically. Click "YES" if you agree. In this case, FolderMount will copy the path from the internal storage and create the same on the external drive. Click "NO" if you want to manually set the mount end point and select the folder where to move the files.

To start copying, click on the checkmark and confirm the transfer by selecting “YES” in the next window.

The process will be displayed in the notification panel.

Once copying is complete, switch the toggle switch in the “List of Pairs” tab to mount.

At the bottom there is a button with a pin image, clicking on which will mount all directories at once.

To move files back from the destination folder to the source folder, first unmount the pairs: to do this, turn off the toggle switch or click on the crossed out pin, then hold your finger on the pair and click on the trash can icon.

How to move apps using Link2SD

Link2SD is a program that can mount application data onto a memory card. In order for it to work, it is necessary to create an additional partition on the SD in the ext3/ext4 file system on the mobile device. Partitioning a memory card into sections is done in one of the following ways.

(!) Before creating a new partition, copy all the files located on the SD, as they will be deleted after partitioning the memory card.

Memory card partitioning on Android via TWRP

If installed on your smartphone, partition the SD card through it. To do this, click “Advanced”.

Select "Partition SD card".

Check "Micro SD card" and click "OK".

Select the file system of the ext-partition to be created and specify its size. For example, 2048 MB - this memory will become available for transferring applications and the volume of the SD card will be reduced by that amount. Leave the Swap partition size (paging file) equal to 0.

Drag the slider to begin SD marking.

At the end, click “Reboot System” and “Do Not Install” if you do not want to download the official TWRP application.

The device will reboot. If you go to “Settings” → “Memory” (or “Storage” in the latest versions of Android), you will see that the SD size has decreased. The second section “sees” only Link2SD, App 2 SD and similar applications.

Create a hidden partition on SD using AParted

The second way to split a memory card into 2 partitions if you have Superuser rights, but no TWRP:

Go to “Settings” → “Memory”, click “Disconnect memory card” and confirm the action.

Launch AParted and grant root access.

There are 2 bars in the Create tab: the top one will display the new partition, and the bottom one shows the current SD size and its file system.

Click "ADD" to create the first partition. This will be the new size of the memory card where you can save photos, music, videos and other files. Leave the checkbox next to “Format”, the fat32 file system and select the size with the slider. To set it more precisely, click on the number next to MB, enter the desired value and click OK.

Click “ADD” again and create a second hidden partition to which games and applications will be transferred. Pull the slider all the way, leave “Format” checked and select the ext file system.

Click “APPLY” and select “OK” in the warning window that appears.

The SD partitioning process will start.

When completed, the second line will display 2 sections.

Now connect the memory card through “Settings” if this did not happen automatically. The new SD size should be displayed there.

Working with Link2SD

Open Link2SD and grant the program Superuser rights.

A window will immediately appear asking you to select the file system of the hidden partition of the SD card. Check the appropriate ext version and click OK. If the window does not appear, expand the menu on the left and click “Recreate mount script.”

Then click "Restart device" to mount the second partition of the memory card. The device will reboot.

Once Android is launched, go to Link2SD, click on the 3 dots in the top right corner and select "Multiple".

Select the applications you want and open the menu again. Click "Send".

There's also a "Move to SD Card" feature that moves apps using the standard Android method that isn't available to users without a Link2SD.

If you need to move one game or program, find it in the list, click on it and select “Send” or “Move to SD card”.

To move applications back, select them and click “Return” or “Move to Phone”. If you need to combine partitions, simply format the SD card in the “Settings” → “Memory” menu.