-2

Say I want to add extra memory to my Android. Well, it turns out the only way to move apps to that extra space is to root first.

So if not for apps or anything, what should we use the extra space for? Many Android phones have the ability to add extra space using a Micro SD card.

How to actually use that space? Is there natural use of that extra space?

To be more frank.

What do people that buy those extra spaces usually use them for? I and my wife just let it empty most of the time because we don't know what to use it for.

Rohit Gupta
  • 1,795
  • 2
  • 14
  • 24
user4951
  • 374
  • 5
  • 13
  • 26

3 Answers3

2

Google's documentation defines using a SD card on a Android device in two separate ways portable storage and internal storage (which is also known as adoptable storage):

From: https://support.google.com/android/answer/12153449?hl=en

When you set up an SD card on your Android device, you can choose between portable storage or internal storage.

When you format an SD card for portable storage:

  • You can save files, like photos and videos, on the SD card.

  • You can’t install apps on the SD card.

  • You can transfer the SD card between devices.

When you format an SD card for internal storage:

  • You can load files, like photos and videos, on the SD card.

  • You can install apps on the SD card.

  • You can’t transfer the SD card between devices.

  • The SD card can be used in addition to your device's storage.

In regions where data plans are expensive or mobile data is inconsistent, putting personal media (videos, music, photos) locally allows for device owners to use their content in an acceptable manner.

Certain apps like games may exceed the pre-built storage of a device so if the device supports adding a SD card, using a SD card to increase app storage may be desirable. This does come at the cost that the SD card is now bound to that device by a cryptographic key.

Switching a SD card between different storage types requires reformatting of the SD card

But wait why can't some apps be moved to adoptable storage?

From: https://source.android.com/docs/core/storage/adoptable

Apps can be placed on adopted storage media only when the developer has indicated support through the android:installLocation attribute. New installs of supported apps are automatically placed on the storage device with the most free space, and users can move supported apps between storage devices in the Settings app. Apps moved to adopted media are remembered while the media is ejected, and return when the media is reinserted.

So for standard Android, developers need to enable the setting assuming the app is appropriate and not using certain features in the app. Social media apps generally use services to get/send content and so would not have the setting for installing on SD card. It can also be due to oversight by the app developer as the default is android:installLocation="internalOnly".

https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/manifest-element#install

Morrison Chang
  • 4,983
  • 1
  • 22
  • 25
1

Imagine storage space as an empty cardboard box. You can if you want to:

  • Store things that you don't have space to put elsewhere.
  • Or you can have the box half-filled and keep some things somewhere out of the box.
  • Or you can throw (delete) some of the things that you don't need anymore and have an empty box.

Apart from that there is no meaning of "how can we actually use" an empty storage space.

Reddy Lutonadio
  • 7,164
  • 2
  • 17
  • 49
44yu5h
  • 1,540
  • 1
  • 5
  • 34
1

You can use the space for. These gives you more space in internal storage.

  • Storing files such as pictures or videos. I keep all my music and videos on it. Then I can just remove it when I change phones.

  • Storing some data from some apps. Note, this is not available for all apps. You can do this

    • in Settings
    • Apps
    • Select an App
    • Press Change and you can shift to SD Card.

  • You can store your photos to the SD card, from the camera automatically.

    • Open Camera App
    • Click on the Settings icon
    • Click on Storage Location / Settings
    • Select SD Card
Rohit Gupta
  • 1,795
  • 2
  • 14
  • 24
  • None of my app can do that. I use poco 3c. I know it's possible. But setting things up so some app can use the extra space requires debugging with USB and that's not something normal users can do – user4951 May 16 '23 at 05:13
  • 1
    The SD card need to be formated as "internal" first and that's tricky. – user4951 May 16 '23 at 05:14