How do I move my apps to my SDcard?

[AC Question]

I recently upgraded my Moto G3 to Marshmallow 6.0, and formatted my SD card to be internal storage. But, I can't move any of my apps the my SD card. Whether I go through Settings>Apps or Settings>Storage, I never have the option to move my apps.

 

[hollybob7]

Not sure what screens you need to see, I think I attached one correctly. As I understood it, if you set the card to be portable storage, it will only hold media files. But if you want to dedicate it to your phone, and hold apps, it needs to be set up and internal storage. Either way, no option to move apps.

 

[Rukbat]

The default is usually to NOT use adoptable storage, and that looks like what you did.

That said, moving an app to the SD card doesn't guarantee that you'll free up any space internally. Each piece of the app is moved separately, and a link to each piece is left internally. If a lot of the pieces are smaller than a link, you can actually use up more internal storage by moving an app to the card. (Android was never designed or intended to run apps from the card, and developers normally don't worry about whether their app can be moved, or if it's going to save space by moving it.)

 

[hollybob7]

When I was using Lollipop, I moved most of my apps to my SD card. I find it odd that I can't do that anymore on Marshmallow.

 

[hollybob7]

Taken directly from the Marshmallow Release Notes I received:

"After inserting a new SD card to your phone, you will see a notification to set it up. You can choose to use your new SD card as a portable storage or as internal storage:

Portable storage: use your SD card to store your pictures, videos, audio and other media files. You can remove the SD card at any time and transfer it to other device.
Internal storage: in addition to media, you can store downloaded apps and games, all their media and data. The SD card acts as an extension of the internal storage of your phone."

I set my card up as Internal Storage, so what am I doing wrong? Is it becuase I am using my existing card, even though I formatted and wiped it clean?

 

[Rukbat]

Internal storage: in addition to media, you can store downloaded apps and games, all their media and data. The SD card acts as an extension of the internal storage of your phone."

But it's the phone that decides where apps and data are stored when using the card as internal storage - you don't. You can't "move" an app to internal storage - it's already there (in storage that's physically internal, which is why you should use "adoptable" and "portable", not "internal" or "external"). If you want to be able to selectively put things on the SD card, reformat it and install it as portable storage.

 

[hollybob7]

So, if the SD card as internal storage is supposed to be an extension of the my phone's internal storage, but I'm getting a message saying I'm running out of storage, I guess that means my phone is now not recognizing my card as an extension. From the language in the release notes, it sounds like I cannot move apps to the card if it's portable, so maybe I am just SOL.

 

[hollybob7]

Ok, I just found this on Reddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/496sn3/lets_clear_up_the_confusion_regarding_storage_in/

If I read it correctly, previously when I moved an app, it just moved some of the app. Now, it's all or nothing. So, there are some apps that don't allow me to move them. I just have to go through each app and see if it can be moved. Tedious and a pain in my butt.

 

[hollybob7]

Also, thanks everyone for you input!

 

[hollybob7]

Doing some more reading other places, pre-Marshmallow moving apps to SDcards only moved parts of the app, not the whole thing. Now, it's all or nothing. So, there are now apps I'm not allowed to move (which happened to be the case with all the ones I'd tried). SO now, I just have to go through each app and see which ones I can move. Pain in my butt. Thanks again for all the help!