Can apps write to SD card in Marshmallow without using adoptable storage?

[jsab500]

Hi, in Android 5, I can give an app permission to write to the SD card, but I can't work out whether this is possible in Android 6. I've been searching for a while but some people seem to say you just have to give the permissions correctly and others imply that you can't at all without adoptable storage, so I'd really like to know for sure, can apps write to SD card without using adoptable storage? I haven't updated yet...

Thanks very much in advance for your help,
James

P.S. In case you're wondering why, it's mainly because I have Dropsync syncing the photos that I put on my PC to my phone. I also often transfer files manually to the SD card from my PC using ES file explorer, and I'm sure there are many reasons that other people would like this ability. I have no desire to move apps to the sd card, as I have plenty of internal storage for them, but not for my ~100 GB of media, and it's much more convenient to be able to use the SD card like an SD card than have it stuck to the phone with adoptable storage (eg. for transferring a lot of files from/to PC directly, or just popping it in a new phone when this one breaks or has to be reset for whatever reason). And I have an Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE601KL.

 

[ManiacJoe]

We need to clarify the question you are asking.
Can apps write to the SD card? Yes, if you give them the permission to do so, then they are allowed to do so.
Will the apps write to the SD card? That is completely up to the developer that created the app. Some apps give you that option, some do not.

 

[jsab500]

Hi,
in that case I mean can apps that have been writing to the SD card in Android 5, still do so in 6 (without adoptable storage)? Or if developers need to do different things to make SD card writing possible in 5 than in 6, I mean can they be developed to do so or is there a limitation in Android 6 that makes it impossible?

Based on your answer, you are obviously implying that they can be, which is good. If this is correct, have you actually seen it work? I really want to be sure before I upgrade because different people have said/implied different things and I'm a bit confused, but if you've seen it work, please let me know!

thanks a lot,
James

 

[ManiacJoe]

From what I remember, all the apps (not many) that I had installed on Android 5.x that would write to the SD card continued to do so under Android 6.0.x. 6.0 did introduce some security changes; I may have needed to authorize the SD card access again for some apps, I don't remember the details.

Any apps in particular you are worried about?

 

[anon(123856)]

On my Tab S2 it seems that if an app needs access to my SD card it asks for permission to access if the first time it needs it.

Also some apps I've used like Solid Explorer can write to the SD card. It asked for permission the first time it required it. I use it to move files around all the time. But as a file manager it would be useless if it couldn't write to the card.

Not sure what app you have concerns about.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jsab500]

That's great thanks very much, you've put my mind at rest, I will update soon. In particular it would be Dropsync, ES file explorer, and SMS Backup and Restore (I think). All would be pretty bad if the couldn't, so I'm sure they can if it is possible overall.

Thanks,
James

 

[anon(123856)]

Oh yeah I forgot about SMS Backup and Restore. I use that on my Maxx 2 running Marshmallow and backup to the SD card as well.

Posted via the Android Central App