How do I format an SD card as internal storage on a galaxy tab A 10.1 2016?

[uraniumhexoflorite]

I have a galaxy tab A 10.1 2016 (the model with the s pen) running android 8 that I use for note taking and watching videos. It only has 16 GB of storage and it doesn't give me the option to format an SD card as internal storage. I know that it's possible to do this on other devices, so it seems like it should be possible on this. I would prefer to not root my tablet, but I am open to the option if it is the only way since it's running very low on storage space and I can't move the notes to the SD card when it's external.

 

[mustang7757]

Hi, I highly don't recommend doing that , can become a big issue , as SD card can get corrupt and cause freezes and other OS problems. Use it only for music and photos but even back those up .

 

[uraniumhexoflorite]

If I can't move the notes to the SD card or use it as internal storage then I will probably run out of storage before the semester is over since I have about 1 gig remaining and I create about 1.5 gigs of notes each semester. I don't really have any other options.

 

[mustang7757]

If I can't move the notes to the SD card or use it as internal storage then I will probably run out of storage before the semester is over since I have about 1 gig remaining and I create about 1.5 gigs of notes each semester. I don't really have any other options.

If you keep your s notes sync in Samsung cloud like I do with my Note 10+ you won't have issue losing those , just have to manage apps and photos , or get something with higher storage

 

[anon(10614692)]

Are we talking S Notes using the app or general text files?

 

[Rukbat]

If I can't move the notes to the SD card or use it as internal storage then I will probably run out of storage before the semester is over since I have about 1 gig remaining and I create about 1.5 gigs of notes each semester. I don't really have any other options.

Sure you do - a text editor or drawing app (depending on how you take notes) saving to the SD card.

By the way, Samsung doesn't allow using an SD card as internal storage - about the only smart decision (well, maybe making the Note series was another one) they've ever made.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I used to work for Verizon and worked closely with a few Samsung reps, the story was always Samsung doesn't allow the sd card as internal storage because it is slow and unreliable. They didn't want customers having a negative experience due to an sd card and blaming the device itself. Whether it was poor performance or lost data.

 

[belodion]

^ I think that's also why Apple don't allow SD cards at all on iPhones.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

^ I think that's also why Apple don't allow SD cards at all on iPhones.

That and they probably tried to profit off larger storage sizes, they were the first OEM I remember offering multiple storage options.

 

[uraniumhexoflorite]

The app I use to take notes is the Samsung notes app that came with the tablet. I have the notes backed up to the cloud but I have no idea how to look at anything in Samsung's cloud so I can't store them there instead of on the tablet. Most of the other space on the tablet is used by textbooks and some apps for classes, so I can't really delete them. At this point I don't see what I really have to lose by trying this since the only way to get more storage is to get a new tablet.

 

[Rukbat]

At this point I don't see what I really have to lose by trying this

By trying what? You can't format the SD card as internal storage in a Samsung. The function just isn't there.

"Saving" them to the SD card would mean rooting the tablet, learning SQL, getting a SQLite editor, finding the right database file (by its contents), and copying the file to the SD card, then deleting all the notes and starting again. (The file won't get any smaller, the notes just get marked "deleted", and new ones overwrite the deleted ones. You'd probably have to use the VACUUM command to shrink the database, but since that's a journaled command, you'd need enough free space to hold another, complete, copy of the database. [Or copy it to Windows, VACUUM it there, then copy the smaller file back over the larger file.])

 

[uraniumhexoflorite]

That's unfortunate. I thought that there was a way it could be set as internal but it involved rooting the device. I guess I'm going tablet shopping then.