Question How to use an SD card as storage.

[stigofthedump]

The internal storage (8.00GB) on my phone is almost full (7.57GbB) so I frequently get (annoying) messages telling me this. However my SD card is almost empty. It is storing only 1.01Gb (5 photos) out of 31.91 Gb. How do I make the phone store more on the SD card?

 

[SpookDroid]

That depends on the OS version you have. Android started moving away from storing app data from SD cards (even if the phone has one) a long time ago, and only allows media and external downloads from apps (if you have a very old version, however, it may still support moving app data to it).

If the phone still supports app data on SD cards (not recommended as apps will fail if the card fails or gets removed), you should see the option on an app's settings under the STORAGE section; you'd see a 'move to SD card' option or something similar.

If you want to move media, you can use the phone's File Manager to move files to/from the card, but if you want that to be automatically done, you need to check each app's specific settings. For instance, your camera should have an option to store pictures either in internal or external storage.

 

[B. Diddy]

It's been a loooooong time since a phone only had 8 GB of internal storage, so that phone must be very old indeed! Can you tell us the manufacturer and model name/number?

 

[gomezz]

Wondering if the is some confusion somewhere between the (working) memory of the phone which indeed is typically of the order of 8GB or so and the internal storage of a phone which is usually somewhere more like 128/256/512GB?

 

[VidJunky]

I think we need more information because I have to agree with @gomezz on this 8GB is RAM numbers not ROM numbers. To @B. Diddy's point, I would be amazed to find a phone with those specs that still works on any network or that still has working apps.

You can get low RAM memory messages too and the solution for each is different than the other.

We really need some answers to help you.

What phone make and model do you have?

Will you post a screenshot of the message, the page, or whatever you're seeing so that we can see it?

 

[stigofthedump]

That depends on the OS version you have. Android started moving away from storing app data from SD cards (even if the phone has one) a long time ago, and only allows media and external downloads from apps (if you have a very old version, however, it may still support moving app data to it).

If the phone still supports app data on SD cards (not recommended as apps will fail if the card fails or gets removed), you should see the option on an app's settings under the STORAGE section; you'd see a 'move to SD card' option or something similar.

If you want to move media, you can use the phone's File Manager to move files to/from the card, but if you want that to be automatically done, you need to check each app's specific settings. For instance, your camera should have an option to store pictures either in internal or external storage.

Thanks for your really helpful reply. It was clearly explained and easy to understand. You should write instruction manuals! Your explanation summarised and confirmed what I had found out through my own efforts (frustrating and time consuming) and help from members of this forum last year. The bottom line is that the SD card I bought last year to extend the storage is almost useless. I currently store a few photos on it and have managed to save the Camera app to it. I was wanting to transfer all the unwanted/never to be used apps from my phone to it but forum members told me I couldn't do that unless there was an option to do it (as you explained in your reply). I had no idea all these apps were automatically installed on a phone and would take up valuable storage space. It wasn’t made clear when I bought the phone. I think my only option now is to buy another more up-to-date phone bearing in mind that I will still have to put up with all those bl***y apps that I don’t want and will never use. Thanks again for your help.

 

[stigofthedump]

It's been a loooooong time since a phone only had 8 GB of internal storage, so that phone must be very old indeed! Can you tell us the manufacturer and model name/number?

Thanks for your reply. Last year I wanted to move into the 21st century so I bought a smartphone. I mainly wanted a phone to send and receive text messages (I knew I would rarely use it for phone calls because I am hard of hearing). I didn’t want to spend a lot and I found one on Amazon that seemed to meet my needs. After I bought it I installed Facebook Lite (suits me perfectly) and WhatsApp, both of which I use when in range of WfFi either at home or in a pub. Occasionally using it as a Camera is a bonus. I have no need to use mobile data. I then found that quite a few other apps were installed on the phone and taking up most of the 8Gb storage. So I tried to delete them. When I couldn’t do that I asked for help from this forum. Members informed me that the apps couldn’t be deleted and most phones will have these apps installed whether you want them or not. Had this been explained to me in the phone’s description I would have bought a phone with a lot more than 8GB! So now I am faced with having to buy yet another phone which will be a lot more than the cost of my current phone. This fiasco will end up costing me a lot more than I thought it would i.e 2 phones in 18 months. Thanks again for your help.

 

[stigofthedump]

I think we need more information because I have to agree with @gomezz on this 8GB is RAM numbers not ROM numbers. To @B. Diddy's point, I would be amazed to find a phone with those specs that still works on any network or that still has working apps.

You can get low RAM memory messages too and the solution for each is different than the other.

We really need some answers to help you.

What phone make and model do you have?

Will you post a screenshot of the message, the page, or whatever you're seeing so that we can see it?

Thanks for your helpful reply. Based on the helpful replies to my original message I have decided not to spend anymore time trying to sort out my now-useless smartphone so I don't need to give you the information you have asked for. I will have to buy a better phone. GRRRR.

 

[stigofthedump]

Wondering if the is some confusion somewhere between the (working) memory of the phone which indeed is typically of the order of 8GB or so and the internal storage of a phone which is usually somewhere more like 128/256/512GB?

128 GB or even more! I wish. My phone says it has 8GB of internal shared storage and 31. 91 on the SD card.