Kitkat Issue: Can't Write to External SD Card

[thebluekrait]

Or just use the built-in My Files app to copy or move files from internal to external storage.

That's such a pain in the ***. Having applications write to the SD card is one of the reasons i liked android. They just screwed up big time. I'm going to apple as soon as my contract is up. This is the most frustrating thing I've ever seen from android. And for the record... "being a security feature" is a bunch of crap. Never been a problem before. Shouldn't be now. If they're worried about applications just writing data to whatever they want, why would that be any different to the Internal memory, vs...the external? it's not. Basically, they took away the SD card because they want to charge people more for having a bigger Internal memory. Thanks for joining Crapple on this one google. Poor choice.

 

[Leo G]

The new Lollipop OS that is coming out soon will eliminate all that "security" and the SD card will be back almost to normal. Just a few settings to tell it how you want it to function and you'll be good.

Or root back to NC5 and run SDFix and you can be back to normal.

 

[TeePulan]

Re: Kitkat Issue: Can't Write to External SD Card

The only File Manager that has ever worked for me with external cards is "File Commander".
Good luck!

 

[Justin Adrian De la Cruz]

Re: Kitkat Issue: Can't Write to External SD Card

it worked for me

 

[Nyoman_CD]

Then create a directory using ES file explorer (or anything) with that package name in Extsdcard:/Android/data

For example, to have free reign with ES file explorer, create the directory:

/Android/data/com.estrongs.android.pop

And then ES can read/write/delete anything in that subdirectory. I'm still working on getting back the automation I used to have, but this is a start.

you are genius vidness....its solve my problem without rooted or anything...thanks a lot

 

[Leo G]

you are genius vidness....its solve my problem without rooted or anything...thanks a lot

I rooted my phone and it was a much better solution. With the package solution you had to think about it. With the root, you just use your phone like you are suppose to. As soon as it went to NG6 the problem got that much worse.

 

[csmall2495]

The Page Name and adding the folder with ES File Explorer did not work for me. I am on a S5 Active on Android 4.4.4 KitKat.

All I want to do is move files to my SD card and the device is blocking everything.

Any updated suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[soffpro]

where are GOOGLE's responses on all of this? - there should be OUTRAGE at them developing a system that doesn't allow apps to write to SDcard or KITKAT phones will have to expand storage to look like bulky 70s mobile phones. WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT ANDROID? what a bunch of idiots!

what sane person would buy any phone with KITKAT if they knew this was an issue? DUGHHHH! NO BRAINER. and now i resent you for buying an expensive phone and discovering you've been such idiots.

 

[Leo G]

Welcome to the world of Apple.

 

[hollyoaks777]

You will not believe me when I say this works. Use the built in my files and that's it no need for any other file explorer. Though I must say that I loved es file explorer.

And another thing I found out today was that the new s6 is only coming with 2 apps no bloat ware at all .But 8f you hear a release date for UK please let me know. Thanks guys

 

[Leo G]

I rooted my phone to use this but it worked. NextApp SD Fix

 

[Tim Peters1]

Re: Kitkat Issue: Can't Write to External SD Card

The article "KitKat and SD cards — what's fixed, what's broken and what's misunderstood | Android Central" is not helpful. In summary, it states that Kit Kat secures the SD card and that likely breaks most apps trying to use it and there is nothing you can do about it. It does not offer a solution or workarounds. It also uses a term like huff and puff to make light of the frustrations this has caused. Every time I find a new app that could be useful, I find that some feature won't work. I tried to move the whole app to the SDcard too. For example, I installed HealthTracker today. I tried export to CSV file. It gives me a familiar error. "error writing "HealthTracker.csv, data export failed". I delete 9 out of 10 apps I try to install because they don't work fully. I am stuck with a tiny amount of internal memory and a nearly useless SD card. Is there any hack to "unsecure" the "security features" they added? I'm tired of borrowing my wife's phone to use my apps.

Ok. Since I believe this is what you're really asking (you've probably already figured this out but here is the solution). For some stupid reason kitkat blocks you from using file manager apps to move files to your external SD card because it doesn't give them permission to write to it. If you open up "My Files" in your apps you will be able to write and move files to your external SD card. Hope this helped.

 

[mcluvin737]

I am rooted 4.4.2 stock sprint S4. I've used the SD card fix apps, created the android/data file on the SD card, and tried My Files. None of those work for me. When I delete or add a file to the SD card, it looks like it worked, but after reboot, the changes are gone, like they never happened.

 

[Leo G]

I'm rooted 4.4.2 stock NC5 Verizon. Used the SD Fix and it worked. Happy as a clam.

 

[Major Henderson]

I've been using Spreadsheet programs to keep track of my packing list for my vacations for years. Boy was I surprised to find that I could not save the edited spreadsheet back to the SD card. I kept looking at the macroSD card to see if there was a write protect switch of which I was previously unaware. Finally, one of the Spreadsheet programs gave me an error message stating that the present version of Android OS would not allow writing to the SD card. I think this is ridiculous. No wonder Samsung did away with the SD card slot on their new phones. What good would they be anyway?

 

[Johnpeter Clinton]

i cant able to transver my app to sd card =in my phone

 

[assassen027]

Sorry what i posted didn't work

 

[GeertVc]

I was shocked it worked. It's not suppose to be able to manipulate the card. But I've found that ES has a few tricks up its sleeve and can do a few things the others can't. I've been very pleased with it. Disappointed in Google for not giving the option to opt out of their draconian provision of no access to the SD card. They want you to purchase space in the cloud. Which is very doubtful I ever will as it is an insecure place.

Downloaded and tried ES today because I saw it was working for you on KitKat 4.4. However, when trying to copy a file to the external SD card, it still won't work. A message popped up it would only work if the device was rooted, which is not what I want (to do).
I was wondering how you did this working. Can you explain?

 

[Leo G]

It's been a long time since I did that. It did work. A few things it wouldn't do were rename files and sometimes move files.

I have since rooted and ODINed back to 4.4.2. I used an App called NextApp SDFix to make everything work correctly again. I renamed the APKs that have to deal with updates. My phone will be stuck at 4.4.2 from now on. It's where everything worked like it did when I bought it with a few upgrades in between.