Question RE: SD Cards

[AC Question]

Last year I purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 16gb tab for my wife. She really only uses it for FB, Messenger, uploading a few photos, watches videos sometimes etc. Little stuff. So I figured this would be ok for her, I know it's an older model... but it's all she needs. Soon she ran outta space so I went to Walmart and got her a PNY 64gb SD card. Now, here's the question. The Tab DOES SEE the card, I mounted the card, formatted it, I was even able to move over her FB & Messanger app to the SD card... but I cannot seem to move anything else over. Do SD cards only allow certain types of files to be moved? It's kind of frustrating because I have all this extra space and for some reason, I can't seem to use it. Very confused! Please advise. Thanks.

 

[ManiacJoe]

For an app to be moved to the SD card:
The version of android needs to allow it.
The app needs to allow it.
The app picks which parts get moved.
Software updates to the app automatically move the app back to the internal storage.

Your SD card is best used for movies, music, pictures, and documents.
Leave the apps on the internal storage.

Some apps let you configure where they save files. This is handy for camera apps and map apps and other apps that use large amounts of data.

 

[JackLW]

So, is what you're saying that SD cards are really only good for file, movie, music and perhaps SOME application storage?

 

[ManiacJoe]

Correct.
If the card is formatted as external storage (the normal option), it is best used for music, videos, pictures, and documents; apps should stay on the internal storage.

Some phones and some versions of android will let you format the card as an extension of the internal storage. This has pros and cons.

 

[Tim1954]

As Joe says, it's up to the devs to write the code to move apps. Even then, only a fraction of the app itself is actually moved. So now you have the app trying to function from two places. Corrupt your sd card and the apps cease to function.
Best to just leave apps in internal storage and move all media to the card...