Write Directly to SD Card

GibMcFragger

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Unfortunately not. That feature was removed by Google with the release of Lollipop.

Posted via my Galaxy Tab S 8.4" running IronROM v2.x
 

johnts

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I'm getting mine at the end of the week to replace my Blackberry Z10. On that phone I could save pictures directly to the SD card. Are you saying this system will not do that without me actually moving them from the phone storage to the card?
 

johnts

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I guess if you hooked it up to your PC it should be able to be done easily. I was going to place everything I have in ITunes on the card, I hope I can do that.
 

prettybones24

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Writing directly to the SD card is a feature google removed from all android phones on lollipop for security reasons. But I wish they would add it back.
 
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Rukbat

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An app can write to the SD card - but there are limits. One app can't write to another app's folders so, for example, you can't take a picture and save it to the SD card, then use a file manager to delete it. The only way to give all apps all rights to the card is to modify the platform.xml file and, since it's a system file, you need root permissions to do that.
 

lrrowley

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Yes rubcat is correct. And the change actually happened with kitkat, not lollipop.

There is a setting in the camera app to save pictures and videos to the SD card. If you put in a SD card before turning in the phone for the first time then the camera will default to saving to the SD.

An app can write to the SD card - but there are limits. One app can't write to another app's folders so, for example, you can't take a picture and save it to the SD card, then use a file manager to delete it. The only way to give all apps all rights to the card is to modify the platform.xml file and, since it's a system file, you need root permissions to do that.
 

Inders99

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There is a setting in the camera app to save pictures and videos to the SD card. If you put in a SD card before turning in the phone for the first time then the camera will default to saving to the SD.

I don't see the setting, do you have to have the card in for it to come up somewhere in the app?
 

DLCPhototography

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Using my own Verizon Note 3 as an example:

When I updated to KitKat 4.4.4, the ability for apps to write to the SD card was mostly gone (other than the stock file manger, for example). This was a pain.

When I received the Lollipop update, things improved significantly, as apps were able to once again write to the SD card - not anything, anywhere, but there was now some type of formal structure that enabled apps to write to certain locations on the SD card. And if I'm not mistaken, Apps had to be written or updated in such a way as to take advantage of this capability.

So I'm assuming/hoping that the G4, with Lollipop, will not have practical problems in this regard, at least for Apps written or updated for Lollipop.
 

MDMcAtee

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Things are supposed to improve greatly with Android M so that is something to look forward to this fall.

Posted via the Android Central App from my HTC m8 till my LG g4 comes in.
 

lrrowley

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I honestly haven't noticed anything different in how I use SD cards, but then again I really only use them for things like saving photos and backups.
 

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