ZTE won't save apps to SD card

[Dany Ashby]

I've looked around and this seems to be a common topic, though I haven't seen anyone else having the specific issues I am having, nor any info for this kind of problem with my particular phone.

I have a ZTE Avid Plus Z828 from T-Mobile, running Android version 5.1.1
8GB Internal Storage, 788MB Available, 4.47GB System memory, 2.76GB Used space
14.91GB SD card, 14.12GB Available

I have two options for the Save Location under storage settings, Phone and SD card. I have selected the SD card as the save location, but nothing I download will actually save there. It all goes to the phone's internal storage, and while I can still manually move apps to the SD card, I can't download anything that is larger than the available internal storage space. Additionally, I frequently get the insufficient storage notification when I try to download apps, even when their download is size significantly smaller than the space available on the internal storage. For instance, when I try to download the game Dungeon Hunter 3, which has a download size of only 471MB, it tells me I have insufficient storage, even though it says I have 788MB available.

I know the SD card is installed properly since I can move apps to it and it has music saved on it. I've only downloaded a few apps and I've moved all of them to the SD card. I have no movies or music stored internally, and I've deleted all but 10 of the pics saved to my phone. The SD card is not locked and does not have any secure storage. I've cleared the cached data multiple times and I've gone into the file manager and deleted a bunch of ad videos and images that other apps had saved to my phone. And yes, I have tried turning it off and on again. Many times. XD

I've seen some people talking about "rooting" in various posts about memory problems, but I have no idea what that is and am very new to Android devices..

Two other, somewhat related problems are that any time a downloaded app updates, it moves itself back to the phone and I have to go in and move it back to the SD card. Even more strangely, is that whenever I restart or turn off my phone, all of the downloaded app icons disappear from all of my home screen pages, whether or not they are on the SD card or internal memory. I have to drag them back and rearrange them every time. The ones that came on my phone are the only ones that stay put.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central!

I have two options for the Save Location under storage settings, Phone and SD card. I have selected the SD card as the save location, but nothing I download will actually save there.

The Save Location is for downloading discrete files (like photos or document files)--not for installing apps. Apps always have to download and install to Internal Storage first, after which the user can try to move a portion of the app to the SD card (if the device supports moving the app--and not all devices support this).

Additionally, I frequently get the insufficient storage notification when I try to download apps, even when their download is size significantly smaller than the space available on the internal storage. For instance, when I try to download the game Dungeon Hunter 3, which has a download size of only 471MB, it tells me I have insufficient storage, even though it says I have 788MB available.

Keep in mind that the download size shown in Google Play Store is only the size of the installer file. The full app usually requires substantially more internal storage (just like a Windows program's final size on the hard drive is significantly larger than the EXE file). And there is also a threshold available space below which the system prevents you from installing anything (since the system always has to make sure a certain amount of storage is available for various system apps as well).

I've seen some people talking about "rooting" in various posts about memory problems, but I have no idea what that is and am very new to Android devices..

Rooting a phone is the process of obtaining superuser status, allowing you to have more control over the system. It can give the user much more power, but it's also not for beginners, since doing the wrong thing can brick the phone. Also, in your situation, the main way that rooting would help would be if the phone didn't support moving apps to SD in the first place, because then you could use apps like Link2SD or App Mgr III (which require root).

any time a downloaded app updates, it moves itself back to the phone and I have to go in and move it back to the SD card.

This is normal behavior.

whenever I restart or turn off my phone, all of the downloaded app icons disappear from all of my home screen pages, whether or not they are on the SD card or internal memory. I have to drag them back and rearrange them every time. The ones that came on my phone are the only ones that stay put.

This is not normal behavior. Are you completely powering down the phone, or only putting the screen to sleep?

 

[Dany Ashby]

Thanks for the reply!

Are you completely powering down the phone, or only putting the screen to sleep?

Powering down the phone. When I put the screen to sleep, the icons stay put.

 

[B. Diddy]

I realize this isn't a full solution, but you could get around the issue with the apps disappearing by avoiding complete shutdowns. Android devices generally don't need to be powered down completely, unless an app is malfunctioning.

The issue might be due to a glitch with the stock launcher app. I'd suggest trying an alternate launcher like Nova Launcher, but that might be difficult since you're already running low on Internal Storage, and this would be an additional app to install.

 

[Yesitis]

my question is simular,
Same phone,
I am trying to not root this phone right now, but I need to I will,
Problem...Low internal memory,won't even update apps. I do not store pics to device,one game downloaded,(uninstalled and reinstalled,no problem there), 'best fiends'...
I have checked out some games here and there, but uninstalled them,
now , where is all my memory, oh did the cache thing too.
.
next question,
When I hook phone up to pc w/wo vysor, nothing is shown except storage amount. Works the same way on giving info as phone.
Toshiba Satelite laptop. 263 of 297 gb available.

Also, you have answered this before,
When all those preinstalled google apps update,(not on auto) what happens, do they just add on to what is there and take up more space, or do they remove old USELESS info,? I have yet to update because I am trying to avoid rooting.

Thank you
Michael