Modern applications take up more and more space in smartphone memory, and transferring them to an SD card in devices Samsung often turns into a headache pain. The manufacturer has limited this feature in new versions of Android, but workarounds still exist. If your Galaxy S23, A54 or another model constantly displays a notification about low memory, and the memory card is idle - this article will help you regain control over the storage.

We will look at all current methods transferring applications: from standard settings to advanced tricks with ADB and formatting the card as an internal drive. It is important to understand that not all applications support transfer (especially system ones and protected games), but even partial offloading of the main memory can give +5-10 GB of free space. Let's start with the simplest and move on to complex solutions - choose the appropriate option depending on your model and version of Android.

1. Standard transfer through settings (Android 8-9)

On older versions of Android (before Android 10), the built-in application transfer function was retained. If your smartphone runs on Samsung The built-in application transfer function was retained. If your smartphone runs on Android 8 Oreo or 9 Pie, try this method first - it is the safest and does not require additional manipulations.

Open Settings → Applications, select the desired application and find the item Storage. A Change or Move to SD cardbutton may be displayed here. Please note that:

  • 🔹 Not all applications support transfer (especially system and preinstalled)
  • 🔹 Part of the data (cache, updates) may remain in the internal memory
  • 🔹 After transfer, the application may work slower (depending on the class of SD card)
📊 What version of Android does your Samsung use?
Android 10-11
Android 12-13
Android 14
Old version (pre-Android 9)
I don’t know

If there is no transfer button, then the manufacturer has disabled this function for a specific application. In this case, proceed to the next method. Starting with Android 10, Samsung has completely removed the standard transfer of applications through the settings menu - this is not a bug, but a conscious decision by Google and manufacturers.

2. Formatting an SD card as internal memory

This method works on all versions of Android, but has serious consequences: after formatting, the card cannot be used in other devices without being completely erased. But the system will perceive it as part of the main storage, allowing you to install applications directly.

Instructions:

  1. Insert the SD card into the smartphone (preferably class UHS-I U3 or higher)
  2. Go to Settings → Care behind the device → Storage → Advanced (⋮) → Storage settings
  3. Select your SD card and click Format as internal
  4. Confirm the action and wait for completion (may take 5-10 minutes)
  5. After formatting, you will be able to select the installation location in the application settings

Back up data from the card|Use a U3 class card or higher|Charge the phone to at least 50%|Disable important notifications during the process-->

⚠️ Attention: After this formatting, the card will be encrypted and will only work with this smartphone. When extracted, you will have to format it again, losing all data. Also, some applications (for example WhatsApp or banking) may refuse to work from an external drive.

Advantages Disadvantages
Maximum saving of internal memory The card becomes “tied” to the device
Supports most applications Reduced performance (depending on the speed of the card)
Automatic installation of new applications on SD Risk of data loss if the card is damaged

3. Transfer via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) a debugging tool that allows you to manually tell the system which applications can be transferred. This method requires a connection to a computer and basic knowledge of the command line.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Enable Mode Developer on your phone: Settings → About phone → Build number (press 7 times)
  2. Go back to Settings → Developer options and enable Debug by USB
  3. Connect your phone to the PC, install ADB drivers and open the command line
  4. Enter the command to check the connection: 
    adb devices

    (the serial number of your device should be displayed)

  5. Find out the batch name of the application (for example, through App Inspector or the command: 
    adb shell pm list packages -f
  6. Move the application with the command: 
    adb shell pm set-install-location 2

    (this will force the system to install new applications on SD by default)

To migrate a specific application, use: 

adb shell pm move-package com.example.app /sdcard

(replace com.example.app with the real package name)

💡

If the command does not work, try disabling and re-enabling debugging first USB. Also check if the antivirus on your PC is blocking the ADB connection.

⚠️ Attention: Not all applications support transfer via ADB. System applications and some games (for example, Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) may give an error. memory. Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_INSTALL_LOCATION]. In this case, the only option left is to format the card as internal memory.

4. Transferring cache and application data

Even if the application itself cannot be transferred, you can often free up space by moving it cache and user dataThis applies to instant messengers, social networks and multimedia applications that are downloaded. gigabytes of temporary files.

How to do it:

  • 📁 For WhatsApp: Settings → Memory and data → Memory management → Change saving path (select SD card)
  • 🎵 For Spotify/Yandex Music: in the application settings, find the item Memory or Downloads and specify the path to SD
  • 📷 For Google Photos: Settings → Backup and synchronization → Device memory → SD card
  • 🎮 For games: some titles (for example, Asphalt 9) allow you to transfer downloaded resources through Settings → Advanced → Memory

To manually transfer files, use any file manager (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer):

  1. Open the folder /Android/data/ or /Android/obb/
  2. Find the folder with the name of the application package (for example, com.whatsapp)
  3. Copy it to the SD card in the same folder structure
  4. B some applications may need to specify a new path manually
What happens if you simply move the application folder to the SD card?

Most applications will not see the files in the new location and will create new folders in the internal memory. For the transfer to work, you must either use symbolic links (requires root) or specify a new path in the settings of the application itself. The exception is media files (photos, videos, music). applications are usually found automatically when scanning the storage.

For advanced users with root-rights there is a radical method - creating symbolic links (symlink), which “trick” the system into thinking that the files are in the internal memory, although they are physically located on the SD card.

Instructions (requires Termux or ADB Shell):

  1. Move the application folder (for example, /data/data/com.example.app) to the SD card
  2. Delete the original folder
  3. Create a symbolic link with the command: 
    ln -s /storage/emmet/0/Android/data/com.example.app /data/data/com.example.app
  4. Restart the device

⚠️ Attention: This method can lead to unstable operation of applications or even loss dataif the SD card is removed. Use it only for non-critical applications and be sure to make backups. Also note that on new versions of Android (Android 11+), access to the folder /data/data/ is severely limited even with root.

6. Alternative solutions: clouds and optimization

If none of the methods worked, consider alternative ways to free up memory:

  • ☁️ Cloud storage: Transfer photos/videos to Google Photos, Yandex Disk or OneDrive with automatic cleaning of local copies
  • 🧹 Clearing the cache: Regularly clear the cache via Settings → Applications → Storage → Clear cache
  • 🔄 Lite versions of applications: Install light versions (Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite)
  • 📦 Archiving rarely used applications: B Galaxy Store or Play Market can be archived games without deleting progress
  • 🔧 Reset to factory settings: A last resort if the system is cluttered with remnants of deleted applications

For automatic memory optimization, Samsung has a built-in function Device care (Settings → Device care → Memory → Clear). It analyzes unused files and suggests deleting them. It is also useful to disable automatic saving of media files from instant messengers:

Application Path to settings
WhatsApp Settings → Memory and data → Auto-download of media files
Telegram Settings → Data and memory → Auto-download media
Viber Settings → Multimedia → Automatic download
💡

Even if transferring applications to the SD card is not possible, optimizing the storage of media files and cache can free up to 30% of the internal memory without loss of functionality.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When transferring applications to an SD card, users Samsung often encounter typical errors. Here are the most common ones and how to eliminate them:

  • 🚫 "The transfer button is inactive": The application does not support transfer (especially important for system and pre-installed applications Samsung)
  • ⚠️ "The application does not work after transfer": Try clearing the application cache or moving it back to internal memory
  • 🔄 "SD card is not recognized as internal": Check that the card is formatted in exFAT or FAT32 (for cards up to 32 GB)
  • 🐢 "Applications slow down from the SD card": Use a class card UHS-I U3 or A2 for better performance
  • 🔒 "Cannot be transferred to SD in Android 12+": This is a Google limitation - try the method with ADB or formatting as internal memory

If after transfer the application starts to show errors, check:

  1. Availability of updates for the application in Play Market
  2. Storage access rights (Settings → Applications → Permissions)
  3. Integrity of files on the SD card (sometimes checking for errors via a PC helps)

To diagnose problems with the SD card, Samsung there is a hidden testing menu. open:

  1. Enter the code in the phone number: *#9900#
  2. Select SysDump → SD Card Test
  3. Wait for the verification to complete (do not interrupt the process!)
💡

If the SD card is detected, but applications are not transferred to it, try formatting it in your phone again. Sometimes changing the file system from exFAT to FAT32 helps (but keep in mind the 4 GB limit per file).

Can I transfer WhatsApp to an SD card in Samsung?

Itself The application WhatsApp cannot be transferred, but you can move its media files (photos, videos, voice messages). To do this:

  1. Open Whatsapp Settings → Storage and data → Memory management
  2. Click Change path saving and select SD card
  3. Confirm the transfer of existing files (if prompted)

⚠️ After transferring, new media files will be saved to the card, but old ones will remain in the internal memory. They need to be moved manually through the file manager.

Why did the ability to transfer applications disappear after updating to Android 13?

Starting from Android 10Google limited the ability to transfer applications to the SD card for security and performance reasons. Samsung followed this rule, removing the corresponding options from the interface. Alternatives:

  • Formatting the card as internal memory
  • Using ADB commands (see section 3)
  • Transferring only media files and cache

These restrictions apply to all manufacturers, not just Samsung.

How to transfer games to an SD card in Samsung?

Most modern games (especially those with piracy protection) do not support transfer to an SD card. However, you can try:

  1. For games with cache (for example, Asphalt 9): move the folder Android/obb/ to the SD card manually
  2. For emulators (for example, PPSSPP): in the emulator settings, specify the path to the SD card for saves and ISO images
  3. For Minecraft: in the game settings there is an option to change the path to worlds

⚠️ Games with online verification (for example, Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile) most likely will not work from an SD card due to protection against cheating.

Which SD card to choose for Samsung so that applications work quickly?

For installing and running applications from an SD card, cards with the following characteristics are recommended:

  • 🔹 Speed class: UHS-I U3 or A2 (minimum write speed 30 MB/s)
  • 🔹 Capacity: From 64 GB (smaller cards may not have enough space for updates)
  • 🔹 Manufacturer: Samsung EVO Plus, SanDisk Extreme, Kingston Canvas Go! Plus
  • 🔹 File system: exFAT (for cards >32 GB) or FAT32 (for cards ≤32 GB)

Avoid cheap no-name cards - they often have underestimated real characteristics and can lead to data loss.

Is it possible to transfer Samsung system applications to an SD card?

No, system applications (Samsung Health, Bixby, Galaxy Store etc.) cannot be transferred to an SD card. This is a limitation at the Android level. The only options:

  • Disable unnecessary system applications via Settings → Applications → ⋮ → Show system ones
  • Get root access and remove them (risky, may disrupt the system)
  • Use ADB to deactivate: 
    adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.sec.android.app.launcher

    (replace com.sec.android.app.launcher with the package name of the unnecessary application)

⚠️ Removing system applications can lead to unstable operation of the phone and loss of warranty.