The internal memory of modern smartphones often fills up instantly, especially if you are into mobile gaming. The cache of a popular game alone can take up several gigabytes, which is critical for devices with a 32 or 64 GB drive. Transferring game files to an external drive is becoming the only way to expand the capabilities of the device without purchasing a new gadget.
However, this process is not always intuitive, since the policies of Google and smartphone manufacturers regarding working with external drives have changed several times. In this article, we will look at current methods for installing and transferring games, and also consider nuances that will help you avoid mistakes when setting up the system.
Preparing an external drive for work
Before trying to install or transfer a game, make sure that your memory card is configured correctly. Not all SD cards are created equal: heavy graphics-heavy games require high read and write speeds. A slow card can cause freezes, long loading levels and application crashes.
Ideally, you should use standard cards UHS-I or UHS-II class 10 and higher. Insert the card into the smartphone slot and wait for the system notification. Android will offer two options for use: as portable storage or as internal memory. The choice depends on the version of your operating system and the purpose of use.
If you choose to format as internal memory, the system will encrypt the card and it will only work with that specific smartphone. This improves data security, but makes it more difficult to remove the card for reading on a computer. Portable mode is more universal, but not all applications will allow installation there by default.
Before formatting, be sure to copy all important data from the card to your computer, as the process will completely delete all existing information without the possibility of recovery.
⚠️ Attention: After formatting the card as internal memory, it will be impossible to remove it without losing data and resetting application settings. Use this method only if the card will always be in the phone.
Configuring the card as internal memory (Adoptable Storage)
The Adoptable Storage function, which appeared in Android 6.0, allows you to combine an external card with internal storage into a single logical volume. To the user, it looks like the amount of internal memory has increased. The system itself decides where to save the data, often transferring heavy applications and games to the card automatically.
To activate this mode, go to Settings → Storage. Select your SD card and click on the three dots in the corner of the screen (or the menu button). In the list that opens, select Storage settings or Format as internal. The system will warn about data loss and low speed of some cards.
After the process is completed, the smartphone may offer to transfer existing data immediately. Agree to the transfer to free up space on the built-in chip. Now, when downloading games from Google Play, they will be installed on the combined space by default.
Why do some phones not see this option?
Many manufacturers, such as Samsung or Xiaomi in some shells, programmatically block the ability to format the card as internal memory in order to encourage the purchase of models with a large amount of built-in storage.
| Characteristics | Portable storage | Internal memory |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | No | Yes (binding to device) |
| Transfer to PC | Easy via card reader | Impossible without formatting |
| Working speed | Depends on the card | Optimized by the system |
| Installing games | Only with the permission of the application | Automatically by the system |
Manually transferring installed games through settings
If you do not want to format the card as internal memory or your version of Android does not deeply support this function, you can try transferring already installed games manually. This method does not work for all applications, since the developer must explicitly allow the movement of their product to external media in the app manifest.
Go to Settings → Applications and find the desired game in the list. Open the application page and select Storage. If the developer has allowed the transfer, the button Change or Move to SD cardwill be active there. Press it and wait for the process to complete.
It is worth considering that not the entire application is transferred. The main APK file and some system libraries often remain in the internal memory, while the cache, resources and additional data go to the card. This saves space, but does not free up the internal memory completely.
☑️ Checking transferability
⚠️ Attention: If the move button is inactive (gray), then the game developer has prohibited installation on external media. This limitation cannot be circumvented using standard means.
Using third-party file managers
Sometimes standard Android settings hide the real capabilities of the file system. In such cases, advanced file managers such as Total Commander, FX File Explorer or Solid Explorercome to the rescue. They allow you to manually move game data folders, although this method requires caution.
Most modern games store their heavy files (cache) in a folder Android/obb or Android/data. You can copy these folders from your internal storage to your SD card. However, simply moving the files will not make the game work - it will continue to look for them in the old path.
To solve this problem, some file managers have a function for creating symbolic links (symlinks). This creates a "shortcut" in the internal memory that redirects the game to a folder on the SD card. For this function to work, root accessis often required, obtaining which may void your device warranty.
Without root access, this method works to a limited extent. Some games allow you to choose the path to resources in their internal settings, but this is rare. Most often, manual transfer of files without creating links leads to an error loading resources when starting the game.
Specifics of working with game cache
Understanding the data storage structure is critical to successfully freeing up space. The game consists of an installation file (APK) and a cache (OBB/Data). The APK weighs a little, and the cache can take up 2-5 GB. It is the cache that we are trying to move.
When installing a game from Google Play on a card formatted as internal memory, the system itself distributes the files. But if the card is in portable mode, the game may be installed in the internal memory, and the cache may be asked to be downloaded separately. In older versions of Android (up to 11), it was possible to set the path for the cache manually in the developer settings.
In new versions of Android, access to folders Android/obb and Android/data on external cards is severely limited by security policies (Scoped Storage). Direct access to these directories for third-party applications is prohibited, which makes it difficult to manually manage game files without special permissions or ADB commands.
adb shell pm set-install-location 2This command, entered through a computer in USB debugging mode, forces the installation priority of applications to an external drive. However, this does not guarantee that each specific game will obey this rule if the developer has strictly prescribed the installation path.
Possible problems and their solutions
Transferring games to an SD card is not without its drawbacks. The most common problem is slow loading speed. Even fast microSD cards are inferior to the built-in UFS 2.1 or 3.1 memory in the speed of random reading of small files, which is critical for open worlds in games.
It is also possible that after rebooting the phone or removing the card, games disappear from the menu or display the error “Application not installed.” This happens if the system did not have time to mount the drive before loading the launcher interface.
Another problem is version incompatibility. If you transferred the game to the card and then updated it via Google Play, the updated files may be written to the internal memory, while the old ones may remain on the card, causing version conflicts and crashes.
The speed of the game directly depends on the speed class of your SD card. For modern 3D shooters and racing games, the use of cards of class below U3 is not recommended.
⚠️ Attention: Menu interfaces and item names may differ depending on the smartphone model and shell version (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS). If you do not find the described function, check the official documentation of the manufacturer of your device.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to move the game if there is no "Move" button in the settings?
No using standard means. This is a limitation at the application code level. The only option is to format the card as internal memory, then the system can force a transfer of some data, or use complex methods with root access and creating symbolic links.
Why does the game run slower after transfer?
Most likely, your SD card has a low random read speed (IOPS). The built-in memory of a smartphone is much faster than even the most expensive memory cards. When transferring heavy textures and models, the phone spends more time loading them from the card.
Will progress in the game be deleted when transferred to the card?
No, progress is usually saved either in the cloud (via Google Play Games) or in save files that are transferred along with the rest of the application data. However, before any manipulations with the file system, it is recommended to make a backup copy of important saves.
Is it safe to store games on a memory card?
Yes, it is safe for the data, but memory cards are less reliable than built-in chips. They are subject to physical wear and tear and may fail if overheated or suddenly removed. Always have a backup copy of important data if you store it only on an external card.