Installing mobile games with additional cache files (OBB or Data) to an Android memory card - a challenge faced by owners of smartphones with limited internal storage. Even if a game is successfully downloaded, its data can take up gigabytes of space, which quickly fills up the device's memory. Transferring such games to microSD seems like a logical solution, but here pitfalls await users: from errors when mounting the cache to performance problems.

In this article we will analyze all current installation methods games with cache to an external drive - from manually transferring files to using specialized applications like FolderMount or Link2SD. We will pay special attention to the nuances of working with different versions of Android (from 6.0 to 14), as well as the specifics of devices, where manufacturers often limit access to SD cards. You will learn how to bypass system limitations, avoid the “File is corrupted” error, and even get games to work that do not initially support installation on external storage. Xiaomi, Samsung And Honor, where manufacturers often restrict access to SD cards. You'll learn how to bypass system limitations, avoid "File is corrupted" errors, and even get games that don't natively support installation on external storage to work.

Why games with a cache do not want to be installed on an SD card?

The main problem lies in the Android architecture. Starting with version 6.0 Marshmallow, Google has tightened the rules for working with external drives, dividing them into portable (replaceable) and internal (mounted as part of the system). Most games are designed to be installed in internal memory, where they have full access to their files. When transferring to an SD card, conflicts arise:

  • 🔒 Access rights restrictions: Android blocks writing to arbitrary folders on an external drive for security reasons.
  • 📁 Paths to cache files: Games look for OBB/Data along hard-coded paths like /sdcard/Android/obb/, which actually lead to the internal memory.
  • ⚡ Performance: Cheap microSD (class Class 4 or Class 10 without UHS) slow down the loading of textures, which leads to lags.
  • 🤖 Manufacturer restrictions: Samsung and Xiaomi they often format SD as internal memory, but this does not solve all problems.

Another nuance - Some games (for example, Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile) check the integrity of the cache at startup, and if the files are not where the system expects them, they simply do not start.. This can only be solved by deceiving the system through symbolic links or mounting folders.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with Android 11+ i MIUI 12+ the method of formatting SD as internal memory may not work. Manufacturers block this function to protect data.

Memory card requirements for installing games

Not every microSD is suitable for installing games. Here are the key parameters that are worth paying attention to:

Parameter Minimum requirement Recommended value Explanation
Volume 16 GB 64 GB+ Games like PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact take up 4–10 GB of cache only.
Speed class Class 10 UHS-I (U1/U3) Cards below Class 10 cause slowdowns when loading levels.
Format FAT32 exFAT FAT32 does not support files >4 GB, which is critical for modern games.
Manufacturer Any SanDisk, Samsung, Kingston Cheap "no-name" cards often fake speed class markings.

If your card is formatted in FAT32, and the game requires cache files larger than 4 GB (for example, Asphalt 9), the system simply will not be able to copy them. In this case, you will have to reformat the drive to exFAT or NTFS, but keep in mind: not all Android devices support these file systems out of the box.

📊 What memory card are you using?
SanDisk
Samsung
Kingston
Other (specify in the comments)
I don’t know the brand

Before purchasing, check the compatibility of the card with your smartphone. For example, series may not recognize cards larger than 256 GB, and sometimes conflict with the format. To avoid problems, give preference to cards marked Xiaomi Redmi Note series may not recognize cards larger than 256 GB, and Samsung Galaxy A sometimes conflict with format exFAT. To avoid problems, give preference to cards with markings A1 or A2 —they are optimized for working with applications.

Method 1: Formatting the SD card as internal memory

This is the most reliable method for devices on Android 6.0–9.0, but it has a serious drawback: after formatting, the card cannot be removed and used on other devices without losing data. But games will perceive it as part of the internal storage.

Make a backup copy of the data from the card|Charge the phone at least 50%|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network|Make sure that the card supports high speed classes-->

  1. Insert the card into the smartphone and wait for it to be recognized. Go to Settings → Storage Tap on the name of your SD card, then select (or three dots in the upper right corner) → Settings Settings data-i="109">Format as internal Settings → Storage.

  2. Tap the name of your SD card, then select Settings (or three dots in the upper right corner) → Format as internal.

  3. The system will warn that all data will be erased. Confirm the action and wait for the process to complete (may take 5-15 minutes).

  4. After formatting, select Move datato move some applications to the card.

Now, when installing games, you can select the SD card as a save location. However, please note:

  • 🔄 After removing the card, some games may stop working.
  • ⚠️ On Android 10+ this method may be blocked by the manufacturer (for example, on Xiaomi s MIUI 12).
  • 📉 Game performance may drop by 10-30% due to the read/write speed of the card.
What to do if the "Format as internal" option is missing?

On some firmware (for example, ColorOS or Flyme) this function is hidden. Try:

1. Connect the card to the PC and format it manually. exFAT manually.

2. Use the ADB command:

sm set-force-adoptable true

3. recovery (TWRP) and format the card through it.

Method 2: Manually copying OBB/Data to SD with deceiving the system

If formatting as internal memory is unavailable or undesirable, you can take a workaround: copy the cache files to the SD card, and then “trick” the game into thinking that they are located in the standard folder. To do this, you will need a file manager with root (for example, Root Explorer) or an application for creating symbolic links.

Action algorithm:

  1. Download the game APK and cache files (usually an archive with the extension .obb or folder com.name.game).

  2. Connect the memory card and create a folder on it Android, and inside it - obb and data (if they don’t exist).

  3. Copy the cache files to the appropriate folders on the SD card. For example: /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb/com.game.obb.

  4. Install the game's APK (don't run it!).

  5. Use FolderMount or Link2SDto create a symbolic link from the SD path to the standard one path in internal memory: 

    ln -s /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb /sdcard/Android/obb

If you do not have root access, an alternative is the application App2SD (requires Android 5.0+). It allows you to “link” game folders to SD without making deep changes to the system: for example, Free Fire or Mobile Legends may give an error when checking the cache.

⚠️ Attention: Symbolic links may break after updating Android or resetting the settings. Before such operations, make backup copies of the cache!

Method 3: Using applications to transfer games

For users without root access, there are special utilities that automate the transfer of games to an SD card. The most popular:

  • 📱 App2SD —supports the transfer of APKs and parts of data, but does not always work with OBB.
  • 🔗 FolderMount —creates virtual links between folders (requires root for full operation).
  • 🗃️ Link2SD — transfers the APK, cache and dalvik cache to the second SD partition (root is required).
  • 🎮 GLTools — allows you to change the path to OBB for individual games (paid version).

Let's consider working with FolderMount more details:

  1. Install the application from Google Play and provide root access (if available).

  2. Select Add Pair and specify:

    • Source: /sdcard/Android/obb/com.game (original path).
    • Destination: /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb/com.game (path to SD).

  • Activate the pair and reboot the device.

    • For Link2SD you will need to divide the SD card into two sections (the first - FAT32, the second - ext2/ext4). This is more complicated, but allows you to transfer even system game files. Instructions for splitting the card are in the application documentation.

    💡

    If the game after transfer shows the error “Files are corrupted”, try copying the cache back to the internal memory, launching the game once, and then transferring the data to SD again. Sometimes this helps to “update” the paths in the game’s configuration files.

    Solving common installation errors

    Even when correctly transferring games to an SD card, users encounter errors. Here are the most common of them and ways to eliminate them:

    Error Cause Solution
    "File is damaged" or "Download error" Mismatch of paths to OBB/Data or broken files.
    1. Check the integrity of the cache archive (MD5 hash).
    2. Make sure that the folders are named correctly (for example, com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftA9HM for Asphalt 9).
    3. Try to copy the cache manually via PC.
    "Not enough memory" The game is trying to write data to the internal memory.
    1. Format SD as internal (if possible).
    2. Use Link2SD to transfer dalvik cache.
    3. Clear the cache of other applications through Settings → Applications.
    The game slows down or crashes Low card read/write speed.
    1. Replace the card with a model with a class UHS-I U3.
    2. Disable background synchronization in the Android settings.
    3. Try to transfer only the APK, leaving the cache in the internal memory.

    If the game after transferring to SD refuses to launch with an error 920 or 924 (typically for games from Gameloft), try the following:

    • 🔄 Delete the game and cache, then install again, but this time select internal memory as the installation location, and copy the cache to SD manually.
    • 📂 Check that there are no unnecessary files from older versions of the game. Android/obb there were no extra files from older versions of the game.
    • 🔧 Use Lucky Patcher (only for unlicensed APKs!) to bypass the license check, which sometimes works during transfer.
    💡

    If the game requires mandatory installation on internal memory (for example, Fortnite or Diablo Immortal), transfer to SD may not be possible without root access and deep modifications of the system.

    Features for Xiaomi, Samsung and Honor devices

    Smartphone manufacturers often modify Android, which affects the work with SD cards. Let's consider the nuances for popular brands:

    • 📱 Xiaomi (MIUI):
      • Starting from MIUI 12, the option to format SD as internal memory is hidden. To get it back, you need to roll back to MIUI 11 or use ADB.
      • In Settings → Storage there is an option "Save to SD by default", but it only works for media files, not for games.
      • Application Security (Security) may block access to SD. Add the file manager to the exceptions.
    • 🤖 Samsung (One UI):
      • On devices with One UI 3.0+ (Android 11+), the SD card is automatically mounted as portable, and transferring games is possible only through Link2SD.
      • Some models (for example, Galaxy S21) do not support cards with a capacity of more than 1 TB.
      • V Settings → Device care → Storage You can manually transfer individual games to SD (but not their cache!).
    • 🍎 Honor/Huawei (EMUI/Magic UI):
      • On EMUI 10+ When formatting SD as internal memory, an encrypted partition is created that is not readable on other devices.
      • Use Huawei Phone Clone to backup games before transferring.
      • In Settings → Memory → Default storage location you can select SD, but this does not guarantee work with OBB.

    For devices Samsung with support Dex (for example, Galaxy S22 or Tab S8), transferring games to SD may cause problems when connecting to a monitor. In this case, it is recommended to leave games in the internal memory or use high-speed cards. On smartphones with UHS-II.

    ⚠️ Attention: On smartphones with Android Go (for example, Nokia 1 or Samsung Galaxy J2 Core), transferring games to SD is often blocked at the firmware level. This can only be circumvented through custom software.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about installing games on an SD card

    Is it possible to transfer an already installed game to an SD card without losing progress?

    Yes, but with caveats:

    • If the game supports cloud saving (for example, via Google Play Games or Facebook), progress will be restored after the transfer.
    • For offline games (for example, The Room) you will have to manually copy the folder with saves (usually located in /Android/data/name.game/files).
    • Use Titanium Backup (requires root) to create a complete copy of the game with settings.

    Important: some games (for example, Clash of Clans) bind progress to the device, and the transfer may reset it.

    Why did the game start to slow down after transferring to SD?

    The reasons may be the following:

    • Low card reading speed (lower class) UHS-I U1).
    • Fragmentation of cache files (defragmentation via PC will help).
    • Simultaneous writing/reading by multiple games (SD is not optimized for multitasking).
    • Using a file system FAT32 instead exFAT.

      • Solution: try transferring only the APK, leaving the cache in the internal memory, or replace the card with a faster one.

    How to transfer a game to SD if you do not have root access?

    The following methods are available without root:

    1. Formatting SD as internal memory (does not work on all devices).
    2. Use App2SD or Files by Google to transfer part of the data.
    3. Manually copying OBB/Data to SD with subsequent mounting via FolderMount (limited functionality).
    4. Installing games via APKMirror Installer with selecting a path to SD (not all games support this).

    Without root, transferring games to SD is very limited - consider clearing the internal memory in other ways. Android 11+ Without root, transferring games to SD is very limited - consider clearing internal memory using other methods.

    Is it possible to use an OTG flash drive instead of an SD card for games?

    Technically yes, but with serious reservations:

    • 🔌 The OTG flash drive must support OTG UHS-I and have a read speed of 80 MB/s.
    • 📱 The device must support OTG i USB Host Mode (check in the specifications).
    • 🎮 The game must be able to work with external drives (many do not).
    • ⚡ When connected via OTG, the flash drive will consume additional energy, which drains the battery faster.

    For constant use, OTG is inconvenient - it is better to buy a high-quality microSD.

    What games definitely cannot be transferred to an SD card?

    List of games that block work with external drives:

    • Genshin Impact — checks the integrity of files upon startup.
    • Call of Duty: Mobile —requires internal memory for the cache.
    • Fortnite — uses protected files that are not transferred.
    • Diablo Immortal — blocks startup if OBB is not in the internal memory.
    • NBA 2K Mobile — checks data paths when loading.

    For these games, the only way out is to expand the internal memory with SD (if supported) or buy a smartphone with a larger storage.