Where Android installs applications: all storage paths and how to change them

Have you ever wondered where exactly Android installs applications after clicking the “Install” button? It turns out that there are several hidden folders in the system, and the path depends on the OS version, user settings, and even the smartphone model. For example, on Samsung Galaxy s One UI storage logic may differ from “pure” Android 14 on Google Pixel.

In this article we will look in detail: 1) Where APK files and application data (including cache and settings) are physically stored. 2) How to check how much space each application takes up. 3) Is it possible to transfer apps to an SD card and is it worth doing it. 4) What is it /data/app and why it cannot be seen without root access. 5) How to clear memory of “garbage” remnants of deleted applications.

If you don’t have enough space on your phone or you just want to understand the system, this instruction will help. We will not go deep into the technical jungle, but we will give clear answers with examples for different versions of Android.

1. Standard paths for installing applications in Android

By default, all applications from Google Play or third-party sources (APK files) are installed in internal memory of the device. The specific path depends on the version of Android and the manufacturer, but the general structure looks like this:

• 📁 /data/app - the basic data of installed applications is stored here (required APK files and basic data of installed applications (required root access for view).
• 📁 /data/data — folder with user data (settings, game saves, cache). Each application has its own subfolder here (for example, com.whatsapp).
• 📁 /data/app-asec - used for encrypted applications (for example, banking or with DRM protection).
• 📁 /system/app - system applications, pre-installed by the manufacturer (removed only with root access).

For example, if you installed Telegram from Play Market, its APK file will be in /data/app/com.telegram-1/apk/base.apk, and chats and media files will be in /data/data/com.telegram/files.

Why are these folders hidden? Android restricts access to /data for security reasons. Without root you will not see them even through the file manager, but you can view the used space in the system settings.

adb shell ls /data/app

This will show a list of installed applications, but will not give access to their files.-->

2. How to check how much space an application takes up

No need to delve into system folders to find out the “weight” of the app. Android provides built-in tools:

1. Open Settings → Applications (on some devices - Settings → Applications and notifications).
2. Select the desired application (for example, Facebook or Google Chrome).
3. Tap on the item Storage or Memory.

Here you will see two key numbers: Application size - this is the APK file itself + updates. User data - cache, settings, downloads (for example, offline maps in Google Maps).

Important: some applications (for example, Netflix or Spotify) download media files to /sdcard/Android/data/[package_name] —this folder can be cleared manually through any file manager.

3. Is it possible to install applications on an SD card?

Yes, but with reservations Android 6.0 Marshmallow, Google. limited this function for security reasons. Now there are two scenarios:

• 🔄 Partial transfer: some application data can be moved to the SD card (for example, game cache). This is done manually in the application settings (item Storage → Edit → SD card data-i="115">: impossible without root access. The system blocks the installation of APK files on external media.).
• 🚫 Full APK transfer: not possible without root access. The system blocks the installation of APK files on external media.

On devices with Android 9.0+ even partial transfer may be blocked. For example, Samsung has completely removed this option in One UI 5.0, and Xiaomi leaves it only for selected applications.

⚠️ Attention: Transferring applications to a class SD card UHS-I (even the fastest) can cause lags. The system is not optimized for working with external media as the main storage.

If you are critically short of space, it is better:

• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary applications (use Settings → Storage → Free up space).
• ☁️ Transfer media files (photos, videos) to the cloud (Google Photos, Yandex Disk).
• 🔄 Use function Adoptable Storage (turns the SD card into part of the internal memory), but this formats the card and makes it incompatible with other devices.

4. Where are applications from APK files installed?

If you download APK from the site (for example, APKMirror) and install manually, the rule is the same: by default the file will go to the internal memory. However, there are nuances:

• 📥 Download APK: the file is first saved in /sdcard/Download or the folder you select.
• 🔧 Installation: after tapping on the file, the system copies it to /data/app (as well as applications from Play Market).
• 🔒 Blocking: Android prohibits installing APK from external media if the item is not enabled in the settings Installation from unknown sources (path: Settings → Security).

Some file managers (for example, Solid Explorer) allow you to select a folder to download the APK, but you cannot install the application directly on the SD card —the system always copies it to the internal memory.

Exception: on devices with with root access you can manually transfer the APK to /system/app or to the SD card using commands ADB or applications like App2SD. However, this is risky: incorrect manipulations will lead to the crash of the application or system.

Check the hash of the file (for example, via Hash Droid)|Enable installation from unknown sources ONLY for a trusted file manager|Do not install APK if the file size is suspiciously small (may be a virus)|After installation, disable the permission for unknown sources-->

5. How to free up space from deleted applications

Even after uninstalling the application, “tails” may remain on the system: Cache (sometimes not cleared automatically). Data folders in /sdcard/Android/data or /sdcard/Android/obb. Residual files in /data/data (requires root access to delete).

To completely clear traces:

1. Uninstall the application in the standard way (Settings → Applications → Uninstall).
2. Open a file manager (for example Files by Google) and manually delete the folders: /sdcard/Android/data/[package_name] /sdcard/Android/obb/[package_name]
3. For deep cleaning, use utilities like SD Maid (requires root for a full scan).

For example, after deleting PUBG Mobile in the folder /sdcard/Android/obb/com.tencent.ig a file of size 1–2 GB may remain - it can be safely deleted.

⚠️ Attention: Do not delete folders of current applications in /sdcard/Android/data - this will lead to malfunctions in their operation. Clean only the folders of uninstalled apps.

6. Features on different versions of Android

The application storage logic has evolved along with Android. Here are the key changes:

On Android 13+ Google has tightened the rules: applications are prohibited from creating files outside their folders in /sdcard, and access to shared directories (for example, Download) requires explicit user permission.

Manufacturers are also making changes: Samsung in One UI hides the option to transfer to SD, but allows you to expand the memory via Samsung Cloud. Xiaomi in MIUI leaves partial transfer, but blocks it for system applications. Google Pixel completely abandoned support for SD cards.

⚠️ Attention: Storage settings may vary depending on the firmware. For accurate information, check the section Settings → Storage on your device.

7. Myths and misconceptions about installing applications

There is a lot of erroneous advice floating around on the Internet. Let's look at the most popular ones:

• 🚫 "You can install all applications on an SD card" - no, starting from Android 6.0 this is limited. A complete transfer is only possible with root or via Adoptable Storage (which is not always safe).
• 🚫 "APK files can be launched from SD cards without installation" - no, Android requires you to copy the APK to the internal memory before launching.
• 🚫 "Clearing the cache deletes accounts and saves" —no, the cache (/data/data/[package]/cache) contains temporary files (for example, image thumbnails), not user data.
• 🚫 “The /data/app folder is accessible without root.” —no, this is a system directory with limited rights. Even through ADB you will only see a list of packages, but not the contents.

Another common misconception: "Moving applications to the SD card speeds up the phone". In fact, the read/write speed of microSD (UHS-I) is 2-5 times lower than that of built-in memory (UFS 3.1 or eMMC 5.1). This can cause stuttering, especially in games.

If you do not have enough space, it is better:

✅ Buy a smartphone with more memory (for example, 256 GB instead of 64 GB).

✅ Use cloud services to store media files.

✅ Regularly clear the cache and delete unused applications.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about storing applications

adb shell pm path com.example.app