Downloading the game cache on Android is a task that every gamer faces. Not only the loading speed, but also the stability of the game, the free space on the device, and even the service life of the drive depends on the correct choice of storage location. In 2026, when the cache volume of top projects like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty: Mobile can exceed 10–15 GB, the issue becomes critical: the internal memory of a smartphone quickly fills up, and SD cards are not always supported by games.

In this article we will look 5 main ways to store cache from classic placement in internal memory to cloud solutions and manual transfer to external media. You will learn which games allow you to choose the installation path, how to bypass developer restrictions, and what to do if the cache crashes after an update. And for owners of devices with small ROM volume (16–32 GB), we have prepared a separate section with life hacks for optimizing space.

Spoiler: not all methods are universal. For example, Honor of Kings and Free Fire can block work with external drives, and Epic Games Store does not give a choice at all - the cache is always installed in the system partition. To avoid wasting your time, use our compatibility table at the end of the article.

1. Internal memory: pros and cons of the standard solution

By default, most games on Android install the cache in internal memory (/Android/obb/ or /Android/data/). This solution is supported by all devices and guarantees maximum data reading speed - critical for online shooters or open worlds. However, the method has serious disadvantages:

  • 📉 Quick memory filling: cache Genshin Impact weighs ~14 GB, and PUBG Mobile up to 6 GB. On smartphones with 32 GB of ROM, this becomes a problem.
  • 🔄 Risk of data loss: when resetting settings or flashing the cache, the cache is deleted.
  • 💸 Wear of flash memory: frequent rewriting of the cache reduces the life of the eMMC/UFSdrive.

However, for flagship devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra or Xiaomi 14 Prowith UFS 4.0 and 256+ GB of memory, this method remains optimal. The reading speed here reaches 2100 MB/s, which minimizes lags in games. And if you use Game Turbo or similar utilities, the cache can be further optimized to reduce processor load.

⚠️ Attention: On some devices (for example Realme GT Neo 5), the system automatically clears the game cache when there is a shortage memory. To avoid this, add the game folder to exceptions in the settings Optimization → Storage → Free up space → Exceptions.
📊 How much internal memory does your smartphone have?
16–32 GB
64–128 GB
256 GB or more
I don’t know

2. SD card: how to force the game to save cache to external storage

Use microSD seems to be an ideal solution for devices with low memory. However, not everything is so simple: starting from Android 6.0Google has limited application access to external drives for security reasons. Most games (for example Mobile Legends or Clash of Clansignore the SD card and still install the cache in the internal memory.

You can get around this in two ways:

  1. Formatting the SD as internal storage (Adoptable Storage):
    • 🔧 Suitable for Android 6.0–9.0 (the function has been removed on new versions).
    • 📱 The card becomes “tied” to the device and cannot be read on other gadgets.
    • ⚡ Requires class 10/UHS-I (for example, SanDisk Extreme A2).
  • Manually moving the cache via the file manager: 
    1. Install the game and wait for the cache to load.

    2. Copy the folder from /Android/obb/[game_name] to SD card.
    

    3. Create a symbolic link (root access required):
    
   ln -s /storage/XXXX-XXXX/Android/obb/[game] /sdcard/Android/obb/[game]

    • Important: even if the game “sees” the cache on SD, the loading speed may drop by 2-3 times due to interface limitations microSD (maximum ~100 MB/s versus 500+ MB/s for UFS 3.1). Testing shows that POCO X5 Pro with a card Samsung EVO Plus Genshin Impact loads 40% longer than with internal memory.

    What games exactly support SD cards?

    The list is short: Minecraft, The Sims Mobile, some emulators (for example, PPSSPP). Most AAA projects (including Diablo Immortal and Apex Legends Mobile) block this function.

    3. Creating a separate folder for the cache: bypassing restrictions

    Some games (for example, Brawl Stars or Among Us) allow you to manually specify the path for loading the cache. To do this:

    1. Download the APK of the game from the developer's website (not from Google Play).
    2. When installing, select the option Custom Install Path (if available).
    3. Specify a path like /storage/emulated/0/GameCache/[game_name].

      4. If this option is not available, you can use obfuscated paths. For example, for PUBG Mobile:

      1. official website (file main.15633.com.tencent.ig.obb).

      2. Place it in /Android/obb/com.tencent.ig/.
      

      3. Rename the folder com.tencent.ig to com.vng.pubgmobile (for the Vietnamese version).

      This method does not always work, but it can save the situation if the game refuses to see the cache in the standard folder. The main risk is account ban for modifying files (relevant for Free Fire and CODMwhere protection is active Easy Anti-Cheat).

      Make sure that the APK version matches the version cache|Make a backup of the original files|Check the integrity of the cache (MD5-sum)|Disable automatic game updates on Google Play-->

      4. Cloud storage: cache in Google Drive, Mega or Telegram

      Storing the cache in the cloud is suitable for gamers who often reinstall games or play on several devices. Main advantages:

      • ☁️ No connection to one device - the cache is always at hand.
      • 🔄 Easy to restore after resetting the settings.
      • 📱 Saves space on your smartphone (relevant for 16/32 GB devices).

    Cons: download speed depends on the Internet connection, and some games (for example, Honor of Kings) block work with cloud folders. Step-by-step guide for Google Drive:

    1. Upload the cache to the cloud (folder Game_Cache).
    2. In a file manager (for example, Solid Explorer) connect Google Drive as a network drive.
    3. Create a symbolic link: 
      ln -s /storage/emulated/0/Android/obb/[game] /storage/emulated/0/GoogleDrive/Game_Cache/[game]
    ⚠️ Attention: Some games (for example Lineage 2: Revolution) check the integrity of files when starting If. the cache is stored in the cloud, an error may occur Error 924 (damaged data). In this case, only local storage will help.
    Game Internal memory SD card Cloud Notes
    Genshin Impact ✅ Yes ❌ No ⚠️ Partially Requires manual transfer. only for backup.
    PUBG Mobile ✅ Yes ✅ Yes (only for APK from mod sites) ❌ No The official version blocks SD.
    Call of Duty: Mobile ✅ Yes ❌ No ❌ No Uses protection Easy Anti-Cheat.
    Minecraft ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ✅ Yes Supports all storage options.

    5. Optimizing the cache: how to reduce its size without losing quality

    If the internal memory is full and moving the cache is impossible, it remains optimize existing filesHere are the working methods:

    • 🎮 Downgrade graphs: switch from Genshin Impact switch from Ultra to Medium —the texture cache will decrease from 14 to ~9 GB.
    • 🗑️ Cleaning up unnecessary files: delete old versions of the cache in /Android/data/[game]/cache/.
    • 🔧 Using Lite versions: for example, PUBG Mobile Lite weighs 600 MB instead of 6 GB.
    • 📦 Cache archiving: compress the folder to .zip and store on SD (unzip if necessary).

    Suitable for automating the process utilities like SD Maid or Files by Google. They find duplicate caches (relevant for games with regular updates, for example Clash Royale) and offer to delete them. The main thing is not to touch files with the extension .obb or .pak, otherwise the game will stop starting.

    💡

    In the developer settings (Settings → System → For Developers), enable the option Do not save actions. This will prevent games from creating temporary cache files, saving up to 1–2 GB of space.

    6. Common problems and their solutions

    Even with the correct choice of cache storage location, users encounter errors. Let's look at typical cases:

    • 🚫 Error 920/924 (damaged cache):

      Delete the game folder in /Android/obb/ and reboot the device. If this does not help, download the cache again from the official website.

    • 🔄 The cache is reset after the update:

      Disable automatic game updates in Google Play and install the APK manually.

    • 📱 The game does not see the cache on SD:

      Check whether the card is formatted as internal memory (see section 2). If yes, try another card (for example Lexar Play 1000x instead of no-name).

    Use Logcat (required ADB):

    adb logcat | grep -i "obb\|cache\|storage"

    This command will show errors related to cache storage. For example, the line E/ObbMountService: Failed to mount /mnt/obb/... indicates a problem with access rights to folder.

    💡

    If the game gives an error after transferring the cache Failed to initialize engine, most likely the problem is a mismatch between the APK and cache versions. Make sure that both files are downloaded from the official source and have the same build date.

    7. Alternative solutions: emulators, streaming and others. life hacks

    If none of the methods are suitable, consider alternatives:

    • 🖥️ Emulators (BlueStacks, LDPlayer):

      The cache is stored on the PC, and the picture is broadcast to the smartphone. Minus - input delays (~ 50-100 ms).

    • 🌐 Cloud. gaming (NVIDIA GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming):

      The game runs on the server, the cache does not take up space on the device. Requires a stable Internet (from 15 Mbit/s).

    • 📱 External SSD drives:

      Connect USB-C SSD (for example, Samsung T7 Shield) and use it as the main storage via OTG. Reading speed is up to 1000 MB/s.

    For owners of Samsung DeX or Huawei Desktop Mode there is a bonus: connect your smartphone to the monitor and play with the cache on an external drive, as on a PC. This is relevant for games with mouse/keyboard support (Fortnite, Roblox).

    ⚠️ Attention: When using external SSDs on Android 12+ you may need to manually mount the partition via Terminal Emulator: 
    su

    mount -o rw,remount /mnt/usb_otg

    Without root access, some games will refuse. see files on the drive.

    FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the game cache on Android

    Is it possible to transfer the game cache to a flash drive without root access?

    Technically yes, but only for games that support this function out of the box (for example, Minecraft). For the rest you will need either Adoptable Storage (Android 6–9) or symbolic links, which only work with root. An alternative is to use App2SD or Link2SD, but they also require superuser rights.

    Why does the game cache take up more space than indicated in Google Play?

    The game description usually indicates the size APK, not the cache. For example, Genshin Impact in the Play Market weighs ~150 MB, but after installation it downloads additional 14+ GB data (textures, sounds, models). To find out the exact size, check the folder /Android/obb/[game_pack].

    How to restore the cache after resetting the settings?

    If you backed up the cache (for example, copied folder obb on your PC or to the cloud), just return the files to their place. If not, download the cache again from the official website of the game. For PUBG Mobile and CODM there are special “repacks” with a preloaded cache, but they may contain viruses.

    Is it possible to play without a cache?

    Technically yes, but the game will be unplayable: missing textures, models, sounds. Some online games (for example Clash Royale) will load the minimum cache when first launched, but the graphics quality will drop to “potatoes”. Offline projects (Stardew Valley) without a cache simply will not start.

    Why is the game cache constantly updated?

    Developers regularly add new content (events, skins, maps), which requires updating cache. For example, Genshin Impact releases patches every 6 weeks, and PUBG Mobile monthly. To reduce traffic, use Wi-Fi to download or disable automatic updates in the game settings.