How to force apps to sd card

Link2SD is an application manager that makes it easy for Android 2.0+ users on their device to move applications to the SD card. It enables you to manage your apps and storage easily.

Features:
✔ Link apk, dex and lib files of apps to SD card
✔ Link internal data of apps to SD card (Plus)
✔ Link external data and obb folders of apps and games to SD card (Plus)
✔ Link dex files of the system apps to SD card (Plus)
✔ Auto clear cache service (Plus)
✔ Automatically link newly installed apps (optional)
✔ Move any user apps to SD even though the app does not support moving to SD ("force move")
✔ Shows the apps that support moving to SD with native app2sd
✔ Set the default install location of the apps; auto, internal, or external
✔ Batch link, unlink, reinstall, uninstall, "move to SD", "move to phone" functions
✔ Notify when movable apps installed
✔ Uninstall system applications (bloatware removal)
✔ Freeze and un-freeze system and users applications
✔ Convert system apps into user apps
✔ Convert user apps into system apps
✔ Integrate "Updated" system apps into system (ROM)
✔ Clear data and cache of the application
✔ Batch clear data and cache of the selected apps
✔ Clear all apps cache at once (1-tap cache cleaner without being root)
✔ Exclusion list for "Clear all app cache" function
✔ Clear cache widget (1-tap cache cleaner without being root)
✔ Notify if total cache size exceeds specified size
✔ Reboot manager includes power off, normal reboot, quick (hot) reboot, reboot recovery, reboot bootloader / download mode
✔ Reboot widget to boot with one click
✔ List applications, show detailed size information and link status
✔ Wide variety of options to sort and filter apps
✔ Search applications by name
✔ Display available space information of internal storage, SD card and SD card 2nd partition
✔ Share the Play Store link or the APK (app's full package) file of the apps
✔ Create shortcut for the apps
✔ Support 40+ languages

How it works:
Linking apps
Link2SD uses a secondary partition on your SD card and uses it as another segment of internal storage.
Link2SD moves apk, dalvik-cache (.dex), lib and internal data files into this partition, which the OS mounts on boot, and creates a symbolic link in the original location.
This retains the file structure that the system expects but with the bulk of the data moved to the SD card.

Linking obb and external data folders of apps and games
On devices that have emulated SD card, obb and external data folders are located in the internal storage, not in the external (real) SD card.
Link2SD moves these folders to the 1st or the 2nd partition of your external SD card (depending on your selection) and with the bind option of the mount command remounts the file hierarchy at external SD card while it is still available at the original location.

What you need:
Linking apps
- root permission
- second partition on SD card

You should have two partitions on your SD card and both should be primary.

You need to use a non-FAT file system (ext2, ext3, ext4 or f2fs) on your 2nd partition in order to link app's private data files. Because the FAT file system (FAT16, FAT32 or exFAT) does not support UNIX file ownership or permissions and will cause a security breakdown of app's private files.
Link2SD does not create the second partition, you need to create it yourself.

Linking obb and external data folders of apps and games
- root permission

Second partition on SD card is optional, folders can be moved to the 1st or 2nd second partition of the SD card.

Link2SD also provides native App2SD feature of Android OS. It can move any user apps to SD card (force move), with batch moving capability.

Link2SD is a free (ad supported) app, you can upgrade to Link2SD Plus to remove ads and get additional features.

DISCLAIMER: It is made available for use at your own risk with no warranty of any kind.

How to force apps to sd card
Daniel Jedzura/Shutterstock.com

Select the Android app you want to move to a microSD card, then go to Storage > Change and pick SD card to move it from internal storage to the microSD card. Apps installed to the SD card will usually be slower than apps installed to the phone's internal storage.

Some Android phones don’t have a lot of storage, so you might run out of room for apps. If your device has an SD card slot, you can use that to expand the storage and have more room for apps. However, SD card support is more limited than it used to be.

What You Need to Know

Android apps are installed to your device’s internal storage by default. If you have a microSD card, you can move some of your currently installed apps over to the microSD card. This is not supported by all apps, however. In fact, many don’t support this feature at all.

The state of SD card support on Android is a shell of what it used to be. Not only is it much harder to find Android devices with SD card slots, but the functionality has been greatly diminished as well. We’ll show you what you might be able to do if you have a microSD card in your Android device.

Note: Running an app off your SD card will almost always be slower than running it off the internal storage, so only use this if you absolutely have to–and if you can, try to use it for apps that don’t require a lot of speed to run well.

RELATED: How to Free Up Storage Space on Your Android Phone

First, swipe down from the top of the screen (once or twice, depending on your device) and tap the gear icon to open the Settings menu.

How to force apps to sd card

Next, select “Apps.”

How to force apps to sd card

You may need to tap “See All [Number] Apps” for the full list of installed apps. Some devices show the full list right away.

How to force apps to sd card

Select the app that you would like to move to the SD card.

How to force apps to sd card

Next, on the App Info page, select “Storage” or “Storage & Cache.”

How to force apps to sd card

If the app supports moving to the SD card, you’ll see a “Change” button. Tap it.

How to force apps to sd card

A menu will pop up with the option to change the storage location to “SD card.”

How to force apps to sd card

Tap “Move” on the next screen to begin the exporting process.

How to force apps to sd card

You’ll see a progress bar during the process bar. When it’s done, you’ll be returned to the Settings app.

How to force apps to sd card

Can You Install Apps Directly to the SD Card?

Older versions of this article explained how to install apps directly to the SD card and move any app to it, whether it officially supported the feature or not. Unfortunately, as of 2022, that’s no longer a feasible option on modern versions of Android.

Some manufacturers—namely, Samsung and LG—previously allowed users to format microSD cards as internal storage. That meant apps and games would be installed there by default. Sadly, this feature is no longer present on newer devices.

Technically, it’s still possible if you’re willing to go through the trouble of rooting your Android phone. In the past, this article recommended using apps that required root access, such as MiniTool Partition Wizard and Link2SD.

Rooting an Android phone is not as worth it as it used to be. Android has gotten much better and the rooting process has only gotten more difficult. It’s simply not a legitimate solution for the majority of people.

Sadly, not many Android phones have SD card slots anymore, and it seems that even fewer apps support the ability to be moved to external storage. If you do have an SD card slot, you should take advantage of it.

SAMSUNG PRO Plus 128GB microSD

A 128GB microSD card that comes with an adapter for easily transferring files from your phone to computer. Samsung SD cards are highly regarded for their quality.

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How do I set apps as default to SD card?

Make sure that you have an SD card inserted into your device..
From your Home screen, tap the Application screen icon..
Find and tap Settings → Apps..
Tap the On SD card tab..
Select application, then tap Move to SD card..

How do I force Android apps to install to SD card?

To move apps:.
Go to Settings > Apps and tap the app you want to move to your SD card..
Next, under the Storage section, tap Move to SD Card. The button will be grayed out while the app moves, so don't interfere until it's done..
If there's no Move to SD Card option, the app cannot be moved..

How do I force my Android to use SD card as internal storage?

Set up a new SD card.
On your device, swipe down from the top of the screen..
Tap the notification SD card detected..
To set up your SD card for: Portable storage, select Format. Adoptable storage, select Format another way..
Once your SD card is formatted, you can choose to Move content or Move content later..

How do you move apps to SD card if there is no option?

Go to settings look for Apps and scroll through each one as you click on one first delete the cache NOT the DATA then you will see the name storage click on that and it will open and if it says change click on that and a list will come down showing Internal and Sd card click on the Sd card it will then take you a page ...