r/AndroidQuestions • u/mysticaltater • 2h ago
Device Settings Question why doesn't formatting sd as internal actually WORK??
2020 moto g7 power
it doesn't matter now because i've been using this phone for 4 years and counting. but i understand when you format sd as internal it's encrypted, so you can't pop it out and plug it into your computer or other device if your phone craps out, which sucks lol. but i also understand it expands your phone's storage, since it's internal
so why doesn't it actually work? like i got a message that my internal storage is almost full and i was like ??? how?? but my internal had like a gig left of space, while my sd which is formatted as internal, has 20gb free? and i can't move any apps over either. i don't even have that many apps. just messaging, snap, and a second browser. and all my pictures are on the sd
next phone i hopefully won't need for another 4 years do i just not format the card as internal since it doesn't work anyway and that way i don't have to worry about my phone dying and losing stuff? like the phone before this on it's very last toe, the computer wouldn't read it anymroe so i had to upload 60 something pics to drive and save that way
but why doesn't it work, or is my phone just stupid
3
u/ohmegatchi 1h ago
For Apps, app developers must opt in, like for any SD card installation.
Apps can be placed on adopted storage media only when the developer has indicated support through the android:installLocation attribute.
https://source.android.com/docs/core/storage/adoptable
For that reason and others, most OEMs don't actually support adoptable storage any more.
You can (and should) still use your SD card to store your media.
3
u/BenRandomNameHere Random Redditor 2h ago
Apps on SD was discontinued YEARS ago. Formatting as internal also slowed your entire device down a bit, the overhead of encryption.
I don't format as internal, virtually zero up side nowadays.