For those who run out of storage space on their smartphones, the microSD card is a savior. Here is a complete guide to walk you through the process of installing, using and removing SD card on Android..
1. Format a used SD card before use
Some users wonder if they should format the microSD card before use. Well, if it is a brand new SD card, it is not necessary to format the SD card. But if the SD card was used previously or you bought a used memory card, you need to format the card with PC / Mac before inserting into your phone.
Remember: formatting will erase all content in the card; Therefore, back up your contents from SD card before formatting..
Tips : If you lose important data after formatting, you can use FonePaw Data Recovery software (opens new window) to recover deleted files from your SD card (opens new window) .
2. Insert a microSD card into the Android phone
You can then insert your microSD card into your phone. If your Android phone contains an immovable battery, the SD card slot is often found after you remove the back cover.
- Turn off your phone and remove the back cover;
- In some models, you just need to place the SD card over the metal slot and push it up into the slot;
- In other models with a latch in the slot, push the latch up and open it. Then, place the SD card in the slot;
- You can then lock the latch again and replace the back cover.
Now, the metallic design and the slimmer profile are becoming a trend in the smartphone industry, the removable battery has been abandoned by the new high-end models, like Samsung S8 / S7, LG G6. Now to insert an SD card in the new models with a SIM card tray:
- Find the SIM card tray at the bottom or on the right side of your phone.
- Plug a small spit in the small hole on the tray, the tray should open;
- Place your SD card in the tray and slide the tray into the phone.
Can the SD card not be detected after inserting into the phone? See what to do if the SD card cannot be identified by an Android phone..
3. Configure SD card as portable / internal storage
You would now receive a notification to configure the inserted SD card. Since Marshmallow, Android has provided two options to configure the SD card: use the card as portable storage or adopt the card as internal storage.
We are well aware of the idea of using SD as portable storage on Android phones: we save the media files and documents to the card, and when we don't need them, we remove the card and the use on a card reader or other devices. But when an SD card is adopted as internal storage, things are different:
- You can save not only the files but also the apps / app data to the memory card.
- You cannot remove the card easily. Removing the card may stop some applications that are working or cause data loss in your phone.
- SD card cannot be used on other devices including your PC.
After making your decision, you can start configuring your SD card:
- Type "Configure". And choose "Use as portable storage" or "Use as internal storage".
- If you are using the card as portable storage, a notification will appear asking if you want to check the files on the SD card, type "Explore" and you can now move the files to the SD card.
- If you are using the card as internal storage, you will be notified that all files on the card will be erased after formatting the card as internal storage. Type "Erase & Format". Wait for formatting to finish.
4. Move apps, photos and files to SD card
If an app can be moved to SD card, you will find the “Move to SD card” option available at Settings> Apps.
Aside from locating and moving the photos or files in the SD card manually, you also have a faster way:
- Go to "Settings"> "Storage & USB";
- Type "Internal storage";
- Choose the type of file (photos, videos) to move them to your SD card;
- Type all the files you want to move and type “More”> “Copy to…”;
- Choose your SD card and type "Copy".
5. Remove / unmount the SD card
If you don't need the SD card on your Android phone, you can remove the card from your phone. But except you remove the card from the device, you need to unmount the SD card.
What does dismantling actually mean? By disassembling, it means releasing the control of the SD card from Android OS and you can remove it without any damage.
To unmount the SD card used as portable storage :
- On your device, type "Settings";
- Go to "Storage";
- Under SD card, type "Unmount SD card" (This is "Eject" and not "Unmount" in some models.)
To unmount the SD card used as internal storage :
- Go to “Settings”> “Storage”, choose the SD card and type “Format as portable” to format it to work as portable storage;
- Then you can type "Unmount SD card" / "Eject".
Important : Formatting the SD card as portable storage erases all content on the card. Move important data to your internal storage before formatting the card.
After unmounting the SD card, you can now remove the card from the card slot or tray whenever you want.
Another question about using SD card on Android? Comment below.
