Android Mobile Phone - Memory Limitations

[countrykid]

Being new this year to owning a smart phone, I didn't realise how much memory gets used up by the OS and even just a few basic apps. My Moto G and partners Moto E are both now displaying messages that we are close to having used up all internal memory - even though we only have some pretty basic apps and no music or videos stored.

I can add an SD card to increase capacity but have been told this wont help much as apps cannot be stored on the card, the card being mainly for portable storage of say photos, music and videos. Is it true that apps cannot be saved to the sd card? Our phones run Marshmallow which when inserting an sd card asks if you want to use the card as portable storage or adopt the card for internal storage. The latter seems to suggests it might be usable for apps???? I am aware that once the card is adopted for internal use, it cannot then be taken out and used on say a PC. Finally, is a class 4 card ok for internal storage or must it be class 10. Thanks in advance

[ivor4781]

class 10 best.. use the internal storage setting for the card you cant take it out to use on a comp but you just attach a usb to the mobe and comp it Will be available to read /see on the comp also to transfer and pics /music/ files you have,i have the same moto and no probs with setting the card as internal.. when you attach the usb to comp pull down on the mobe screen and tick transfer photos or files option otherwise it will just charge the mobile

[ivor4781]

and yes it takes all the apps

[TheChair]

...and make sure you get a reputable brand of card, because if it fails when used as internal memory it can cause a heck of a lot of problems - all solvable, of course, but bloody inconvenient. I speak from (bitter) experience.

[Old_Geezer]

I was disgusted when I discovered the large capacity card I'd bought would be next to useless because my android phone refused to allow me to store my apps on my card. Unacceptable situation. How *DARE* they prevent me doing that ! I believe there are ways around it if you are willing to root the phone and potentially void the warranty if discovered.

[countrykid]

Thanks for quick replies. I had bought a sandisk 32GB class 10 card when I got the camera. Used it as portable storage until it suddenly failed giving messages that the card needed formatting and also saying it was write protected (the switch on the card adapter was not on lock. I agree that I should buy a good brand but thought sandisk was. I know there are some fake cards on internet, but this one came from a tesco store, so assumed it was genuine. I've seen a kingavon 32gb card for £7 although it was class 4 not 10. Would that be ok or should I seek out something better and class 10? Thanks again guys.

[ivor4781]

og if you set your sd card as internal all the lot goes on.. it combines internal and card together,i have loads of pics music etc and many apps on my moto which came with only 8gb most of which was already taken up by the o/s and motos own apps

[RATTER15]

I used to get a message on my Android stating that the I was low on memory, it was a scam message and has now been deleted. Be careful!

[TheChair]

//How *DARE* they prevent me doing that !//

They weren't deliberately preventing you.
Allowing it requires solutions to a lot of technical problems. Those problems have now been solved and you can do it on later versions of the OS.

[Old_Geezer]

Unconvinced by that. Adding a memory card to a computing device has been available for years. If you can write data to one you can write exceptional executables and run them, except apparently on a mobile. Unless one is deliberately preventing it. Strange how hackers found solutions for rooted phones.

[TheChair]

//Unconvinced by that. //
In that case, I suggest your enrol in a computer science course, and follow that up with a post graduate course in Operating Systems Design.

[countrykid]

A friend has given me a class 4 card. Have I got anything to lose by trying it. I know it is not as "fast" as class 10 but I'm patient!!

[ivor4781]

Old_Geezer
it depends on what o/s on your android is on,your sd card can only be made internal on android 6 marshmallow
http://www.howtogeek.com/242937/how-to-set-up-a-new-sd-card-in-android-for-extra-storage/

[countrykid]

Thanks ivor. I'm on android 6 marshmallow so am able to use it as internal storage. Will give it a go and let you know how I get on. Maybe newer phones now have more internal memory as standard. I gather some phones, including expensive iphones have no option to use an SD card to increase capacity. It seems CRAZY to produce such a technically advanced item that users will want to store more and more stuff on, with so little in-built memory! Am I missing something here??? Thanks again for all help given.

[countrykid]

I've gone ahead and adopted the card as internal storage. I ticked the option to move data etc now. This freed up around 740 mb of space on the phones own memory. It suggested selected apps would be moved, but none have. I presume it doesn't matter if the phone memory and the SD card are considered to be ad one. When the phone memory is full, will new apps and data automatically be saved to the SD card? Is there a way to manually move apps over to the card if the phones men is the default location for new apps to be stored? Thanks again.

[pastafreak]

I'm bumping this, as I'm interested in the responses. I've just installed marshmallow,but in order to do so I had to free up space in my galaxy j5. Only 4 months old,and I don't download videos or similar.

[ivor4781]

as far as i know about mine all the pre-installed apps stay put it's the ones you installed that will go to your new internal storage
if you go to apps in settings,choose the app you want to move to sd card click on storage click on change and take the options given,

[hc4361]

Storing apps on an SD card can make your phone slower. Make sure the SD card is a high quality Class 10 if you are determined to do it.

[countrykid]

Thanks Ivor. I've just had a go and find that some apps cannot be moved, but those that gave the option, I have now moved. The option also came up to clear data and clear cache. What is the effect of doing this. What am I actually clearing as such?
Thanks HC for the info re slowing the phone down. The thing is, I dont see any option but to move things to the SD card as there is simply too little available storage on the phone itself - not just my phone but many - or as I said before, am I missing something here? Phones simply have insufficient memory for what the typical person will do, namely add apps, music etc, and in my case OS maps for walking

[ivor4781]

if you go to settings.. storage&usb,click on internal storage.cached data.clear it it will free up the mobe of data you wont loose any apps etc

[Old_Geezer]

I'd suggest The Chair look up the word "impolite" and learn it's definition as they seem unaware of it.