# What's the point of an AD card on an android phone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813 "2017-10-02T15:58:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/1 "2017-10-02T15:58:58Z")
I just got a Samsung Galaxy J7 (yeah I know it’s neither the latest nor greatest). I put in a 64 gig card and tried to move my apps to it, but the only one that would allow the move was Waze-- not a single other. Running Android 7.0 So, is the card only good for pics/videos or what? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/2 "2017-10-02T16:00:33Z")
There are many apps that can be configured to store data on the SD card. e-book readers, audiobook/podcast managers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/3 "2017-10-02T16:12:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > So, is the card only good for pics/videos or what? Here’s a link to the Android dev site that will shed some light on why apps can’t be moved to “external” storage: > **[Lokasi instal aplikasi  |  Android Developers](https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/data/install-location.html)** > > Dimulai dengan API Level 8, Anda dapat mengizinkan aplikasi diinstal di penyimpanan eksternal (misalnya, kartu SD perangkat's). Ini adalah fitur opsional yang dapat Anda deklarasikan untuk aplikasi dengan preferExternal" atau "auto" … > [@](#): > > When the user enables USB mass storage to share files with their computer (or otherwise unmounts or removes the external storage), any application installed on the external storage and currently running is killed. The system effectively becomes unaware of the application until mass storage is disabled and the external storage is remounted on the device. Besides killing the application and making it unavailable to the user, this can break some types of applications in a more serious way. Many apps intertwine themselves into the system’s functions, so placing them on the SD card could potentially break the entire device. Also, the OS assumes all apps are for installation on internal storage only _by default_, so if a developer hasn’t bothered to add the code that allows it to be installed on the SD card, even if it could be, it won’t be allowed. . ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/4 "2017-10-02T16:45:12Z")
You installed the SD card as portable. It’s only good for video, music, photos, and other user files. This link explains the newer method of using a SD card. You need a fast SD card to use it as Internal. Android will warn you if your card is too slow. Internal means your phones storage and SD are linked into one big drive. The SD should be as fast as your internal storage. > **[How to Set Up a New SD Card in Android for Extra Storage](https://www.howtogeek.com/242937/how-to-set-up-a-new-sd-card-in-android-for-extra-storage/)** > > Is your Android device low on space? If your phone has a MicroSD card slot, you can use it to expand your space for music, movies or even apps, thanks to the improved SD card features in Android 6. > [@](#): > > There are two ways to use an SD card with your device. In the past, Android has traditionally used all SD cards as portable storage. You can remove the SD card from the device and plug it into your computer or another device and transfer files, like videos, music, and photos, back and forth. Your Android device will continue working properly if you remove it. > > Starting with Android 6.0 Marshmallow, though, some phones can use SD cards as internal storage as well. In this case, your Android device “adopts” the SD card as part of its internal pool. It’ll be treated as part of your internal storage, and Android can install apps to it and save app data to it. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/5 "2017-10-02T16:56:17Z")
Using a SD as Internal takes getting used to. You can’t find out how much is stored on it. All you’ll see is the combined disk space of the phones storage and your SD. Android won’t tell you what’s on each storage device. You can’t read a SD setup as Internal with a PC. Can’t copy files from it. Portable may be better if you want the ability to read your SD with a PC. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2017, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/6 "2017-10-02T17:46:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Using a SD as Internal takes getting used to. > > You can’t find out how much is stored on it. All you’ll see is the combined disk space of the phones storage and your SD. Android won’t tell you what’s on each storage device. Not so. In my settings, I can see that I have 10.35 GB internal storage used out of 16.00 and 37.86 GB external storage used out of 58.76. I’m running Android Marshmallow and have my SD card formatted as adaptive storage contiguously with the internal storage. I can move apps back and forth on and off it. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/7 "2017-10-03T04:13:11Z")
That’s actually one of the models I was looking at upgrading to, and I’m pretty picky (otoh, not a lot of choices if you want to use an sd-card). The best use for sd-cards, and something I consider them vital for, is for backing up the entire system prior to installing a custom rom (i.e. a modified version of android, usually with the bloatware removed and poweruser tools added). Also, if you want to keep a local music library, or more than a couple of movies, on your device, you’ll need that added storage. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-an-ad-card-on-an-android-phone/797813/8 "2017-10-03T18:29:46Z")
I store music on mine, and have my camera app store photos/videos there by default. A 64GB card gives plenty of room for both.