A microSD card can free up space on a compatible Android phone by storing photos, videos and other files. It adds storage capacity; it does not increase your phone’s RAM.
How to move photos and videos to a microSD card
- Check your phone’s specifications for a microSD slot and supported card capacity.
- Back up important files before setting up a new card. Formatting a card erases its contents.
- Open your phone’s file manager, select photos, videos or downloads in internal storage, and choose Move. Select the SD card and a destination folder.
- Open a few transferred files to check that they work. Copying files leaves the originals in internal storage, so a copy alone does not free that space.
If you use Files by Google, its SD card instructions explain the available Move and Copy options.
Why some apps cannot move to the SD card
App transfers depend on the phone, Android version and app developer. A card used as portable storage primarily holds files; some phones offer additional app-storage options or adoptable internal storage. Do not assume those options exist on every device.
On supported Samsung Galaxy models, open Settings > Apps, choose an app, then select Storage > Change > SD card > Move. If Change is missing, the app cannot be moved using that setting. See Samsung’s microSD guidance for model-specific details.
Moving personal media is still useful when apps must stay in internal storage. Keep backups and check the manufacturer’s instructions before reformatting a card as internal storage.
Choose a compatible card and keep a backup
Before buying a larger card, check the capacity and speed requirements for your phone. A faster card does not make an unsupported app movable. Our guide to microSD capacity and speed markings explains the labels to look for.
Keep a separate copy of important photos and documents. A removable memory card can fail or be lost, just like any other storage device. For a full Google Account, use our Google Drive, Gmail and Photos storage cleanup guide; moving files to a memory card does not change that account’s cloud quota.
Check your available space
After moving files, revisit your phone’s Storage settings to confirm the change. Use the card for the files your device supports and leave apps in internal storage when the Move option is unavailable.