An SD card, or Secure Digital card, is a small removable flash memory card used for storing data in devices like smartphones, tablets, and cameras (microSDcard.org, March 2022). Android devices like smartphones and tablets often have limited internal storage, so many users add an SD card to expand the storage capacity. This allows you to store more photos, videos, music, apps, and other files. Over time you may need to transfer everything from an old SD card to a new one as you upgrade for more storage space or replace a damaged card.
This guide will walk through the steps to seamlessly move all apps, photos, videos, music, and data from an old Android SD card to a new one. Following these simple instructions will ensure no data is lost in the transfer.
Back Up Data
It is recommended to back up any important data before transferring it between SD cards. This provides a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the transfer process.
Smart Switch Mobile is a good option for backing up data to an SD card on Samsung devices. Connect the old SD card to your device, open Smart Switch and select “Transfer via SD Card” then “Back up” (Samsung). For other Android devices, connect your phone to a computer with a USB cable and use the built-in backup utilities or third party apps to back up data to the SD card (iSkysoft).
Backing up photos, videos, contacts, messages and app data ensures you have copies if anything happens during the transfer. Save the backup files to your computer or cloud storage for redundancy.
Remove Old Card
Before removing your old SD card, it’s important to properly unmount it first to avoid corrupting or losing data. Here are the steps to safely remove your current SD card:
1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
2. Tap on “Storage”.
3. Next to your SD card name, tap on “Unmount”.
4. You’ll see a message saying it’s safe to remove the SD card.
5. Remove the SD card from your device.
If you don’t see an “Unmount” option, you can also power down your Android device completely before removing the SD card as powering off will unmount it automatically (citing source).
Once unmounted, you can now safely remove the old SD card without worrying about data loss or corruption.
Insert New Card
After backing up your data and removing the old SD card, you’re ready to insert the new card. First, locate the SD card slot on your Android device. This is usually on the side or bottom edge of the phone. The slot may have a cover that you need to open to access it. Once open, align the new SD card so that the contacts are facing down and match the shape of the slot. Gently push the card into the slot until it clicks into place and do not remove it yet. Your phone should automatically detect the new card and mount it so it is usable by the device. You may get a notification that new removable storage was detected. If it does not mount automatically, go to Settings > Storage and tap the card name to mount it. Once mounted, your phone can start transferring data to the card. Be gentle when inserting and removing SD cards to avoid damaging the card or slot 1.
Transfer Files
When moving files from one SD card to another on an Android device, a file manager app is the easiest way to transfer files. Here are the basic steps to transfer files using a file manager app like Files by Google:
First, insert both the old and new SD cards into your Android device. Open the Files app and select “Storage devices” in the side menu. This will show both SD cards.
Browse to the files and folders you want to copy from the old SD card. Long press on a file or folder and select the “Copy” option. Then browse to the new SD card and select “Paste” to copy the files or folders.
For individual files, you can also press and hold to select multiple files at once. Then tap the menu icon in the upper right and choose “Copy” to copy all selected files to the new SD card.
Some key things to note when transferring files:
- Make sure there is enough free space on the new SD card.
- Transfer folders will retain their folder structure.
- Only transfer files/folders you need to save space.
Overall the process is very simple using the file manager. Just copy files or folders from the old SD card and paste to the new card. Consult the file manager app help docs for any further assistance.
Source: https://support.google.com/files/answer/9712028?hl=en
Move Apps to the New SD Card
Once you have moved your files and data over to the new SD card, you will want to migrate any apps that are on the old SD card over to the new card. Here are the steps to move your apps:
1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications.
2. Tap on each app you want to move and select “Storage”.
3. Select “Change” and tap on the new SD card. This will move the app to the new card.1
4. Repeat this process for all apps you want to migrate to the new SD card.
5. Once done, you can remove the old SD card. The apps will now run from the new SD card.
This process allows you to seamlessly move apps over to the new SD card without losing any data or having to reinstall anything. Just make sure you have enough space on the new card for all the apps you are transferring over.
Change Default Storage
Once you have moved your apps and data over to the new SD card, you will want to set it as the default storage location on your Android device. This way, any new apps you download and data you create will automatically save to the SD card rather than internal storage.
To change the default storage location to the new SD card, go to Settings > Storage on your Android device. Tap on the name of your new SD card under the “Portable Storage” section. You will see an option to “Format as internal” or “Set as default storage” – tap this. Confirm that you want to set the SD card as the default storage location.
After this, your Android device will now use the new SD card for saving all apps, photos, videos, and other data by default. You shouldn’t have to manually move files to the SD card anymore. If you ever want to switch the default storage location back to internal storage, you can return to the Storage settings and select your device’s internal storage.
(Source: https://www.lifewire.com/set-sd-card-as-default-android-6743109)
Remove Old Card
Once the data transfer is complete, you’ll want to safely remove the old SD card from your Android device. It’s important not to remove the old SD card until the transfer is fully finished, as this can cause data corruption or loss (source).
To safely remove the old SD card:
- Open your Android’s Settings app.
- Tap Storage.
- Next to the SD card name, tap the Eject icon.
- Confirm that you want to eject the SD card.
- You will get a notification that it is safe to remove the card.
- Physically remove the old SD card from your device.
Once ejected properly through Settings, you can safely take out the old card without worrying about data loss or corruption. Be sure to insert the new SD card before attempting to access any files that were transferred.
Troubleshooting
Moving files between SD cards can sometimes encounter issues. Here are some solutions for potential file transfer problems:
If some files fail to transfer, try repeating the steps to move them over again. There may have been a temporary glitch. Double check that all desired files and folders were selected properly in the file manager.
Make sure the new SD card has enough free storage space for all the data. If it’s too small, some files will fail to transfer over or save properly. Use a larger capacity card or remove unneeded files to free up room.
Check that the SD card slots and connectors are clean and that the cards are inserted properly. dirty or loose connections can interrupt transfers. Reseat both cards and try again.
If apps disappear after moving them, open the app drawer to redownload them. The phone may need to rescan and index the apps on the new card location. Restarting the device can also help.
For continued issues, try formatting the new SD card in the device to ensure proper formatting. Back up the card first, as formatting will erase all data. Then repeat the transfer process.
As a last resort, transfer files manually one by one using a computer instead of wirelessly. This slower method can sometimes resolve file transfer problems over the air.
Summary
In summary, the key steps to moving everything from one Android SD card to another are:
1. Back up your data and apps to avoid any potential data loss. This can be done through your Google account or a third party backup app.
2. Remove the old SD card from your device.
3. Insert the new SD card into your device.
4. Transfer over any files, photos, videos, etc. that you want to keep either via your file manager or a computer.
5. Move any apps to the new SD card using your phone’s app manager.
6. Change the default storage location to the new SD card.
7. Remove the old SD card once everything is transferred.
Backups are critical before migrating data between SD cards. This guarantees you have a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the transfer process. Following these steps carefully will help ensure a smooth transition of all your data and apps.
