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Moving Apps to SD card ZTE Sonata 3

S

SuhDoug_92

Lurker
I'm not sure if there is already a thread about this. But I've searched all through google and all I can find is how to use a 3rd party rooting app (such as app2sd) to move apps to my external SD card. I DO NOT want to do this. I'm not very smart when it comes to smart phones. But on my last 2 phones I had (one phone was from straight talk, but than I switched to cricket to save $, than just recently that phone got broken so I had to get a new phone) on my last 2 phones there was an option under settings>apps than going to the individual app and selecting the option to move to sd card. Also I think there may have been a setting in Google play but I don't remember for sure, if there was though I know I always forgot about it whenever I'd download an app. Anyway, this ZTE Sonata 3 does not allow any of those options. Two days ago I found the "Backup & Restore" on my phone to backup to my SD card so I used it to try to move my apps. I should have been smarter and realized it would only "back up" onto the SD card but still leave it on my phone's internal storage too. Well just today I learned each app has its own file name (e.g. Facebook= com.facebook.katana) well I already know how to plug my phone via usb into my pc and move files like pics around from internal to external sd so I figured I'd try it with the app files. However I figured there'd already be duplicates due to the Backup and Restore. So I went into that and there was an option to delete backup files so I did that, and than it took me to the files section under the backup and restore app and showed me it was all empty. So I just now plugged my phone in to my pc and opened up 2 windows one for the phones internal and one for the phones sd card. However, the app files for both facebook and facebook messenger were already in both locations, and I don't even see an app file for Instagram, just the folder titled "Instagram" that holds automatically saved pics that save to my phone after uploading pic posts to IG. TO SUMMARIZE my questions: 1. HOW DO I MOVE APPS TO MY EXTERNAL SD CARD WITHOUT USING A 3RD PARTY ROOTING APP? 2. IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE ON A ZTE SONATA 3? 3. IF I DELETE THE APP FILES FROM THE INTERNAL STORAGE FOLDER USING MY PC WILL THE APPS REMAIN ON MY PHONE SINCE THEY ARE ALREADY ON MY SD CARD TOO?
 
Upgrade your phone to Marshmallow if you don't have it yet. Marshmallow offers a native method to use a SD card as part of internal memory so you can move apps back and forth.
 
lvt said:
Upgrade your phone to Marshmallow if you don't have it yet. Marshmallow offers a native method to use a SD card as part of internal memory so you can move apps back and forth.
Click to expand...
@Ivt I already have Marshmallow I think, I have v. 6.0.1
Can you tell me how to move apps back and forth on this? I also had marshmallow on my Samsung Galaxy Amp 3 (I think) but I've noticed that on Android phones Ive checked out some will say they have the same version as others but it'll look and act different depending on the device. Anyway how do I do this app moving on my ZTE sonata 3?
 
You need to configure your SD card as adoptive storage first before you can use it to store your apps. Otherwise the SD card remains portable storage as usual.
 
I can't speak for ZTE or Samsung, the process might be different on those device. But on my Lenovo K3 Note it's a bit tedious. Sometimes it only works after a factory reset when you insert your SD card for the first time.
 
lvt said:
You need to configure your SD card as adoptive storage first before you can use it to store your apps. Otherwise the SD card remains portable storage as usual.
Click to expand...
Does this move apps out of the internal storage? Does it free up space in internal storage so I can download more apps?
 
The ZTE Sonata 3 comes with Android 6.0. The big question is does it come with Adoptable Storage. Once you get adoptable storage running your SD card becomes internal storage. Not "add to" but "becomes". If that option is available on your phone you may find it in your Setting menu under Storage.

Insert the SD card.
Open Settings and tap on Storage.
Tap on the hamburger bar (3 dots or dashes) on the top and choose Format as Internal.

Once you do that when you look at storage again all you'll have is the amount on the SD card. Formatting the SD card this way erases all data on the card but you'll be given the option to Migrate data to the phone so most but not all of your apps can be transferred from phone memory to the card.

One other thing... No more hot swapping SD card after that so get the biggest card yourr phone will support.
 
Last edited:
dontpanicbobby said:
The ZTE Sonata 3 comes with Android 6.0. The big question is does it come with Adoptable Storage. Once you get adoptable storage running your SD card becomes internal storage. Not "add to" but "becomes". If that option is available on your phone you may find it in your Setting menu under Storage.

Insert the SD card.
Open Settings and tap on Storage.
Tap on the hamburger bar (3 dots or dashes) on the top and choose Format as Internal.

Once you do that when you look at storage again all you'll have is the amount on the SD card. Formatting the SD card this way erases all data on the card but you'll be given the option to Migrate data to the phone so most but not all of your apps can be transferred from phone memory to the card.

One other thing... No more hot swapping SD card after that so get the biggest card yourr phone will support.
Click to expand...

In my ZTE Sonata 3, when I tap storage then, SD card, it shows

total space

available

eject

format

Now to get it to work like internal storage, do I tap format it?
 
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