How do I use an SD card with my Galaxy device?

Having to decide what apps, photos, or videos to delete in order to free up storage space on your Galaxy device is frustrating. While your device comes with internal storage, you may be looking for more if you're an avid photographer or gamer. Fortunately, many Samsung devices allow you to use expandable memory to give you up to 1TB of extra space.

For certain apps, you can set the SD card as the default internal storage.

Not all phone models support the use of SD cards. If your device doesn't support an SD, consider using Samsung Cloud to expand your storage space.

How do I use an SD card with my Galaxy device?

Setting up your SD card

Many Samsung devices allow you to expand the storage space with an SD card. The size and maximum capacity of the SD you can use differs between devices and models.

Find out which devices support a memory card and the maximum size they will accept.

Please note: Not all phone models support SD cards. 

Devices with a fixed battery

1 You will have received an ejector PIN in the box with your device

Insert the PIN into the hole in the side of the SIM tray. It will pop open.
Insert the PIN into the hole on the SIM tray
2 Have a look at your SIM tray. Some SIM trays will be able to use two SIMs or one SIM and an SD card, some will be able to use two SIMs and others will only be able to use one SIM. The example below is a hybrid SIM tray that can use two SIM cards or one SIM and an SD card

There will be indicators on the SIM tray detailing where the SD card can go.
Hybrid SIM tray
3 Place the SD card in the tray with the gold-coloured contacts facing down
Place the SD card into the tray with the gold coloured contacts facing down
4 Push the SIM tray back into your device

Devices with a removable battery

1 Lift the back cover off your device. There is a release latch on the side to make this easier
Lift the back cover off your device
2 Remove the battery
3 Carefully slide your SD card into the slot at the top of the device

Please note: the SD card slot is on the bottom and the SD card slot is directly above it. Make sure that the SD card goes into the right slot.

Slide the SD card into the slot at the top of the device
4 Replace the battery by sliding it back into the battery compartment on the back of the device. Once the battery is in the compartment, press it down gently. Make sure that the contacts on the battery and device align
Replace the battery
5 Place the back cover back onto the device and press down around each edge until it clicks into place

If this is the first time you are using this SD card, you should format it. This will make sure that it is setup correctly. Formatting an SD card may also help if you're having persistent issues setting up or using your external memory. Formatting an SD card will permanently wipe any data that you have stored on it. Make sure that any files you want to keep are backed up before formatting your SD card. 

1 Open the Settings app
Settings app icon
2 Tap Battery and device care
Battery and device care selected in settings menu
3 Tap Storage
Storage selected in Battery and device care
4 Swipe left then tap the More options icon (three dots)
More options icon selected in Storage
5 Tap Format
Format selected in SD popup
6 Tap Format
Format selected in SD card popup

The My Files app makes finding everything you have saved to your device easy. Your files will be automatically separated into categories based on their type as well as where they are saved.

1 Swipe up on your home screen to access your apps screen
2 Tap on the My Files app. By default, this will appear in the folder named Samsung
My Files app icon
3 Tap SD card
SD Card selected in My Files

Here you will find all the files that you have saved to your SD card.

Using your SD card

Once you have an SD card installed in your device, freeing up space is easy. All you have to do is move some files across, giving you extra space in the internal storage of your device.

1 Open the My Files app. By default, the My Files app will appear in the Samsung folder
My Files app icon
2 Tap on the category of file you want to move
Music selected in My Files
3 Tap the folder where the files you want to move are stored
Folder selected in My Files
4 Tap and hold the file you want to move
File in My Files being tapped and held
5 You can then tap any other files you want to move. You can also tap All to select all files
All selected in My Files
6 Tap the Move icon
Move selected in My Files
7 Press the < button until you return to the main page of the My Files app
Back button selected in My Files
8 Tap SD card
SD card selected in My Files
9 Tap on the folder you want to move the file to
Music folder selected in SD card folder in My Files
10 Tap Move here
Move here selected in My Files

1 Open the Gallery app
Gallery app icon
2 Tap on Albums
Albums selected in Gallery
3 Tap on the Options icon (three dots)
Options icon selected in Gallery
4 Tap on Create album
Create album selected in Gallery
5 Tap on Internal storage
Internal storage selected in Create album popup
6 Tap SD card
SD card selected in Create album popup
7 Choose a name for the album then tap Create
Create selected in create folder popup
8 Return to Pictures and press and hold on the image you want to move until a tick appears
Image selected in Gallery
9 Tap the More options icon
More options icon selected in Gallery
10 Tap Move to album
Move to album selected in Gallery options
11 Tap on the new album to move your photo
12 Your images will be moved to the SD card

Pease note: For future use, all albums that save to the SD card are indicated by a small SD card image in the bottom left corner of the album.

To free up some space on your device you may be able to move your apps onto an SD card.

Please note: Not all apps support SD card use. If you are unable to follow the steps below, the app you are trying to use may not be compatible. Some apps that can be moved to an SD card leave some data in your internal storage. This is not an error. If data has been left on your internal storage, then it is needed for the app to function correctly.

1 Open the Settings app
Settings app icon
2 Tap Apps
Apps selected in Settings menu
3 Tap the app that you want to move
An app selected in Apps settings menu
4 Tap Storage
Storage selected in App info
5 Tap Change

Please note: if you do not see the change option, it may not be possible to move this app to an SD card.

Change selected in app storage menu
6 Tap SD card
SD card selected in change storage location popup
7 Tap Move
Move selected in Export app menu

Your contacts don’t take up much room on your device and shouldn't be moved to free up storage space. Moving contacts to an SD card allows you to quickly move your address book to another device or create a backup for emergencies.

1 Open your Contacts app
Contacts app icon
2 Tap the menu icon. It will appear as three lines in the upper left of the screen
Menu icon selected in Contacts app
3 Tap Manage contacts
Manage contacts selected in Contacts menu
4 Tap Import or export contacts
Import or export selected in manage contacts menu
5 Tap Export
Export selected in Import or export contacts
6 Tap SD card
SD card selected in Export contacts
7 Tap Export
Export selected in Export contacts

Setting files to save to your SD card automatically saves you from having to move them yourself. It is not currently possible to set everything you do on your device to save to an SD card, however there are some apps that allow this functionality.

 

Setting your photos to save to an SD card automatically

1 Open the Camera app
camera app icon
2 Tap the settings cog
Settings icon selected in camera app
3 Tap Storage location
Storage location selected in Camera settings
4 Tap SD card
SD card selected in Storage location in Camera settings

Setting internet downloads to save to an SD card automatically

1 Open the Internet app
Samsung Internet app icon
2 Tap the menu icon (Three lines). You may have to drag the screen up to see the menu option
Menu icon selected in Samsung Internet app
3 Tap Settings
Settings selected in Samsung Internet app menu
4 Tap Sites and downloads
Sites and downloads selected in Samsung Internet settings
5 Tap Save downloaded files to
Save downloaded files to selected in Samsung Internet app settings
6 Tap SD card
SD card selected in Sites and downloads

Troubleshooting

1 Remove, clean and reinstall your SD card
  1. Unmount your SD card. Go to Settings - Device care - Storage - Advanced - SD card - Unmount
     
  2. Open the SIM tray and remove your SD card

  3. Check the SD card for any signs of damage or debris. Clean away any debris

  4. Place the SD card back into the SIM tray and push it back into your device
2 If your SD card still isn't working, try testing it in another mobile device. If the SD card works in a different device, there may be something stopping it from working in your primary mobile device. If the SD card isn't working in the second device, it is likely that there is an issue with the SD card
3 If you know that your SD card isn't the issue, place it back into your device and boot it up in safe mode. While using safe mode, all third-party apps are disabled. This makes it easy to see if an app is causing the issue. Find out more about using safe mode
  1. Press and hold the power button until the power off screen appears on your device

  2. Press and hold the Power off icon until the Safe mode option is displayed

  3. Tap Safe mode

  4. Your device will reboot and start in safe mode

  5. Check to see if your SD card is recognised

  6. If your SD card is recognised, then it is likely that a third-party app is the issue. Restart your device and try uninstalling the most recent app downloaded onto your phone 
4 If you have deleted any apps that you believe may be causing the issue, try formatting your SD card. Follow the steps in How do I format my SD card? for more information

Please note: formatting your SD card will delete all the data stored on it. Make sure that you have created a backup of any data you want to keep before formatting your SD card.

5 If none of the above options have worked, you may need to factory reset your device. Just like formatting an SD card, factory resetting your device will delete everything that you have saved on it. Find out more about factory resetting your device
6 If none of the above steps have fixed your issue, please contact Samsung Support

1 Clear your cache
  1. Go to Settings 

  2. Tap Device care

  3. Tap Optimise now
2 If clearing your cache didn't work, you may need to format your SD card. Follow the steps in How do I format my SD card? for more information

For further support, please visit Samsung Support.

If you're experiencing unusual behaviour on Samsung mobiles, tablets or wearables, you can send us an error report or ask us a question in the Samsung Members app.

This allows us to take a closer look at what is happening. The data is anonymised and only held for the duration of the investigation. Find out more about sending an error report through the Samsung Members app.

 

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