Move, Install Android Apps to SD Card without Rooting

As written earlier, the most frustrating aspect of an Android Phone is the ‘Low-on-Space’ warning and attendant problems.

The most practical and useful advice on fixing ‘Low-on-Space’ problem in an Android phone is to move as many Apps as possible to the SD Card from the phone internal storage.  But the solution immediately runs into a problem of its own.  The danged Android phone will not allow many apps to be moved to SD Card.

The most dangerous advice is to Root the phone - not only because of warranty issues or the danger of bricking the smartphone.  The actual problem is in finding a decent and correct Mod (custom built firmware distribution) for the model.  The most popular Mod has only 2 models of Samsung phones in the 3” display range.

After searching for 3 hours, found out a decent workaround to Move (Install) Apps to SD Card without Root access.  Once I worked it in, the phone’s low on memory nag went away (fingers crossed).  To save time for anyone interested, here is the procedure.

Before using the workaround to move or install Android Apps to SD Card without Rooting, please take these precautions.  Ensure -

• the phone is charged (at least 50%),
• the UPS of the PC actually works (for at least 15 minutes),
• phone’s data, settings, contacts, etc., are backed up,
• phone is not currently nagging ‘low-on-space’ error,
• Wi-Fi and 2G/3G data connections are off.

You will have to keep these handy -

• the USB cable to connect phone to PC,
• Oracle’s Java JDK bundle, (jdk-7u21-windows-i586.exe, as of this post)
• Google’s Android SDK - ADT bundle (adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130522, as of this post),
• phone models’ device driver (for Samsung get the latest Kies),
• about 10 to 15 minutes of free time, and,
• of course the phone.

So, here is the how to:

1.  Install the Oracle’s Java JDK bundle in its default location.

2.  Unzip Google’s Android SDK- ADT bundle in C:\

3.  In the phone enable USB Debugging under Developer tab.  In Gingerbread tap Settings -> Applications -> Development -> USB debugging.



4.  Connect the Phone via USB cable - do *not* connect, turn on, or share USB storage; just insert the USB cable and leave it alone.

5.  In PC browse to the ‘C:\adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130522\sdk\platform-tools’ folder.

6.  Shift+Right Click inside the folder and and choose [Open Command Window Here].  If option doesn’t show up, make sure you right clicked at empty space inside the folder.

7.  In the command prompt window type the following -

• adt bundle adb shell [enter]
• pm getInstallLocation [enter] - you should be replied with '0 [auto]'
• pm setInstallLocation 2 [enter]

8.  If everything had gone according to plan typing ‘pm getInstallLocation [enter]’ once again will spit out figure ‘2 [external]’.

9.  Exit the bundle adb shell by typing 'exit [enter]' and close the window.  Disable USB Debugging turned on in (3).

Now the apps which could not be moved to SD Card, which had ‘Move to SD Card’ button greyed out, would be enabled.  Here it is enabled for Comodo Battery Saver which doesn’t make *too* much of difference installed in SD Card.

Obviously there are some apps which should *not* be moved to SD Card, and some apps will *not* work properly if not installed in internal storage - so take care.

For e.g., the whole purpose of Comodo Mobile Security would be defeated if it can be moved to SD Card.  Hence even with this workaround you will not be able to move it.

Here is Comodo Mobile Security which refuses to (or cannot) be moved to the SD Card even with the workaround.



Then again, many apps which automatically install to internal memory would default install to SD Card.  For e.g., Tango, one of the apps I uninstalled earlier, smoothly slotted itself into the SD Card on re-installation.

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