Reversing use of SD card as internal memory to external#FP3

Hi there, made the rookie mistake of electing to use my SD card as internal memory (I naively thought I’d get a later option as to whether the phone then automatically moved apps etc. there or I manually selected what was moved). Phone has slowed down and the camera/gallery has issues storing photos so need to change sd to transferable memory only. How do I move everything the phone has decided to move onto the SD card before I reformat? Was going to manually move things back to the original phone files but although I can see folders have things in them due to folder size I can’t see the actual contents to then move back. Thanks in advance. Sonja

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Hi and welcome to the forum.

You will require, for example, a PC to transfer all your data to if you don’t use a Google backup.

A lot depends upon how much memory you have left, but it’s best to move all your personal data, contacts, images, other media to a PC to be safe. Then you can delete them from the phone freeing up memory.

Whilst the SD card is an extension of internal memory it is encrypted, so don’t remove it as no data on it can be read anywhere but on your phone.

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Thank you for the super quick reply, so just to make sure I understand correctly - I need to connect to a laptop, manually save data from each folder that the phone created on the SD, move the files back to the appropriate internal files on the phone and then reformat the SD card to external? Is there is no way to copy stuff from the SD back to phone memory directly on the phone? Thanks

Yes connect a laptop to save what you can, some app data files you may find difficult and so you will loose some app settings.

Once you are happy that you have saved your personal media files and a copy of your contacts etc. you can then reformat the SD card as portable _ that’s when you will see what you lost that you couldn’t copy.

Once the SD card is formatted as external you can copy back your personal media, and set the camera, for example to store on the SD card.

Here’s a link to a guide that may help clarify somewhat

Hi, I used my SD card as external storage, but the fairphone doesn’t recognize it. I cannot choose the SD card for storing anything on it. What ist wrong?

Hi and welcome to the forum

Can you provide a screen shot of the Settings > Storage screen

It could be the SD is corrupt. Have you tried to format it on a PC. Format on PC as FAT 32 and then insert into the phone.

How are you trying to save media to it?

  • The camera can be set to do so
  • You can move via the file manager

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