External Storage (MicroSD) versus Windows Phone 8 OS

[Mike Damone]

Greetings, I'm very new to Windows Phone, and could really use some guidance regarding storage options.

Given that my Lumia 820 only has 8 gigs of internal storage, I would like to direct as much as possible to be saved on the external storage (16 gig MicroSD card).

However, I can see that WP has some restrictions/limitations on managing the external space. For example, no built in disk management, correct? All things considered this is not a problem for me. All I want to know is, what are ALL the things I can direct the phone to store on the SD card instead of on the phone itself, and how do I go about it.

Ideally I would like to store as much as possible on the card, and leave the limited internal storage available for things that cannot be moved to the SD.

Thanks! :amaze:

Ps. Is there some nice app to browse these forums straight from my new phone?

 

[mase123987]

the WPCentral app is the best to use to see the forums and all the stories.

You can put pictures, videos and maps I believe. Not a hundred percent sure...920 doesn't have a microsd slot!

 

[Mike Damone]

I see, so just pics, video, and maps? What about music, and app data such as saved games, settings, in-app documents/files, etc.
I hope someone using external storage can chime in on this. Thanks

 

[Quhi]

I'm sure that videos, pictures, maps and music can be stored on the sd card. Apps are only installed in the internal memory. I don't know about documents though.

 

[Manu Tyagi]

Hi there Mike..like you m also using 820, u can have music,videos,photos,maps on your card, other than that app and app related all data are saved on phone memory.
Mail data also on phone..temporary files on phone memory..
hope this helps you...

 

[Mike Damone]

Thanks for the info Manu Tyagi, as I am new to Windows phone, can you tell me how to set music/videos/maps/photos to be saved on the SD card.

Also when moving music/videos/photos from my computer to the sd card inside the phone, do I have to (1) take out the sd card and move it right from the computer to the card?
OR (2) can I do it by plugging in the phone to the computer?

The second option, if possible, would be much better!

 

[mms-pc]

>>However, I can see that WP has some restrictions/limitations on managing the external space. For example, no built in disk management, correct?
Yes, that's correct, but why? Don't forget you are using a cellphone, not a PC. In that case user should not worry about it.

>>Also when moving music/videos/photos from my computer to the sd card inside the phone, do I have to (1) take out the sd card and move it right from the computer to the card?
>>OR (2) can I do it by plugging in the phone to the computer?


Just plug the phone to the computer.

 

[Palm_forlackofchoice]

Thanks for the info Manu Tyagi, as I am new to Windows phone, can you tell me how to set music/videos/maps/photos to be saved on the SD card.

Also when moving music/videos/photos from my computer to the sd card inside the phone, do I have to (1) take out the sd card and move it right from the computer to the card?
OR (2) can I do it by plugging in the phone to the computer?

The second option, if possible, would be much better!

If you have windows 7 you need to download and install a sync app. If you have windows 8, just plug in phone with USB cable and windows 8 will set up automatically. Music, podcasts, videos, photos all can be stored and accessed from SD card. Ringtones have to be on phone.

The question I have: Is it possible to access documents from the SD card?
I took my SD card out of my touch Pro 2 on WinMobile 6.5 and inserted it. My HTC 8XT gave me option to store all pics, videos, music on it and every thing in all various folders shows up. Although none of my documents show up, in the win 8 sync app. when I go to documents, it shows the docs I have in phone. If I right click and say show SD card only it says it is lonely in here, but I cannot find out a way to make my docs show up..

 

[Kevin N Smith]

There is an app called Pocket File Manager allowing Skydrive, SD, Iso Storage, Torrent, Zip/Rar, etc management

 

[Manu Tyagi]

Thanks for the info Manu Tyagi, as I am new to Windows phone, can you tell me how to set music/videos/maps/photos to be saved on the SD card.

Also when moving music/videos/photos from my computer to the sd card inside the phone, do I have to (1) take out the sd card and move it right from the computer to the card?
OR (2) can I do it by plugging in the phone to the computer?

The second option, if possible, would be much better!

For changing Music/Videos to SD Card Go to SETTINGS>>PHONE STORAGE>>There you"ll find two options "Store new music+video" on and "Store new pictures on", just change those two to SD Card.
For moving Maps to SD Card. Install following app..
Lumia storage check beta
Lumia storage check beta | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (भारत)
Once Installed Open the LUMIA STORAGE CHECK BETA>>SWIPE RIGHT/LEFT>>Under MAPS there is a tab for "CHANGE"..under STORE MAPS ON>>Change to SD CARD.
Remove the old downloaded maps..change the above settings and download again the maps.. I have got whole India Map on my SD Card, but be sure to use Wifi..

Now for your second question You can move data freely between SD Card , Phone Memory and Computer, just see to it that your phone password in open.
Plug in your mobile to computer browse through files, copy,move directly between computer and your mobile.

Anything else just ask.

 

[Palm_forlackofchoice]

Right, you can move files to and from SD card and computer but any documents on the SD card are invisible to office on the phone.

 

[AndyCalling]

Unfortunately, the settings to store new media on the sd card don't actually work very often (at all?). Pictures will often be redirected properly, and you can put media on the card via PC, but audio and video downloaded on the phone always gets stored in internal memory. Whether it be a podcast (I use Podcatcher) or bought music (I use Deezer) or video (I use MyTube) the setting is completely ignored. I asked some developers about this and it seems the function is there but MS forgot to write the API to actually allow it to work, so the setting is largely just for show. Sorry. It annoys me to. The SD card is not really for music and video it seems, just for photos and maps.

 

[Manu Tyagi]

Unfortunately, the settings to store new media on the sd card don't actually work very often (at all?). Pictures will often be redirected properly, and you can put media on the card via PC, but audio and video downloaded on the phone always gets stored in internal memory. Whether it be a podcast (I use Podcatcher) or bought music (I use Deezer) or video (I use MyTube) the setting is completely ignored. I asked some developers about this and it seems the function is there but MS forgot to write the API to actually allow it to work, so the setting is largely just for show. Sorry. It annoys me to. The SD card is not really for music and video it seems, just for photos and maps.

I don't know about Podcast or videos downloading..but songs music bought from Nokia Music is going on my SD Card, never faced such an issue in music..
may be take your mobile for checkup..

 

[Dr Love PhD]

I have a 1520. Surprisingly, you can store movies on a flash drive and stick it in a router and watch whatever is on it, ie. Pics and movies, videos via moliplayer (uses DNLA over WiFi) from the store. Lets you enjoy media without using any phone space...lovely. Of course, it doesn't help you away from home unless you take flash drive with you and have another router to stick it into...or take your router with you...lol..that's funny right there.

I plug my phone into computer and drag and drop files from internal memory to sd card. Then everything shows up on the music and video app! Even if you download music on utorrent it gets saved automatically to SD, but not video, you have to move that yourself. Be sure to delete any. Leftover files from internal memory after move if you use utorrent, usually found in the utorrent app. I have a feeling you do not know about utorrent?

What else do you want to know?