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Is there a way to transfer apps like Facebook or WhatsApp that reside on phone memory to SD Card without rooting my phone?

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Not all applications can be moved to external SD card without rooting, but there is a way to make most of the apps install on the SD card. If I was to do this, I'd prefer having a faster SD card, of maybe class 6 or 10.

This command using Android Debug Bridge (ADB) can do the trick.

adb shell pm setInstallLocation 2

If you are new to ADB shell, you can refer this guide for the same: Click here. If you don't have ADB installed on your computer yet, take a look at Is there a minimal installation of ADB?

PS: This won't mean all apps will be installed on the SD card only, the application developers can overrule this setting you make if they want to. Plus apps using services or featuring widgets cannot be moved to SD card either.

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  • Copying the .apk to your SD card means you've got to get hold of it in the first place – which is not always possible, as Playstore doesn't feature a "direct download" ;) BTW: I've added the remaining facts to your answer, hope that's OK with you. Full ack to the SD card class recommendation, of course – which is the same I usually give :)
    – Izzy
    Commented Mar 9, 2015 at 12:02
  • It is cool. And you can get the apk from someone else's phone if the apk from Play Store won't vary with the phones' specifications. Though I remember using a site to get the apk, which was kinda dangerous if the site owner would decide to infect and send the file, but it was a spare phone and there was nothing to lose/keep secure.
    – Keval
    Commented Mar 9, 2015 at 14:12
  • Unknown sources are always dangerous if you don't know whether you can trust them. And not everybody has a second device available. But of course, if you have that option, that might work. One site with links to .apk files (hopefully trustworthy) is mine ;)
    – Izzy
    Commented Mar 9, 2015 at 14:28
  • You should also have in mind that this command doesn't work for all phones. I'm using a Motorola DROID RAZR M running KitKat4.4 and tried this. I couldn't install any app anymore.
    – Rosário Pereira Fernandes
    Commented May 15, 2016 at 12:27
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You can move apps to your SD card by either;

1. going into settings and go to application manager and click your desired app and click move to SD card.

This is what the app looks like or similar.
This is what the app looks like or similar (click image for larger variant)

2. going into the list of all applications on your phone and click on the my files one - it looks like a folder- and it depends on what phone you have got - as some phones don't have the files app built into the phone, Samsung does. Once in the app select phone/internal storage and find the app file and select it and move it to SD card/external storage.

The box in a darker shade of blue is the button to click.
The box in a darker shade of blue is the button to click (click image for larger variant)

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  • That's for native App2SD. Starting with Android 4.0, many manufacturer dropped support for this from their devices – so it might be there, or not. If it's supported, that's of course the way to do it :)
    – Izzy
    Commented Mar 9, 2015 at 10:41
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Most Android phones come with only 16 or 32GB of internal memory, much of which is already taken up by the operating system and preloaded software. After you start adding your own apps, shooting photos, downloading movies and putting your music collection on the device, you risk running out space.

To move apps to the microSD card using Android’s application manager.

Android's app simply move ur app Internal Storage To SD Card like us Move app to SD card

Settings -> Apps -> list of app's Name -> Move to SD card ( Toggle to Internel storage )

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You try using GL2SD in play store. That will help you to achieve your target. You can also try this guide here: Move apps to sd card using gl to sd.

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  • Link only answers are discouraged as they can become outdated. I recommend that you elaborate your answer further.
    – Tamoghna Chowdhury
    Commented Nov 12, 2015 at 8:39
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There is an app called Move app to SD card. Open the app then allow it to control the device then select the apps you want to move and it will move them.
Note: Works best with root privileges

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I better suggest you rooting your phone and use folder mount which helps you not only in moving apk but also to move your data or obb files into the sd card.rooting your phone is not that hard . just download iroot into your pc enable debugging mode in developer options then its all done

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