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I have a samsung galaxy tab 4, i have already changed the download location to sd card, but i want to download an app and it says it can't be downloaded on the sd card, that it must be on the device. how can i revert it to download on the device, without taking the sd card out? Help its annoying to take out the otter box cover out, everytime.

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  • See the answer from Paulmz. Alternatively you can also download (I know...contradicts your question) and migrate applications to and from your Phone. Just a comment. :)
    – DankyNanky
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 10:56

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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You can unmount the SD card from the settings. To do this: Go to Settings -> Storage -> Unmount SD card.

Removing the card physically is not needed.

You can later remount the SD card whenever you need it back by using the settings again, still without actually removing and inserting the SD card.

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In the same settings menu where you changed the download location to sd card set the download location to device.

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  • There isnt a dowload location. Thats why im asking this question. what i did the first time was copy paste the download file in the root menu to the sd card. then all new downloads go to sd card. i have looked everywhere for that option, because my galaxy note has them, so does the s4. But the galaxy tab 4 im having trouble with doesnt seem to have that option. I have checked storage options, task manager, dowloads, everywhere and cant seem to find it. Can i upload images to show u my menus
    – user127548
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:40
  • I have also tried the unmounting sd card. And it still wont download
    – user127548
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:41
  • What i actually want to download is a game, and i cant download it to the sd card because it says it cant be downloaded there. Thats why i wanna download it to the device, and it still wont download. And i know its not the size its only 34mb because i got curious and i downloaded another one 87mb and did fine
    – user127548
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:44
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You probably have just changed the preferred install location (I'm not aware of a setting that enforces a location for app install). So IMHO you don't need worry, simply install that app.

Background:

Developers must declare their app's preferred install location in the Manifest of the app. There they basically have 3 choices: internal storage, external storage, let-the-OS-decide. On the OS side, again there's a corresponding setting: internal, external, default (usually internal). You altered the latter to "external" I assume.

Now what happens when you've set the OS side to "external"? Depends on what the Manifest of the app-to-be-installed says: if it says "let-the-OS-decide", things are clear: the app goes there (in your case, the external storage AKA SD card). Everything else overrides the OS-side setting: If an app offers services/widgets, it must go to internal storage, hence the developer will declare such – and the OS will obey.

So: No need to change anything. If the app must be installed to internal storage, the dev should have taken care for that in the app's Manifest. If you're still running into trouble, see my answer here on how to change the default.

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Some apps need to be installed on non-unmountable device-memory because they depend on an app-s service that must run continuously without beeing stopped if sd is unmounted/ejected.

The developper of the app can declare that the app must be installed on device memory.

You can try to install the app in device-s memory and later move it to sd-card via settings/app/move to sd.

If the developper does not want the app to be installed on sd this option is not available.

You can also try to use the android app app2sd for this.

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