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I have a 32GB MicroSD card adopted as internal storage on my Moto X Play (XT1563), and I've noticed that some apps don't completely move over to External Storage (specifically .obb files), despite what this new feature in Marshmallow is supposed to do:

When external storage media is adopted, it’s formatted and encrypted to only work with a single Android device at a time. Because the media is strongly tied to the Android device that adopted it, it can safely store both apps and private data for all users.

from: https://source.android.com/devices/storage/adoptable.html

Motorola's website is more specific:

Once a card has been formatted as internal storage, both your device internal storage and the card will show up as “device storage” under storage settings, and you will be able to move applications which were in internal storage to the card. Moving an application, its media files, obb files, and data to the card. Moving applications to the card can be done from application settings (settings->apps->select application->change storage location)

from: https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/109134/p/1449,9582

For example, I've moved Mortal Kombat X (~1.3GB) to the SD card and the majority of its data is in an .obb file sitting in internal storage in /data.

This doesn't make sense because in an app's AndroidManifest.xml the developer must specify the android:installLocation manifest attribute in order for an app to even be allowed to move to an external SD card. But in this case, it wouldn't matter since the SD card is seen by Android as if it were internal storage so it shouldn't have any issues installing there.

Why is my internal storage still being used?

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  • How exactly are you moving the apps(games) from internal to external sd card..?
    – Lucky
    Commented Feb 4, 2016 at 11:02
  • I used the native Android app2sd method - "Change Storage" in the app's App Info page.
    – Jin
    Commented Feb 4, 2016 at 18:50
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    But in this case, it wouldn't matter since the SD card is seen by Android as if it were internal storage so it shouldn't have any issues installing there. -- You need to read the full Google page you linked: "Apps can be placed on adopted storage media only when the developer has indicated support through the android:installLocation attribute." Android is aware of the difference between "real" internal storage and adoptable storage.
    – Matthew Read
    Commented Mar 15, 2016 at 5:29
  • I wonder: is the internal storage preferred while it still has space left? I mean: the Android devs know all interfaces to any SD card will slow down the data read/write by at least a little, so it might be by design that the internal storage is used whenever possible, unless you actually move the data to the SD card or the internal storage has become too full.
    – Erik
    Commented Apr 10, 2016 at 17:53

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As mentioned in the comments of the question, this is by design.

According to the docs:

Apps can be placed on adopted storage media only when the developer has indicated support through the android:installLocation attribute. New installs of supported apps are automatically placed on the storage device with the most free space, and users can move supported apps between storage devices in the Settings app.

In Nougat+, we could even force most app to be movable even without the developers support by toggling Force allow apps on external switch inside developer options.

See here for more: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS7/comments/5qi1mj/with_nougat_now_we_can_finally_transfer_90_of_the/

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