Android: change memory card - you have to consider that
High-resolution pictures, HD videos and lots of music - a small memory card in an Android smartphone will quickly reach its limits. This practical tip shows you how to change this for a larger card.
Step 1: Before changing the memory card: create a data backup of your android
Before you replace your old memory card with a new one, you should back up all data, such as photos, music and backups, to your computer or cloud storage.
Step 2: Remove the memory card from the Android smartphone
Before you remove the memory card from your Android phone, you should "eject" it from the system to avoid data loss. Depending on the topicality of your Android operating system, this option can be found under different menu items. Here's an example:
- Open the "Settings" item in the Android menu.
- Here tap on "Storage" to get to the option "Remove SD card". Select this to eject the card in the system.
- After you have received a confirmation, you can safely remove the micro SD card.
Step 3: Buy a new SD card - you have to be aware of that
Pretty much all smartphones use SD cards of the "Micro-SD" design. The simple micro SD card has a maximum data volume of 2 GB, which quickly reaches its limits with high-resolution images and videos. A microSDHC card is better, which can hold up to 32 GB. Modern memory cards are called "MicroSDXC" and hold up to 2 TB of data.
- If you want to store large data such as HD films or high-resolution images, you should ensure a fast data transfer rate. In the next practical tip, we will show you all information about SD card speed and classes.
- In our CHIP leaderboard you will find a clear overview of all tested SD cards - you can find the best price in our price comparison.
Step 4: Insert a new SD card and format it if necessary
When installing your SD card, make sure that you insert it correctly. In most cases, this is printed on both the smartphone and the memory card.
- If you have inserted your micro SD card, it should normally be ready for use immediately.
- If this is not the case, it still has to be formatted. In the next tip, we will show you how to format a micro SD card in an Android smartphone.