Android Apps on USB

[TheSusKing]

Is it possible to run Android apps on a USB? My phone is running out of storage so I was wondering if I could just put the apps on a usb and when I plug it in my apps appear. Is that possible?

EDIT: I have found that it is not possible without root access, so i got an sd card instead

 

[vintageperson]

I kinda wanna know that too since the apps on my sd keep disappearing.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Not all devices support Adoptable storage function. Usually it makes only sense to even allow it on internally available SDs.
The feature never seemed to be stable anyway. Better store data (downloads, photos, video…) on external storage. Apps shouldn't be that big (unless bloated games with a mess of texture data).

 

[Evilengine]

You can try this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lb.app_manager
It shows you which apps are movable. At least it was working for SD cards, I guess it should allow USB, too
edit: Actually I meant this App, but they should be similar:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd&hl=de

But make sure to backup important files, I can't guarantee that this app is not corrupting anything!

 

[TheSusKing]

You can try this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lb.app_manager
It shows you which apps are movable. At least it was working for SD cards, I guess it should allow USB, too
edit: Actually I meant this App, but they should be similar:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd&hl=de

But make sure to backup important files, I can't guarantee that this app is not corrupting anything!

alright, i'll try it

Post automatically merged: Jun 3, 2024

You can try this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lb.app_manager
It shows you which apps are movable. At least it was working for SD cards, I guess it should allow USB, too
edit: Actually I meant this App, but they should be similar:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.a0soft.gphone.app2sd&hl=de

But make sure to backup important files, I can't guarantee that this app is not corrupting anything!

it didnt work, when i tried to move it to the usb it just says not enough storage, when my usb has 100 gb left

 

[Evilengine]

does your phone allow micro sd cards? maybe you can upgrade? or you need another phone?

 

[TheSusKing]

i didnt think of that

 

[KleinesSinchen]

@TheSusKing
It doesn't work this way. These App2SD things usually allow only moving to adopted stored (SD used as internal memory). Additionally each app has to support being moved to SD in their manifest. Ignoring the manifest data with developer options can be done, but more often than not apps will simply not start anymore if forced to SD.

More often than not devices with adopted storage behaved strange: Extremely slow, crashing, false out-of-storage messages. I gave that up before even really diving into Android topics.

There are some fancy ideas to mount app directories to the appropriate mount points on internal memory it obviously requires root access… and I never got it to work. And that is just for using a secondary partition on SD. Not even talking about USB. Might be achievable manually, but I guess for USB to be supported – if even possible – you would need to write a suitable script yourself.
=======

Export big files, not apps.

 

[TheSusKing]

@TheSusKing
It doesn't work this way. These App2SD things usually allow only moving to adopted stored (SD used as internal memory). Additionally each app has to support being moved to SD in their manifest. Ignoring the manifest data with developer options can be done, but more often than not apps will simply not start anymore if forced to SD.

More often than not devices with adopted storage behaved strange: Extremely slow, crashing, false out-of-storage messages. I gave that up before even really diving into Android topics.

There are some fancy ideas to mount app directories to the appropriate mount points on internal memory it obviously requires root access… and I never got it to work. And that is just for using a secondary partition on SD. Not even talking about USB. Might be achievable manually, but I guess for USB to be supported – if even possible – you would need to write a suitable script yourself.
=======

Export big files, not apps.

okay, thanks

 

[Evilengine]

It heavily depends on your device. I was using a Huawei Y7 and Y9 from around 2017 and it never was a big issue, to use a micro SD as the main memory for most apps. Just not every device allows to use it that way system wise.
We have an older tablet, Samsung tab A4 from around 2016 with only 16gb internal memory and there is a SD slot but the android version seems so old, that there is no option to extend the memory for apps onward the SD card, just to copy files to and from it.
The AppMgr III really allowed for the higher number of apps and diferent games to change the install location without any issue and also backup to a *.apk file for later reinstall.
Certain apps like Retroarch, Whatsapp and System Apps were not supported but enough of the others to save at least a bit of internal space.
I am telling this in detail, as I always like the idea to upgrade or improve older tech so it still can have a use instead of creating waste.