Using an SD card on the moto g7
Your phone supports a microSD card up to 512 GB.
The type to buy depends on how you'll format the card:
- Portable storage (can use card in different devices): A Class 2, 4, or 6 card is sufficient.
- Internal storage (card used only by phone): Use a high speed card such as UHS-1 type for best performance. Class 2, 4, or 6 cards are slower than your phone’s internal storage, so using them for internal storage would slow your phone's performance.
Move photos, videos, music to SD card
To free up internal storage on your phone:
- Be sure you've inserted and set up your SD card.
- Open the Files app and touch Clean
Or, go to Settings > Storage > Internal shared storage > Free up space
- If there are media files to move, touch the option to free up space.
- Select items to move.
- Touch Move to SD card > Move
Move apps to SD card
- Make sure it is formatted as internal storage.
- Go to Settings > Apps & notifications and touch the app to move.
- Touch Storage
- Touch CHANGE. If you don’t see this option, the developer does not allow the app to be stored on an SD card.
- Select your SD card, then touch Move
Move apps from SD card to phone
When you install an SD card as internal storage, it is part of your phone. If you want to change the SD card to portable storage or remove it from the phone to reformat and use in another device, first move the apps from SD card storage to your phone's internal storage:
- Go to Settings > Storage
- Select your SD card.
- Touch Apps and select an app.
- Touch CHANGE > Internal shared storage > Move
Eject SD card
Internal storage
- Move apps from the card back to phone internal storage before you eject the card. If you remove the card without moving the apps:
- You will lose access to the apps/games on card and will need to reinstall them.
- Your apps and phone's performance will degrade.
- Go to Settings > Storage
- Touch the SD card name.
- Touch
> Eject - Remove the card from the phone.
Portable storage
To eject the card, drag the SD card notification down, and touch Eject
If you don't see the notification:
- Go to Settings > Storage
- Next to your SD card name, touch
It's now safe to remove the card from the phone.
To insert the card into another device (computer, projector, etc.) that uses different card dimensions, you may need the adapter that came with your card. See device manufacturer's instructions for the type of adapter required and insertion instructions.
You'll need to choose one of two formats for your SD card:
Erase SD card
- Go to Settings > Storage
- Select your SD card.
- Touch > Storage settings > Format
- Follow onscreen instructions to format the card.
Format SD card
You'll need to choose one of two formats for your SD card:
- Use as portable storage if you want to move the card to other devices to access your media.
- Use as internal storage if you need more device storage to install large apps and games and plan to use the card only in your phone.
| Portable storage | Internal storage | |
| Store media (photos, videos, music) | yes | yes |
| Store apps | no | yes |
| Content encrypted | no | yes |
| Read card in other devices | yes | no |
To format the inserted card:
- Go to Settings > Storage
- Touch the SD card's name.
- Touch > Storage settings
- Touch Format as internal or Format as portable
If you don't see Format as internal, then your phone only supports SD cards formatted as portable storage.
If you formatted as portable storage, be sure to update settings in media apps (like camera, music, and podcast apps), so they use the card to store content you create or download.
