Link2SD is an android application by Bulent Akpinar that lets you move apps and games to the 2nd partition of your SD card. Why do we have to use Link2SD when Froyo and Gingerbread’s Native Apps2sd moves the files to the SD card? Native apps2sd only moves the apk file of the application leaving other files in internal memory thus you still have to manage your on-board memory and limit your choice of apps because it will eat up your memory and later on you cannot install any files anymore. Additionally, widgets and some applications are not intended to be moved to the SD card. However, Link2SD is only for root users because it is required that your phone is rooted.
The idea behind the application is the same. But Link2SD has more relevant features which the Native Apps2sd lacked giving Android 1.5 and up users the chance to have a taste of what it’s like to have a big phone memory. Additional features were added by the developer to furher optimize the usage of android devices. By using Link2SD, you can move not only the application file, but also the dalvic-cache and libray files of the application. This means that data will be the only one left to consume your internal memory thus installing applications and games would be easier because you can install anything you want without worrying about the famous low memory problem. Furthermore, Link2sd covers all files even moving widgets and the unmoveable applications to the 2nd partition of your SD card.
This is a step by step guide on how you can run Link2SD on your device. This tutorial will work for both stock and cutom ROMs. For ClockWorkMod Recovery users, you can check the other guide below. Follow all the instructions carefully to eliminate possible problems.
- First you have to download Mini Tool Partition Wizard Manager. You can download it HERE.
- Insert your SD card to a card reader and open it on your computer.
- Back up all your files to the computer because partitioning will wipe your data.
- Open Mini Tool in your computer. Locate your SD card (be careful in choosing and make sure not to choose the drive of your computer)
- Right click and choose Delete.
- Right click on it again and choose Create New. Create “FAT32” partition (This is where all your media files will go. Be sure to make it bigger than the 2nd part)
- Select “Create as: PRIMARY”
- Next, create an ext2/ext3/ext4 partition (if you’re on stock ROM, choose ext2). This is where your apps will go. I suggest a value of 512Mb or 1Gb would be big enough but if you insist you can go as high as 2Gb.
- Select “Create As: PRIMARY” (make sure that it is both set to primary because it will not work if it is not set to primary)
- Click the “Apply” button on the top left corner and wait for it to finish the process. Done.
- Put back your SD card to your phone and switch it on.
- Download and install Link2sd from Google Play Store.
- Open Link2sd. You will be prompted to choose between ext2, ext3, ext4 and FAT32. Select ext2.
- It will say mount script created. Reboot your phone now.
- Open link2sd and if the message doesn’t show up, you succeded.
- Go to Link2sd>Settings>check the autolink (to automatically move apps upon installation)
- If you already have some apps,
select “move to phone” then after movingselect “Create Link” (be sure to check the three files: app, dalvic-cache and library files) - To check your memory, select “Storage Info”. This will show you the current state of your internal memory, FAT32, and ext2 partition.
- Now you’re done and ready to install vast amount of applications as you wish!
- Back up all your files to your computer. Partitioning wipes the files of your SD card.
- Go into recovery mode
- Select “Advanced”
- Select “Partition SD card”
- Choose your SD-ext size (if you’re using a 2Gb SD card, choose 512Mb. If your SD card is 4Gb or greater, you can choose 1024Mb)
- Select 0 swap
- Wait for the process to finish. Reboot.
- Download and install Link2SD from Google Play Store.
- Open Link2SD you will be prompted to choose between ext2, ext3, ext4 or FAT32. Choose ext4.
- Follow instructions number 14-20. DONE!
Having troubles? Feel free to comment and post your questions below. Enjoy! :)
when i am open link 2 sd app they asking for location i chose ext2 then ok.but new popup is blinking and the msg is mount script cannot be created mount:No such filr or directory
WHEN U GET THAT ERROR JUST EXTIT LINK2SD AND THEN OPEN IT AGAIN AND TRY ANOTHER DIR. SUCH AS EXT4 IF THEN ALSO U GET ERROR JUST REPEAT THE THING AND TRY ALL THE DIR. 1 BY 1 AND EVENTUALLY U WILL GET THE RIGHT ONE
SOURCE- HAPPENED TO ME XD
Yeah it creat a link after changing to ext4 n ask to reboot by doin so I got booting up prob my phon neverreboot
You might be bootlooped. Why not flash a stock rom?
had same problem. tried all directories still not working. getting same message….MOUNT SCRIPT CANNOT BE CREATED. PLEASE HELP!!!
thank you bro.. it really works for my lenovo p770.. thank you very much again.
Thanks for the guide, I did it with no problems on a 32g card, for my metro lg optimus l9 ms769. Now just want more question (i a newbie), this is my first time rooting, doing the partitions on sd card, etc etc… i want to know what should i move to the sd and what i should not. Thanks for any input..
there is something o dont understand in #8
Next, create an ext2/ext3/ext4 partition (if you’re on stock ROM,
choose ext2). This is where your apps will go. I suggest a value of
512Mb or 1Gb would be big enough but if you insist you can go as high as
2Gb.
is this new sd card or the same one? im using 8gig
oh nevermind i got it. thanks for the guide
I have a 32 gb sd card and could not get it to work had to put in the 2 gb that the phone came with to work also noticed that you suggested to only select no more than 2 gb for the ext2 drive. Is this the limitation? way to small for some apps is there anything better? LG F7
does this work with sony xperia..?
I create partion bt i see in my cell ext2 partion size
You said to back up your files but you didn’t give any instructions on restoring it.
gui
“Root Access Warning. Link2SD could not obtain root access. If you have root access make sure you respond ‘Allow’ or ‘Grant’ to the superuser request”
New phone, memory full after a week just downloading apps like my old phone. Added SD card but phone doesn’t seem to want to use it except for storing photos.
Went out and purchased a card reader as my computer does not have one. Partitioned the card exactly as described in this page but yet I still can’t use it.
I assume “root” is the same as “jailbreak” but that makes no sense to me as I understood the androids were open source.
So how do I get this to work?
i think you need to root properly your phone and install superuser app such as SuperSU.
Thanks. The problem is rooting. I shouldn’t have to root my phone just to use the memory. Truly one messed up phone. Galaxy Victory–fairly useless. No memory, Battery last a couple of hours of screen time. Can’t use phone as GPS as the battery drains faster than the charger charges.
Philosophically, I couldn’t agree more. Pragmatically, I even had to factory reset my phone to get rooting to work it was that full of cruft, one does what one has to. I have a suspicion that Google wants us all to root our phones, it is what they always wanted for android.
i have Micromax HD A116.
1. i have update manually my Android 4.1 to 4.2
2. i creat partition of my 16 gb sd card. 1 part 9gb FAT32 & second part EXT2 file system about 6 gb
3. i root my phone succesfully
3. i install superuser
4. i install Link2SD
5. i move all apps to my sdcard partion EXT2
6. clear all apps catch, dalvik catch
but still Internal storage is low.
Please help me to clear some space of my internal storage (Phone Storage)
click the apps one by one . once the app is click u see into the lower left “create link” just click and check the available box like divlib. and cache and click link. wait to finish link. and all files in ur internal storage will cut into sdcard ext2.