Link2SD
Link2SD

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.

Link2SD

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.

  1. First you have to download Mini Tool Partition Wizard Manager. You can download it HERE.
  2. Insert your SD card to a card reader and open it on your computer.
  3. Back up all your files to the computer because partitioning will wipe your data.
  4. 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)
  5. Right click and choose Delete.link2sd 3
  6. 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)
  7. Select “Create as: PRIMARY” link2sd 4
  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.
  9. 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) link2sd 5
  10. Click the “Apply” button on the top left corner and wait for it to finish the process. Done.
  11. Put back your SD card to your phone and switch it on.
  12. Download and install Link2sd from Google Play Store.
  13. Open Link2sd. You will be prompted to choose between ext2, ext3, ext4 and FAT32. Select ext2. link2sd 6
  14. It will say mount script created. Reboot your phone now.
  15. Open link2sd and if the message doesn’t show up, you succeded.
  16. Go to Link2sd>Settings>check the autolink (to automatically move apps upon installation)
  17. If you already have some apps, select “move to phone” then after moving select “Create Link” (be sure to check the three files: app, dalvic-cache and library files)
  18. link2sd 2link2sd
  19. To check your memory, select “Storage Info”. This will show you the current state of your internal memory, FAT32, and ext2 partition.                                                                                             link2sd 7
  20. Now you’re done and ready to install vast amount of applications as you wish!
FOR CLOCKWORKMOD RECOVERY USERS ONLY( ALTERNATIVE METHOD)
NOTE: You can also use the instructions above. This guide will work on both stock and custom ROMs.
  1. Back up all your files to your computer. Partitioning wipes the files of your SD card.
  2. Go into recovery mode
  3. Select “Advanced”
  4. Select “Partition SD card”
  5. 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)
  6. Select 0 swap
  7. Wait for the process to finish. Reboot.
  8. Download and install Link2SD from Google Play Store.
  9. Open Link2SD you will be prompted to choose between ext2, ext3, ext4 or FAT32. Choose ext4.
  10. Follow instructions number 14-20. DONE!

Having troubles? Feel free to comment and post your questions below. Enjoy! :)

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613 Comments

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  1. I have tried link2sd using my 32gb sd card for my extended ROM, based on the other blog the idea is you can only use 20% of your total sd capacity so in my case I can used up to 6.5gb as extended ROM. At first it won’t mount on link2sd because I’m using ext2 as partition, but I experiment on ext3 and finally ext4 works with my sdcard using 6gb as my extended ROM. By the way your phone must be rooted on the first

    place before you can use Link2sd, My device is oppo with 32gb sd card.

  2. OBB files dont get transferred to sdcard. while transferring OBB files it show package invalid error. WASTE OF MONEY!!

  3. All this BS is why you should buy phones that have a high amount of storage built in. Its not worth this hassle otherwise. We can thank Google for this crap. Whats the point of buying a 64gb sdcard for apps, when you can only put 2gb of storage for apps on it?

  4. Hi I’d like to ask my link2sd don’t show the message “select the file system of your SD card’s second partition” when I open it. please help

  5. Hi I was able to create 2 partitions here are snapshots from my phone.As you can see in screenshots each time Link2sd fails to mount the second partition.

    I have attached a screenshot of storage which is seen from the Link2sd Settings.
    The second partition is ext4. Phone is HTC 620G Desire. Memory card is 16 GB.

    Partition 1 ext4 6Gb

    Partition 2 Fat32 10 Gb
    What else should I try for this to work?
    Android version 4.4.2.
    Link2sd version 4.0.12

    1. follow the devs tut above, the first partition needs to be FAT32 and set to primary and also must be larger than partiton 2 so if you have a 32GB sd card you will only get about 28GB to use for partitioning then make your 1st partition about 25GB and your 2nd partition about 2GB I made ine 3GB cos I’m bent on having every app under the sun lol! anyway secomd partition as ext2 nothing else and it also needs to be set to “Primary” and NOT extended!

      click apply and wait for the changes to take place. eject your card from card reader
      place in phone wait for it to mount. start up links2sd (it has to be the Links2SDPlus) donation version for these extra added features to work!
      This guy put in a serious amount of work to make this app functional so be thankful he is only charging the small fee that he is! I have no quams with paying for an App if it actually works. What I do is I run a pirate copy first to see if it is actually worth paying for and then if it turns out it works I go and install a paid version! seems fair! I see in your screenshot that there is a padlock next to the word Links2SD does this suggest that you are still using the free version? if you are dont expect anything to work like in the tut?! nothing is for free mate, I dont blame the guy for making certain features not available! how would he making a living if everyone jus got all his work and ideas for free!?!!! anyway once you have fired up linsk2sdplus follow the instructions in his tutorial again and select ext2 if you have done everything right it will create the mount point correctly and you will be asked to reboot your phone. then restart the app and if you get no more messages on app startup you have succeeded! ;-) good luck ;-)

  6. Id like to ask, if for example, id done this to an 8gb sd card, then I had linked the apps, and I took off the memory card, or decided to chane to a newer sd card, will my phone still work without the previous linked card?

  7. After you have saved the apps and other files already on the sd card, where do these go when you have re-formatted/partitioned the sd card? I assume that the apps are put back in the ext2/3/4 partition and the other files in the same folder structure under the other partition. I have a 32Gb sd card so I was planning to have 2Gn for ext and 30gb for other files, etc. It’s not clear from the above what you do after step 10 and before putting the sd card back in the phone!

    1. yes as he says all your media etc goes on 1st partition i.o.w. the fat32 partition. I guess its set up this way for pro microsoft people because windoze cant see linux partitions like ext2,3,4 etc.Personally I love linux but in the last couple years microsoft have finally caught on and maybe even accepted that perhaps the linux file structure and system is very intuitive, bla bla anyway so like I said yes media on fat32 and apps on ext2 2nd partition. buy your statement about it not being clear I assume youve gone and saved your files on your pc rather than on your phone temporarily?
      if this is the case just use any win compatible ftp app or if you can connect via bluetooth very well between your desktop and mobile send the files across that way. I still find remote desktop to be one of the most reliable wireless file transfer apps out there. sadly for some strange reason you can no longer find it on google market but if you do some serious detective work you can find it on the internet on other 3rd party sites, I cant recall exact which ones so long ago now, sorry. Ive attached a photo of what the login page looks like. you have to start the app on your phone and then point your browser to any of the 3 addresses it provides and then it also provides a random login code, once youve logged in you will see the file structure and folders of your phone etc. navigate in the left pane to where you want to place your media i.o.w. 2nd partition of your external sdcard and click upload then window opens for you to select your files! it supports batch upload if you hold your shift key and select how ever many files to upload! it does not support folder upload, well at least not in the free version, but it is fast, I often use it for uploading music!you just have to create the folder first which you can also do in the browser! i.o.w. if I were uploading an entire albumnId make a folder and name it the name of the albumn just like you would on your desktop. you can also download from device to pc so it works both ways. the app when you eventually find it will also have the same icon as the little computer shown in the screenshot I have uploaded herewith, just so you know what to look out for and get the right one I hope this helps you somewhat?

  8. do i have to move the apps in sd card? after the tutorial above.. or not necessarily?