Best Memory Cards for Android Phones

Thinking of upgrading your phones storage? Great idea memory cards not only extend your phones storage but also provide better protection for your content should anything ever happen to your phone. If your phone ever malfunctions or you need to get a replacement and your information is already saved to a memory card, then you won’t lose anything from your original device.

Memory cards, also referred to as SD cards, are always a good investment when it comes to protecting your information and providing better performance on an Android Smartphone.

In this article I will go over some of the best options available if you are thinking of buying a new memory card for your phone and what SD card will be right for you.

The beginning of this article describes many features and covers a lot of information that you might want to consider when choosing a memory card, and I recommend you read the entire article. If you would like however, you may choose to skip right to the best memory cards that I recommend section, in which I review specific memory cards and why I chose that specific product instead of the many other options available.

First off, memory cards are not as expensive or as complicated as one might think, especially when you are shopping online. Which I usually recommend simply because of the amount of deals you can get on a great memory card.

Size and storage capacity

The hardest thing that you will have to consider when it comes to purchasing a memory card is going to be what size or how much storage comes on the device. Typically the more storage and information it can hold then the more expensive the memory card is going to be. We’ll start out small and work our way up from there.

2GB – the 2GB (gigabyte) memory card is one of the smaller memory cards available. Don’t get any memory card smaller than 2GB. Especially anything that reads MB (megabyte). There are approximately 1000 MB (megabytes) in a single GB (gigabyte). So if you buy a 500MB memory card then it is actually just a ½ GB memory card. Try not to get confused by a big number in front of two letters because the letters are the important part to remember. In order of size it goes KB (kilobytes) then MB (megabytes) then GB (gigabytes) then TB (terabytes). The most common and practical sizes today are GB so when looking for memory cards look for GB behind the number.

Again 2GB were pretty good and pretty common a few years ago but with better technology and better prices for more memory the 2GB memory card is becoming less and less common. I find that you really don’t get the bang for your buck when buying a 2GB memory card. Still Amazon has a few good deals if you want to look into one of the smaller 2GB memory cards.

4GB – this too is becoming less and less common. 4GB just isn’t what it used to be, not with sharper pictures and video which require more and more memory in order to save your information. I still recommend a higher memory card than a 4GB memory card if you want to continue using your memory card well into the future. Good deals are getting harder and harder on 4GB and you can often get double the storage for around the same price so, again I recommend you shop for a higher storage capacity, but Amazon has some decent deals on 4GB memory cards as well, if you’re interested.

8GB – now we are starting to get into a decent size range. I personally recommend that you shop for a higher capacity than 8GB, you can still get a lot more for your money but this size is generally enough for the average phone user.

16GB – Now were talking. The 16GB memory card is what I recommend for the average user. At this point you get the storage amount you need for extended use, and at the next size level memory cards jump up in price, so the 16GB is the best deal for your money. Truly you can get some pretty good deals on 16GB memory cards and the storage size should last the average user through multiple replacement phones as you upgrade to the newer and better phones every couple years. Here are some great deals on Amazon for 16GB memory cards.

I recommend this SanDisk 16 GB Memory Card from Amazon or Best Buy and here is why.

32GB – has a minor jump in price between the 16GB but if you take a lot of pictures and videos with your phone and don’t really have a computer to back them up or a computer you can use to do some cleaning on the SD card then you might want to consider a 32GB SD card.

The SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSD from Amazon or BestBuy is the second choice listed in the recommended section below. You don’t always have a camera with you, but you almost always have your phone with you, and if you plan on taking a lot of pictures and videos, or downloading a lot of media onto your device then the 32 GB is going to be the better choice.

64GB – Time for some over kill. If you don’t want to have to worry about upgrading or buying a new memory card for many years to come and want to be able to take videos, pictures, download movies (which add up quickly), application storage, full phone backups, etc then you just might want to think about a 64GB memory card. Especially when many of the 64GBs come with a 10 year or lifetime limited warranty as opposed to just a few years or even 5 years. You are going to keep using this memory card long after you replace the phone that you’re thinking of buying it for right now. Eventually 64GB memory cards will be the SD card of choice but as of right now they are more of an investment if you’re thinking of continuous use well into the future.

In a Nutshell, for the average user I recommend investing in an 8GB (good) or 16GB (best) memory card. If, however, you like to or plan on recording lots of videos, taking a lot of pictures, or if you are planning on download a lot of information to your phone then you’re going to need a lot more storage on the device and a 32GB or 64GB might be more of what you’re looking for.

When purchasing a memory card here are some other tips that you might want to consider

SD Cards vs. Micro SD cards

As technology advances devices seem to be getting smaller and smaller. The same goes with memory cards. When buying a memory card make sure that you purchase a Micro SD and or an micro SDHC (High Capacity) Card (previously known as Transflash Cards). They are the types of memory cards that fit into mobile Smartphones. With use of a memory card adapter you can even use the micro SD and micro SDHC cards as regular SD Cards or Mini SD Cards or even Memory Stick Pro Duo Cards. So keep that in mind as well, the Micro SD is the newer and smaller technology and with the help of an adapter can be used on older devices. The standard SD card is most likely going to be phased out eventually. Just something to keep in mind for the long run.

Choose one with Class

When choosing a memory card it is very important that you consider its Class. When I say Class I’m not talking about the adjective meaning stylish excellence I’m talking about speed. Micro SD cards use Class to determine transfer speeds. The Higher the Class the faster the phone will be able to read and write information to and from that SD card.

If you buy a memory card with a Speed Class of 2 (lowest Class) then your phone, camera, or device can only write 2 MB/sec (two megabytes per second). A Class 4 SD card can only write 4 MB/sec, Class 6 is 6 MB/sec, and Class 10 will write 10 megabytes per second.

Some devices won’t even work right if the memory cards Class isn’t high enough. For example if you have a camcorder or video recorder built for a Class 6 memory card and try to use a Class 2 or Class 4 SD card then your videos might error, might be fragmented, read “busy”, or might just error out and not work at all.

So when shopping for an SD card if your given the choice between multiple memory cards of the same size then don’t simply choose the cheapest option because chances are it has a lower Speed Class rating and is not necessarily the better product. You don’t want to have to wait for your pictures to open in your gallery, or wait 5 minutes to transfer photos or videos from your phone to your memory card, and if your camera is HD then you’re going to want to make sure your videos record and save properly to your SD card.

Remember the higher the speed the faster your phone will be able to read and write information to and from that memory card. Speed Class is one of the things taken into consideration when choosing the recommended SD cards mentioned above.

Setting up your storage correctly

Whatever memory card you end up choosing make sure that when you get it and put it into your phone that you set your phone up so that it automatically stores its information directly to the memory card.

This is very important. If you have a memory card and your information is still saving onto your phone then guess what happens if your phone malfunctions… you lose all your stuff! Memory cards add that extra protection should your device fail on its own or if it’s accidently damaged (note: don’t forget to invest in a case for your phone. Memory cards protect your phones information and cases protect your phone).

So when you put your new memory card into your phone make sure you go into your camera, go to settings (usually looks like a little gear icon), select Storage, and make sure that SD card or Memory card is selected. If the option that says “Phone” is selected under the cameras storage settings then the phone is still saving information to your phone and not the memory card, so make sure you change it to the memory card option. I can’t stress that enough. It will save you a lot of frustration should there ever be an issue with your phone.

Moving your stuff to your SD card

Don’t forget to move the stuff that’s already saved onto your phone to your memory card. This is another common thing to forget to do after you get a memory card. You want to make sure that you have that Christmas family picture, or that cute picture of your child laughing, or those car accident photos, or any other important information copied to your memory card (note: and a computer if it’s really important). 

Different phones allow you to move information different ways, depending on who made the phone and what operating system it’s currently running on. If you need help moving information from your phone onto your SD card than you can click here.

Unmounting and mounting the SD card

A minor thing I also would like to mention is that when you get your new SD card all you have to do is plug it into your phone, go to the phones Settings, Select Storage (it might say “SD and Phone Storage”), then click on mount SD card. If the phone says “Unmount SD card” then the phone is already reading the memory card and you’re good to go.

Remember that if you ever want to remove your memory card from the device you should go into the storage and tap “Unmount SD card” so that you can remove it safely. You can also power the phone off all the way and then remove the memory card. If you just pull the memory card out without doing one of these two things there is a chance that you can hurt the memory card.

Memory card recommendations

So now that you know what to look for when buying a memory card here are some of my recommendations and why I chose them over the many others available.

#1 Choice is the SanDisk Ultra 16 GB MicroSDHC Class 10 Memory Card with Adapter

This memory card is the perfect storage solution for the average user and is my number one pick when recommending which memory card to choose for your smartphone.

These are just a few of the reasons why:

  1. Price, this memory card costs less than $15.00 US Dollars if you buy it online and less than $20.00 if you get it at the store! It’s a terrific bargain for the price.
  2. 16 GB is a good amount of storage for the average user, not too much and not too little.
  3. Class 10, fastest micro SD card you can get at the moment which means you won’t have any trouble transferring data or saving your information. And if you want to pull it out of your phone and use it for a while in your HD Camera then it’s perfect for HD video recording.
  4. SanDisk is a good strong brand who is well established and is a global leader in flash memory storage.
  5. UHS-1 enabled, which means the card has a minimum write speed of 10Mbytes per second intended for recording streaming video content. This feature is a lot like its high Class speed and performance.
  6. Shock proof, water-proof, temperature proof. This memory card is going to last longer than your phone and can be reused in many replacement phones down the road. If you ever drop your phone in water or if you accidently drop it on a hard surface and break your phone you should be able to just unplug this card from your damaged phone plug it into your replacement and be up and running in a matter of minutes, which means not only additional storage but additional security for your information.
  7. Lifetime Limited Warranty, this feature is actually one of my favorite features. Your phone might only come with a one year warranty but this card is so durable it’s covered with a lifetime limited warranty! Very hard to beat that, and since it’s interchangeable you’re going to be able to use it on your smartphones for many years to come.
  8. SD adapter included, which means that you can turn this Micro SD into a regular SD and plug it into the card reader on most computers and laptops. If you don’t want to plug your phone into the computer with a data cable to transfer your information then just use the adapter and your set.

Where to get this card?

Now for the fun part! Shopping for the best prices.

#1 place is Amazon. When buying electronics and phone accessories, the best place to shop is usually online, and one of the best places with the best deals online is Amazon.com. If you can wait a few days for your memory card to arrive then I recommend checking out the SanDisk Ultra 16 GB MicroSDHC Class 10 Memory Card with Adapter at Amazon First. Read the reviews on the card too. I’m not the only one who recommends it.

Here is the catch with getting this specific item on Amazon. Since the price is so awesome, it is eligible for Amazons “FREE Super Saver Shipping” BUT you have to spend over $25 $35 to qualify. So… if you need a Case or Screen Protector (Which I most certainly recommend you invest in if you haven’t already, even more so then a memory card in my most humble opinion) make sure to get it while on Amazon ordering your Memory card. Bundle them together to get free shipping, get the most bang for your buck and get the highest quality products. Win, Win, Win. If you need to get a case for your device look into an OtterBox a little more expensive but you most certainly get what you pay for. OtterBox is one of the most well respected Smartphone case brands today. If you’re looking for a Screen Protector then check out Zagg and its invisibleSHIELD. But I digress.

2nd best place I would recommend if you just can’t wait to get your card and start filling it with information would be to order it on BestBuy.com in which you can choose to run down to the store and pick it up or have it shipped to you. Best Buy has the memory card listed at a higher price than Amazon, which is why I recommend Amazon as the #1 place to purchase this SD card, as the price difference has grown over time, but Best Buy offers free shipping or of course store pickup. This same memory card has an even higher customer review rating on Best Buy’s website with a rating of 4.8 / 5 Stars.

If you can’t find another accessory or item (which you should be able to, you can find just about anything on Amazon) or if you just don’t feel like choosing something else to bundle with your order for the free shipping Amazon is still going to be the cheaper option due to the price difference. Unless you need your memory card as quickly as possible and want to order it online through Best Buy and then run down to your local store and pick it up the same day, I recommend choosing Amazon as it’s one of the most affordable options available.

#2 Choice of memory card is the SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSDHC Class 10 Memory Card with Adapter

Pretty much the exact same specifications as the choice above, as it comes with an SD adapter, it has a Lifetime Limited Warranty, Its durable being Shock proof, water-proof & temperature proof, its UHS-1 enabled and it’s a Class 10 for the fastest speed.

The difference lies in two features,

The size and storage capacity is double that of the 16GB mentioned above. So if you plan on recording videos, taking lots of pictures, downloading content, etc. on a regular basis then you might want to consider getting the Ultra 32 GB microSDHC.

It’s Price. This memory card has double the storage and is approximately double the price.

Price Update (November 2015): Amazon lowered the price on the SanDisk Ultra 32 GB MicroSDHC it is now under 25$. I just bought this exact card for my new phone from Amazon and I love it. A few extra dollars was well worth it for double the amount of storage. I intend to own this card for a long time and plan to use it to store data for many of my phones throughout the future. Plus I bundled a DVD with it and got the free shipping.

Enjoy

If you take the advice in this article and apply it then you shouldn’t have any problems choosing and using a new memory card for your Android Smartphone. Make sure to take lots of pictures and enjoy.

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55 thoughts on “Best Memory Cards for Android Phones”

  1. outer box case
    Thank for the tip of the sand disk ultra information. The only thing I don’t agree is with the outer case.
    There are better cases on line at amazon . The outer case are so uncomfortable in your hand the best are kickstand cases for note 2 note 3 and s3 and the s4 galaxy’s

    1. Very legitimate observation

      Thank you for the comment. I can certainly see where you are coming from about the Protective cases. Protective Cases for cell phones are such interesting topics because choosing one can involve a lot more personal preferences than just a cut and dry comparison.

      I can understand exactly what you are saying though. Otterboxes do have a reputation for being a bit bulky (which I actually don’t mind as I have a big hand and I think it helps offer more protection from damage) but some people prefer a more sleek and visually appealing case that still offers the proper protection for their device. Some people don’t like any bulk at all and choose to buy a full body screen protector like Zaggs Invisible shield (which I mentioned in the article as well).

      So when choosing an outer case it’s often a matter of preferences and when I was choosing a case for my Samsung Galaxy S4 (which I love) and I weighed my preferences I chose to invest in an Otterbox Defender series protective case. To me they seem to be mostly about function and keeping the device safe, which is perfect as I have accidently dropped my phone 3 times where I was very grateful to have my Otterbox Defender.

      Thanks for reading and thank you for posting about your favorite protective cases for smartphones. The more information people have the more informed they will be when making a decision and when choosing a product they will be more likely to find one that they will be happy with and that will suite their specific needs and preferences.

  2. Thank you so much
    Thank you so much, this has been very helpful. Now I know what I exactly need. Thank you again.

  3. Sandra Williamson

    64GB SD card choice is MISSING!
    While you stated that buying a 64GB SD card is forward looking, you then end the recommending article with your recently purchased 32GB SD card- so much for forward thinking! I’m doing this reading because my 32GB SD card is FULL- therefore the critical information I needed wasn’t available.

    The following is my current situation-I used the SanDisk app that checks the phone & makes a recommendation. It happens that terminology gave me a problem for awhile because the 64GB isn’t available in ‘extreme pro’ but is called ‘Extreme Plus’ & that information came from using tollfree # for SanDisk.

    1. Upgrading your SD card

      You make some good points Sandra, thanks for pointing out the “Extreme pro” vs. “Extreme Plus” dilemma. It could save someone else some confusion if they too wish to purchase a 64GB memory card. So thanks for the tip.

      An additional Tip – something to keep in mind when purchasing a 64GB memory card

      Make sure that your phone can handle a 64GB memory card – While most phones can use a 32GB SD card or smaller and 64GB storage is becoming more and more common, as of today, not all phones are compatible with a 64GB memory card. If you require allot of additional storage for your phone and choose to invest in a 64GB memory card then make sure your phone can actually use it before buying one or else it’s not going to do you any good.

      A simple search on your favorite search engine for your specific cell phones specifications will provide you with whether or not your phone can use a 64GB card or if its max storage capacity is going to be limited to a smaller amount of storage. There is no point in buying an SD card if you cannot use it.

      That being said… As my Samsung Galaxy S4 (which I love) does allow me to use up to a 64GB SD card I might choose to upgrade to a 64GB memory card later on, BUT then again maybe not… if I ever end up with a FULL 32GB SD card then in all practicality the only thing a person really NEEDS on their memory card is what they are going to want to have access to when out and about.

      With the exception of filling up my External Memory with music or movies (I love my movies) I don’t see a problem with transferring data that I don’t currently NEED on my memory card to a computer in order to create more room on my memory card. This is true of my pictures, videos, music, App data, and yes even my movies. If I find that I have not showed anyone some vacation photos in a while then why not copy those photos to my computer and then free up some space by removing them from my SD card. It would take only minutes and wouldn’t be too much of a hassle at all.

      If I change my mind later then all I would have to do is copy them back to my phones SD card from the computer and they would be ready to use again. So keep that in mind as well. But you are right some people prefer to keep things simple, may require a lot of external storage, and a 64GB card might suite them better.

      Thanks again for the tip about 64GB memory cards Sandra, thanks for visiting my site, and enjoy that extra storage on your smartphone my friend.

  4. Do memory cards cause such problems?
    I’m not sure I’m talking to the right person concerning this but I’d really appreciate it if u can answer this questions. I have a 2GB memory card which I use in my Samsung Galaxy Y Pro smartphone but the problem is, most of my pictures stop showing a while after downloading or capturing them. Could it be the size of the memory card causing this? Please do answer because this has been causing me heartache of late, life without pictures is nothing 🙁
    Thanks 🙂

    1. The size of the memory card could be a contributing factor

      Hi Febbe Andima,

      There can be a few things that can cause this to happen, let’s start from the most likely causes and go from there.

      Size of your memory card – 2GB of storage space is a pretty small memory card and can get full very quickly. This is likely the issue that’s happening on your phone. If the memory card is full then the phone will have difficulties saving pictures to it properly. So the first thing I recommend that you do is to check your memory card to make sure that your external storage isn’t full. This is very easy to do and if you would like a step by step guide you can read How to check the memory on a Samsung Android phone the article is intended for a Samsung phone running on Android 4.2 Jelly bean but it should point you in the right direction. You just need to access your phones “Settings” and then find the “Storage” option, scroll down to “SD card” and look at the “Available space”. If it shows MB or KB instead of GB under the “Available space” then your memory card should be upgraded to larger size. If you do need to upgrade, which it sounds like you will as 2GB is a really small memory card, don’t forget to use the advice mentioned in the article above, it will help you choose the best card available.

      SD card not full but media disappearing – if the memory card has a lot of space available but your pictures, videos, or other media files keep disappearing then it could be something else entirely. If this is the case then I recommend reading How to fix an Android phone when its pictures and media are deleting themselves.

      I hope that helps Febbe Andima, if you have any more questions about your phone or your memory card then don’t hesitate to ask.

    1. Glad you liked it

      Your welcome Sabiha Khan, I am glad that you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice and friendly comment.

  5. feedback and prob
    thanks alot ,truly nice article

    hi I have prob with sd card that it’s show error -(read only) file says I can’t delete anything nor store new stuff. how can fix this sd card, why this happened plz help me dude….!!

  6. Memory Card for Samsung S4
    Hi, I recently bought a Samsung S4 (16GB). I was confused, as to how to choose a memory card for the phone. Your article was very informative! Thank you!

    I have a question. I have now decided to go for Sandisk Ultra microSDHC UHS-I 32GB (Class 10). Will this be compatible with my phone? Will i be facing any issue? Should I go ahead and buy this one? Please assist.

    Looking forward to hearing from you!

    Vishwa

    1. Yep, I have one myself and it works great

      Hello Vishwa,

      I have the Samsung Galaxy S4 myself and I also own the SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSDHC Class 10 Memory Card (#2 recommended memory card above) for it. Both are working great together with no problems. I made sure to get the Adapter too, which I am glad I did, because it allowed me to easily plug my MicroSD card into my standard SD card reader on my laptop and I was able to transfer all my music from my computer to my phones memory card very quickly and easily.

      You can often do this with a USB connection as well but I have found that transferring large files or a large amount of information can sometimes cause problems when transferring with a USB connection. Just a little piece of advice that you don’t really hear about until you experience it yourself, so I thought I would mention it. This doesn’t just apply to music; it also applies to videos, movies, pictures, etc. Just something to consider when purchasing a memory card…

      So to answer your question… YES, the SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSDHC (Class 10) will be perfectly compatible with your Samsung Galaxy S4 and you shouldn’t face any issues. You will likely have to format the card when you place it into your phone for the first time but just follow the onscreen instructions and you won’t have any trouble, it’s very easy and strait forward.

      Enjoy your SD card my friend. If you have any more questions about memory cards or your smartphone then don’t hesitate to ask.

  7. Hi, I recently bought a Samsung…
    Hi, I recently bought a Samsung galaxy grand 2. I am confused, how do I choose a memory card for the phone.

    I want to buy Sandisk Ultra microSD 32GB. Can u please tell me which class i should buy… or which class is best for my phone?
    Thanks in advance.

  8. Much Helpful
    I was confused between PNY class 10 32gb and sandisk ultra c 10 32 gb but now i know what to buy thanks a lot very helpful and accurate information

  9. file system out of resources
    Hey James I just wanna ask you what does it mean when my phone says file system out of resources and what can I do fix this problem it says this sometimes when I download new songs or pics or videos or when I try to access files already on phone I have to remove Memory card and replace each time and it isn’t nice I even tried buying a new memory card but the problem persist.
    please help!

    1. BlackBerry or Android?

      Hi Ruben,

      What cell phone are you experiencing this problem on? Is your smartphone a BlackBerry or an Android? Let me know and we’ll see if we can’t find a solution to this unpleasant problem.

  10. Thanks for the article.
    Thanks for the article. Provides all information in simple language. Could you write more about UHS-1 and other variants of this feature.

    1. Speed Class vs. UHS Speed Class

      Hi Girish,

      I can understand your desire for a more user friendly explanation of UHS-1. The whole concept can be a little confusing even for tech minded thinkers as the specifications for UHS (Ultra High Speed) can often be a little vague. But I will give it a shot…

      UHS (Ultra High Speed) as you can probably guess by its name is a type of Speed Class. Now I talked about Class in the article above already but here is where things get a little confusing… I suppose you can say that there are currently two different kinds of speed class; there is “Speed Class” and “UHS Speed Class” which are both supposed measure the minimum sustained transfer speeds in flash memory (such as an SD card).

      Speed Class is what I discuss in the article above and at the moment consists of a Class 2, 4, 6, and 10. Class 10 being the highest and fastest indicating a minimum of 10 megabytes worth of data can be written to the card per second.

      UHS Speed Class is a different form of speed measurement as these types of cards are able to use a newer and different type of technology to actually transfer data to the card. Although UHS memory cards should be backwards compatible meaning that if you inserted the UHS memory card into a device that didn’t use the UHS technology then the memory card should recognize this and switch to and use the standard technology which utilizes the “Speed Class” system of measurement and the card should still function in the non-UHS compatible device. 🙂 Confused yet?

      Basically, UHS-1 indicates that the unit should have a minimum write speed of 10 megabytes of data per second (just like a memory card with a Speed Class of 10).

      If you are shopping for a memory card, and you would like to invest in the fastest card currently available, then choosing an SD card with a Speed Class of 10 is still one of the fastest options available and should keep you covered and suite your needs well into the future.

      I hope that helps Girish, if you have any more questions about memory cards or your cell phone then don’t hesitate to ask.

  11. how to transfer content to new memory card
    I have bought new 16 g memory card for my android phone. please outline in stepwise how I will replace the old memory card already in use so that all settings and content will be transferred to new memory card without losing anything. thanks

    1. Transferring information to a new memory card

      Hi Ade,

      You asked a common but potentially complicated question. Not all cell phones are created the same, not even if they are built on the same Android Operating System, so saving your information to an SD card is going to depend on what make and model of cell phone you have.

      The easiest way to do it (if available) would be to plug your memory card into a computer (using a built in SD card port or adapter), open My Computer (if you have a Windows computer), find your removable drive (which is the memory card which was previously inserted in your cell phone), copy the whole drive to the computer, and then eject the old memory card (from the computer of course), remove the card from the computer, insert the new blank card, paste the information from the old drive/memory card to the new one, eject and remove it from the computer, plug your new SD card into your phone, and assuming everything goes correctly, enjoy your updated memory card.

      Luckily since it’s just a new memory card and not a new phone your phones settings shouldn’t be affected by a new memory card. If you cannot connect your memory card from your cell phone into your PC then you will have to transfer the information from the card, to the phone, unmount the card, take it out of the phone, insert the new memory card, you will most likely need to reformat the new memory card for it to work properly, and then you could transfer all of the information from the phone back to the new memory card.

      If you have never manually transferred information to and from the memory card before then it might seem challenging at first but I have a few guides on the site, with step-by-step instructions, which can help you through it. So depending on what “android phone” you have you might need to check out how to move data from a Samsung Android cell phone to a memory card, or how to copy info from an LG phone to its memory card, or how to transfer content to the SD card on a Sony Xperia, etc. If you do not have one of those phones then check out how to move things to a memory card on an Android smartphone instead and it should point you in the right direction.

      I hope that helps Ade. Good luck my friend and congratulations on the new 16GB memory card.

  12. Vijay h Vazirani

    Best memory cards for android phones
    Dear Mr.Bond,

    Your article stirred up my interest to go through it thoroughly and the effect was truly satisfying and enlightening just as the martinis preferred by your namesake in the movies.

    Readers may be advised to state the brand and model of the phones they experience problems with to enable appropriate solutions quickly.

    Your patient and detailed explanations in a non technical language are of invaluable assistance to the needy.

    Thank you

    With gratitude.

    Vijay

    1. Thank you very much Vijay

      Hi Vijay,

      I am happy that you found this guide about choosing the best memory card for your smartphone satisfying and delightful. That’s exactly what I was going for ;).

      Yes, knowing the make, model, and when possible the software version of a cell phone certainly helps take the guess work out of things. It’s one of the biggest hurdles I face on the site so you’re right I need to find the best way to advise the sites visitors to include this factor in their questions and comments… I just have not found the most effective way to do it yet (although I have been thinking about it for a while now).

      Thank you very much Vijay for taking the time to post such a nice and flattering comment on my site. I really do appreciate it. Keep up the great work and if there is anything else that I can help you with just let me know.

  13. Best Memory Card for an HTC DESIRE 516
    Hi,
    Could you please suggest the best capacity of memory card for my HTC DESIRE 516?
    I want to make sure to get the best one.

    1. The best memory card for the HTC Desire 516

      Hi Balaji,

      The HTC Desire 516 can utilize a memory card with the capacity of 32GB or smaller. I have the Class 10 32GB SD card that I mentioned at the bottom of the article above and I love it. As such that is the memory card that I would recommend that you get for your HTC smartphone.

      I hope that helps and I hope you enjoy your new memory card.

  14. Where to find Class
    Today I purchased a SanDisk 32 GB microSDHC Card with Adapter to use in my new Fujifilm camera. I’ll be taking lots of videos and downloading to the computer, so speed is important. I haven’t opened the package yet, but nowhere on the outside can I find what Class it is. So that’s my question: Where on the package do you find the Class?

    I enjoy your writing style, and thank you!

    1. Locating the Speed Class of your memory card

      Hi Elle,

      The Class can usually be found printed on the card itself. It should show the number of the “Speed Class” within a partial circle (looks kind of like a “C”) and if the memory card uses “UHS Speed Class” then the number should be shown within a cup looking mark (looks like the letter “U”).

      If it’s an Ultra High Speed (UHS) type memory card then the “UHS Speed Class” should show a 1 or a 3 within a “U” mark.

      If it’s a standard memory card then the “Speed Class” should be shown as a 2, 4, 6, or 10 with that “C” shaped mark.

      I hope that helps answer your question Elle and I hope you enjoy your new SanDisk 32GB memory card.

  15. SD Card
    Great.
    I have more info about storage. I have a Kingston 32Gb Class 10 SD card for my Samsung Galaxy Ace 3. It’s working perfectly. I have not experienced any problems with it since I bought it in Feb 2014, a year ago.

    I think this could be good to know for other users also.

    Enjoy

  16. Android Memory Card Article
    Absolutely excellent overview! I am so appreciative for your very readable and helpful article. The user guide with my phone as well as manufacturer and wireless seller’s web sites offered no assistance whatsoever. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

  17. Hi, which will be the best…
    Hi, which will be the best memory card for Yu yureka smartphone as it has up to 32GB expandable storage? How good will a SanDisk ultra microSDHC 16GB card be for the phone?

    1. It depends how much you plan to use it…

      Hello Chaitanya,

      I think you will be happy with the SanDisk ultra microSDHC 16GB memory card. It’s a good choice for the average person. If you use your memory card often then you might even want to consider utilizing a 32GB card as well… As I mentioned, I have the SanDisk Ultra 32 GB MicroSDHC for my cell phone and I love it. Since your phone can support up to a 32GB memory card then you should consider it.

      But I use my camera a lot and I use my phone as an mp3 player so I really take advantage of the extra storage space my 32GB has to offer. If you don’t really think that you will use your cell phones camera very much or you don’t intent to import or download a lot of music to your phone, or record many videos etc. then a 16GB should be fine and suite your needs well. I am sure that you will be happy with whichever one you choose.

  18. Something special
    I must say first off. Thank you for the valuable information, because when you don’t know, you don’t know. Your article enlightened me with more information than I thought I needed, and not only that. The comments and responses were just as enlightening as the article. This is the first article that I read all the comments and responses straight through with joy and pleasure. It was as if the comments were part of the article, and that is saying something. You have something truly special here. Whether you know it or not. You are building a community, which seems to have loyal followers. You should think of digging a little deeper and expanding the site to what I believe can become something amazing. I’ll be waiting to see your next mission James Bond, but until then. Keep up the good, and valuable work you are doing.

    Thank you so much:

    Ahbad.

    1. Wow, thank you very much

      Thank you very much Ahbad for taking the time to post such a nice and friendly comment about me and my website. I really appreciate it. Reading your comment brought me lots of joy as well.  

      Feel free to send me any suggestions that you might have about how I can make this site even better, and I will certainly take your idea(s) into consideration. I am constantly looking for ways to improve the site and I am continually striving to create and write useful, informative and easy to understand advice for my readers.

      Keep up the great work as well Ahbad and I hope you have a fantastic evening. You certainly made mine better 🙂 after reading your very thoughtful comment.

  19. Jonathan Grossman

    Helpful Read
    Thanks a bunch for writing this article out. I tend to pride myself on how tech-savvy I am around my folks and friends, but there were a couple things I was unsure about. Your article here cleared them right up. You saved me from some headache and heartache, 007. Keep up the good work!

  20. Memory card
    I have a zte majesty phone with a 4gb memory card. I upgraded the card to a 16gb card, but now my phone doesn’t work properly when gaming. Though with the 4gb it worked fine. Do you know what would cause this problem?

    1. Hard to say without more information…

      Hello Brad,

      It’s hard to say for sure what is causing that to happen. It may not even be a problem with your memory card. I don’t think the size of the card has anything to do with the problem as that phone should be able to utilize up to a 32GB memory card and you are only using a 16GB card.

      What seems to be happening when you’re gaming that’s causing concern? If your game was saving data to your previous memory card then I can see a possible issue occurring as far as levels unlocked, or points earned etc. if that information was saved to the previous card it would no longer be accessible and could be causing things not to work properly. If you had backed up the game to that card previously that might be a contributing factor as well.

      Have you tried re-installing the application(s) with the newer 16GB card inserted? I assume that you invested in a larger card for a reason as well… has your phone run out of available internal storage? If you have or have almost run out of available memory that can cause lots of unpleasant problems as well, especially when it comes to applications crashing and error messages starting to show.

      The ZTE Majesty doesn’t come with a whole lot of storage space to begin with and I can see it running out rather quickly. This is where I would begin searching for possible causes. If your internal memory is full or nearly full then that could certainly be a contributing factor.

  21. Miss Pittsburgh

    SD Card for Android Phone
    Great article but you don’t mention which memory card/SD Card will fit with which device, so now I’m confused. For instance, I have an old phone ~ HTC Evo 3D ~ which SD card would fit my android? OR are they all compatible? This is where I’m confused… are they all the same size??? Also, once I purchase one, am I transferring everything from my phone over to the card? Or can I just put the new one in?

    Thank You!

    1. You are going to want to invest in a MicroSD card

      Hi Miss Pittsburgh,

      Yeah, for the most part memory cards are going to be pretty much the same size and when you are ready to upgrade to a new smartphone you should be able to pull your memory card out of the old phone and insert it into the new one when you’re ready. This can help you easily transfer your data from one phone to another.

      For smartphones you are going to want to look into purchasing a MicroSD card. Your HTC EVO 3D takes a MicroSD card (like most smartphones) and can utilize a MicroSD card that’s up to 32GB worth of storage. So a 64GB card might not work on your phone but chances are you won’t need that much external storage anyways.

      When you insert the memory card into a phone for the first time the phone may want to format the card. So if it’s a brand new card don’t get scared or nervous if your phone asks you if you want to format the card as this is normal. Once it’s formatted it should work with your phone and you can start transferring information from the phone to the SD card.

      As far as transferring information to the card… your phone will let you move some things and will not let you move other things. So for example, the operating system or software that runs your phone and allows it to function is going to remain on the phones internal storage and won’t even let you move it if you tried. Not out of the box anywise, which is good as you wouldn’t want the memory card to malfunction and cause your phone to break ;). But I digress.

      I believe that the HTC EVO 3D comes with an 8GB memory card so if you do upgrade to a larger card then make sure you unmount your original SD card first or power off the phone before removing the original card. If you have information on that card, which is likely as your EVO has likely been storing information to the card by default, then you might need to transfer the information that’s currently on the card to another device (such as a computer) and then transfer that information again to the new replacement SD card.

      There is not a whole lot of internal memory on the HTC EVO 3D by default so just keep an eye on things to make sure that the internal memory doesn’t become full and you should be able to avoid memory issues in the future.

      Any of the suggested memory cards mentioned in the article above (size 32GB and smaller) should work perfectly fine on your HTC EVO 3D.

      I hope that helps answer your questions Miss Pittsburgh, if you hit any snags or have any more questions regarding memory cards then don’t hesitate to ask.

      1. Miss Pittsburgh

        I Don’t Plan On Buying A New Phone…

        Thank you so much for your very informative answer, however I should’ve told you I don’t plan on purchasing a new phone, I’ve just run out of room on my phone. I can’t download anything anymore because I’ve moved some apps over to the SD Card (which doesn’t give me much room anyway 8GB) I’ve filled up room externally as well. Anyway, I went on Amazon and ordered the 32 GB because it was only $14.99 so I want to thank you so much. Your information and guidance was very helpful!

        Thanks Again!

  22. Reply to article

    Your information was extremely useful and I thank you for that. Just one question. I have an older laptop, I’m operating Windows 8 on an Acer laptop. When using a micro SDHC do I need to purchase additional equipment?

    1. You may require an adapter

      Hi Karen,

      Your laptop most likely has an SD card port/reader which will allow you to insert a memory card directly into the computer. It may or may not have a microSD card slot though. If it doesn’t have a microSD card port (which is common) then you can use an adapter which will allow you to use a MicroSD card as a standard sized SD card which will work in most laptops.

      You can see an example of a microSD card adapter by clicking one of the suggested cards above. The suggested memory cards above all come with adapters.

      I hope that helps Karen. If you have any more questions than just let me know.

  23. SD cards
    This is so informative and easy to understand. It told me exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you.

  24. Useful information!
    Thank you very much for the useful information. .. I learned a lot today when it comes to choosing the right product.

  25. Planning to Buy 64GB memory Card
    Hello,

    I am planning to buy 64GB Class 10 MicroSD UHS 1 card. But I am bit confused between Strontium Notro x566, Samsung Evo Plus & Sandisk Ultra upto 80MBPS

    Please help me to chose the right memory card for my Phone. I am using Lenovo K3Note I have already tested 64GB Samsung Evo on my Phone which was borrowed from friend for testing. Its working fine with FAT 32 Format.

    Please suggest me right card all 3 are in my budget.

    Thanks in Advance.

  26. BIG THANKS!
    How perfect is that! Great information share and easy to read and understand. Thank you for being so concise and knowledgeable. 🙂 Sheer awesomeness!

  27. Memory card for galaxy e7
    This was a very informative article. Thanks for sharing. Could you please suggest the best 16GB microSD that will be compatible with my Samsung Galaxy E7?

    Thanks!

    1. Best memory card for the Samsung Galaxy E7

      Hi Ron,

      The Samsung Galaxy E7 can accept and utilize a micro SD card up to 64GB in size so you might want to consider getting the 32GB memory card mentioned at the bottom of the article (the cost of that card has dropped quite a bit and is well worth the price in my opinion). If however you really want a 16GB card then the #1 recommendation (also at the bottom of the article above) will work out well as well.

      So long as you use the advice listed in this guide you won’t have any problems locating the best memory card for your Samsung Galaxy smartphone but those two cards are still the ones that I would recommend getting.

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