How to format the microSD card from Android

MicroSD cards are still indispensable accessories for mobile phones despite the significant increase in their storage space.

Applications, photos, videos, audio ... There are many elements that occupy the memory of the terminal, so it is better to use a microSD that expand the available storage space.

But the memory of these external cards can also run out and you may want to delete all their files at some point to start using it from 0. If so, it's better format the microSD card, something you can do directly from your Android phone.

If the microSD card is full or not working well, we explain below how to format it step by step with two different options to leave it as new.

Format the microSD card from your mobile to delete all files.

How to format an SD card on Android

Formatting the microSD card you use on your Android phone is a simple process that you can do regardless of the manufacturer. Transitions from one model to another can vary slightly depending on the brand, but the bulk of the procedure is the same.

In this case, we show you how to format a microSD card from a OnePlus mobile. Before doing it, we recommend that you keep a backup copy of the content that the card stores, it is not known if you will need it in the future.

1. Open your mobile settings.
2. Enter the "Archiving" section.
3. Click on the microSD card which appears in "Portable Storage".
4. Click the three-dot button in the upper right corner and, in the options menu, select "Storage settings".
5. Tap on «Format» and confirm that you want to delete all the contents of the card by clicking on "Format SD card".

Depending on the level of customization of your Android, the names of sections and functions may change slightly. However, it is a question of accessing the storage space, logging in to the microSD card settings and format it.

In a few seconds, all the contents of the card will disappear. If the problems persist, you already know that it is something more serious that cannot be solved with a simple format.

Formatting your Android's microSD card as portable storage is the first option available to you. Let's see what the second consists of, and why it can be useful to you.

How to format the microSD as internal memory and what it is for

Mobile phones with Android 6.0 or higher allow you to format the microSD card to convert it to internal memory. What is this used for? To install applications directly on the card, as well as being able to save.

This procedure has a downside: if you remove the microSD, the apps installed on it will not work and all its content will be deleted. You won't be able to reuse the card normally until you format it again.

If despite this detail you wish to format your microSD card as internal storage, we will explain how to do it, as there are two different options.

First of all there are some terminals that allow you to format the microSD as internal memory directly from its settings. These are the steps to follow:

1. Open your mobile settings.
2. Enter the "Archiving" section.
3. Click on the microSD card and access its settings.
4. Select "Format as internal memory" and wait a few seconds for the microSD card memory to be added to the internal memory.

If your terminal has hidden the ability to format microSD as internal storage, you can use a second method to carry out the process. To do this, you must first have the developer options activated on your mobile and the USB debugging, as well as having ADB drivers installed on your computer.

Now, follow these steps to format the microSD as internal storage:

1. Plug in your cell phone to the computer via the USB cable.
2. Open the command console on the PC.
3. Type "adb shell" (without quotes) and, on the new line, type "sm list-disks". The number that appears after "disk" is your card ID, which will be crucial during the process.
4. Finally, type in the console "sm partition disk: private ID number", substituting "ID number" for the real number you discovered earlier. After a few seconds, your microSD card it will already be part of the internal memory cell phone.

In this way you will have converted the memory of the microSD into part of the internal memory and, in this way, you will be able to install applications on it. Remember that in order to reuse the card normally, you must format it as portable memory - explained in the previous point -.

What happens when I format the card?

When you format a microSD card, it returns it to its original state, which is yes delete all the files it has archived until now. This is a very useful process when you want to start using the microSD from scratch without wasting time deleting the saved files one by one.

In addition, the microSD card format is used to fix small bugs that prevent it from working properly, perhaps the fault of some files it hosts. Ultimately, formatting a microSD means restore it to the factory state.

In what format is the SD formatted by Android?

In Android, the microSD is formatted in FAT32 format by default, this being the format with the highest degree of compatibility with other devices.

Therefore, when you enter Storage, go to the microSD card settings and select "Format", you should know that the format it will run in is FAT32.

And so ends our guide on how to format a microSD card from your android mobile. You have already had the opportunity to verify that it is not necessary to use your PC to return the card to its factory state, you can do it directly from the terminal where you use it.