What’s it like using a microSD card on Android in 2023?

Can you install apps and games on and SD card? What's the difference between internal and portable storage?

What’s it like using a microSD card on Android in 2023?

It’s not easy to find a high-end Android phone with expandable storage in 2024. As companies scramble to raise their bottom line, the simplicity and lucrativeness of the no-microSD-slot strategy made it a de-facto move: Why let users buy extra storage for next to nothing when they could force you to pay $100 more per meager increase in internal storage?

Many midrange and budget phones, though, still offer a microSD slot. And if you look closely enough, you’ll notice some expensive models like Sony’s Xperia series with expandable storage. But what’s it like using that in 2024? Is Android still as open and as flexible about SD storage now as it was a decade ago? And what can you do once you buy a good microSD card and insert it into your phone? I took a dive into the world of microSD cards on Android, and here’s what I found.