If you have ever tried to download a file larger than 4GB to your SD card in Android, you may have encountered an error message saying that there is not enough space. This is not because your SD card is full, but because of the file system it uses. In this blog post, we will explain why this happens and how to fix it.
The file system is the way that files are organized and stored on a disk drive. The most common file system for SD cards and USB drives is FAT32, which stands for File Allocation Table 32. FAT32 has been around since 1996 and it is compatible with most devices, including Windows PCs, Mac computers and many mobile systems. However, FAT32 has a major drawback: it cannot handle files larger than 4GB. This means that you cannot copy, move, save or transfer any file that exceeds this size limit to a FAT32-formatted disk.
To overcome this limitation, you can format your SD card to a different file system, such as exFAT or NTFS. exFAT stands for Extended File Allocation Table and it supports files up to 16 exabytes (1 exabyte = 1 billion gigabytes). NTFS stands for New Technology File System and it supports files up to 256 terabytes (1 terabyte = 1000 gigabytes). Both exFAT and NTFS can handle large files without any problem.
To format your SD card to exFAT or NTFS, you can use a computer or a third-party app on your Android device. Here are the steps for both methods:
Using a computer:
– Insert your SD card into a card reader and connect it to your computer.
– Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and locate your SD card.
– Right-click on your SD card and select Format.
– Choose exFAT or NTFS from the File system drop-down menu.
– Click Start and wait for the process to finish.
Using an app:
– Download and install a formatting app from Google Play Store, such as AParted or SD Card Formatter.
– Launch the app and grant it the necessary permissions.
– Select your SD card from the list of available storage devices.
– Choose exFAT or NTFS from the Partition type option.
– Tap on Apply changes and wait for the process to finish.
After formatting your SD card, you should be able to download files larger than 4GB without any issue. However, if you encounter any problem or have any question, feel free to contact us for further assistance.