Android Phone Memory Not Usable

[EPAIII]

I have an older Android phone. It was made obsolete for phone use by the latest upgrade so I had to get a newer model. But the older phone still allows internet access and the apps still work so I plan to use it for some things. One possible use may be as a viewfinder when I use the new phone to record videos.

My problem is, when I try to install any new apps, I get a screen that says I need to free memory by uninstalling existing apps before I can install new ones. I have a 256 GB SD SanDisk installed with only 2.99 GB showing as used. That should leave over 250 GB available. And the phone's original storage is 32 GB of which only 18.51 GB is used. I should have ample storage available. But I can't get past that screen that says I must remove apps first. I already removed several that I no longer want that added up to the required amount needed, but the amount of space it says I need was not even reduced.

I am trying to install a 500 MB app with no luck. It should fit in the original storage space with at least 13 GB unused space. I set the memory manager to ON but that did not help.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[50ShadesOfDirt]

Depending on version of android on your phone, you might have a cleaning utility built in ... this would help you jettison old apps, free up storage space on both the internal side or the sd card side. Might also help you determine if the SD card is being seen, or has other issues.

If no built-in app, it's easy enough to get one from the play store.

Depending on phone, there might be updates to the phone os that "fixes things". If no updates, then there's bound to be an app for that, to help troubleshoot things.

Hope this helps ...

[AndyBeez]

For older Android versions, in Settings > Application Manager > Application , there should be a Move [application] to SD Card button. Be sure the SD card is mounted before migrating. But this functionality varies from OS version to version.

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/move-android-apps-to-sd-card,news-21279.html

[Rick Law]

Since you said "I have an older Android phone. ... ..."

Are you sure your phone can use 250GB SD card?  My older phones are limited to 32GB SD Card, one less old but old phone is limited to 64GB SD card.

Perhaps it was trying to install to SD and it just can't use an SD bigger than X GB?

Three tests you can do to find more info:

1. Try to make a new file, easy way is to copy a photo taken to the main memory Download folder, if that works (view that copied photo), you know you can create a file at least with the main memory.

2. Now try to copy that same photo to your SD card, does it do it?

3. You can also just remove the SD card to try installing to main photo's memory.  That will take SD size limitation out of the equation.

Good Luck...