There have been numerous cases where apps were found guilty of stealing user data without permission or even users’ knowledge. Android ecosystem is known for many things, and somehow privacy fails to be the top concern. The app cannot access files stored in internal storage unless it belongs to the respective app.īut not all apps do it. When an app wants to access this data, it will ask for permission to access the primary or secondary external storage. Other apps are also able to access this data. That provides a much-needed layer of security and privacy to your data.įiles stored on Primary External Storage are accessible directly using the built-in file explorer app. Files stored inside directories created in internal storage are not accessible by other apps. The objective here is to protect them from unintentional or accidental harm. Internal storage is mostly used by Android OEM and app developers to store sensitive files and data. The SD card that you have installed can then be called removable external storage too. In short, your phone’s built-in memory is divided into two parts. That’s where you store your photos, documents, and other data even though when you don’t have an SD card installed. Primary External Storage is one that is accessible by the user but still part of the built-in memory. That is called Secondary External Storage. By that definition, cloud storage like Dropbox is also external storage.

This is the most popular form of external memory that most smartphone users understand. One is memory or SD cards that we insert manually.

You will either download an app or can root your smartphone to access these files. These files are stored in internal storage, which other apps or users cannot access.Īndroid system files are also stored in internal storage, which are not accessible to the user.

When you install an app on your phone, it creates a unique private folder that only installed app can access. The official Android documentation on storage gives us some guidance. How Is Internal Storage Different from External Storage

Usb 3 card with internal and external