Issue with storage option switching from SD Card to internal

[haydnrb7]

Plan

Premium

Country

US 

Device

Moto X4

Operating System

Android Pie

My Question or Issue

 This happened with my last phone, Samsung S7 running Oreo (or whatever the most recent OS is) but it was fixed when I got the Moto X4. I like to keep a lot of songs downloaded offline because my service is terrible and I also spend a lot of time in the mountains. Before I I update my phone to the new Android Pie OS there was no problems. Now everytime I reset my phone I think spotify cannot see my SD card at first and tries to download all the music to its internal storage and I have to go back in and tell it to store it in the SD card. That is extremely annyoing but not the end of the world. What is really frustrating is that I think all of the downloaded songs are still on the SD card and just keep redownloading and taking up space. Eventually this will cause me to reformat the card which will be a major pain for me since I store a large amount of photos on there also. Is anyone else have this problem? I have already uninstalled and reinstalled the application so any other suggestions or help?

[michaelhuzie]

It is so outrageous that this hasn't been fixed yet

[wirevive]

Someone already suggested that solution in other thread and it works for a while. But after some days, sometimes hours the problem returns.

[wirevive]

Ok, here's how I've finally managed to keep my music.

I also tried phone encryption and it worked for a while but finally I got to this.

Based on the insight by @fcoclavero. It is a little intrusive but it works just fine.

1. I reflashed my phone but I imagine it works by just uninstalling spotify.

2. Remove your devices from your account here.

3. Format your SD Card as Internal Storage (adopted storage) Note that your Card is cleared so backup your data.

4. Migrate data when promted.

5. I installed Spotify directly from APK file. But I imagine it also works from the PlayStore. Do NOT open it yet!!

6. Disable auto update on PlayStore Page (Three dots -> Uncheck "Enable auto update")

7. Go to App Info (Hold down app on drawer -> tap the 🛈 icon) -> Storage and check it is on SD Card if not there should be an option to change storage.

8. Migrate Data again (the option should be on your phone's Settings -> Storage -> Shared internal storage ->Three dots ->Migrate Storage.

9. Open Spotify, go to settings and check that the ammount of your SD card is detected (included free space) if not repeat step 8. If it is detected you're good to go.

I hope it works for you, but this is a temporary solution. 

Spotify please! Get this issue solved!

[devhen]

@wireviveFYI that won't work on Samsung devices because every time an app gets updated it gets moved back to internal storage.

[M4z]

I think I saw an earlier idea involving using adoptable storage but that option isn't available on Moto X4.

[wirevive]

@devhen That's why I suggest to disable auto update. (Step 6)

[kupkrazy]

Ok, I tried that solution by setting my phone to Secure Startup (Note 9) where you have to enter your password before the phone starts up, and what do you know... it seems to work. After a week of rebooting, Spotify retains the SD storage and does not revert back to internal. It's not a permanent nor ideal solution though since other apps don't experience this with normal start up but it'll do for now while I hope Spotify can find what the issue is and fix it.

[mjod-uk]

This has been happening to me on a regular basis  but seemed to stop after I followed one piece of advice and set the phone to require a pin before restarting. It'sjust happened again after reinstalling the latest security update.  I have a  Samsung S9+ with Android 9.0 and the May security update.

Very frustrating.

[jokee]

I there, for me (Samsung Galaxy S9+) it is still ok after the last security patch May. Only one I have done, is gave the privilegs to the application for sd card and still updating Spotify for the newest version.

[mustardkid]

Seems to happen whenever the app updates. I'm on holiday and spotify just burned up my entire data allowance overnight because the app switched storage and attempted to download my library. I switched storage back not realising that it would clear the data already on my SD  card so now I'm on holiday with no data left and no tunes. Thanks a bunch.