Samsung Galaxy S3: How to Set SD Card as Default Storage for Pictures Taken with Camera

As we have learned before, in Samsung Galaxy SIII you can move some or all of the picture files from your internal memory to your external memory through My Files apps.

See also: How to Move Pictures to SD Card on Samsung Galaxy S3

By default, Galaxy SIII camera will save the picture that had been taken into the DCIM folder in the internal memory, but you can set your external memory as the default storage. This of course will help you to keep your internal storage free by storing the pictures taken by the camera to your external storage.


How to set SD card as the default storage on camera settings?
You can do this by following the steps listed below:
  1. Go to Camera app through Home screen.
  2. Tap on Settings gear located on the upper left corner of the screen.
  3. On the drop down menu select Storage.
  4. Here you will see two options available on pop up menu, they are: Phone and Memory Card. Tap Memory card to set it as default storage. 
  5. Now you will see memory card icon on the upper right corner on your viewfinder screen as a sign that now you've managed to set your SD card as the default storage.
  6. Tap Home button to return to the standby mode.

Once you've finished set SD card as the default storage through camera settings, now all the pictures taken by the camera will be save to your SD card. So, try this then share your experience through the comment below :)
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27 comments:

  1. Unknown17 September 2013 at 12:52

    Worked great, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan17 September 2013 at 18:28

      Hi Michiel Ybema,
      Thanks for coming.
      Glad to know that it works on you :)

      Delete
  2. Yowser72 October 2013 at 17:42

    Can you change the default storage location to a different folder location on the phone itself?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan2 October 2013 at 21:17

      Hi Yowser7,
      Thanks for coming.
      AFAIK, there's no way to choose specific folder for the picture taken by the camera, you can only choose to save the picture in the DCIM folder in the phone's storage or SD card.

      Delete
  3. Unknown3 November 2013 at 09:35

    Hi,
    In some reason I don't have option storage in the settings of camera.
    Please advise

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan3 November 2013 at 23:39

      Hi Rival Buber,
      Thanks for coming.
      While you on the camera settings, try to scroll down the screen. The option to change the storage usually reside at the bottom.
      Hope this helps :)

      Delete
  4. Unknown15 November 2013 at 07:35

    I followed the steps but im still having problems because when i try to take a pic the storage jumps back to phone instead of memory card and then i cant take the picture at all

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan15 November 2013 at 18:35

      Hi Chassity Johnson,
      Thanks for coming.
      FYI, if you use burst mode or best photo, the camera will automatically assign the phone as the storage even though you have set the SD card as the storage. But, once you switch the mode to single shot, the storage will be back to the SD card. However, based on your information, please check whether your storage is have space enough to make the camera app works well.

      Delete
  5. chonnie7 December 2013 at 05:55

    I have the same problem when in camera setting the storage options tab isn't lit up making the option available to save my pics to my sd card. Please advise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan7 December 2013 at 18:47

      Hi Chonnie,
      Thanks for coming.
      The option will available if there is an SD card inserted on the phone. Also, as I've said in my reply right above you that whenever you choose best photo or burst mode, the storage option will automatically set to your phone memory.
      Hope this helps :)

      Delete
  6. kt28 December 2013 at 21:32

    I switched mine to sd and it says there isn't enough room to save there and automatically switched back to phone as vBulletin default. But I have 8gb left on sd card?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan29 December 2013 at 12:01

      Hi Kt,
      Thanks for coming.
      First, make sure that your SD card is not corrupted or broken by trying to move some files to your SD card, either through your phone or your PC.
      If you're manage to do so, then try to restart your phone and see whether it helps. While, if you couldn't move some files to your SD card, then it might be corrupted or broken. If so, backup everything on your SD card and then format it. Once you've done, try to use SD card as default storage of the Camera app and see whether the problem is still there or not.
      Hope this helps :)

      Delete
  7. confused1 January 2014 at 02:14

    Hello. I have the gs3. I hv a 32 or 64g sd card. Not sure which but i think its the 32. Anyway, i hv tried all ur tips for using my sd card for default. Now im trying to download a game from play store and it says cant save to sd. Card and wont install. Ive never had.this issue with Any otber games and dnt knlw if its the game that requires the sd card or what but i hv mord then enough room i hv 10g left on my card. I can go to my files and i see whats on tbe sd card, wouldn't that mean its not corrupted and is ok?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan1 January 2014 at 14:56

      Hi Confused,
      Thanks for coming.
      Can you please tell me how do you download apps from Play Store directly to the SD card? Did you use the Play Store apps or access Play Store from the Browser.
      However, try to create new folder on your SD card and move some files to there and then let me know what's happen.

      Delete
  8. Unknown16 January 2014 at 07:34

    I recently got the galaxy s4 and I am having problems with the storage of the pictures in my gallery. I want ALL of my pictures to save on my SD card, this was possible with other android phones where there was no such thing as external memory, in fact the phones camera wouldnt even function without an SD. I was able to change the settings on the camera to where pictures I take with the camera will save on my SD card, the problem comes when I take a screenshot, or save a picture from an APP such as facebook messenger or ifunny. Thesse automatically create a new album by the name of the app and save on the external memory. I know you can move pictures afterwards and move them to external memory.... but I want a way in which I can set the default location as mt SD and they will automatically save there withough me having to manually move them. Thank-you!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan17 January 2014 at 21:06

      Hi Leslie Garcia,
      Thanks for coming.
      And I'm so sorry in advance if I'm not clearly understand with your question. Well, I'll try to answer your questions.
      1. I can confirm that the Camera app should be able to work well even when there's no SD card inserted. I just tried in my S4 and I have never experienced any issue.
      2. Try to use an app called Send to SD card. this app will allow you, for instance, save the picture from the Facebook app directly to your SD card. Here's the link:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.gelin.android.sendtosd&hl=en
      3. AFAIK, there's no real settings in the phone nor app that has the ability to allow you save the screenshot to the SD card.

      Finally, I hope this short answer will useful for you :)

      Delete
  9. Unknown25 March 2014 at 15:56

    How do I change my settings so that games or music store to sd card

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan25 March 2014 at 20:44

      Hi Sarah Taplin,
      Thanks for coming.
      If you're running with Android 4.3, you can move your apps or games to the SD card. You can see the complete steps here:http://inside-galaxy.blogspot.com/2014/01/samsung-galaxy-s3-how-to-move-app-to-sd.html

      To automatically save music files you've downloaded from the stock Browser app, you can set SD card as the default storage in your Browser app. You can see the complete steps here:http://inside-galaxy.blogspot.com/2013/09/samsung-galaxy-s3-how-to-change-stock.html

      Delete
  10. Unknown19 April 2014 at 19:43

    Hi, all of my camera settings are default still and I went to change my storage from phone to the sd card and the option is not even highlighted so I can't change it. Help? Thanks. Kaleb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan19 April 2014 at 21:44

      Hi Kaleb Dougherty,
      Thanks for coming.
      This option will be available when you have a SD card attached in your phone.

      Delete
  11. Unknown8 June 2015 at 04:48

    hi, I have attached sD card but i cant get the option in camera app. what should i do. advice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan12 June 2015 at 22:17

      Hi Patrice BARAKA,
      Thanks for coming.
      May I know your phone's model number and Android version?
      Also, can you set your SD card as the default storage in other apps (e.g: Internet app, Voice recorder app, etc)?

      Delete
  12. Unknown14 September 2015 at 00:30

    plz tell me dat my default setting is automatically is setting as device memory the moment i click picture .. wat shuld i do

    ReplyDelete
  13. Unknown14 September 2015 at 22:25

    hi sorry... my phone model no is GT-19300 and its samsung galaxy S3 . The problem is when i go to camera and select the default setting as memory card to save the pictures and then when i click pictures it is automatically gets saved in device memory and it says ur pictures is saved in device memmory as default setting.not getting this problem. I have cleaned my memory card with antivirus also ..... now what else i do ... WAITING FOR UR REPLY

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rehan15 September 2015 at 20:45

      Hi Harmeet Kaur,
      Thanks for coming.
      From what I know, when some features in Camera app are enabled, e.g: burst shot or continuous shot, some camera modes(best photo or best shot), the pictures will be automatically saved in the device storage even when you have set your SD card as the default storage.

      Delete
    2. Unknown16 September 2015 at 01:41

      hi sir ..... i have seen ur suggested way also nothing mode is on.Actually the default setting is not being selected as memory storage.when i select as memory storage and after that i click picture it is automatically goes to device storage.

      Delete
  14. Unknown6 March 2016 at 23:03

    Yay workd a blast thank u so much

    ReplyDelete

Hi the insiders,
Thanks for coming and I hope you can get something useful here.
Before submitting your comment to ask about an issue, please make sure to provide information as much as possible (at least write your model number and Android version) and describe the problem clearly.
Also, since all comments will be moderated, all comments with irrelevant links(if any) or contain with offensive/harsh word will be deleted.
The last, if you have a question and can't find the relevant article, please feel free to reach me through the Contact us page. I'll be more than happy to reply the email and answer the question :)

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