Link2SD is an application that makes it easy for Android 1.6+ users with root privileges on their phone to move applications to the SD card.
The idea behind is same with apps2sd scripts, linking applications to SD card's second partition but differs in two ways.
One, instead of linking /data/app folder (that means moving all applications), you can select applications that you want to move.
Two, it's an application which means has a user interface. You can manage your applications with few clicks.
It also provides native apps2sd features on Android 2.2 and higher. It can move any non-protected user apps to SD card (force move), with batch moving capability.
That feature uses Android's standard SD-card installation feature and does not require a second partition. It can break some apps if they are not meant to be moved to the SD card (Such as Widgets).
Features:
- Create and remove link for apk, dex and lib files of the applications you select
- Automatically link newly installed apps (optional)
- Move any user apps to SD even though the app does not support moving to SD (a.k.a. "force move", for Android 2.2 and higher)
- Shows the apps that support moving to SD with native apps2sd (for Android 2.2 and higher)
- Set the default install location of the apps; auto, internal, or external (for Android 2.2 and higher)
- Batch link, unlink, reinstall, uninstall, "move to SD", "move to phone" functions (multi-select mode)
- Uninstall system applications (bloatware removal)
- Freeze and un-freeze system and users applications
- Convert system apps into user apps
- Convert user apps into system apps
- Integrate "Updated" system apps into system (ROM)
- Clear data and cache of the application
- Clear all apps cache at once (1-tap cache cleaner without being root)
- List applications, show detailed size information and link status
- Sort and filter applications
- Search applications by name
- Display available space information of internal storage, SD card and SD card 2nd partition
What you need:
- root permission.
- a second partition on your SD card.
You should have two partitions on SD card and both should be primary.
The first FAT partition is your standard SD card storage. The second partition is used for application files and can be ext2, ext3, ext4 or FAT32.
Some phones lack the ext2, ext3 or ext4 file system support and you may get mount errors like "no such device", "invalid argument". These phones need ext2.ko or ext3.ko modules and even some additional modules to be able to mount. Using FAT32 on the second partition will eleminate such problems, because FAT32 is supported on all phones.
Link2SD does not create the second partition, you need to create it yourself. You can use any partition manager such as Minitool, Paragon, Easeus etc. for this.
How it works:
Link2SD mounts the second partition of your SD card and makes OS mounts it at boot time.
When you press "Create Link" button Link2SD moves apk file, dalvik-cache (.dex) file and lib files (.so) to SD card's 2nd partition and creates symbolic links in original directories.
Note: On Android 1.6 and 2.1, shortcut and the widget of the app should be re-added to homescreen if you move the apk file.
You can remove the links and put application files back to phone. Just click on "Remove Link" button.
Some points
- System applications should not be linked to SD card. Link2SD does not allow these applications to be linked.
- When you connect your phone to PC as mass storage, Android unmounts the first FAT partition but the second partition remains mounted. Therefore linked applications are not affected and can be run without problems.
- Link2SD does not move application's private data files; it moves apk, dex (dalvik-cache) and lib files.
DISCLAIMER: It is made available for use at your own risk with no warranty of any kind.
