According to multiple reports, Samsung device users are experiencing difficulties in downloading and watching Netflix content and getting the SD Card download location issue.
This problem has emerged following the recent update to Samsung One UI 5.0 (Android 13.0). The issue primarily affects Samsung Galaxy Tab users, as modern smartphones usually come with significant built-in memory and no expandable storage options.
Reports of Netflix SD Card download location issue
Users have reported that when attempting to change the app’s download location to their SD card, it reverts back to the internal storage without warning. They also claim that the application doesn’t prompt for storage permission on the card.
One owner of a Galaxy Tab A8 has complained about this problem, stating that they have been facing it for the past week. They had purchased the tablet along with an additional 128 GB card for the purpose of storing media, but they are unable to do so due to the issue.
“Tab S7 Netflix downloads on SD card not working. When selecting downloads to go to an external SD card the app can see it, but tapping on it defaults back to Internal storage. Tried 2 SD cards, same issue,” a Reddit user posted.
Another user wrote: “Recently encountered an issue with apps refusing to download to the sd card (Netflix in particular, which instantly reverts to internal every time you change to sd card).”
There have been attempts by some affected users to resolve the issue by restarting the app, adjusting device settings, uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and formatting the SD card, but these efforts have not been successful.
Samsung’s response + potential workaround
A Samsung Care representative has suggested that the problem may be due to a compatibility issue between Netflix and the new Android 13 privacy scheme for file access.
Therefore, it seems that only Netflix has the ability to solve the issue by modifying their app’s code. Users who are impacted by this issue can also send an error report to Netflix.
Fortunately, there is a potential solution that may allow you to download content to your SD card. By utilizing the ADB tool, you can grant permission for the Netflix app on your device.
To implement this workaround, you will need to enable developer options on your device.
