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Matthias Urhahn edited this page Apr 1, 2023 · 9 revisions

Frequenty Asked Questions

Can I migrate from SD Maid to SD Maid SE?

It's two separate apps. Some migration options, e.g. exclusions and custom filters, will be added later on.

Transfer pro status from SD Maid 1

SD Maid 2/SE is separate app and pro upgrades from SD Maid 1 are not transferable. While I would like to do that, app economics don't allow for it. 12 years of SD Maid 1 updates for a single one-time purchase was a pretty good deal though, wasn't it? 🙂

I'm using regular SD Maid, how do I start using SD Maid SE?

Just download SD Maid SE and follow instructions. SD Maid SE is available for Android 8.0+ (API26+).

What is the difference between SD Maid 1/Legacy and SD Maid 2/SE?

  • SD Maid 2/SE performs better, more thorough results, especially on newer Android versions.
  • A new UI with themes.
  • Easier to use for people that are not "power-users", better setup and error handling.
  • SD Maid 2/SE will receive updates, get new features and keep up with app and Android changes.
  • SD Maid 1/Legacy will go into maintenance mode and be limited to security updates.

Why are you creating SD Maid SE?

Regular SD Maid has suffered under all the storage changes that Google has introduced with newer Android versions. I'm struggling to keep it working well on newer Android versions without breaking it on older versions. By creating a new app I can leverage over 10 years of experience without having to worry about backwards compatibility. A clean slate to regain the fun I had working on SD Maid.

Why is SD Maid SE not an update for regular SD Maid?

Making any significant changes to regular SD Maid is impossible without upsetting users. I want to rewrite the whole app and make drastic changes. Doing this to an existing app is both difficult and not something I would want another dev do to one of my apps.

Why can't I transfer SD Maid 1 Pro to SD Maid 2/SE

SD Maid 1 had 10+ years of updates, that was a pretty good deal. I think it's fair to have a new pro upgrade for a new app. I have to draw the line somewhere, otherwise it won't be feasible to continue development. No one is forced to switch. If you bought SD Maid 1 Pro, you still have SD Maid 1 Pro and can use it.

There are also some technical hurdles. It's not possible to see what other purchases the user has on their account.

Why are some features missing in SD Maid SE?

SD Maid SE focuses on regular SD Maid's most popular features to keep the workload maintainable and the fun in development. I think apps should do only a few things, and those things well. Regular SD Maid suffered a bit under feature creep where I tried to please too many users. Features like the Explorer were never great in comparison to other stand-alone explorer apps. There is no need for SD Maid to compete on that front.

Is regular SD Maid dead?

No. It will still receive security patches and some bug fixes, but no new features and no updates that improve compatibility with new Android versions. Regular SD Maid and SD Maid SE will have similar performance at the beginning, and as time passes and new Android versions are released, SD Maid SE will overtake regular SD Maid with better performance, compatibility and features.

What does the SE in SD Maid SE stand for?

What does the SD in SD Maid stand for? 🤷