Powerful smartphones that can satisfy all the needs of their owners have long appeared on the shelves of electronics stores. The user gets at his disposal a smartphone that not only has enormous computing power, but can also take photographs or have a long battery life.
Compared to a computer, a telephone has serious differences. For example, this is memory. Modern computers will not surprise anyone with several terabytes that are available to the user for storing data. Most inexpensive phones have 32 or 64 gigabytes of internal memory.
How to connect a flash drive to your phone
Of course, it can be increased using a regular memory card. This is exactly what many users do. What should those whose phone does not have a slot for a memory card do? In this case, resourceful users can connect a storage device to their phone. It is clear that it is not convenient to walk around with it, but sometimes it is quite possible to connect it to access a not very important file. Moreover, flash drives have long been able to have a capacity of 128 GB. and even more! This allows you to store quite a lot of information on it.
Portable devices with large capacity
There are also frequent cases when you need to view information on a flash drive, but there is no way to connect it to a regular computer or laptop. In such cases, connecting a flash drive to a smartphone can be considered a competent and simple solution.
What is OTG
An OTG cable is a special adapter that allows you to connect devices with a standard USB connector to phones and tablets. In short, this is an adapter, one end of which is connected to the smartphone, and an accessory is inserted into the second.
You can purchase an adapter at any store that specializes in electronics and gadgets for them. We also note that some phones already come with OTG. For example, this detail was seen on Samsung and Sony smartphones.
More on the topic: how to connect an external hard drive to an Android tablet.
How to transfer photos from your phone to a USB flash drive
Below we will describe all the methods for transferring files to a flash drive (memory card), from a USB cable to FTP servers. Each method is convenient in its own way and performs the function of cleaning the place well. If you have difficulties with any of the methods, read below “Solving possible problems.”
USB adapter
The first way is to use USB-OTG, which is a cable that converts your phone's micro-USB or Type-C connector to USB-A.
Thanks to this, you can easily connect a flash drive to your phone. Also, in addition to this action, you can charge another phone via an OTG cable, using yours as a power bank.
The method is suitable for both iPhone and Android. To transfer data via OTG cable, you must:
- Connect the USB flash drive to the cable.
- Connect the cable to the phone.
- Wait a few seconds for the phone to read the flash drive, then go to the file manager.
- Select the required pictures to transfer.
- Click on "3 dots".
- Click on "Move" and select the flash drive.
The cable can be purchased at any hardware store. The dimensions of the cable itself can be different, from a small connector to a cable measuring several cm. The second type is more reliable. If you use the first one carelessly, it can be broken, just like the phone connector itself. Its price can be from 50 rubles.
This is what connecting a smartphone directly to a flash drive looks like
If you have an iPhone, then you will need to buy Lighting OTG. It is better to buy a good adapter at an Apple Store, but if in another store, then at a price of 500 rubles. The file transfer procedure is the same as on Android.
Also, before purchasing, it is advisable to pay attention that the USB-A standard is at least 3.0. If your flash drive supports this connector, the data will be transferred faster.
Attention! Before purchasing, make sure that the OTG cable connector matches yours. This can be either micro-USB or Type-C.
Bluetooth
This method requires a PC or laptop. If you don’t have a simple USB cable, you can transfer files via Bluetooth. The example will be shown on a Windows 10 system.
How to check Android and OTG compatibility
Unfortunately, not all smartphones can boast of supporting the OTG protocol. But how can you find out in advance whether the device can recognize an additional gadget? The simplest thing is a visual definition . If your phone has a standard microUSB, most likely it will connect to the adapter without any problems.
But for a better test, we recommend using a special program, namely USB OTG Checker . This is a very useful application with a minimum of functions that perfectly performs the main option - recognizing OTG support or lack thereof on an Android smartphone.
USB OTG Checker app
QR Code
USB OTG Checker Compatibility?
Developer: FaitAuJapon.com
Price: Free
The utility can be easily downloaded from Google Play. After installation, we launch it and after a few seconds we see either a green square or a red one on the main screen. Everything is very clear here : green means successful further synchronization , red means the inability to connect to the adapter .
Below is a table with a little information about the device, which shows the phone model, its name and ID. This, in principle, is where all the functionality of the application ends.
If the result is negative, there are two options to solve this problem . Perhaps the flash drive is simply not recognized by the built-in Explorer. There are special utilities for this, which we will discuss below. Or the OTG protocol is completely blocked in the device. Then, unfortunately, you won’t be able to do anything except buy a new phone running Android.
Rules to follow
What does a person who wants to connect his flash drive to a mobile phone need to know? The tips given here will primarily apply to the Android operating system. Purely in software, it has the ability to connect external drives. But not all mobile phone manufacturers allow you to connect your smartphone. If we are talking about tablets, then in most cases everything will work. But if you want to connect a flash drive to a smartphone, problems may arise.
Why? Because the battery power of mobile phones is still significantly less than that of tablets. Consequently, drives can deteriorate without receiving sufficient power. And they are unlikely to work. Therefore, in weak mobile devices there is no need to wait for the ability to connect a flash drive. It won't work, no matter how hard you try. And if your phone supports this feature, then you are recommended to connect only those drives that have a network connection. Otherwise, everything could end quite badly.
Well, in general, there are several ways in which this procedure can be carried out. Which one is right for you depends primarily on what kind of phone you have. For example, some of them cannot work purely because the device itself does not have a standard micro USB connector. As a result, connecting an OTG adapter (On-The-Go), which will be discussed below, is not possible.
By the way, as for damage to a flash drive due to lack of charge, this is not so relevant. The reason is very simple - it requires much less current than full-fledged hard drives. Therefore, the maximum you will get is a discharged battery in a shorter time. However, this is not such a terrible option.
To check whether your smartphone allows you to use flash drives, you can use the free USB OTG Checker by downloading it from the Play Market. The program will tell you whether your phone supports connecting USB flash drives.
How to connect a flash drive via OTG to Android
The procedure for connecting directly is very simple: we insert the accessory into the adapter, and connect the adapter to the smartphone. If the flash drive is successfully recognized by the operating system, a corresponding notification should appear on the screen, on which you should click “Allow” . The external flash drive is recognized by the device, but how can we now read information from it?
File managers will help here, they are also called explorers. These are applications that allow you to view all the information stored in the memory of your mobile device and the storage devices attached to it.
But you can also install any third-party manager, the best option is ES Explorer, which we described in detail in the article “How to open a zip archive on Android.” We launch the program, go to the root of the menu and the external drive should be displayed there. Click on it and a list of materials appears. This way you can view images, videos, read documents and work with archives. All information stored on the flash drive is accessible from a smartphone .
USB Media Explorer
But what to do if the drive is not recognized? The only way out is specialized utilities. For example, an excellent program is Media Explorer, available for download from Google Play. Unfortunately, it's paid and there's no beta trial available.
QR Code
USB Media Explorer
Developer: Homesoft, LLC
Price: 266.09 RUR
StickMount (Root)
Don't want to spend money? Don't despair, there is a free alternative - the StickMout application, which requires root rights. If you are already a “Superuser”, you can easily adapt to the program, but otherwise you will have to either buy the tool or get root, otherwise you will not be able to work with the flash drive.
QR Code
[root] StickMount
Developer: Chainfire
Price: Free
Is it possible to connect a flash drive to a smartphone and what is it for?
Smartphones and other portable equipment are gradually replacing personal computers due to their mobility and speed. If a person communicates on the Global Network, watches videos and listens to music, then he does not need a desktop PC at all. Everything he needs is in his mobile device. There are a number of nuances in which phones cannot yet compete with computers.
Connecting a USB flash drive to Android is possible thanks to a special adapter
For example, you cannot connect any storage device directly to them, except for an SD card. The most popular standard of USB and flash drives is simply not supported by phones if you try to connect them just like that. Luckily, there are a number of technologies that can solve this problem in seconds. They appeared relatively recently.
First you need to understand why people want to connect USB drives to their phone in the first place. The answer is simple: it will make their daily life much easier. This is done in order to:
- expand the memory of your device if it is small;
- quickly exchange files and applications with your computer in both directions;
- download and transfer large files: games, cache, movies, etc.
Note! There can be any number of reasons to think about this, and each person has their own. Some people just want to move trash from their phone so that it doesn’t take up space, while others want to make the most of this opportunity for their own purposes.
Viewing data in Total Commander
Possible problems why the phone/tablet does not see the flash drive via OTG
You bought an adapter, downloaded the necessary file manager, are happy to connect the flash drive, but it is not readable by the device - what is the reason? Let's discuss the most common factors that prevent successful synchronization:
- Incorrect flash drive format. Android does not read NTFS and ExFat file systems. Only FAT32 is suitable.
- Inappropriate software or operating system. The issue may be in the firmware, or in special drivers, or in the Android version. To avoid such troubles, check your phone via USB OTG Charge in advance.
- Dirty connectors causing no contact. This could also include a faulty flash drive or adapter .
- The flash drive contains too much information. For example, if you connect a 256 GB drive to a smartphone with only 4-8 GB of permanent memory, problems are possible. The same applies to RAM less than 1 GB.
Other extremely useful OTG features
In addition to a flash drive, you can connect a hard drive or card reader to your smartphone. The latter is extremely convenient to use, for example, for viewing photos from a camera. By the way, your phone can be connected to most modern cameras and controlled using a special application.
An OTG cable is useful for connecting to well-known peripherals - mice and keyboards. They make typing much more convenient, and game lovers will appreciate the familiar controls in their favorite games.
OTG for connecting various peripherals
What devices can be connected
| What do we connect? | How the gadget's capabilities expand |
| Android smartphone | This is necessary to recharge one gadget from another. In this case, the gadget will be a charging source. It will become a kind of external battery. If its battery is powerful enough, the connected device can be used as a camera, photo storage, and video files. |
| Flash drive | There is no need to buy expensive storage devices. Hard drives with large memory capacity. The exchange of information between devices is simplified. You can upload any text, graphic, photo, or video files from a flash drive to the gadget. Use a smartphone or tablet as a camera or video camera. Afterwards, store the files on a flash drive so as not to overload the memory of the mobile device. |
| Card reader | Helps out when you have to store a lot of information on external devices. To connect, in addition to OTG, you will need another adapter. They connect the output of the card reader in the form of a USB plug and the OTG cable socket. After this, you can easily read files and write information to external drives of any size. This greatly simplifies the data exchange process. For example, between a smartphone and a hard drive. Tablet, PC and external file storage. |
| External hard drive | Connecting external information storages significantly expands the functions of the mobile phone. The gadget easily turns into a full-fledged PC. Now you can work with text and graphics on it. Use it as a mini-TV to watch your favorite movies while traveling or on vacation. Important! Hard drives up to 32 GB connected via an adapter work without problems. More capacious ones may not have enough charge to start, which is provided by the battery of the mobile device. The problem can be solved simply: the hard drive is connected to the network. |
| Computer mouse | It can be difficult to manipulate objects on a smartphone or tablet. All problems are solved thanks to the OTG adapter. With it, devices can easily turn into a PC with a mouse. To manage an object, select its properties by simply hovering the cursor and right-clicking. |
| PC keyboard | Do you need to work with text or graphic files on vacation or on a business trip? An OTG adapter can easily turn a smartphone or tablet into a laptop PC. This is a great chance to use all the available keyboard functionality: typing, editing text, working with graphics. No need to be tied to a bulky desktop PC. There is no need to carry a laptop with you. |
| Printer | The device belongs to the category of Plug-and-Play peripherals; after connecting to Android devices, it is immediately ready for use. With the OTG accessory you can print any document without a PC. Even if the printer is an outdated model. It does not have a built-in Wi-Fi module. |
| Game console | Now connecting a gamepad for PC to a smartphone or Android tablet is as easy as shelling pears. For this it is enough:
|
| Gaming steering wheel, joystick | Connection is easy. But keep in mind that gaming accessories do not support all Android games. |
| Columns | Connecting USB speakers allows you to play your favorite singles and listen to music while traveling, on a business trip, or on vacation. |
| Headphones | This is possible even if the headset does not have a mini-jack, but does have a USB connector. In this case, all functions of the headphones will be available: microphone, volume control, backlight, etc. |
| Webcam | If your Android smartphone does not see the webcam after connecting, you will have to install an application, such as USB Camera. After activation, you will be able to take photographs and record videos, but only within this program. |
| Computer monitor, TV | In this case, you will need another cable, HDMI. After connecting devices and accessories, you can view photos, videos, movies, whatever you want on the big screen. |
| DSLR camera | An excellent offer for photographers, bloggers, those who take pictures all the time and exchange data with other users. By connecting your Android device to your DSLR camera, you can use the peripheral's screen as a viewfinder. Synchronization is possible with Canon cameras of any modification. As for Sony and Nike, not all models are suitable here. In addition to the adapter and equipment, you will also need the DSLR Controller application. It is paid, downloaded from Google Play Market. |
| 3G/LTE modem | This is true when the tablet does not have a built-in cellular module. To catch the Internet anywhere, just check if your gadget has root rights. And a special application, for example, PPP Widget 2. |
| USB-to-Enternet adapter | Necessary for a fast connection to wired Internet. |
Good to know! Essentially OTG is a modified USB 2.0. Using a mobile device or tablet with advanced functionality is much more convenient than using a bulky desktop PC.
Is it possible to connect 2-3 or more peripheral devices via OTG? No problem. But for this you need a USB hub or splitter.
The ability to connect a USB hub with multiple ports turns the mobile device into a portable computer station. First, connect the accessory to the OTG hub. Then you can connect anything to it: hard drive, keyboard, mouse, scanner, printer, etc.
Important! A USB hub or splitter is a useful accessory. However, take into account that when several external devices are simultaneously connected, the smartphone’s battery will drain much faster.
