Tablet computers have a fairly strong limitation in internal memory. There is no possibility of using microSD memory in various models. It follows that many users wondered how to connect a USB flash drive to a tablet.
Many were faced with the fact that it was required to quickly copy information or move various documents. Tablets are increasingly penetrating the everyday life of people. Now it is difficult to imagine modern people who do not use a touch gadget with the following advantages:
- Compactness, dimensions and minimum weight.
- Always there is a device nearby to perform various tasks.
- Practicality and convenience.
Full size USB
Certain touch devices are equipped with full-size USB interfaces. This will ensure smooth connection of any peripherals. Such gadgets include Gigabyte running on Windows 7 OS.
Microsoft's Surface tablet line has a dedicated USB port. Most transformers that come with a docking station include a functional connector. If the tablet does not see the USB flash drive, then the following options are possible:
- The flash drive has become unusable.
- Drivers are not installed correctly, especially with Windows OS.
- Mechanical damage to the interface.
OTG mode
Quite a useful technology that is used in most devices. Here "dancing with a tambourine" is excluded when trying to connect an external flash drive to the gadget. A small lace will solve all the problems associated with synchronizing both products for information exchange.
The cost of such an adapter is low, so all owners can purchase and test it. The presence of OTG mode in the gadget is checked in the following ways:
- You need to purchase a cable and check the operation of the mode.
- Carrying out a detailed study of the technical parameters. Manufacturers indicate such information in the description.
If the tablet does not detect the USB flash drive, then the manufacturer decided that such a drive should not be connected.
Non-standard connection methods
Owners of tablet computers can rest easy, there are many methods for connecting flash cards. If you spend a little time, you can configure the device.
USB-host
This method is suitable for users who are faced with the problem that the gadget lacks OTG mode. The essence of the method is that the USB interface uses a two-way voltage supply: to and from the tablet. With the help of this circuit, the flash drive is powered, the gadget will recognize it.
To create the circuit yourself, you must purchase a two-headed USB cable. A micro-USB is connected to the touch device, a USB adapter is connected to the network, and a drive is inserted into the third interface.
You can use a USB Hub instead of a cable, but the main condition for the operation of the system will be the supply of voltage to an external device. In a similar way, you can connect game joysticks or hard drives.
If you still have questions about connecting a flash drive to a tablet, you can use the methods below.
Adapters
Certain manufacturers, for example, Samsung, refuse to use standard micro-USB interfaces in their devices. They are replaced with proprietary connectors, which add certain inconveniences for gadget owners.
The cost of such a small adapter is high, and the manufacturer makes good money on it. Users spend time looking for appropriate adapters.
Asus also uses a non-standard power interface, although this is the progenitor of transformer tablets.
Software barriers
If the tablet does not detect the USB flash drive even after the performed manipulations, then it is necessary to consider the software barriers. Such an obstacle may be the inability of the conductor used in the device to recognize external drives. This is due to the usual coincidence of circumstances or software blocking.
The free StickMount app only works with rooted devices. In 99% of cases, it provides setting up a flash drive for work. Additionally, you need to install a regular file manager.
When the application is installed, you can connect a flash drive to the tablet and grant the application access to root rights. In a few seconds, a separate folder will be created for using the flash drive.
There are also paid applications tailored for specific gadget models.
Now you can log in using the installed explorer and access those files that are located on the drive.
Common problems
There are software and physical problems when connecting a USB flash drive to a tablet.
Causes of physical errors:
- Broken-down micro-USB interface.
- Damaged USB-OTG cable.
- Flash drive breakage.
In this case, physical intervention will be required: repair or replacement. The flash drive is easy to restore, the cord is easier to purchase a new one, and to replace the connector you should contact the service center.
Software problems
Do not think that it is enough to insert a USB flash drive into the gadget and you can immediately carry out work. It is desirable that the drive be formatted in FAT32, since Android is distinguished by its specific data processing.
You should check the maximum possible storage sizes that will be supported by the device. This issue will be resolved by using a flash drive with a lower capacity. Another problem may be in the low version of Android, where modules for connecting external devices have not yet been provided.
It is enough to follow the instructions given or watch the video suggested below to solve all the issues on connecting the flash drive to the tablet.
Today modern devices play a huge role in our life. We are not talking about computers or laptops, which are already beginning to gradually fade into the background. Smartphones and tablets are portable computers that have almost all the functions that laptops do. Unfortunately, these modern devices are not suitable for office work. Typing on a tablet is pretty tricky, let alone on regular phones.
People began to think about how to connect a USB flash drive to an Android smartphone or a keyboard, mouse and other useful devices. It turns out that it can be done. However, not everyone knows how to connect an additional device to their smartphone. Let's look at this using an example of a regular flash drive. As a rule, it is this device that many people try to connect to their device.
How to connect a USB flash drive to an Android smartphone
Modern devices running the Android operating system have a standard microUSB connector. For a USB flash drive to work on your device, it must have USB On-The-Go technology installed. Manufacturers have started to implement this feature in Android OS since version 3.1.
As a rule, in modern tablets and even more so in phones, a USB connector is not installed. Therefore, you will need a USB OTG cable. Some manufacturers put an adapter for a USB flash drive in the kit, if you do not have one, you will have to buy it at any store that sells digital equipment.
The smartphone does not have a micro-USB connector
If you did not find a microUSB connector on your smartphone, then you will need to purchase a USB-OTG cable first, and then an adapter to it. Of course, this is rather inconvenient: if you need to connect an additional device, you will have to use several cables. But this is the only way that will allow you to connect a USB flash drive.
How to view the contents of an external drive
So, we looked at how to connect a USB flash drive to an Android smartphone. Now let's move on to opening an additional device. How to do it? We need to download a file manager. Perhaps you already have it, since in some devices the manufacturer installs a certain set of programs. Of course, if you don't have a file manager, you'll have to install. For smartphones running Android OS, the leading places are occupied by ES File Explorer, FX File Explorer and Total Commander. You can choose the application you like best.
How to open a USB flash drive on Android
As we have already found out, we need it. After installing it, we can go into this utility and find a USB flash drive. If you can't find your external device, try entering the path to the files (/ sdcard / usbStorage). After successfully opening the flash drive, you can view, copy and move files just like on a regular computer. Now you know how to connect a USB flash drive to an Android smartphone and open it, but, unfortunately, some devices have problems. Let's look at them and try to find ways to solve them.
"Android" tablet or smartphone does not see the USB flash drive
If you got to this point, then you are having problems connecting the flash drive to your smartphone. This can be for various reasons. Now we will look at the most common ones.
First. If the file manager should help him. Now there are applications that can fix this problem. The most effective program is paid, so we'll look at a free alternative. Unfortunately, it requires root privileges. StickMount works not only with flash drives, but also with other additional devices.
If you and you have installed the necessary utility, you can connect an external device. When connected, you must agree with the StickMount rules, after which it will automatically start and see the USB flash drive. How do I find my device? You can go to / sdcard / usbStorage / sda1 in the file manager. Do not forget to properly disconnect additional devices so that in the future there will be no problems with them. To do this, go to the program and click on the "Unmount" button.
It is worth noting another high-quality application - Helper, which works on a similar principle.
The second reason. Before installing additional programs and root-rights, you should make sure that the problem is not with the USB flash drive. What is the reason for this? Your device simply does not see the USB flash drive, since it can be configured for a different file system (possibly NTFS).
Let's say you don't have a laptop or computer: how then can you connect an additional device? You must download Paragon NTFS & HTS + - an application that supports the desired format for reading text data. Unfortunately, this app requires rooting. You can get them using the King Root program. However, not all devices can obtain superuser rights. Remember: you do this at your own peril and risk. Due to this application, your smartphone may not start working correctly. If the device is still under warranty, then you do not need to get root rights, since the warranty will be lost in this case.
Conclusion
So, we looked at how to connect an external flash drive to an Android smartphone, and described some of the connection problems. As practice shows, questions arise on older devices. If you have a new device, there should be no problems. To use a flash drive, keyboard, mouse or other applications on your device, you must follow the rules and do everything carefully.
Information is the most valuable resource. There are a lot of ways to exchange her. Sometimes it happens that someone gives the necessary files on a USB drive, and only a tablet is at hand. Most modern models are not equipped with a corresponding connector, so you have to look for other ways. Below is described how to connect a USB flash drive to a tablet, and what to do if he does not see it.
An option that will help in the situation described above is using an OTG cable. This is the only answer to the question "is it possible to connect a USB flash drive to a tablet."
Important! It should be borne in mind that it only works on Windows and Android devices. Apple technology currently does not understand any external drives.
You cannot directly insert a USB flash drive into the tablet, so for those who actively use the tablet, it will not be superfluous to purchase a special adapter. It is sold in any computer store and is quite inexpensive.
The OTG cable has a microUSB connector on one side, and a “female” USB output on the other. To open files through the adapter, you need to connect the cable to the tablet, and on the other hand, connect the storage medium. Starting with Android 3.1, the developers have provided support for this connection method, which means that problems should not arise, since it is now quite difficult to find a device with an older version of the operating system. This method also works on smartphones. After the flash drive is connected to the tablet, it displayed as external memory, and it is enough to move the files or just open them. How to do this will be described below.
Important! When connecting via an OTG cable, one should not forget that older models of Samsung tablets did not use a MicroUSB connector, but a wider format developed by a Korean company. An adapter with the appropriate connection is also on sale, you just need to check this point with the sellers.
OTG cable is a useful accessory that will allow you not only to connect a USB flash drive, but also use a mouse, keyboard, printer or 3G modem... For the latter two, a special driver is required, which must be provided by the manufacturer of the equipment. Usually the technical documentation describes where and how to download it.
How to open files
At the second stage of work, you need to open the USB flash drive on the tablet. Most often, the device will detect the carrier itself and show the corresponding message in the notifications. It is enough to lower the curtain down and click on it. If this did not happen, then it will save file manager, it is in any modern device. In his absence, one of the file manager applications will help you to see the USB flash drive on the tablet.
The most popular option is Total commander, he is known to many from the PC, and in fact is no different. Here you can not only access folders and files, but also copy, move and perform any other actions. The application is free, and you can find it upon request in the Play Market. In addition, applications are quite popular. Explorer, Root Explorer, ES File Manager... The principle of their work is completely similar, only the interface changes. Which option is better is a matter of personal preference.
To open a particular file, you need special software... Many text documents open in Microsoft's reading or office programs. Video and music will open in players, if we are talking about PDF files, then you need Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader. In other words, everything depends on the situation, therefore, in each case, there is a different decision.
Advice! The best way to figure out what program you need is to look at the file type and drive a query on the Internet to find the right application.
Why the tablet does not see the carrier
If the tablet does not see the USB flash drive, then there may be several options. The most common problem - the user simply did not find the required directory (address) of the drive... The easiest way is to find what you need in Total Commader, you need to return to the root location and find the name of the folder with the inscription USB - this is the flash drive.
The second option is the device cannot supply enough voltage... Any media and accessory requires power. In the case of a tablet, it is fed through the USB connector; a flash drive with a large memory capacity may not open for the reason that the tablet is not designed to provide it with energy. This usually happens when trying to pair the device and an external hard drive. Sometimes the device simply does not support large amounts of memory, and then you need to choose a drive with a minimum size. Today it is 2 or 4 GB.
The third possible problem is lack of Root rights on the device... To get them, you need to install the Kingo Android Root application on a PC or laptop, and connect the device to the device via USB. Further, on the tablet in the settings we find the item "For developers". If it is not there, then it is not activated. Activation is performed as follows.
- We go into the settings and open the item "About phone".
- Click on "Build number". An inscription will appear: "You have become a developer."
We go to the main settings menu and find the above item. It is necessary to activate "USB Debugging" in it. After that, we return to the laptop and re-enter Kingo Android Root, if everything is done correctly, then the program will determine the model and manufacturer of the tablet or smartphone and install the necessary drivers. At some point, a window will appear on the PC screen where you need to click on the "Root" button. Now all that remains is to download the StickMount application, and through it you will be able to see the USB flash drive on the tablet.
Not every user knows that any USB drive is formatted for a certain standard of work. Often tablets only understand FAT32... In order to check how the flash drive is currently formatted, you need to insert it into the PC and open the properties. If it says that NTFS, then simply format it through a special menu item and change the type of file system.
Important! Formatting deletes all data, so you must first discard them on your PC.
Sometimes the problem with connecting the flash drive to the tablet is related to physical breakdown of the carrier and cable... It is very simple to check whether this is so: you need to connect another carrier through the same cable. If it opens, then the adapter is working. The drive itself can be opened on a PC or laptop, if it works, then the problem is not in it.
Conclusion
In order not to carry a wire and a USB flash drive with you, you can simply buy a double-sided media in a store that has both USB and MicroUSB connectors. They are widespread, but they do not differ significantly in price. The presence of this accessory greatly simplifies life, because you can simply transfer data from a PC to a phone through it without looking for wires, pairings and other actions. Another useful accessory is the Hub, which, on the one hand, has a microUSB connector, and on the other, inputs for a variety of storage media.
The most popular tablets of 2018
Tablet Apple iPad (2018) 128Gb Wi-Fi on Yandex Market
Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab A 10.5 SM-T595 32Gb on Yandex Market
Tablet Apple iPad Pro 10.5 64Gb Wi-Fi + Cellular on Yandex Market
Tablet Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite 10 32Gb LTE on Yandex Market
Tablet Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite 10 32Gb WiFi on Yandex Market
Modern flash drives can hold a huge amount of information, the weight of which will be up to 256 GB and even more. That's just due to the lack of the required connector, it is problematic to "synchronize" with a smartphone, and come to the rescue adapters... Today we will find out how to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG and what is needed for this.
What is OTG
OTG cable is a special adapter, allowing you to connect devices with a standard USB connector to phones and tablets. In a word, this is an adapter, one end of which is connected to a smartphone, and an accessory is inserted into the other.
You can connect with both mice and keyboards, and with any external storage device.
You can buy the adapter at any store., which specializes in electronics and gadgets. Also note that OTG is already included in the bundle for some phones. For example, this detail was seen on Samsung and Sony smartphones.
How to check the compatibility of Android and OTG
Unfortunately, not all smartphones can boast of support for the OTG protocol. But how do you know in advance if the device will be able to recognize an additional gadget? The easiest - this is a visual definition... If the phone has standard microUSB, most likely, in this case, it will connect to the adapter without 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 - recognition of OTG support or lack of it in an Android smartphone.
USB OTG Cheker App
The utility can be easily downloaded from. After installation, we launch it and after a few seconds we see on the main screen either a green square or a red one. Everything is very clear here : green means successful further synchronization, red - inability to connect to the adapter.
Below is a table with a little information about the device, where the phone model, its name and ID are indicated. This, in principle, is where all the functionality of the application ends.
If the result is negative - there are two options for solving this problem... Perhaps the flash drive is simply not recognized by the built-in Explorer. There are special utilities for this, which we will talk about below. Or the OTG protocol is generally blocked in the device. Then, unfortunately, nothing can be done, only to purchase a new phone running Android.
The procedure for connecting itself is very simple: 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 you read information from it now?
File managers will help here, they are also called conductors. These are applications that allow you to view all the information stored in the memory of a mobile device and attached storage devices.
Some phones, for example, from Xiaomi, already have a built-in Explorer.
But you can also install any third-party manager, the best option is ES Explorer, which we talked about in detail in the article. 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. Thus, you can view images, videos, read documents and work with archives. All information stored on a flash drive is available from a smartphone.
But what if the drive is not recognized? The only way out is specialized utilities. For instance, a great program is Media Explorer, available for download from Google Play. Unfortunately, it is paid and there is no beta trial.
StickMount (Root)
Don't want to spend money? Don't despair, there is also a free alternative - StickMout app, requestor. If you are already a "Superuser", you can easily adapt to the program, but otherwise you will either have to buy a tool or get root, otherwise you will not be able to work with a flash drive.
Possible problems why the phone / tablet does not see the USB flash drive via OTG
You bought an adapter, downloaded the necessary file manager, happily plug in a USB flash drive, but it cannot be read by the device - what is the reason? Let's discuss the most common factors that hinder successful synchronization:
- Invalid flash drive format. Android does not read file systems NTFS and ExFat. Suitable only FAT32.
- Inappropriate software or operating system. The matter may be in the firmware, and in special drivers, and in the version of Android. To avoid such troubles - check your phone in advance via USB OTG Charge.
- Dirty connectors, due to which there is no contact. This can also include 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, there may be problems. Likewise, with less than 1 GB of RAM.
Video instruction: how to connect USB to a smartphone without OTG support
As you can see, it is quite easy to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG, for this you just need to follow the instructions clearly and have the necessary tools at hand. Good luck!
Greetings. Now many people do not know how to connect a USB flash drive to a phone. Because it does not fit corny, or there are other reasons due to which it is impossible to do it. In today's article, I want to take this issue apart. You will learn how to connect a USB flash drive to a phone (smartphone) on Android and how to view files on it.
Why you need to connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone, I think, there is no need to explain. The reasons can be completely different and the most unusual. Maybe there are simply no other devices nearby for reading information from a flash drive, or maybe you decided to upload music to your phone in this way.
How to connect a USB flash drive to an Android smartphone?
If you are holding an ordinary USB flash drive and your favorite smartphone in your hands, then you see that there is nowhere to insert it. Because the flash drive has a USB Type-A type, and the smartphone has a micro USB Type-B connector. That's bad luck. (Read more about)
Fortunately, many modern smartphones have support for the technology. USB On-The-Go allowing them to use most of their peripherals directly without the need for a computer or laptop. You can connect a mouse or keyboard, work with flash drives, and more. But for this you will need.
An OTG cable, as a rule, has a full-fledged USB Type-A on one side, and a micro USB Type-B on the other. Therefore, if you do not have a micro USB connector on your smartphone, then you should take care of an additional adapter to connect a USB flash drive. Although the likelihood of this is negligible, now almost all smartphones and tablets have a micro USB Type-B connector.
Eventually, to connect the flash drive to the phone, need to:
- so that your the smartphone supported the USB On-The-Go technology... Although now almost all smartphones support it, however, there are exceptions. Carefully read the specifications of the phone before buying if this parameter is important to you.
- to have in stock... It is inexpensive, so it’s not bad if you still have it. You never know when it will come in handy.
Adapter cables for different types of devices
OTG cables should be selected depending on which connector is available on your smartphone or tablet. It could be microUSB, appleLightning or the most modern USBTYPE-C... Some examples of these cables are shown in the table.
How to open a USB flash drive on Android (tablet or phone)?
« How to open a USB flash drive on a phone, there is also no shortcut “ My computer "And nothing like that?"- you will be surprised. Naturally, for this we need some kind of file manager. You most likely have some kind of unpretentious file manager preinstalled. But if it is not there, then you need to install it.
Today, popular file managers on OS Android are: File Manager, ES Explorer, Total Commander, X-plore File Manager, File Commander, ASTRO and others. There are actually a lot of them. I, for example, have been using X-plore... I fell in love with him since the days when the Symbian OS was popular on smartphones. X-plore is a convenient, functional and free manager. What else is needed?
X-plore - file manager
Then just connect the USB flash drive to the phone and go to the file manager. There it will be displayed with all the contents. Of course, a completely different question is whether a smartphone can work with all files? It's still not a computer. But he can work with the main ones. There are even special programs for working with Excel spreadsheets, but this is so inconvenient that I don't even know for whom these programs were written.
Why does the smartphone not see the USB flash drive via the OTG cable?
There can be many reasons why your smartphone does not see the USB flash drive. Let's take a look at the most common ones.
The USB flash drive is often not visible on the computer either, why? Read on.
Micro USB stick
You may not have known about this, but there are flash drives that fit the micro USB connector. This information may be useful for you if you plan to often connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone, then it makes sense to think about such a purchase.
Micro-USB flash drive
There are also combined flash drives, which have a USB Type-A output on one side and micro USB on the other. You can connect such a USB flash drive to both a computer and a smartphone. Think, maybe this is just what you need.
If you nevertheless decide to buy a micro USB flash drive, then we advise you to pay attention to the following models with a large amount of memory. In addition, they can be connected to absolutely any type of USB connector.
Conclusion on connecting a flash drive to the phone
In most cases, you will be able to use a USB stick on your phone without any problems. Which cannot but rejoice. However, if you run into difficulties connecting a flash drive, do not despair. Many of the problems are resolved quickly enough. I hope you've learned enough about how to connect a USB flash drive to your phone. If you have any questions, then ask, we will try to help you.
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