How to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG

How to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG

Modern flash drives can hold a huge amount of information, whose weight will be up to 256 GB or even more. Except that Due to the lack of a proper connector, it is problematic to "synchronize" with a smartphoneand the help comes adapters. Today we will find out how to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG and what you need to do.

What is OTG

The OTG cable is a special adapter, that allows you to connect devices with a standard USB connector to phones and tablets. In short, it is an adapter, one end of which is connected to the smartphone, and in the second end the accessory is inserted.

You can buy the adapter at any store that specializes in electronics and gadgets for it. Also note that some phones already come with OTG. For example, this detail has been noticed in Samsung and Sony smartphones.

More on the subject: How to connect an external hard drive to an Android tablet.

How to check Android and OTG compatibility

Checking OTG on your Android phone

Unfortunately, Not all smartphones can boast support for the OTG protocol. But how do you know in advance if the device can recognize an additional gadget? The easiest thing to do is a visual definition. If the phone has standard microUSB, It is likely that in this case 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 the Android smartphone.

USB OTG Cheker app

The utility can be easily downloaded from Google Play. After installation we start it and after a few seconds we see either a green square or a red one on the main screen. Here everything is very clear: green indicates a successful further synchronization, red - unable to connect to the adapter.

StickMount (Root)

Don't want to spend the money? Don't despair, there is a free alternative. StickMout app, requesting root rights. If you are already a "Super User", 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 the flash drive.

[root] StickMount
[root] StickMount
Developer: Chainfire
Price: Free

Possible problems, why phone/tablet does not see the flash drive through OTG

You bought an adapter, downloaded the necessary file manager, happily connect a flash drive, but it is not readable by the device - what is the reason? Let's discuss the most common factors that prevent a successful synchronization:

  • Incorrect flash drive format.Android does not read file systems NTFS and ExFat. Only fits FAT32.
  • Inappropriate software or operating system. It could be the firmware, or special drivers, or the Android version. In order to avoid such troubles - Check the phone in advance via USB OTG Charge.
  • Contaminated connectorsthat cause no contact. This can also include Faulty flash drive or adapter.
  • The flash drive holds too much information. For example, if you connect a 256GB drive to a smartphone with only 4-8GB of permanent memory, you may have problems. The same goes for RAM less than 1GB.

Video instruction: how to connect USB to smartphone without OTG support

As you can see, it is quite easy to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG, you just need to follow the instructions clearly and have the necessary tools at hand. Good luck!