Double USB stick. A guide to connecting a USB flash drive to an Android and iOS smartphone. Connecting a flash drive in OTG mode

Bulky USB ports are not entirely appropriate for compact smartphones. But this does not mean that you cannot connect flash drives to them. Agree that this can be very convenient in many situations, especially when the phone does not provide for the use of MicroSD. We suggest you consider all the options for connecting a USB flash drive to gadgets with micro-USB connectors.

First you need to find out if your smartphone supports OTG technology. This means that the micro-USB port can supply power to external devices and keep them visible in the system. This technology began to be implemented on devices with Android 3.1 and higher.

Information on OTG support can be found in the documentation for your smartphone or simply use the Internet. For complete confidence, download the USB OTG Checker application, the purpose of which is to check the device for OTG technology support. Just press the button "Check Device OS on USB OTG".

If the verification for OTG support was successful, you will see a picture as shown below.

And if not, you will see this.

Now we can consider the options for connecting a flash drive to a smartphone, we will consider the following:

using an OTG cable;
using an adapter;
using a USB OTG flash drive.

For iOS, there is one way - using special flash drives with a Lightning connector for the iPhone.

Interesting: in some cases, you can connect other devices, for example: a mouse, keyboard, joystick, etc.

Method 1: Using an OTG cable

The most common way to connect a USB flash drive to mobile devices involves the use of a special adapter cable, which can be purchased at any point where mobile devices are sold. Some manufacturers include these cables with smartphones and tablets.

On the one hand, the OTG cable has a standard USB connector, on the other, a micro-USB plug. It's easy to guess what and where to insert.

If the flash drive has light indicators, then you can determine by them that the power has gone. On the smartphone itself, a notification about the connected media may also appear, but not always.

The contents of the flash drive can be found along the way

/ sdcard / usbStorage / sda1

To do this, use any file manager.

Method 2: Using an adapter

Recently, small adapters (adapters) from USB to micro-USB began to appear on sale. it small device on the one hand it has a micro-USB output, on the other - contacts for USB. It is enough to insert the adapter into the interface of the flash drive, and you can connect it mobile device.

Method 3: Using a USB flash drive for an OTG connector

If you intend to frequently connect the drive, then the easiest option is to purchase a USB OTG flash drive. Such a storage medium has two ports at the same time: USB and micro-USB. It is convenient and practical.

Today, USB OTG flash drives can be found almost everywhere conventional drives are sold. At the same time, for the price they are not much more expensive.

Method 4: Flash drives for iPhone

There are several special media available for iPhones. Transcend has developed the JetDrive Go 300 removable drive with a Lightning connector on one side and a Lightning connector on the other. normal USB... Actually, this is the only really working way to connect a flash drive to smartphones on iOS.

What to do if the smartphone does not see the connected USB flash drive

The team "Unmount" are used to safely remove the media. Please note that StickMount requires root access. You can get it, for example, using the Kingo Root program.

The ability to connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone primarily depends on the latter. It is necessary that the device supports OTG technology, and then you can use a special cable, adapter or connect a USB flash drive.

The amount of user data is increasing every day. Our beloved smartphones and tablets are storing more and more pictures, videos and documents. As a result, the built-in memory of devices quickly runs out. Memory cards are a temporary solution, in addition, some devices do not have a slot for such cards, for example, Apple iPhone SE or Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

Where to keep files if the device memory is "full"? Let's figure it out together!

This problem has two logical solutions - delete some of the files or use external storage, i.e. "USB flash drive".

Until recently, to connect a USB flash drive to the device, it was necessary to use a special adapter, which was purchased separately. But all this is in the past - progress does not stand still! We will tell you about the new two-in-one flash drives - no adapter is needed for them. They have two connectors. One for direct connection to the device via a micro-USB, Lightning or Type C connector. And the second USB connector is made to use the USB flash drive "as usual" - to transfer data from a computer.

Does your smartphone or tablet have the most common micro-USB port?

The best choice in this case would be SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive. They are equipped with an additional micro-USB plug - for direct connection to your device.

Do you have an Apple device?

The dedicated Leef iBridge for Apple will work for you. They also support two types of connectors. Apple's Lightning to connect directly to an iPhone or iPad, and standard USB for use with a computer. In addition, at the first connection, Leef iBridge will offer to install a program on the iOS device for quick work with files (including music, photos and videos). This will save you in the future from the obligatory synchronization of the iPhone with the PC, as well as the tiresomely long operations of transferring files through the iTunes application. Just copy files from your computer to your USB stick. And then connect it to Apple device, and either transfer files to your iPhone or iPad, or work with them directly from a flash drive.

Your smartphone is equipped with a new standard connector “ USB Type C "?

The new "USB Type C" is comparable to Apple's Lightning connector, it can be plugged in "either side" and now you won't miss - it's convenient!

The Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C flash drives equipped with USB Type C connectors (for your device) and regular USB are suitable for you. If you are the owner of Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook or Smartphone Microsoft Lumia 950 - you will surely appreciate all the advantages of convenient access to files and quick exchange data between the computer and the portable device.

If the choice is made in favor of one of the flash drives, it's time to decide on its volume

To transfer "light" documents, a couple of music albums or several dozen photos, 16 GB is enough. If you need to save a dozen of your favorite movies, and even install a couple of games, you should buy a 32 or 64 GB flash drive. When it comes to creating and storing hundreds of photos and videos of the past vacation, it is better to immediately buy a 128 GB flash drive.

Let's summarize

In the face of an acute shortage of space on your devices, two-in-one flash drives will be an excellent solution. Support for two connectors and the ability to connect a flash drive directly to the device without inconvenient adapters will make the process of working with files as simple and fast as possible.

Now you do not have to painfully choose "what to remove and what to leave?" in the memory of your smartphone or tablet - just transfer files to a USB flash drive and forget about such problems!

Liked?
Tell your friends!

Read also: TOP 12 Best USB flash drives for all occasions: for music, movies and data backup

To connect an external drive to a mobile device, you must first of all make sure that your smartphone has support for OTG (On-The-Go) technology, which allows you to supply power to the external device via the USB port.

Its useful to note, this function implemented only in systems starting from version 3.1.

In order to make sure whether your mobile device supports the OTG function or not, you can use small program called USB OTG Checker.

After the program tests your smartphone, it will display one of two messages.

First- in case of a positive result, implying that the device supports OTG technology.

In this case, you will see the following message on the monitor screen:

If your mobile device does not support the OTG function, you will see the following information window:

In the variant with a positive result, you need to purchase a special adapter from the retail network that allows you to connect an external drive (USB flash drive) to the Micro USB socket of your mobile device.

Some manufacturers have worried about this in advance and equipped their own with a proprietary OTG cable.

If you want to connect several external drives or other devices to your smartphone at once, you will have to use a USB HUB.

Nowadays it is quite possible to find a USB flash drive on sale that has both a USB and a Micro USB plug. It is quite convenient, as it allows you to abandon the use of an OTG cable.

Connecting a flash drive in OTG mode

Read also: TOP-12 Best memory cards for smartphones, cameras and video recorders | Review of popular models + Reviews

It is impossible not to talk about such a useful technology as connecting a flash drive in OTG mode. Among its advantages is the fact that it is supported by most devices.

So the user will not have to suffer for a long time trying to connect an external flash drive to the gadget.

With one small cable, you can easily sync your existing devices for fast data transfer.

Such an adapter is inexpensive, so everyone can easily purchase and try it. Here are two ways to check for OTG mode:

Check out technical characteristics specified by the manufacturer.
Having bought a suitable device, check its functionality in practice.

If the gadget is not able to see the USB flash drive, we can say that the manufacturer, for his own reasons, deprived the device of such an ability.

VIDEO: How to connect a USB flash drive (disk) to NTFS via OTG on Android

How to connect a USB flash drive (disk) to NTFS via OTG on Android

USB stick connection

Read also:SIM card and memory card - How to install in one slot?

Many modern Android devices have a standard micro-USB connector. So it's very easy to connect a USB flash drive to a smartphone.

The flash drive will work on the device if the On-The-Go technology is loaded. Manufacturers have been implementing a similar function in the gadget since the latest version.

Usually modern mobile devices have micro USB connector, so the user cannot do without USB cable and an adapter for a flash drive.

Most manufacturers include USB flash drive adapters in the kit. If not, you will have to purchase it from a digital store.

If you cannot find a micro connector on the device, then, most likely, you will need to purchase not only a cable, but also a special adapter.

Of course, this will be quite inconvenient, since you will have to use several cables to successfully connect an additional device. However, this the only option, how can you connect a USB flash drive in this case.

Also worth mentioning is the opening of an additional device. You can cope with this task by downloading one of the.

Often it is already installed by the manufacturer along with a certain set of programs. If there is no file manager, you will have to install it.

Concerning Android smartphones- the most common are and. The user can choose the application he likes himself.

Connecting a USB stick to an Android device using StickMount

Read also:Formatting MicroSD, Write Protection and How to Remove It - All Methods

If the user has access to a mobile device, he can automatically install a USB flash drive with access to it from any file manager.

To do this, you can use free application Stickmount(if you wish, you can use paid Pro version that is also available on Google Play).

Download

After connecting the gadget, open Stickmount and grant this application superuser rights.

After these actions, the user will have access to the files downloaded to the USB flash drive, which will be located in the corresponding folder in the file manager.

Support for a variety of file systems is affected by the device and its firmware. Most often it is fat or etxt2.

Various Linux file systems are often used. Be sure to consider this when connecting a flash drive.

You don't need to work with them root rights on the device. Here are just a paid download. Further, they will be described in more detail.

USB Media Explorer

Read also:How to remove write protection from a usb flash drive - Solving basic problems

Among the main USB features Media Explorer (formerly Nexus Media Importer) is worth highlighting the fact that free memory for user information is limited.

But it is able to quickly stream the content of any flash drives that are connected to the USB cable to the device in use in the form of conductors.

Please note that this may cause possible problems in the process of applying the add-on on Android 3.x.

For this device to work properly, you need the following:

Gadget driven Android system A. The list of corrupted devices includes Google Nexus 5 and Moto X. It also consists of Galaxy Nexus and Motorola Xoom. Try the free Nexus Motorolla Xoom first if your device is not on this list and is not supported due to hardware limitations.
You can't do without a USB cable, which costs about $ 10.
You will also need a card reader with a built-in memory card. Before connecting an external hard disk or other device, be sure to go to the official website and read the instructions.

Before using NMI without internet connection, please activate the license.

To do this, when the Internet is connected, you just need to launch the installed application.

Download

Read also:How to connect a modem to a tablet on Android (Android) The easiest ways of 2018

With the Nexus USB OTG File Manager app, you can easily copy files to a storage device that is equipped with file system FAT 32. For this you need to use the USB port.

As a result, the user will be able to work with documents, not only during internal memory but also on a USB gadget.

He will be able to edit the names of various files, as well as add and remove the necessary folders.

A similar application was developed by the creators of Nexus products equipped with an On-The-Go port. Examples include the Nexus 5 and 7.

However, this program is capable of working with any other device, including various versions of Android.

Also, this add-on has a large number of new features. So, it can open the necessary files directly from and does not transmit data to the Internet.

Thanks to Advanced More, the user gets access to all documents from their device.

Advanced users will surely appreciate this feature. This application is proprietary.

Also, using this application, the user can easily download various modern games for android. They can be downloaded from sites that specialize in games.

Working with this program is a real pleasure and satisfies the needs of the user.

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 type USB Type-A, while the smartphone has a micro USB Type-B connector. That's bad luck. (Read more about)

Fortunately, many modern smartphones have technology support 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 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 USB flash drive to the phone, necessary:

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 need to 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 the Android OS are: "File Manager", "ES Explorer", " Total commander"," X-plore File Manager "," File Commander "," ASTRO "and others. There are actually a lot of them. For example, I have been using for a very long time X-plore... I fell in love with him since the days when smartphones were popular operating system Symbian (Symbian OS). 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 not a computer after all. But he can work with the main ones. There is 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.

On the computer, too, the USB flash drive is often not visible, 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 memory capacity. 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 encounter 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.

Have you read to the very end?

Was this helpful?

Not really

What exactly did you dislike? Was the article incomplete or false?
Write in comments and we promise to improve!

The amount of user data is increasing every day. Our beloved smartphones and tablets are storing more and more pictures, videos and documents. As a result, the built-in memory of devices quickly runs out. Memory cards are a temporary solution, and some devices do not have a slot for such cards, for example, the Apple iPhone SE or Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

Where to keep files if the device memory is "full"? Let's figure it out together!

This problem has two logical solutions - delete some of the files or use an external drive, i.e. "USB flash drive".

Until recently, to connect a USB flash drive to the device, it was necessary to use a special adapter, which was purchased separately. But all this is in the past - progress does not stand still! We will tell you about the new two-in-one flash drives - no adapter is needed for them. They have two connectors. One for direct connection to the device via micro-USB, Lightning or Type C. And the second USB connector is made to use the flash drive "as usual" - to transfer data from a computer.

Does your smartphone or tablet have the most common micro-USB port?

The best choice in this case would be SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive. They are equipped with an additional micro-USB plug - for direct connection to your device.

Do you have an Apple device?

The dedicated Leef iBridge for Apple will work for you. They also support two types of connectors. Apple's Lightning for direct connection to an iPhone or iPad, and standard USB for use with a computer. In addition, at the first connection, Leef iBridge will offer to install a program on the iOS device for quick work with files (including music, photos and videos). This will save you in the future from the obligatory synchronization of the iPhone with the PC, as well as tediously long file transfer operations via the iTunes application. Just copy files from your computer to your USB stick. And then connect it to an Apple device, and either transfer files to your iPhone or iPad, or work with them directly from a flash drive.

Is your smartphone equipped with a new USB Type C connector?

The new "USB Type C" is comparable to Apple's Lightning connector, it can be plugged in "either side" and now you won't miss - it's convenient!

The Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C flash drives equipped with USB Type C connectors (for your device) and regular USB are suitable for you. If you are the owner of a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga ultrabook or a Microsoft Lumia 950 smartphone, then you will surely appreciate all the advantages of convenient access to files and fast data exchange between a computer and a portable device.

If the choice is made in favor of one of the flash drives, it's time to decide on its volume

Let's summarize

Now you do not have to painfully choose "what to remove and what to leave?" in the memory of your smartphone or tablet - just transfer files to a USB flash drive and forget about such problems!

Liked?
Tell your friends!