How To Connect Flash Drive To Android Phone

Timothy Iyekowa
By Timothy Iyekowa - Technical Writer
5 Min Read
Connect flash drive to smartphone
Image credit: shutterstock

Have you ever wondered about connecting your phone to a flash drive to watch a movie you just download from your computer, or to transfer a file to someone on your contacts list? We will show you how to connect your smartphone to a flash drive using a USB OTG cable or adapter. Android bold advanced features and this feature has been available since Android 8.

This feature is only available for Android 8 or newer. If you’re still using an older version, I’m sorry you can’t get access to using a USB OTG adapter. First, you have to get an OTG cable which means (ON THE GO). Ever heard about this before, you can see for yourself that your phone does not have a USB port to connect the flash drive to your phone.

USB OTG cable is needed for connection

The OTG is a small short cable that has a MICRO USB port at one end and a charging port at the other end. You can get the USB OTG cable for Android at Amazon, or Best Buy.

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What about USB Type-C

In 2019, Android devices started using the USB Type-C for charging and data transfer. So they’re also available Android OTG cable for Type-C Android phones. You can get the USB Type-C adapter on Amazon or Best Buy.

An OTG adapter will let you use your flash drives with your Android devices seamlessly. A USB Type-C flash drive, like this one, fit directly into the phone without any required.

otg with keyboard connect with phone
A keyboard connected to a smartphone using OTG cable

We have said before that the Android OTG USB cable may not work for all devices, because this feature is only available with Android 8 or newer. Before you buy any USB OTG adapter — search about your phone or check your package, check your phone pack to know if the device support OTG or not.

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How to use a flash drive with Android

Once you’ve bought the OTG cable plug the one with the charging port (Type-A or C) on your Android device or tablet and connect the USB flash drive to the USB port.

You can also use the cable to connect other USB devices, like your keyboard, mouse, and even a gamepad that supports USB.

The USB flash drive should be formatted with the FAT32 file system or the exFAT file system for maximum compatibility. If your drive is not formatted with this FAT32 or exFAT system, you will be able to format it after connecting it to your Android device or tablet.

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Newer Android devices have a good built-in file explorer or manager that will allow you to get access to the USB flash drive data. If you don’t have a good file manager app. You should probably download the Es File Explorer app for Android.

DOWNLOAD ES EXPLORER

Go to your Es file Explorer app which you’ve just downloaded and click on the USB storage folder, you will see at least one folder there, click on the folder, and all files will be available for you to see. Go to a specific category of your video, music, and your document, watch movies, play music, and view the document.

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By Timothy Iyekowa Technical Writer
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As a seasoned content writer with 4+ years of experience in consumer technology, Timothy has been a dedicated author and editor at Techvocast since its inception. Specializing in addressing user concerns, his articles offer effective solutions for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac-related issues. Timothy's expertise also extends to crafting content about social media and various applications. Through his daily articles, he consistently aids users in overcoming their technology challenges.
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