Smartphones or tablets with Android operating system are small high-performance computers, where it is possible to connect devices like cameras, USB sticks, hard disks etc. via USB.
Many users have never connected a USB device to their smartphone or tablet.
So if you connect a USB device to an Android smartphone for the first time, this guide will explain the necessary steps in more detail:
Requirements for a successful connection
Most USB devices use a standard USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port. This does not fit the Micro USB or USB C port of the Android smartphone. Therefore you have to use an adapter.
This adapter is called "OTG Adapter" in this case. OTG means "On the Go" and with this converter it is possible to connect a standard USB port to a Micro-USB or USB-C port.
Many smartphones have such an adapter already included in the scope of delivery, such as the current Samsung Galaxy devices.
If you don't have an OTG adapter at hand, you can find one for a small fee on Amazon.
Connect USB devices like camera, hard disk, USB stick etc. to the smartphone
1. connect the OTG Adapter to the smartphone (Note: The OTG Adapter does not need to be activated separately)
2. connect the USB device to the OTG adapter
3. open a file explorer on your Android smartphone
4. you now see the connected device or memory.
Note: Many devices require an active power supply such as hard disks, cameras etc. The USB port of the Android smartphone can often not provide enough power for these devices. Therefore the devices are not recognized.
It is helpful, if possible, to supply the connected device with power. For a camera you would have to switch on the camera here, for a hard disk you would have to connect the power supply.
You now know the necessary steps to connect a USB device to an Android smartphone via an OTG adapter.
