Where are the usb settings? How to connect your phone as a flash drive: methods

How to connect Android to computer. Many users of mobile devices running the Android operating system complain that they cannot connect their gadgets to a personal computer in storage mode (external USB drive).

Unfortunately, it is not possible to give the only correct solution to this problem. The thing is that smartphone and tablet manufacturers not only use Android system as the main platform for their own applications, but also significantly modify the initial set of options for the “green robot”.

In any case, there are no hopeless situations. So, let's start dealing with the problem from the very beginning. The ideal situation is when, when you connect your Android gadget to your computer, you see something like this:

This means that your mobile device is recognized by the computer as virtual flash drive and ready to connect. IN additional menu connections you should expect a similar picture:

Click the “ Enable USB storage" And after that " big Brother” is simply obliged to give you a pop-up window describing options for working with an external drive (device memory):

If this does not happen, then:

1. Paradoxical as it may seem, the first thing you should do is check the cable with which you are trying to connect your smartphone (tablet) to a personal computer. Don't ignore this step! Carefully inspect the connecting cord for breaks and abrasions. If there is such a possibility, then try to establish a connection with the computer using a different, but definitely similar, cable.

WITH physical condition elements of the future connection visible problems No? Then move on to the next step.

2. Try changing the device’s operating mode in the device connections menu. In this case, the mobile device must be connected to the computer! For example, as indicated in this screenshot:

It often happens that mobile device manufacturers save on developing their own drivers, using universal drivers by default. Therefore, it is possible that after connecting several gadgets to the same computer, the desktop operating system perceives new smartphone or the tablet is incorrect.

If on this Windows step started searching and installing missing drivers, then you are moving in the right direction:

Once the device initialization process is complete, a similar message should appear:

Did not work out? A similar process has not started on your computer? Then we advise you to complete the next step.

3. Without disconnecting your mobile device from personal computer, turn USB debugging on and off several times. This will help the Windows operating system determine internal storage gadget as a new (recently connected) device.

At the same time on the desktop desktop computer, most likely, a pop-up message with the following content will appear:

If, after performing the steps described above, the virtual USB device is not recognized, then it’s time to move on to “street magic”.

4. In this step you will have to check the installed desktop system drivers and items that appear in the device manager after connecting the gadget.

So, open this same device manager:

We carefully review the list that appears. You should be primarily interested in non-auxiliary operating modes mobile device,

and subparagraphs “ Disk devices”

or " Portable devices”:

If new lines appear in the device manager, but do not correspond to the type of connected gadget (differences in name, model, etc.), then using context menu

and reinstall existing drivers:

The files you need can be easily found in the appropriate section of the website of the smartphone or tablet manufacturer.

Well, that's the last resort. You should only go to it if, after completing the previous steps, you switch your gadget to USB mode- the drive failed.

In the main window, carefully analyze the item “ Disk management" Has a virtual flash drive appeared there? Is its size determined correctly? Is it assigned correctly? Windows system volume letter?

In most cases, this is the root of all troubles. If in the disk tree you see internal memory of your gadget, but its mount point is incorrectly set, then using the context menu, simply replace it with the one you like best:

We hope that after strictly following the paragraphs of this instruction, you will be able to easily work with the files of such a dear gadget to you

and a similar message will greet you every time after connecting your smartphone (tablet) to a personal computer.

Few consumers know that a mobile device running on the Android operating system, unlike other portable devices, can be used as a flash drive. IN Lenovo smartphones On Android, manufacturers initially included functions that allow them to be used as a flash drive and used for their intended purpose. Thanks to this, the user can record necessary information, delete files from the device that are not used, but at the same time take up a lot of space on it.

Using an Android phone as a flash drive, there is no need to connect it to a computer, constantly carry with you the cable needed to connect to a laptop, that is, to perform a lot of manipulations that waste a lot of time.

Methods for connecting a mobile device as a flash drive

Let's look at how to connect your phone as a flash drive. To do this, you need to do a number of simple sequential actions:

1. Select “Menu” on your device and find “Settings”.
2. Immediately after this, a list will appear on the screen; you should find the line “SD Card” in it. Depending on the Android version, it can be found through applications or memory .

1. In order for the smartphone to recognize the PC as a flash drive, you need to check the box next to the line labeled “Data storage device” in the displayed list. Or click on “Connect SD card”.
2. As soon as the smartphone is connected to the computer, an icon will appear in the device’s status bar, which indicates that the USB flash drive is in working condition.

If you lower the curtain in the menu, the phone connection via USB port as a flash drive. If you need to turn off the drive, you must also lower the curtain and click on the corresponding inscription.

Options for connecting a phone with different versions of Android

Let's look at how to connect your phone as a flash drive, depending on the version of Android that is installed on the device. First, you should find out what operating system is installed on your smartphone. To do this, go to “Settings” and find the “About phone” or “About device” item. Usually it is the last one in the list that opens.

If Android OS 2.1 - 2.3.7 take the following steps:

• The device connects to the PC using a USB cable;
• The computer itself should detect the new device. If this does not happen, you need to disconnect the smartphone from the PC, go to “Settings” → “Applications” → “For Developer” → “USB Debugging”. After that, connect to the PC again.
• A drive icon will appear on the device; all you have to do is click “Connect via USB”, which you need to do as a media device.

If your phone has an Android operating system with version 4 or higher, you need to connect to a PC, do the following: “Menu” → “Settings” → “Memory” → “Connect to SD card” .

Android does not see the memory card

Situations arise in which the flash drive is not detected in the smartphone. In order to find it, it is recommended to use a file manager - ES Explorer or its equivalent. With the help of such programs you can find almost everything. In their functions they resemble the My Computer program.

In order to recognize a memory card, you need to launch ES Explorer by downloading it to your device prematurely. After launch, a menu will appear on the left side of the screen in which the memory card (SDcard) is located. All you have to do is click on it. It has been discovered and is open for business.

Having done simple steps Anyone, even a novice user of a mobile device, will be able to detect a memory card in it. The reasons why the computer does not see the SDcard may be different. You may need to update the operating system on your PC or install the MediaTransferProtocol (MTP) protocol for Windows XP

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In this article we will figure out how to connect Android to a computer/laptop via USB as a flash drive and be able to transfer information without using a classic flash drive.

This article is suitable for all brands that produce phones on Android 9/8/7/6: Samsung, HTC, Lenovo, LG, Sony, ZTE, Huawei, Meizu, Fly, Alcatel, Xiaomi, Nokia and others. We are not responsible for your actions.

Before Android 4.4 KitKat, it was possible to connect via USB as a flash drive. The PC saw the device as removable drive and provided the same rights: the user could also perform other actions.

Then, in new versions of Android, the USB mode was replaced by MTP, in which only the data transfer function remained, and the same formatting did not work.

Setting up a USB connection

To manage the connection to a computer via USB, you need. To do this, add to Android settings section “For Developers” (if it doesn’t exist):

1. Open settings.
2. Go to the "About phone" or "About device" section.
3. "Build number" or "MIUI version".
4. Press (click) on this item until you see a message that you have become a developer (usually 7-10 clicks are enough).

Increase

After the developer section appears in the settings, you can enable USB debugging. The item is called that way, so you just need to move the slider to the “On” position and confirm the resolution.

Increase

Now you can connect the device to your computer via USB and select the operating mode. In recent Android versions the most used are:

• MTP - transfer any files from computer to phone and vice versa.
• PTP - transfer of photos, as well as transfer of files not supported in MTP mode.
• Charging only.

Connecting in USB storage mode

If you can't get used to using the media player, go back to using USB storage mode. For this you will need:

• Installed USB program MASS STORAGE Enabler.

This method may cause damage system files. In this case, you will have to reflash Android.

To connect Android to your computer as a drive:

1. Launch USB MASS STORAGE Enabler.
2. Grant superuser rights and agree to change how Selinux works.
3. If the device is supported, the main application menu will open.
4. Click "Enable USB MASS STORAGE".

Increase

Now, when connected to a PC, the phone or tablet will appear as a drive. To connect in MTP or PTP mode, just restart the device. Once you're done with mass storage mode, go back into the app and disable USB MASS STORAGE.

You can enable USB ports on your laptop through the BIOS, Device Manager, Registry Editor, or Editor group policies. If access to USB connectors was prohibited intentionally using special software, you can unblock it in a program where the interface is blocked. All methods are available ordinary users and do not require special training.

Disabling unnecessary devices

If the USB ports suddenly stopped working and you are now looking for how to turn them on, then the first thing to do is look to see if the device is connected to the laptop too much. When using a USB hub, the laptop may not be able to supply power to all devices, causing the USB ports to become unresponsive. Before setting up USB in the BIOS, unplug any unnecessary hardware from your laptop and check if the ports work. If nothing has changed, then reboot the laptop and go into the BIOS.

Enabling ports in BIOS

For BIOS input When loading, press Delete, F2 or another key depending on the model motherboard. You can view it on the start screen.

In the case of a laptop, this screen does not appear because the function fast loading. You can temporarily disable this technology in the power settings:

Restart your computer. Without quick launch you will see all the stages Windows boot and you can get into the BIOS. If this doesn't work on Windows 8 or 10 with UEFI BIOS, try the following method:

After reboot, select "Diagnostics", then go to " Extra options" and open the UEFI Firmware Settings. Click "Reboot", the next time you start, the BIOS UEFI interface will appear.

To configure USB ports in UEFI, you need to go to the “Peripherals” tab and set the “Legacy USB Support” parameter to “Enabled”. If support for USB 3.0 ports is required, activate the corresponding item (USB 3.0 Support).

In the AMI BIOS, go to the “Integrated Peripherals” section and set the four options to “Enabled”:

• USB EHCI Controller.
• USB Mouse Support.
• USB Keyboard Support.
• Legacy USB Storage Detect.

In Phoenix AwardBIOS, you need to go to the “Advanced” tab and go to the “USB configuration” section. All parameters contained within must be set to “Enabled” in order for USB ports worked.

In all BIOS versions To save the configuration, you must press the F10 key and confirm your selection by writing “Y”.

Windows setup

If in BIOS ports enabled but connected via interface USB devices are not detected by the system, then check the Registry Editor, Device Manager and Group Policy Editor. It is possible that changes were made to the system through them, due to which the ports are no longer working. You should start with the Registry Editor.

If the registry editor supports USB interface is enabled, then check the controller drivers in Device Manager.

If you see an icon next to the controller that looks like exclamation point, and you are sure that the interface is supported in the registry editor, then this means that there are problems with the drivers. Try updating first software:

If updating the controller software does not help, update the motherboard driver. Download it from the manufacturer's website and install it manually. Another way to update the drivers of all controllers at once is to remove them from the system. Click on the controllers right click and select "Delete". After a reboot, the system will automatically install controller drivers, so you no longer have to worry about how to enable the USB ports - they will work just like that.

If only those connected via USB removable devices, then check in the Group Policy Editor to see if the read ban is set.

Find the option " Removable devices: Deny Reading" and set it to "Disable". Problem identifying flash drives and external drives must disappear.

Hardware damage to ports

If your laptop's USB ports are damaged or south bridge on motherboard, then no methods will help enable the interface. Therefore, if the connectors stop working after mechanical impact, liquid getting inside the housing, short circuit or other negative factors, you should take the laptop to a service center for diagnostics.

Modern flash drives can hold great amount information whose weight will reach 256 GB and even more. That's just due to the lack of the required connector, it is problematic to “sync” with a smartphone, and they come to help adapters. Today we will find out how to connect USB flash drive to Android via OTG and what you will need for this.

What is OTG

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

You can connect to both mice and keyboards, and any external drive.

You can purchase an adapter at any store, which specializes in electronics and gadgets for them. We also note that Some phones already come with OTG. For example, this detail was noticed in Samsung smartphones and Sony.

How to check Android and OTG compatibility

Unfortunately, not all smartphones can boast of supporting the OTG protocol. But how can you find out in advance whether the device can recognize 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 special program, namely USB OTG Checker . This is very useful application with a minimum of functions, perfectly performing the main option - recognition OTG support or lack thereof on an Android smartphone.

USB OTG Checker app

The utility can be easily downloaded from . After installation, we launch it and after a few seconds we see either a green square or a red one on the main screen. 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, which shows the phone model, its name and ID. This, in principle, is where all the functionality of the application ends.

If the result is negative – There are two options to solve this problem. Perhaps the flash drive is simply not recognized by the built-in Explorer. For this there are special utilities, which we will discuss below. Or the OTG protocol is completely blocked in the device. Then, unfortunately, you won’t be able to do anything except purchase new phone running Android.

The procedure for connecting directly is very simple: we insert the accessory into the adapter, and connect the adapter to the smartphone. If the flash drive is successfully recognized 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 we now read information from it?

File managers will help here, they are also called explorers. These are applications that allow you to view all the information stored in the memory of your mobile device and the storage devices attached to it.

On some phones, e.g. Xiaomi company, there is already a built-in “Explorer”.

But you can also install any third-party manager, most best option– ES Explorer, which we talked about in detail in the article. We launch the program, go to the root menu and it should be displayed there external storage. Click on it and a list of materials appears. This way you can view images, videos, read documents and work with archives. All information stored on the flash drive is accessible from the smartphone.

But what to do if the drive is not recognized? The only way out – specialized utilities. For example, 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 free alternative – StickMout app, requesting . If you are already a “Superuser”, you can easily adapt to the program, but otherwise you will have to either buy the tool or get root, otherwise you will not be able to work with the flash drive.

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

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

• Incorrect flash drive format. Android doesn't read file systems NTFS and ExFat. Only suitable FAT32.
• Inappropriate software or operating system. The issue may be in the firmware, or in special drivers, or in the Android version. To avoid such troubles - Check your phone in advance via USB OTG Charge.
• Dirty connectors, due to which no contact occurs. This also includes faulty flash drive or adapter.
• The flash drive contains too much information. For example, if you connect a 256 GB drive to a smartphone, which only has 4-8 GB permanent memory– problems are possible. Likewise with RAM less than 1 GB.

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

As you can see, it’s quite easy to connect a USB flash drive to Android via OTG; for this you just need to strictly follow the instructions and have it on hand necessary tools. Good luck!