The popularity of tablets is explained very simply - a good device can easily replace a medium-capacity computer, especially if it has a plug-in external keyboard. The large screen allows you to view videos and photos in a convenient mode, as well as read books and documents, causing less damage to the eyes.
But what to do if you need to connect a flash drive or other external device to the tablet? Is it possible to do it yourself and what is needed for such an operation? All this you will learn in this article.
Ways to connect a flash drive to an Android tablet
There are several ways to connect a USB flash drive to a tablet on the Android operating system. Conventionally, they can be divided into standard and non-standard. The difference between these two categories is that the standard ones are those methods provided by the manufacturers of both tablets and flash drives, and non-standard ones are invented by advanced users themselves, but this does not make them less effective.
The simplest option would be to connect using an existing USB port, but, unfortunately, not every tablet model has one. Then a special adapter, called an OTG cord, comes to the rescue. It is a wire on one side equipped with a USB port, and on the other, a plug suitable for one of the standard inputs on each tablet.
If such methods are not suitable for any reason, then you will have to use other methods. For example, USB-hosts or all kinds of adapters, which are not always easy to find on sale.
Important! There are a lot of tablet models that work on the Android OS, they all have different characteristics, so it’s impossible to select one universal method - try a few and you will be able to find the right one.
Connect USB flash drive to iPad
Apple technology is different from all other unique "stuffing" - it works on the IOS operating system, which has many features that sometimes impede the work of a simple user.
For example, connecting a flash drive to the iPad will be a bit more difficult than connecting to Android. Nevertheless, this is real and, upon careful reading of the instructions, the owners of such devices rarely have unsolvable connection problems.
IPads do not have a special USB slot for easy connection of a flash drive, so this method immediately disappears. But it still remains possible to use a special OTG adapter.
Important! Please note that the tablet inputs on Android and iPad differ from each other, so the adapters will be different. If the OTG cord is suitable for most tablets from other manufacturers, then it will not fit the Apple device.
Special adapters in wide assortment are presented in the modern market and their price can vary considerably. It should be borne in mind that the most expensive device will not necessarily be the best, but you should not save money - such adapters usually do not last too long or may even display flash drives incorrectly.
Before you buy one or another adapter, it is better to read reviews on the Internet about its manufacturer and the model itself - so you can get a more objective picture of the product than the one that is advertising.
Features of connecting to the tablet external hard drive
In some cases, you may need to connect an external drive to the tablet. This is especially true for those who spend a lot of time with the tablet - it works, it downloads movies or other files that require quite a lot of space.
As in the case of a flash drive, there are several connection options. Each of them is quite simple, so even an ordinary user who does not have deep knowledge in the field of technology will cope with it.
The first way would be to use the cable that came with the hard drive itself. This is the easiest option, in some cases it will not even be necessary to use special adapters.
If you cannot connect an external hard drive in this way, then purchase an OTG cable. This is a win-win option, with which you can connect to the tablet a huge number of different devices, from mice and keyboards to external drives, in short, all that are connected via USB-port.
If there are any problems with such a connection, you can use software methods. For example, download a free software with which you can connect a hard drive, but for this you need special user rights. That is why these methods are rarely used by ordinary owners of tablets, since the process is more time consuming.
How to open files with music and photos from external media
After successfully connecting the external media to the tablet, the question arises how to view the copied or downloaded files and information.
In most cases, an automatic notification of the connection of a new device appears - just click on it to open the full list of downloaded files with music or photos that are on the media. If the notification for any reason does not appear, then you should find a special application for viewing files that you managed to transfer. It is installed by default on any tablet. Most often it is called "File Manager".
Sometimes managers work incorrectly or are not very comfortable. In this case, you can download a new program from the epp-market running on your operating system - Play market or App store. So you can choose the perfect application for yourself and enjoy watching your favorite movies or photos not only on your computer, but also on a tablet that is more mobile and compact, which means that the files will always be at hand.
Why the tablet may not see the carrier
There may be several causes of problems.
In most cases, this is a simple inability of the tablet to support such large amounts of memory, which is assumed by external media. This parameter should be taken into account when choosing a flash drive or an external hard drive, which is planned to be connected to the tablet in the future.
Another possible problem is the lack of ROOT rights on the device. It is solved quite simply - these rights must be obtained. You can do this by installing a special application on your PC, and connecting a tablet to it. After that, a new item "For Developers" will appear in the settings.
Now you know how you can connect a USB flash drive or external hard drive to different tablets, for which it may be needed and what problems may arise during the process and after connecting. So, you can download or write any file or movie and have access to it at any time - this is especially useful for those who sometimes have to work outside the office or outside the home. But viewing your favorite photos or TV shows will also be more convenient not only on PC. Several downloaded films will help brighten up a long trip.
Leave Your Comment