What is USB OTG on Android

What is OTG, and what is it used for? OTG is a technology that allows your mobile gadgets (smartphones and tablets) to use any gamepads, mice, and keyboards to charge and perform their intended purpose; more detailed decoding is On-The-Go. What is USB OTG on Android

Of course, this requires a special adapter that will turn your device into a USB host, not just a battery that needs charging. However, such an adapter will be useless if your device does not support the OTG function. How do you know if you have it and how to use it? Let’s figure it out.

How to Enable OTG on Android

First of all, how can OTG be supported on Android? In 99% of cases, the OTG function does not require activation. To use the interface, just connect a special adapter and then the necessary gadget to the device via a regular USB cable. It will be automatically recognized and will work.

If nothing worked after the operation, there are two options: either your device does not support OTG (this can only happen if it is ancient), or the problem is in the firmware.

How to know if your device supports OTG?

If you can’t connect immediately, you must understand whether your phone or tablet theoretically supports this technology. Usually, you can do this on the manufacturer’s website (although only sometimes). For example, let’s take the already quite old Redmi Note 10. We go to the Xiaomi website and… We need to see more information about the need for more technology support.

Okay, in that case, we go to other sites where the device is sold and look there. Does it still need to be written? Then, add OTG to the model name in the search bar and look at the answers from real users on forums or marketplaces. Make sure that support is present – you are great!

The device supports OTG, but gadgets do not connect

So, we seem to have figured everything out, but it hasn’t made things any more accessible, and the gadget still won’t connect? There may be several problems here, so we’ll look at each in as much detail as possible.

Broken adapter

First, of course, you should check the adapter itself. It may not work or support your particular device. How can you check this? It’s pretty easy.

Try connecting it to another phone known to work with the technology. If everything is OK, then the problem is in your phone (or tablet), but if not, then it is worth replacing the adapter. It is better to buy a new one in official stores with a guarantee (DNS or Citylink) to return the money if something is wrong quickly.

Unsupported or non-working cable

It seems we found out that the adapter works and that the device supports the technology. But is your joystick, mouse, or whatever else still not displayed in the system? Then, check the cable.

The scheme is similar to the previous point. We take other devices and check them: it works—we look for the problem in the gadgets. No? Then, we change the cable to a known working one and try again.

Root rights are disabled

Sometimes, connecting OTG to your phone may require root access on the device. Root access is essentially the equivalent of “administrator rights” on a computer, but it’s a little more challenging.

Each phone or tablet model has its instructions, but you will still need to perform a few more steps even after receiving the rights. What is USB OTG on Android

1. Once you have root rights, you need to install the Root Explorer application and launch it.
2. In the program, go to the address “system>etc” and find the file “vold.fstab” there.
3. In this file you need to change the parameter from “read only” to “read and write”.
4. Then open the same file in any text editor available on the device and copy the following lines at the end of the document: # usb otg diskdev_mount usbotg /mnt/usbotg auto /devices/platform/mt_usb/devices/platform/musbfsh_hdrc
5. Save the file and reboot your device.

Gadget not working properly

There may be no problem with either the cable or the adapter. Then why does it still not connect? This can happen if the gadget you are trying to connect fails.

The reason may be simple – the gadget itself does not understand what is wanted from it and does not support OTG operation. This problem often appears in cheap Chinese devices, flashed in an unknown place and by an unknown person. Unfortunately, if everything works with other devices, the gadget will need to be replaced. What is USB OTG on Android

Incorrect or outdated firmware

Have you checked everything? Is everything working for sure? And does the phone 10000% support OTG? But the cursor still doesn’t appear on the phone screen. Then, the problem may be software that needs to be fixed or has outdated firmware.

In this case, you should first go to your phone settings and check for system updates. If there are any, then be sure to install them and recheck everything.

Are there no updates, or did they not help? Then, we go to specialized forums (like 4PDA) and find a separate topic dedicated to our device. There will definitely be different firmware versions, among which you will need to select the one that includes OTG support. Just remember to make a backup before any experiments so as not to turn the phone into a brick!

Where can I get the required OTG adapter?

How do you know which OTG adapter you need and where to find it so you don’t make a mistake when choosing? In general, there are no specific criteria. The main thing is that your adapter fits the motherboard connectors. The two most basic types are Micro-USB and USB Type-C. Check which cable you use for charging and choose a similar one. There are no other restrictions.

Remember that it is better not to buy goods from unknown manufacturers in unfamiliar stores. A wrong and too cheap adapter can easily ruin working equipment, not the most inexpensive equipment, so extreme savings do not bring anything good. Focus on reviews of real people, and remember safety! What is USB OTG on Android

Is it possible to make an OTG cable yourself?

In theory, yes. If you don’t trust anyone or you don’t have the opportunity to go to the store or order delivery, you can make such a cable from two regular charging cables.

There are plenty of instructions on the Internet, but be careful. Without specialized knowledge in technology, you can break both cables and get nothing in return, damaging your devices with a poorly made product. So go for such manipulations only if you are ready for the consequences!

Also Read: How to check USB Serial number in Computer (Window10)

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