How to Use a USB Flash Drive With an Android Tablet

Short answer: Plug the drive into the tablet’s USB-C port. For Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung says a drive without a USB-C plug needs a Type-A to Type-C USB-OTG adapter. Then open Files by Google, tap the USB available notification and choose Allow.^1,2

How this guide was made: SpecCairn did not connect a drive to a particular tablet for this guide. The steps follow Google and Samsung support pages; menus vary by tablet maker.

What you need

For Files by Google: Android 7.0 or later. Google says USB storage can be opened only on Android 7.0 (Nougat) and up.³
A drive that fits the tablet’s port. For Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung says a drive without a USB-C plug needs a Type-A to Type-C USB-OTG adapter. A supported Android version and a matching plug don’t guarantee that every tablet can use a USB drive, so check your tablet maker’s documentation.^2,4
A files app: Files by Google, or My Files on Samsung Galaxy tablets.⁴

Step-by-step: open the drive in Files by Google

Plug the drive into the tablet. Make sure it’s fully plugged in.²
Open Files by Google.¹
Tap the USB available notification, tap the drive, then tap Allow.¹
Scroll to Storage devices and tap your drive to see its files.¹
To copy a file, tap the Down arrow next to it, then Copy to. Choose a folder and tap Copy here.⁵

You can also move, delete and rename files on the drive.⁵

On a Samsung Galaxy tablet (My Files)

Insert the drive and open My Files.⁶
Touch and hold a file, then tap Copy or Move.⁶
Go back to the My Files home page and tap USB Storage. It only shows up while a drive is plugged in.⁶
Tap Copy here if you chose Copy, or Move here if you chose Move. Screens can vary with the software version. This works in My Files only, not in apps like Gallery.⁶

If the tablet doesn’t recognize the drive

If the tablet doesn’t recognize the drive
Check	What to do
No notification appears	Remove the drive and plug it in again.¹
Drive has a USB-A plug	On Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung says to use a Type-A to Type-C USB-OTG adapter, fully plugged in. On other tablets, check the maker’s documentation.^2,4
Damage	Look for cracks on the drive and for bent or corroded pins in the tablet’s USB-C port.⁷
Still not found	Restart the tablet, then reconnect the drive.⁷
USB mode (Samsung)	Open Quick settings with two fingers, tap USB for file transfer under Android System and choose Transferring files.⁷
Last resort (Samsung)	Copy anything you need off the drive first. Then go to Settings > Device care > Storage, select the USB drive, tap More options (three dots), then Format, and tap Format again to confirm.^7,8

Some tablet models don’t support external storage that uses a lot of power.⁶

How to check it worked

Open the folder you copied to and check that the files are there before you remove the drive.⁵

FAQ

Do I need a special drive?

For Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung says a drive without a USB-C plug needs a Type-A to Type-C USB-OTG adapter. For other tablets, check the maker’s documentation.^2,4

Why doesn’t my tablet show the drive?

Files by Google needs Android 7.0 or later. Check the connection first; on Galaxy tablets, also check the adapter and the USB mode. Menus vary by maker, so check your tablet maker’s documentation too.^3,2,7,4

About this guide

Not affiliated with Google or Samsung. See the methodology.

Scope: Files by Google on Android tablets (Google: Android 7.0 and up), plus Samsung Galaxy steps in My Files and Samsung's Galaxy connector and adapter examples. Steps follow Google and Samsung support pages; menus vary by maker and software version. Research-based; not device-tested.