In order to connect an accessory or even to expand the memory of our phone with a simple pendrive, the USB OTG function must be compatible with the mobile device. This technology comes from USB On-The-Go, it is also an extension of the USB 2.0 specification that makes it possible for USB devices to have greater flexibility in managing the interconnection.
This allows a device, such as a mobile phone, to work so that other USB devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pendrive memory, a modem, among other devices, accessories and peripherals can be connected to it. Although, in the case of USB 3.1 technology, which already has the Type C connector, an extension is no longer necessary, but this function is native. Therefore, a special or specific connector is not necessary, and we do not have to use any type of adapter for this functionality.
On the other hand, if you are not sure if your smartphone is compatible with this function, there are different ways to check if it is or not.
OTG compatibility
There are different ways to know if our device is compatible with USB OTG . In any case, some of the methods will be faster and easier than others, although in none of them we will need to have extensive knowledge to find out this information from our smartphone. And, in any case, if we can’t locate the information, we can always check in other ways.
With the characteristics of the mobile
The main problem with the specifications established by smartphone manufacturers is that they do not usually show this characteristic among the general specifications such as the screen, cameras, etc. However, it may appear in the more detailed specifications and in the user manual that we could find both on the Internet and even in the box of our phone. But, you can always go to your manufacturer’s website and look for your model, to see if it is compatible with OTG or not.
Trial and error
The truth is that this will be the simplest option of all, in addition to the fact that buying a USB OTG will not mean a lot of money, since we can find it for less than 4 euros. In addition, a USB OTG connector is also in cable format and has exactly the same purpose.
For example, this is the accessory we need to be able to connect a USB pendrive to our mobile phone. So, if we already have one, the easiest way to know if our smartphone has the USB OTG function is to connect this accessory and, at the other end of it, a pendrive memory. If it works, we can already confirm that it is fully compatible.
With USB OTG Checker
Another option, in case we do not have a USB OTG connector or cable and we do not want to buy it, we can always choose to install an application. In Google Play we will find several applications available such as USB OTG Checker. We will only have to download the app (which is totally free) from the following link:
Once installed, we must open the app and, automatically, the corresponding analysis will be carried out to know the compatibility . When finished, a notice will appear in which it will tell us if the phone is compatible with USB OTG.
What can you use?
Once we have checked if the mobile phone has the USB OTG function , we can use the port of our smartphone to connect different accessories, such as the ones we will see below.
Connect a hard drive or pendrive
The most basic use for the USB OTG connector of a mobile is the fact that we can use pendrives. That is, any pendrive will be detected as an external storage unit, so we can interact with it from any application that is used to manage the files on the phone.
More and more mobiles have a file explorer. However, if you do not have any on your phone. We recommend you try the following free option:
Using a wired controller
Other accessories that we will have the opportunity to use on our mobile device will be any remote that is connected through the port. This means that, if you are a gamer and enjoy playing on your phone, if your smartphone has compatibility, you can connect a control to play. And, for it to work, just plug it in. In addition, Android already has the different drivers so that we can use it directly without any extra configuration.
Put a keyboard and mouse
It will also help us if we have a USB keyboard or mouse. In addition, it will be of great help to pair it to the phone if we do not have a wireless peripheral that connects through Bluetooth. And, as in the previous case, we will not need to make any additional adjustment, we will only have to plug it into the OTG adapter .
Print documents
Not only will it be useful for playing games, typing with keyboards, using mice … We can also connect a printer through the telephone port , yes, we will have to use an adapter again to send the documents through a cable. However, in this case it is likely that we do need to install the printer manufacturer’s app, as it is usually necessary to be able to send documents to said printer. Although, in some smartphones when connecting both devices, it will give us the option to print when pressing the share button on an image or document.
What if it is not compatible?
As we have seen right now, the port of our mobile has multiple uses . From sending files to connecting peripherals. For this reason, this type of connection can give us a lot of play, making our lives a little easier.
Therefore, in the event that it is not compatible, we would lose all the options that we have explained previously, in addition to many other extra functionalities that will be of great help. In addition, the worst of all is that by not having this compatibility, we will not be able to add the OTG function to the phone on our own.
That is why, if you try to make your mobile compatible with some hidden trick or advice that you have found, we regret to tell you that it will not work at any time. So the best solution will be to change your phone .