Transferring photos from Android smartphone to flash drive seems like a simple task, but in practice users are faced with a lot of nuances: from the lack of an OTG cable to errors in reading the drive. In 2026, both classical methods via USB portsand modern solutions using cloud services or wireless protocols are relevant. The main problem is that not all flash drives are directly compatible with phones, and standard file managers often hide system folders with media files.

In this guide we will look at 5 proven methods transfer photos, including work with USB OTGconnection to a PC, cloud services and even via FTP server on the phone. We will pay special attention to typical errors - for example, why the flash drive is not detected on Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or how to bypass restrictions Android 14 on access to folders. All instructions are adapted to the latest OS versions and current smartphone models.

1. Transfer via OTG cable: the fastest way

Method using USB OTG adapter (On-The-Go) is the most direct way to transfer photos without intermediaries. You will need:

  • 🔌 OTG adapter (Type-C or Micro-USB depending on the phone connector)
  • 💾 USB flash drive with file system FAT32 or exFAT (NTFS may not be supported)
  • 📱 Android smartphone 6.0+ (on older versions, root access may be required)

Connect the flash drive to the phone via OTG. In most cases, the system will automatically detect the drive and offer to open it via Files (on Samsung) or Explorer (on Xiaomi/Redmi). If the notification does not appear:

  1. Open Settings → Connection devices → USB.
  2. Select mode File transfer (MTP).
  3. In the file manager, find the folder DCIM/Camera (where photos are stored) and copy the files to the flash drive.

The flash drive is formatted in FAT32/exFAT|

OTG adapter is compatible with the phone connector|

There is enough free space on the flash drive|

Access to USB drives is allowed in the Android settings-->

⚠️ Attention: On some models (for example, Honor 90 or Realme GT Neo 5) When connecting OTG for the first time, you may need permission to access files. If the flash drive is not detected, try:

  • 🔄 Reconnect it 2-3 times (sometimes resetting the connection helps).
  • 🔧 Format the flash drive on the PC in exFAT (if it was in NTFS).
  • 📱 Update the phone firmware ( Android 14 bugs with OTG have been fixed).
💡

If your phone does not support OTG out of the box, check the developer settings. Enable the option USB Debugging i Default USB Configuration → File Transfer.

2. Using a computer as an intermediary

If OTG does not work or you do not have an adapter, transfer via PC will become a reliable alternative. This method is universal and works even on older versions of Android. You will need:

  • 🖥️ Computer with Windows, macOS or Linux
  • 🔌 Cable USB-Type C (or Micro-USB for old models)
  • 💾 Flash drive connected to PC

Connect the phone to the computer and select mode File transfer (MTP) in the notification shade. Next:

  1. On PC, open This computer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).
  2. Find your smartphone in the list of devices and open the folder Internal Storage → DCIM → Camera.
  3. Copy the necessary photos to your desktop or directly to a flash drive.
Computer OS Path to photos on the phone Possible problems
Windows 10/11 This computer → [Phone model] → Internal Storage → DCIM MTP drivers are not installed (download from the phone manufacturer's website)
macOS Finder → [Phone model] → DCIM Required Android File Transfer (official software from Google)
Linux (Ubuntu) /media/[user]/[Phone model]/DCIM You need permission to mount (use sudo)

⚠️ Attention: On Samsung Galaxy S23 and new Google Pixel when connecting to a PC, you may be prompted to unlock the screen. If the phone is locked, access to files will be limited!

Via OTG cable|

Via a computer|

Via the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Disk)|

Via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi|

Another option-->

3. Wireless transfer via Wi-Fi (without wires)

If you do not have OTG or cable, transfer via Wi-Fi will be a salvation. There are several methods:

Method 1: Via an FTP server on the phone

Applications like FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer allow you to launch FTP server directly on your smartphone. How it works:

  1. Install FX File Explorer from Google Play.
  2. Open the side menu → FTP server → Run.
  3. Connect to the specified IP address (for example, ftp://192.168.1.10:2221) from a PC or other device.
  4. Copy the photo from the folder /storage/emulated/0/DCIM to a flash drive.

Method 2: Using specialized applications

apps like Send Anywhere or Xender transfer files over a local network without size restrictions. Algorithm:

  • 📲 Install Send Anywhere on your phone and PC.
  • 📎 Select a photo → click Send → generate a 6-digit code.
  • 💻 On a PC, enter this code in the application and save the files to a flash drive.
Why is Wi-Fi slower than OTG?

The Wi-Fi transmission speed depends on the standard of the router (802.11n gives ~50 Mbit/s, 802.11ac - up to 866 Mbit/s). For comparison: USB 3.0 via OTG transfers data at speeds of up to 5 Gbps. In addition, the speed is affected by network interference and channel congestion by other devices.

4. Transfer via cloud services (Google Drive, Yandex Disk)

Cloud storage is convenient if you need to save a backup copy or transfer photos to a flash drive later. The disadvantage of the method is that it depends on Internet speed and volume limitations (for example, free Google Drive gives only 15 GB).

Instructions for Google Photos:

  1. Open application Google Photos on the phone.
  2. Select an album or individual photos → Share → Save to Drive.
  3. On PC, go to Google Drive, download the archive with the photo and transfer it to a flash drive.

For Yandex Disk:

  • 📁 Upload the photo to the folder Yandex Disk via the mobile application.
  • 💻 On PC, open web version of Disk, select the files and click Download.
  • 💾 Save the archive to a flash drive.
💡

Cloud services automatically compress photos when downloading. To maintain the original quality, in the settings Google Photos select Original quality (requires more space).

⚠️ Attention: When uploading a large number of photos (for example, 500+ photos c Sony Xperia 1 V) the cloud can block the operation as “suspicious activity”. In this case, split the files into parts of 100–200 pieces.

5. Transfer via Bluetooth or NFC (for small volumes)

If you need to transfer several photos (up to 50 pieces), and only another smartphone or tablet is at hand, Bluetooth or NFCwill do. This method is slow, but does not require the Internet or wires.

For transfer via Bluetooth:

  1. Turn on Bluetooth on both devices.
  2. On the sending phone, select a photo → Share → Bluetooth.
  3. Select the target device and confirm reception.
  4. From the received photos, copy them to a flash drive via OTG or PC.

For NFC (works only on devices that support, for example Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra):

  • 📱 Enable NFC in settings (Connections → NFC and payments).
  • 📎 Touch the phones with the back covers (NFC antennas are located there).
  • 🖼️ Select a photo to transfer (only 1-2 files are supported at a time).

⚠️ Attention: NFC transmits data at a speed of ~400 Kbps - that's 1000 times slower than USB 3.0! Use this method only for urgent transfer of 1-2 pictures.

6. Solving problems: the flash drive is not detected or photos are not copied

Even with the correct actions, errors may occur:

Problem Possible cause Solution
The flash drive is not detected via OTG Lack of power (the flash drive requires more energy than the phone can provide) Use OTG hub with external power supply or connect charging
Photos are not displayed in the folder DCIM Files are hidden or stored in the cloud (for example, Google Photos) Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager settings
"No access" error when copying Android 13+ blocks access to some folders Copy the photo to the internal memory, and then to the flash drive
The flash drive is detected, but does not open Incompatible file system (NTFS) Format the flash drive on exFAT PC

If none of the methods worked, check:

  • 🔋 Charge phone (at a level below 15% Android can block operations with drives).
  • 🛠️ Integrity of the OTG cable (try a different adapter).
  • 📵 Airplane mode (on some phones it disables the USB port).
What to do if the flash drive damaged?

If the flash drive is detected, but produces read errors:

1. Connect it to your PC and run chkdsk [drive letter]: /f on the command line (Windows).

2. If the data is critical, use recovery apps (Recuva, PhotoRec).

3. Do not format the flash drive before extracting the data - this will lead to irretrievable loss of files!

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring photos to a flash drive

Is it possible to transfer photos from a phone to a flash drive without OTG?

Yes, there are 4 alternative methods:

  1. Via a computer (like intermediary).
  2. Via Wi-Fi (FTP server or applications like Send Anywhere).
  3. Via the cloud (Google Drive, Yandex Disk).
  4. By Bluetooth/NFC (only for a small number of photos).

OTG is needed only for direct connection of a flash drive to phone.

Why is there not enough space on the flash drive, although it is empty?

Most likely, the flash drive is formatted in FAT32, which does not support files larger than 4 GB Solutions:

  • Format the flash drive in exFAT (supports files up to 16 EB).
  • Split the photo into archives of 3–3.5 GB.

Also check the flash drive for hidden system files (for example, System Volume Information on Windows).

How to transfer photos from your phone to a flash drive if the phone does not turn on?

If the screen does not work, but the phone is detected by the computer:

  1. Connect the phone to the PC and check if it is visible as a drive.
  2. If not, use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to extract files:
    3. adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:\Photos\
  3. If the phone does not respond at all, remove the memory card (if it has one) and connect it to the PC via a card reader.

For Samsung with a damaged screen, the mode can help Download Mode (press Volume Down + Power), but it requires special software (Odin).

Is it possible to transfer photos directly from your phone to a flash drive without a computer and OTG?

No, direct transfer is not possible without OTG or a computer. Alternatives:

  • Use wireless flash drive (for example, SanDisk Connect), which connects via Wi-Fi.
  • Transfer photos to another phone via Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, and then from it to the flash drive via OTG.
  • Upload photos to the cloud from your phone, and then download them to your PC and transfer them to a flash drive.
Why are some photos not copied to a flash drive?

Possible reasons:

  • 🔒 Access rights: Photos may be protected by DRM (for example, screenshots from Netflix or banking applications).
  • 📏 File system restrictions: FAT32 does not support files >4 GB.
  • 📁 Hidden folders: Some photos are stored in /data/media/0/Pictures (root access required).
  • 🐛 Android bug: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 14) copying is interrupted without error. The solution is to use a third-party file manager (Solid Explorer).