Where to look for a flash drive in the Xiaomi Mi 8 phone: a detailed guide with pictures and tips

Xiaomi Mi 8 is the flagship of 2018, which is still relevant thanks to the powerful hardware and support for custom firmware. But even with such a proven device, users face a problem: connected the USB drive through the USB flash drive. OTG-You have an adapter or microSD inserted (if it supports it), and you don't know where to look for files. You don't give notifications, My Files is empty, and the memory settings don't show the card.

In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to find a flash drive on Xiaomi Mi. 8 — from basic (conductor check) to advanced (commands) ADB And we'll also explain why the phone might not see the drive, and what to do if the flash drive is defined as empty or damaged. MIUI 12/13/14 and custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience.

1. Basic method: checking through "My Files"

Let’s start with the most obvious, the standard file manager My Files (or Files in global versions of MIUI), which is pre-installed on the Xiaomi Mi 8 and usually displays all connected drives.

How to check:

• 📁 Open the My Files app (Icon with folder on the home screen or in the app menu).
• 🔍 At the top of the screen, find the tabs: Device, SD-card (if there is a slot), OTG (If the flash drive is connected through the adapter).
• 🔄 If tabs OTG No – Pull the screen down to update the storage list.
• 🔎 If the flash drive is displayed but the files are not visible, try clicking on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Show hidden files.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI tab OTG If you inserted a microSD into the slot but it is not on the list, it is possible that your Mi 8 model does not support memory cards (see compatibility table below).

☑️ What to do if the flash drive does not appear in My Files»

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2. Verification through memory settings

If you don't have enough file manager, look at the system settings, and you can see if the phone recognizes the flash drive at the OS level, even if it doesn't show up in the explorer.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Memory (or Settings → Memory depending on the version of MIUI).
2. Scroll down to the Storage block. This should show all the connected drives: internal memory, SD-card (if there is a slot) and USB-storage device (for OTG-flash-drive).
3. If the flash drive is in the list but does not open, click on it and select Fix (if available) or Format (⚠️ All data will be deleted!).

Important: If the flash drive is displayed as “damaged” or “Unknown format” in your memory settings, don’t rush to format it via your phone. Connect to your PC and check for errors using chkdsk (Windows) or fsck (Linux/Mac).

3. Use of third-party file managers

My files don’t always work correctly with OTG-the storage device, especially if it is formatted in exFAT or NTFS. In such cases, alternative conductors with advanced file system support will help.

Top.-3 applications for working with flash drives on Xiaomi Mi 8:

• 📂 Solid Explorer - Supports OTG, FTP, SMB The free version is limited to 14 days.
• 🔍 FX File Explorer – can mount network disks and work with root rights (if any).
• 🛠️ Total Commander – a classic plugin manager for rare file systems.

How to check the flash drive with Solid Explorer:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect the flash drive through the OTG.
3. In the side menu, select USB OTG (or Storage → USB).
4. If the flash drive doesn’t show up, click on the three dots at the top and select Update.

⚠️ Warning: If a third-party manager sees a flash drive and a standard one doesn’t, the problem is system settings. MIUI. Try resetting the application settings My Files (Settings) → Annexes → My files. → Warehouse → Clear the data).

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If the flash drive is detected but the files are not copied, check it for viruses through Malwarebytes. Some malware blocks access to files at the OS level.

4. Check through ADB (for advanced users)

If the flash drive is not visible in any manager, but the phone physically recognizes it (the indicator on the phone burns) OTG-adapter, you can check the connection through ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This method requires debugging by USB Basic command line knowledge.

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi Mi 8: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Connect your phone to your PC, open the terminal (Windows: cmd, Linux/Mac: Terminal) and enter: adb devices (your device should appear).
4. Run the command to view connected drives: adb shell ls /storage/ Look for folders like usbotg, sdcard1 or UDISK.

If you have a /storage/usbotg folder in the lead, but it's empty, it's a problem with access rights. Try mounting the partition manually:

adb shell mount -o rw,remount /storage/usbotg

⚠️ Attention: mount commands require root rights. If they don't, this method won't work. Alternatively, use Magisk to temporarily obtain root.

5.Compatibility issues: why Xiaomi Mi 8 doesn't see the flash drive

Even if the flash drive is functional, the Xiaomi Mi 8 may not recognize it due to hardware or software limitations.

1. Incompatible file system

• MIUI only supports FAT32 and exFAT (on some firmware) by default.
• NTFS cannot be read without additional drivers.
• Solution: Format the flash drive in FAT32 via PC (use GUIFormat for larger drives).

2. no OTG support in firmware

• Some custom firmware disables OTG to save charge.
• Solution: Check the kernel settings in Settings → Additional → OTG (if any).

Hardware malfunction

• The USB-C connector or OTG controller is damaged.
• Solution: Connect another OTG-If they don't work, bring your phone to the service.

4. Conflict with other connected devices

• If the phone has USB-C headphones or charging, the OTG may not work.
• Solution: Turn off all accessories, leave only the flash drive.

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If the flash drive works on other devices but not on the Xiaomi Mi 8, the problem is with the firmware or hardware of the phone. Start with updating MIUI to the latest version.

6.Recovery of data from an "invisible" flash drive

If the flash drive is defined as "empty" or "damaged" but it had important files on it, don't rush to format it. Try to recover data using specialized utilities.

Recovery methods:

• 💻 On PC: 🛠️ TestDisk – Restores partition and file table. 🔍 Recuva – Searches for deleted files by signature. 📁 R-Studio – Professional tool for complex cases.
• 📱 On the phone: 🔄 Undeleter – works without root, but with restrictions. 📂 DiskDigger – Supports photo and document recovery.

Instructions for TestDisk (on PC):

1. Connect the flash drive to the computer.
2. Run TestDisk on behalf of the administrator.
3. Select your drive → Proceed → Intel (if it requests partition type).
4. Click Analyse → Quick Search.
5. If lost partitions are found, select Write to recover.

⚠️ Note: Do not save the recovered files to the same flash drive - this can overwrite the remaining data.

7. Alternative ways to connect the flash drive

If standard methods don't work, try workarounds. They're less convenient, but sometimes they save you in critical situations.

1. Connection via network storage

• 🌐 Connect the flash drive to the router with USB-port.
• 📶 On the phone, connect to the Wi-Fi router network.
• 📁 Use a file manager (such as Solid Explorer) to access the file SMB or FTP.

2.Use of cloud storage

• 🖥️ Connect the flash drive to your PC and upload files to Google Drive/Mega/Yandex Disk.
• 📱 Download files from the cloud on your phone.

3. Phone flashing

• 🔄 If the problem is in the firmware - install custom (for example, LineageOS), where OTG works more stable.
• ⚠️ Risk: Unofficial firmware may deprive you of guarantees.

4. Self-powered adapter

• ⚡ Some flash drives (especially) SSD/HDD) It takes more energy than the Xiaomi Mi can provide. 8.
• 🔌 Use it. OTG-External powered hub USB hub).

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If you often have to work with flash drives on Xiaomi Mi 8, buy it. OTG-plug-in USB-A It's a microSD, and it's a simpler connection without any extra adapters.

FAQ: Frequent questions about flash drives on Xiaomi Mi 8