Connecting external USB-Smartphones from Xiaomi through OTG-It's become commonplace to transfer large files, watch movies from a flash drive, or back up data, but many users are faced with the problem of how to safely disable the drive so as not to damage the file system and lose data. Unlike computers that have the standard “Remove Device” feature, this process is less obvious on Android devices.
In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to disconnect. USB-Xiaomi Smartphone Drives (including Redmi models, POCO, Black Shark under management MIUI 12-15 and Android 11-14, and you'll learn why you can't just pull out your flash drive, how to check that you're done recording, and what to do if the device doesn't shut down. MIUI, which allow you to forcibly unmount the drive without risk to data.
Why can't you just pull out? USB-smartphone-storage
Many users are used to pulling the flash drive out of their phone right after they copy files -- what's the big deal? It's actually one of the most common ways to lose data or damage the drive's file system.
- 📝 Caching records: Android does not always immediately write data to USB-The system can store files in RAM and delay the recording to optimize performance. If you pull out the flash drive at that point, some of the data just won't be saved.
- 🔄 Background Processes: Applications (such as a gallery, file manager, or instant messengers) can scan the drive in the background, even if you don’t see active operations.
- 🛠️ File system damage: Abrupt shutdown during writing may cause partition tables to crash (e.g., partition tables, FAT32 or exFAT), after which the flash drive will have to format.
Especially vulnerable are NTFS drives, which Xiaomi only supports on some models (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi K60 Ultra), which are more susceptible to improper extraction than the FAT32.
⚠️ Warning: If the flash drive is no longer defined after incorrect extraction, don't format it right away. Try connecting it to your computer and using utilities like TestDisk or Recuva to recover data.
Method 1: Standard Disconnection through Notification
The easiest and safest method is to use the notification bar.It works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, as well as on most devices with pure Android.
- Connect. USB-smartphone-based OTG-cable.
- Wait for the notification to appear. USB-The drive is connected (usually appears in 2-5 seconds).
- Swipe down the notification bar and find a message about the connected device.
- Slip on the notification - a window with information about the drive will open.
- Click the Disable button (or Extract in some versions of MIUI).
- Wait for the message. USB-The storage device can be safely removed.
If no notice appears:
- 🔍 Check if it is hidden in the Other Notifications section (swipe the panel completely down).
- 📱 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes helps to reset the notification system cache.
- ⚙️ Make sure that in the Notification settings → System notifications are not disabled connection alerts USB.
☑️ Preparation for shutdown USB-storage
Method 2: Disconnect via "Settings" → "Storage"
If the notification of the connected drive does not appear or you accidentally closed it, you can turn off the flash drive through the Warehouse menu, which works on all versions of MIUI, including older ones (for example, MIUI 11 on the Redmi Note 8 Pro).
- Open the Settings app (cog icon).
- Go to the Warehouse section (or Memory on some models).
- Scroll down to the Portable Storage Block (or USB-accumulator).
- Slip on the name of your flash drive (for example, SanDisk Ultra 64GB).
- In the upper right corner, press three dots (⋮) and select Disconnect.
- Confirm the action by pressing OK.
On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for Xiaomi 12T), the path may be slightly different:
Settings → About the phone → Storage → Portable device⚠️ Note: If the Disable button is inactive (grey), the drive is busy with some process. Close all applications that may use the flash drive (e.g. Google Photos, Files, VLC), and try again.
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If the "Disable" button does not appear, try reconnecting. USB-storage OTG-Sometimes the problem is a faulty adapter.
Method 3: Forced unmounting through "For developers"
If standard methods don't work (e.g., the drive freezes and doesn't shut down), you can use developer mode, which is suitable for advanced users, as it requires activation of hidden functions.
First, turn on the developer mode:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Tap 7 times on the item MIUI version (you will be a message You became a developer!).
- Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section → For developers.
Now unmount the drive:
- In the section For developers, find the Debugging by USB and turn it on.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission (if required).
- Open the Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:
adb shell sm list-volumesFind a line with yours in the conclusion. USB-storage device (e.g, disk:179,Copy the identifier (e.g, 179_64).
adb shell sm unmount 179_64Once the command is executed, the drive will be unmounted and can be safely removed.
- 🔧 The flash drive is “hang” and does not turn off through the standard menu.
- 📱 The smartphone does not respond to the press of the button Disconnect.
- 🔄 We need to remove the drive immediately, but the system is blocking it.
What if the ADB can’t see the device?
Method 4: Disconnecting through the file manager
In some firmware MIUI (for example POCO X5 Pro or Redmi Note 12 can be turned off USB-It's a drive right out of the standard file manager, and it's a great way to do this if you're actively working with files on a flash drive.
- Open the Files app (Folder icon).
- At the top of the screen, select a tab USB-drive (or portable device).
- Press three points (⋮) top-right.
- Select the item Disable USB-accumulator.
- Confirm the action.
If this paragraph is not available:
- 🔄 Try updating the Files app through Google Play.
- 📲 Install an alternative file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer or Solid Explorer) FX File Manager that supports secure extraction.
Some managers (for example, MiXplorer) show an indicator of the activity of the drive – if the record icon is burning next to the USB flash drive name (📝), Wait for it to disappear before it goes offline.
Method 5: Reboot your smartphone (extreme case)
If none of these methods work, and you need to get the drive out of here, you have to reboot the device, which is not the safest way, but it's guaranteed to unmount all the external devices, and you only use it as a last resort!
How to restart your smartphone correctly:
- Close all applications that work with the flash drive.
- Press and hold the power button until the menu appears.
- Select Reboot (not Shutdown!).
- After restarting (when the lock screen appears), you can retrieve USB-accumulator.
⚠️ Note: If the flash drive was recording data at this point, rebooting may result in file loss.Always try to disable the drive in the standard ways first.
| Method of shutting down | Suitable for | Pluses | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through notice | All Xiaomi models | Quickly, no additional action is required. | Notification may not appear |
| Through Settings → Storage | MIUI 12–15 | It works even without notice. | You need to know the way to the menu. |
| Through the developer mode | Experienced users | It works when you freeze a flash drive. | Requires a connection to the PC |
| Through the file manager | MIUI 13-14, alternative managers | Convenient when working with files | Not all managers support |
| Reboot. | Extreme case | Guaranteed to unmount the drive | Risk of data loss |
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The safest way is to turn off the notification or the Storage menu, and only use the restart if other methods have failed.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When working with USB-Xiaomi drives can cause various errors. Let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.
Problem 1: The smartphone can’t see USB-accumulator
If the flash drive is not detected:
- 🔌 Check it out. OTG-cable – some cheap adapters only work on charging, but do not transmit data.
- 📱 Connect the drive to another device (computer or other smartphone) to make sure it is working properly.
- ⚙️ In the Developer Settings, Enable Configuration USB default → File transfer.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone with a connected flash drive.
Problem 2: The "Disable" button is inactive
If the storage device is not switched off:
- 🚫 Close all applications that may use the flash drive (e.g. video players, photo editors).
- 📂 Check if the file from the drive is open in any application.
- 🔍 Use Task Manager (long press on the recent button) to force the shutdown of “hang” processes.
- 🔧 If the problem recurs, try formatting the flash drive into FAT32 (computer).
Problem 3: The flash drive is detected, but the files are not readable
If the drive is connected but the files are not opened or an error occurs:
- 🛠️ Check the file system of the drive – Xiaomi works best with FAT32 exFAT.
- 🔍 Connect the flash drive to your computer and run error check (in Windows: right-hand drive button) → Properties → Service → Verification).
- 📱 Try a different file manager (for example, FX File Manager, which supports more formats.