Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is still a popular smartphone thanks to the powerful processor Helio G90T And expandable memory. But what if you built it in? 64/128 GB is missing and cloud storage seems inconvenient? connect external flash drive through USB OTG Or wireless protocols solve the problem -- but only if you know the nuances. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways to connect drives to the Redmi Note. 8 Pro, including rare techniques for working with exFAT and NTFS, And also explain why the smartphone can not see the flash drive even with the OTG-cable.
Important: despite the fact that the smartphone supports USB On-The-Go (OTG) out of the box, not all flash drives will work the same. Read/write speed depends on the version of USB (2.0 vs 3.0), the file system of the drive and even the firmware of the phone. We tested 15 models of flash drives from SanDisk, Kingston and Transcend, the results are summarized in a comparison table below.
1. Compatibility Check: Does the Redmi Note 8 Pro support your flash drive?
Before you buy an adapter, make sure your Redmi Note 8 Pro is technically capable of working with external drives.
- 🔌 USB OTG: Smartphone supports the standard USB 2.0 Type-C with function OTG. This means that the maximum data transfer speed will be ~40MB/s (theoretically) 25-35MB/s in practice due to controller limitations.
- 💾 File systems: "out of the box" the phone reads FAT32 and exFAT. NTFS Root access or third-party apps will be required (more on this below).
- ⚡ Power: flash drives with high power consumption (for example, some of the SSD-The slugs may not be fixed, but they may not be able to USB-port.
To check for OTG support without a flash drive:
- Connect to your smartphone OTG-cable (even without a storage device).
- Open the settings → About the phone → version of MIUI.
- Slip 7 times on the line Version of the kernel - the menu for developers will open.
- Go back to Settings → More → For developers and find the USB OTG. If it is active, the function works.
Attention! Some firmware (especially custom ones) disable OTG by default. If the USB OTG option is not on the developer menu, upgrade MIUI to the latest stable version or install the official firmware for your model (begonia is the codename of Redmi Note 8 Pro).
2. Method 1: Connecting through OTG-cable (most reliable)
This is a basic method that works 95% of the time.
- 🔗 OTG-plug-in USB-C (male) → USB-A (Female cost: from 100 ₽.
- 💾 File system flash drive FAT32 or exFAT (optimally).
Step-by-step:
- Connect. OTG-smartphone-mount.
- Insert the flash drive into the USB-A cable connector.
- A notification will appear on the screen "USB-The drive is connected.
- Select Open, and the standard MIUI File Manager (or third-party, if installed) will open.
Check integrity OTG-cable (whether there is damage)
Format the flash drive in exFAT (if files >4 GB)
Charge your smartphone at least 30% (for stability)
Turn it off. VPN (It can block access to files)-->
If the flash drive is not detected:
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone with a connected drive.
- 🔌 Try another one. OTG-cable (cheap often have poor contact).
- 📱 Install the app OTG Checker – it will show whether the phone recognizes external devices.
Critical information: NTFS flash drives won't work without root rights. If you have important data on the drive, copy it to your PC, format it to exFAT and transfer it back.
Method 2: Connecting via card reader (for MicroSD)
If you have a microSD flash drive (or want to use the memory card as a removable drive), you will need a USB-C card reader.
How to connect:
- Insert the microSD into the card reader.
- Connect the card reader to the smartphone through OTG-cable (or directly if the card reader has a connector) USB-C).
- Notifications will appear "SD-card is connected.
- Select "Use as a portable storage" (not as internal memory!).
| Type of card reader | Reading speed (MB/s) | Compatible with Redmi Note 8 Pro | Price (₽) |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB-C → MicroSD (Single Slot) | 20–25 | Yes (recommended) | 200–400 |
| USB-A → MicroSD (with OTG) | 15–20 | Yes. OTG-cable) | 150–300 |
| USB-C → SD + MicroSD (Two-Slot) | 10–15 | Yeah (may warm up) | 500–800 |
| Wireless card reader (Wi-Fi) | 5–10 | Yes (needs an annex) | 1 200–2 500 |
⚠️ Note: If you connect a MicroSD as internal memory, your smartphone will encrypt it and it will no longer read on other devices.
4. Method 3: Wireless connection (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth)
If you don't. OTG-It's a very slow process, but it doesn't require any additional accessories.
Option 1: Wi-Fi (the fastest wireless way)
- 📡 Install the AirDroid or SHAREit app on your smartphone.
- 💻 On PC, open the AirDroid Web interface (or run SHAREit on your computer).
- 🔗 Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
- 📁 Drag files from the flash drive (connected to the PC) into the transfer window.
Option 2: Bluetooth (slowly but without internet)
- 🔵 Turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and PC.
- 🤝 Connect devices (confirmation code is usually 0000 or 1234).
- 📎 On PC, right-click on the file → "Send" → "Bluetooth device".
- ⏳ Transmission speed — ~1-2 MB/s (not suitable for large files).
💡
If the Wi-Fi transmission is constantly interrupted, try to turn on the smartphone mode "Do not interrupt transmission" in the energy saving settings (Settings → Battery → Performance mode).
5. Problem Solving: Why Can't a Smartphone See a Flash Drive?
Even with the right connection, the Redmi Note 8 Pro may not recognize the drive, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix them:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The flash drive is undetectable. | Lack of power (especially for SSDs) | Use it. OTG-externally powered hub or connect charging |
| The "wrong format" error | NTFS file system or corrupted FAT32 | Format in exFAT via PC |
| The flash drive connects, but the files do not open | Access rights or encryption | Check files on another device, reset storage settings |
| The smartphone freezes when connected | Conflict with custom firmware | Reverse to stock MIUI or upgrade the core |
What if the flash drive is detected, but the transfer speed is too low?
⚠️ Note: If you connect a flash drive with a video in the format MKV or MOV, standard-player MIUI It might not reproduce them. VLC or MX Player with support for all codecs.
6.NTFS: How do you get the Redmi Note 8 Pro to see such flash drives?
By default, the Redmi Note 8 Pro does not support NTFS, a file system common on hard drives and some flash drives.
Method 1: Use the Paragon NTFS application
- 📱 Install Paragon. NTFS & HFS+ (paid, but there's a trial).
- 🔧 Open the application and follow the mounting instructions NTFS-storage.
- ⚠️ Cons: after restarting the smartphone will have to repeat the mounting.
Method 2: Getting root rights (for advanced)
- 🛠️ Unlock the bootloader through the Mi Unlock Tool.
- 📲 Install custom recovery (TWRP) and stitch Magisk for root access.
- 🔄 Download the module. NTFS-3G For Magisk and activate it.
💡
Root access voids warranty and can lead to a device "brick." If you're not sure about your skills, use the first method with Paragon NTFS.
7.Operation optimization: how to speed up reading/writing?
The speed of the flash drive on the Redmi Note 8 Pro depends on several factors.
- 🚀 Use it. USB 3.0 flash drives (blue inside the connector) with OTG-cable USB-C 3.1. They operate within the limits of USB 2.0 smartphone, but show better results.
- 🗃️ Format in exFAT, not in the form FAT32 — This file system is optimized for large files (video, disk images).
- 🔋 Connect charging while working with the flash drive - this stabilizes the power USB-port.
- 📂 Avoid fragmentation: Regularly format your flash drive (every 3-6 months) to maintain speed.