How to watch the flash drive on the phone Xiaomi Redmi 5: 5 proven ways

Xiaomi Redmi 5 is a popular budget smartphone that is still used by many users, but not everyone knows that this device is able to work with external drives, such as the one that is used by many users. USB-Unlike today's flagships, where support is available. OTG On the Redmi 5, you may need additional settings or even purchase an adapter.

In this article, we will analyze all possible ways to connect a flash drive to Xiaomi Redmi 5 – from the standard OTG-cable to alternative solutions for older versions MIUI. You'll learn how to check device compatibility, what file formats are supported, and what to do if your phone doesn't see the drive. And we'll also reveal some secrets to optimizing external drives on this smartphone.

1.Test OTG support on Xiaomi Redmi 5

Before you buy adapters or cables, make sure your Redmi 5 supports OTG (On-The-Go) technology at all.On Xiaomi's budget models, this feature is sometimes disabled at the software level, especially if the smartphone is released before 2019.

There are two ways to check for OTG support:

• 🔍 Through settings MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and tap 7 times on the "Core" line. Then go back to the basic settings and open the "Additional" section. → OTG. If there is no such item, support is either absent or requires activation.
• 📱 Using the application: install the utility from the Play Market USB OTG Checker. It'll show you if your smartphone recognizes external devices.

If the check shows that OTG is not supported, don’t despair.In section 4, we’ll explain how to get around this restriction with cloud services or a computer.

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 5 with firmware MIUI 9.5 may not have any hardware support OTG. In this case, only flashing to a newer version or using alternative methods will help.

2. How to connect the flash drive to Xiaomi Redmi 5 through OTG-cable

The most reliable way is to use OTG-adapter (USB Type-C → USB-A These adapters cost from 100 to 300 rubles and are sold in any electronics store. It is important to choose a quality cable with a chip controller, otherwise the flash drive may not be decided.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect. OTG-plug-in USB Type-C on the phone.
2. Put the flash drive in. USB-adaptor-port.
3. A notification will appear on the screen "USB-It's connected. Put it on.
4. Select Open File Manager (by default, it is MI File Manager).
5. Go to section "USB-"Drive" to view files.

If the notification does not appear, check:

• 🔌 Connection quality (try another cable or USB port).
• 📵 File system format (FAT32 works better than NTFS exFAT).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone with a connected flash drive.

Buy OTG-Cable with chip (not cheap fake)

Format the flash drive in FAT32 (if it is more than 32 GB - divide into sections)

Charge your phone at least 30% (OTG consumes a lot of power)

Install a file manager (e.g. Solid Explorer)-->

Through OTG-cable

Through the computer (flip files)

I use cloud services.

Never plugged in.-->

3. Alternative ways to connect the flash drive

If the OTG doesn’t work or you don’t have an adapter, there are a few workarounds:

On Xiaomi Redmi 5 with MIUI 10+ firmware, you can use the Wi-Fi File Transfer (Mi Drop) function to send data from a flash drive to a phone without cables. On PC, open ftp://192.168.x.x (IP phone) in the Explorer.

4.Problem Solutions: The phone doesn't see the flash drive

If Redmi 5 doesn't recognize an external drive, the reasons could be both software and hardware.

Problem 1: The connection notification appears, but the files are not displayed.

• 🛠️ Solution: Format the flash drive into FAT32 via computer (use the utility) HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool for Reliable Formatting).
• 🔧 Alternative: Install a file manager FX File Explorer or Total Commander – They work better with external drives.

Problem 2: The phone is writing "USB-device is not supported".

• ⚡ Solution: Try connecting a flash drive through an externally powered hub (some drives require more power than can be given by a USB drive). OTG).
• 🔄 Reboot your phone with a plug-in flash drive (sometimes cache reset helps) USB).

Problem 3: OTG works, but the flash drive is defined as "Empty."

• 💾 Solution: Check the flash drive on another device. If you see the files there, there's a problem in your smartphone. Try to clear the data from the Storage app in your settings.
• 🛒 If the flash drive is damaged, restore data using Recuva or TestDisk on your PC.

⚠️ Note: Redmi 5 with unlocked bootloader can work bug, which OTG This will help to re-activate the function through the engineering menu (#4636## → USB-debugging).

5. Optimization of work with external drives

To speed up reading/write files and avoid errors, follow these tips:

• 🚀 Turn off the energy saving for USB: Go to Settings. → Battery → Energy saving regime → Settings and add MI File Manager with exception.
• 📁 Use short file names: Redmi 5 may have errors when working with paths longer than 128 characters (especially on the Redmi 5). FAT32).
• 🔋 Control charge: Connect your phone to charge when working with OTG — flash drives consume a lot of energy, and the smartphone can turn off.
• 🔄 Remove the drive regularly: Do not leave the flash drive connected for a long time - this can lead to overheating of the port.

To speed up copying large files (such as movies), install the SuperCopier app from the Play Market, which bypasses the limitations of the standard MIUI manager and supports the resumption of interrupted transfers.

💡

If you often have to work with flash drives on Redmi 5, buy it. OTG-This is a charging cable with an extra charger socket, which allows you to connect the drive and charge the phone at the same time, avoiding discharge.

6.Security: How to protect data on a flash drive

External drives are vulnerable to viruses and physical damage, so that they can protect their files:

• 🔒 Encrypt Sensitive Data: Use apps like Cryptomator or VeraCrypt to create encrypted flash drive containers.
• 🦠 Check for viruses: Install Malwarebytes and scan the flash drive before opening files.
• 📥 Backups: Store important files in two instances (for example, on a flash drive and in the cloud).
• 🚫 Avoid public computers: Do not connect the flash drive to other people's PCs - this is the main source of infection.

Redmi 5 can enable automatic scanning of external devices:

1. Open Security (the shield icon in the app menu).
2. Go to Scanning. → Settings.
3. Activate the "Scan" option. USB-device".

⚠️ Note: Do not remove the flash drive while copying files - this can damage the file system. Always use the Safe Extraction feature in the notification or file manager.

7. Frequent questions and answers

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Xiaomi Redmi 5 is best for flash drives up to 128 GB in FAT32 format. For drives larger than 32 GB, you may need to manually format via utilities like MiniTool Partition Wizard.