Articles and Life Hacks
Sometimes you need to increase the capabilities of a mobile device, but that's just how to connect a hard drive to a tablet? There are several methods for solving this issue.
Connection options
The easiest way is to use an external drive, which can be a flash card or HDD. Most manufacturers equip devices with slots for memory cards.Basically this is the microSD card version. Thanks to the use of this function, you can multiply the memory of the device at times. Some tablets are equipped with SSD drives, the memory of which ranges from 64 to 120 Gb:
- However, over time, the bulk of users turns out to be small and this volume. That is why the question of installing a hard drive arises. This can be done via USB.
- Using a USB cable, you will need to connect the device to the HDD. A message will appear on the screen stating that the system is being prepared for operation.
- You can use an OTG cable supplemented with an adapter. But it should be borne in mind that not all versions of mobile devices can support this cable.
Ways to connect
If the owner of a mobile computer device does not know how to connect a hard drive to a tablet, then you can use a special application and a simple cable. What needs to be done in this case? The third way assumes:
- Go to Google Play. Download the Nexus Media Importer app here. It is paid and costs about $ 3. This software works perfectly on any hardware.
Using this program and an ordinary cable, you can connect a drive of any capacity to the tablet.
- Another option is to use the Stick Mount app. However, it should be borne in mind that this software will only work if the user has root rights to the tablet.
In addition, you will need to use a file manager. Total Commander is an excellent solution.
- In this situation, it is necessary to create the necessary access and rights for the program. In the process of connecting the HDD, a message will appear about the successful connection of the disk.
The address will appear. With it, you can find your own data. It remains to use the previously downloaded explorer.
- The user needs to enter the root folder and go to the address.
Tablet computers can be very powerful indeed today. They can shoot Full HD video, have a large amount of RAM, and also have the ability to play a huge number of video formats, and quite a lot of voluminous games. Of course, this is all good, but here where to get so much memory so that such performance is available on a good Android tablet with little memory? And that is why the question of how to connect an external hard drive to an Android tablet is quite relevant.
Updating the article! Added new relevant information for 2018, fixed bugs and added answers to several popular questions - 29.04.2018
Best Ways to Connect HDD to Tablet in 2018
Before proceeding with the consideration of standard and all known options: connection via USB cable, OTG, let's talk about new and fairly convenient methods.
Wi-Fi disk
A real innovation that gained its peak in popularity in 2017. Represents a hard drive connected to the device via a wireless Wi-Fi network(there are analogues with Bluetooth). This automatically eliminates the tedious selection of suitable wires and adapters of all kinds.
The amount of memory is usually measured in terabytes, and this amount is definitely enough for any user. Works on mobile operating systems ( Android, IOS), also compatible with PCs and laptops running Windows. Supports wired connection.
In terms of its functionality, it resembles a regular USB flash drive, but significantly differs from it in a large amount of memory, faster synchronization and the ability to wirelessly connect.
Like any device, this disk has several drawbacks:
- Quite high cost. Of course, purchasing it will require a lot more money than buying an OTG adapter or USB cable.
- The battery only lasts for a few hours. With heavy use, you will need to charge the disc every 2-4 hours. And only the most expensive, high-quality and newer models have a built-in charging module.
- Wi-Fi access point required. You will be "tied" to the Internet all the time, and in places where it is absent - the only option would be the already known and boring wired connection.
USB Media Explorer (Nexus Media Importer)
A worthy solution for users who are not knowledgeable about cables and do not want to purchase special adapters. Connection is carried out using YUSB, and the rest of the work is carried out and configured directly by the software itself.
The application is freely available to download from, paying only about $ 3. The program works without any problems on almost all models of all brands (the exceptions are unknown and too cheap Chinese phones). Still, we recommend that you check out the free trial first for a guarantee.
Moreover, do not forget that by paying only once, you can use the application on any other device by logging into your Google account.
Three ways to connect a hard drive to an Android tablet
Of course, for an experienced user of memory, no matter how much you plug it in, there will always be little, but still there are situations when you need to throw off serious, rather “ heavy»Files, or work on it with the expense of memory, and then there is a need to connect an additional device, that is HDD.
We connect the HDD using USB
In order to carry out such a simple process, you will need to acquire a wire with USB to MicroUSB exit. One side connects to the hard drive and the other connects to the tablet. After connecting, you will need to wait a bit ( the first synchronization of the disk and Android may take several minutes).
As a result, a message should appear on the screen that the system is trying to synchronize with the device, and if successful, we get an external drive, like.
If, for some reason, it did not work to connect the hard disk in the first way, we will consider two more options below.
We connect an external hard drive using OTG
Buy it only if you are sure that otherwise you will not be able to connect the hard drive.
It is not expensive, on Aliexpress you can order a high-quality cable for 2-3 dollars, both with short and long wires.
We connect the HDD to the tablet through the application
Stick Mount is a free app, which you will need to use if the two options described above did not suit you. But there is one “but«: You can only work with the application if you got it In addition, you need something as a file manager that has access to system files, Total commander for example.
Another good option is a file manager simply called "ES Explorer"... You can find out more about it in the article. The application provides excellent conditions for storing a large amount of useful information; it reproduces almost all formats of video, documents and images without any problems. Cleans, works with Bluetooth.
Now let's return to our procedure: after receiving Root on the tablet, you need to provide the application with the appropriate use rights. Only in this way the connected HDD will be recognized and synchronized. After a successful connection, an address will appear on the screen where you will find all your folders with files (this is where we need a file manager). Once in the root folder of your system, you will need to navigate to the root of your external hard drive. Ready.
Nuances when working with an external hard drive
Now, having familiarized yourself with all the available and convenient methods, we invite you to read the small recommendations associated with them. Some helpful tips:
- When choosing an external storage device, you shouldn't buy a disk with a huge amount of memory. You still cannot fill the entire volume, but the load on the device will be significant because of this. The result: slower performance, faster battery drain. Ideal is 1 or 2 terabytes(this amount will be more than enough for storing games, music, photos and programs).
- Do not buy a disc that has a speed that is too high. The reason is the same as in the first case.
- There are two common file formats: NTFS and FAT32. For most tablets, the second file system is more acceptable. And if the disk works under another, the device may not see the materials stored on the drive. But there is a solution, and this is the installation of special programs. Is it possible to make a hard drive internal storage by replacing the built-in system memory, or is it not possible at all?
Unfortunately, it is impossible, no special utilities, tools for this have been developed yet. Third party hard drive can only be external storage.
Video instruction
In such simple ways, we were able to find out how to connect an HDD to a tablet.
Almost all the latest (and not so) flagship Android models are equipped with chic widescreen displays with a decent diagonal and high ppi. On such screens it is quite convenient to watch movies and TV series on the road, but where to record them? Google has a bad tradition of not installing memory card slots in its Google phones. If for the Galaxy Nexus this is still not so critical (16 GB on board), then the younger Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 are already suffering, because you cannot record a lot of video content on 8 GB, and this is not the only problem with Google phones. It remains to use removable external media. But how do you connect it to your smartphone and tablet? Very simple.
What is needed
- The smartphone or tablet to which we want to connect the USB storage
- Removable USB disk
- USB OTG cable
The USB On-The-Go cable is an adapter that connects to the micro USB port of a smartphone at one end, and a standard USB port of a removable disk is plugged into the other end. Cool homemade products can solder it themselves (maybe they will send instructions with screenshots to us, we will gladly publish them), while the rest can go to the Internet or the nearest specialized store and buy such an adapter there for very ridiculous money. This posting actually opens up great opportunities. With its help, you can connect joysticks, keyboards and other devices with a USB interface, as long as your smartphone or tablet understands them.
At the initial stage, this will be enough. Now we need to find out if our mobile device wants to be friends with removable media without additional manipulations. Smartphones and tablets from one manufacturer allow you to plug in USB drives out of the box. We connect and watch. If it was not possible to access the storage, then we go further.
Simple option
If you don't feel like messing around, then go to the Google Play Store and buy the Nexus Media Importer app there (it works not only with Nexuses) for $ 3. This is enough.
If you have a rooted device, you won't have to pay. We download the free StickMount application (works only with root) and along the way any file manager, if you don't have it installed for one reason or another (we like ES Explorer).
It remains to connect the removable disk and allow StickMount root access.
A corresponding message will appear in the notification area stating that the storage is successfully connected and has the address / sdcard / usbStorage.
We go to this folder through the file manager and enjoy.
Today, tablet computers can play and record Full HD videos. Let's try to add to the device the ability to play 10 thousand musical compositions, as well as voluminous and powerful games, but there is only one drawback, for such actions you will need a lot of memory. Where can you find so much memory?
Can I connect a hard drive to my tablet? If such a need arises, the information in this article will probably be useful to you. You can use an external storage device such as HDD or flash card.
Most manufacturers additionally equip their gadgets with slots for placing memory cards. As a rule, common microSD cards are used and thus the internal memory of gadgets is multiplied several times. Today there are tablets that have SSD drives with memory from 64 to 120 Gb. Not as I would like it to work with the iPad, several models of Nexus devices and other gadgets that do not have slots for Memory Card.
In principle, whether or not you can increase your memory will not play a big role, because there will always be little of it. Therefore, the question arises: "How to connect a hard drive to an Android tablet?" The same question may arise and, if necessary, throw off a large amount of various files and much more. This can of course be done. Moreover, even a novice user can easily do this. Here we will tell you how you can independently connect an external hard drive to your tablet.
The first way is how to connect an external hard drive to the tablet via usb.
Connect a simple USB-USB HDD cable with a mobile gadget and wait a while. A message will appear on the screen stating that the system is preparing the drive for operation. In most cases, this is exactly what happens, but if nothing worked, then move on to another method.
The second way is to connect the hard drive to the tablet using OTG.
OTG - cable is a cable with an adapter. With the help of the latter, the device has the ability to function with various external gadgets (mouse or keyboard, printer, hard drives and many others). Buy it if the first method did not work out or you are sure that there is no possibility of OTG support on the tablet.
The adapter is soldered into the cable. Today, adapters without wiring are very popular. They resemble a flash drive, only at the end there is a USB socket for a simple cable.
You do not need to purchase an external hard drive for a large class tablet with a large number of revolutions. The most important factor is volume, but don't forget energy efficiency. In the case of frequent trips to places where there is no electricity, it is better to choose SSD - drives, but their cost will be much more expensive than usual. Here it is up to you to make a decision.
In addition, you can make your own hard drive for the tablet. To do this, you need to purchase pocket 2.5 (3.5), it depends on the storage device and put it in your pocket. It is worth thinking in advance about the type of power supply, the ability to work from 220V will bring inconvenience, because you will need to have an electrical network.
The third way to connect an external hard drive to the tablet is paid.
We make a connection using a simple cable, but first of this, purchase an application from Google Play called - Nexus Media Importer for three dollars. This software will work on all devices. This method is not so expensive, because you will not need to purchase various wiring.
The fourth way to connect a hard drive to the tablet is software.
There is a free Stick Mount application, but it can only function if you already have Root rights to the tablet. You also need some kind of file manager. For example, Total Commander.
Give the application the necessary rights and access. When the HDD is connected, a notification about the successful connection of the disk will appear. You will also see the address through which you will need to find your data. And now you will need the already downloaded explorer. Go to the root folder and navigate to the specified address.
Whether it's a desktop, mobile or tablet, you'll find the right storage model for every device with the maximum capacity and performance in this article.
CHIP tested 45 hard drive models for tablet, laptop and desktop Despite the availability of cloud storage and streaming services, the need to continually increase the number of gigabytes in PCs and laptops is still ongoing. High-definition videos, new photos, and an ever-growing music collection are the source of disk space problems. Fast solid-state drives are not able to solve them, since with capacities of more than 500 GB, the cost of such solutions is unreasonably high. Remains only external and internal media on hard magnetic disks.
Before buying, you need to decide on the volume of the drive. If you are sure that one or two terabytes will be enough for you, you can purchase a 2.5-inch HDD. If you need storage up to 4TB, you will have to choose from the 3.5-inch models. To determine which of the disks is the best in its category, the data given in the tables will help you. Before purchasing a drive, carefully review your system configuration: when using drives larger than 2TB, you may encounter hardware or system limitations on media capacity. We will show you how to get around them and use all the available disk space.
Recently, tablets have become very popular. But they have little internal memory. A new type of external hard drives will help expand the possibilities for storing multimedia files. They connect to your home network or directly to your mobile
device wirelessly. We've checked which drive is best for this.
Wireless hard drives
Small mobile drives provide smartphones and tablets with up to 1TB of additional storage space.
The new drives with an integrated WLAN module fit in the pocket of any jacket, and even more so in a bag or backpack. They weigh less than 500g. Ideal for smartphones and tablets, they eliminate space constraints with up to a terabyte of additional storage capacity. Mobile devices automatically connect to the storage device wirelessly, so your collection of photos, movies and music is always at your fingertips. Tablets and smartphones access the drive through a dedicated app provided by each manufacturer for iOS and Android systems.
Insufficiently successful implementation
Wireless drives make a good impression, but in practice it turned out that all tested devices in some cases demonstrate unforgivable shortcomings. So, the winner of the Seagate Wireless Plus test, for some unknown reason, does not provide the ability to create an encrypted wireless connection. However, for the rest there are practically no complaints about it. It is the only wireless drive that has a built-in DLNA server, with which it can provide multimedia content to all DLNA-enabled devices on your home network. In addition, in terms of data transfer speed, this device is ahead of its competitors: 4 MB / s, of course, is not a record, but it is quite enough for watching 1080p movies. The other drives do a little worse with this. The main outsider here is the Transcend solution. In a miniature HDD case, an antenna is installed so small that it is not possible to broadcast HD video, and for transferring data from a PC to other devices, it is equipped only with a USB 2.0 port. Products from Buffalo and Patriot inexplicably interfere with the wireless transfer of data from a mobile device to a disk, which is also a very annoying circumstance.
In Detail: Network Storage
Disk management from a smartphone or tablet The exchange of information with the wireless storage device is carried out by means of software. The Media App utility for Seagate Wireless Plus turned out to be successful in terms of appearance and functionality (1). In the Spartan spirit, the Transcend StoreJet Cloud disk program, in which the encryption of the wireless connection must be activated manually, is kept (2).
