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How to connect USB storage/devices to Nexus 7 using OTG without rooting

36 Comments Posted by on March 26, 2013

New updated article, in this link, https://linuxpanda.wordpress.com/2016/02/28/android-nexus-usb-otg-without-root/.

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36 responses to “How to connect USB storage/devices to Nexus 7 using OTG without rooting”

  1. Darren June 3, 2013 at 22:50

    Great article! The OTG cable was one of the first things I purchased with the tablet. It eneables me to plug in a wired game controller so I can enjoy playing past arcade games via Mame4Droid! The Nexus 7 Tablet in my eyes is the best tablet ever to be made…

    Reply
  2. Jacx Wang June 30, 2013 at 16:56

    Now, you may install the free “OTG Disk explorer lite” from Google play which can also read files in flash disk with OTG cable WITHOUT root. The demo video is in youtube.

    You may take a look before installing it.

    Reply
    • LinuxPanda July 2, 2013 at 17:27

      Thanks for the information about the new app.

      I have updated it in the article. 🙂

      Reply
    • F Ehrhart September 7, 2013 at 01:55

      VERY glad 2 find this page. OTG Disk explorer lite let’s me copy jpgs from usb stick to N7 2013, & ES File explorer locates. Question can I Write to USB w/ this app? Thanks

      Reply
      • LinuxPanda September 7, 2013 at 15:49

        Its not possible to write files to USB. You can only read files from USB. Thanks.

      • F. Ehrhardt September 7, 2013 at 20:13

        More details good & bad:
        1. See URL for pix of SD card, USB card reader, OTG adapter. While OTG Disk explorer lite WILL read files off a USB stick, it CAN’T read any of several SD cards with this setup (see Nexus screenshot).
        2. If instead I leave SD card in my Canon camera and connect USB cable from camera to OTG adapter, “Gallery” app launches spontaneously and will let me Import pix from the camera’s SD card. BUT…OTG Disk explorer lite still cannot read the card.

      • LinuxPanda September 8, 2013 at 17:00

        Hi,

        Thanks for the information. FYI, in the app page, it says that

        Current support FAT32 disk format of flash drives.

        If the SD card that you’re trying to read is using FAT32 format, then I have no idea why the app will not read it. Maybe you should contact the app developer regarding this issue. Thanks. 🙂

  3. Alan July 25, 2013 at 11:44

    The suggested OTG Disk Explorer lite is a good one although it expires on a certain date, and a $3 purchase to get the full version. I’ve found this one that is a plugin of my favorite file explorer Total Commander, now in Android. The plugin is called “USB Stick Plugin – TC” for $1. The app Total Commander (free) must be installed to use the plugin. Works great on my Nexus 7 without being rooted and it works on my fave file explorer.

    Reply
  4. Satish Naik July 31, 2013 at 08:00

    Hi all,

    where can we buy a reliable, good quality OTG Cable in Bangalore. I use a Nexus 7 from Google. Details would be appreciated.

    Reply
  5. karthik October 15, 2013 at 16:10

    Can I transfer photos from my sony dsc-h50 with 4 gb memory stick to my nexus 7 through this app…i want to know whether it will support this. N I have a 16gb transcend usb3.0 pen drive…is that fat32 format?

    Reply
    • LinuxPanda December 13, 2013 at 13:06

      Yes it should support that. To make sure, just try the free version of that app and test it before you buy the paid version.

      And I’m extremely sorry for the very late reply.

      Reply
  6. juegos gratis de pc October 31, 2013 at 11:58

    Wonderful, what a web site it is! This weblog provides
    helpful data to us, keep it up.

    Reply
  7. Jayesh Sakpal December 1, 2013 at 23:36

    Can we play video without copying by using otg?
    And which android app supports that?

    Reply
  8. Unknown January 7, 2014 at 04:21

    Question.. For example, if you download GTA San Andreas from the Mac book pro and transfer It to the flash drive and then connect the flash drive to the nexus 7, can I play the game on nexus 7 or no.. If I can’t any suggestions for some other app that I can.. (Without root) please answer ASAP

    Reply
  9. Suman January 16, 2014 at 02:00

    Can i connect data card for internet through OTG cable in google nexus 7 2012.

    Reply
    • LinuxPanda February 9, 2014 at 12:31

      I think these apps allow only to transfer data (i.e. files) from the USB drive to nexus 7. So I don’t think you can connect data card using this app.

      Reply
  10. shubham January 24, 2014 at 23:18

    Can we read document and edit ms office files via otg cable?

    Reply
  11. Steve Parker February 18, 2014 at 19:14

    This does not work with the Nexus 7 2013 version running 4.4.1 kitkat

    Reply
    • LinuxPanda February 21, 2014 at 22:02

      Maybe the app has to be updated to support kitkat. You should contact the developer about this issue. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Steve Parker February 22, 2014 at 13:42

        A letter from Google themselves told me that the new version of the Nexus 7 DOES NOT support the attachment of an external flash drive (powered or not) and streaming was not possible either…they even had the nerve to tell me that rooting was the only way to go…but that would be up to the owner….My question to Google was met with a really stupid answer as far as I was concerned and their best answer was to use Google Digital back up…idiots…..they have gone backwards not forwards with this new Nexus in my opinion.

      • LinuxPanda February 24, 2014 at 22:48

        I can understand what you mean and thanks for sharing this information. 🙂

  12. Ivan February 27, 2014 at 16:18

    how do you unmount the usb otg from nexus? Just unplug?

    Reply
  13. Kyll G July 5, 2014 at 07:11

    I bought the app after reading this article not too long ago for my Nexus 7 just thought id say that it works brilliantly though at 1st it wasn’t reading my WD passport which is 1tb also have a 500gb as well…at 1st i thought it was the otg cable but when I troubleshooted it did detect the otg cable and then it worked it detected it….it detects both FAT32 & NTFS formats….Ive tried WD my passport essential 500 GB…1TB & 2TB hard drives which are both western digital ultra passport…the WD passport essential 1TB also worked…also tried a friends 500GB Seagate external hdd and it worked :D….it did not pick up my 16 gb usb however but the external HDD is all I need 😀 and streams perfectly – make sure u use MX player for the videos though no better video player out there…VLC on android sucks!

    Reply

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