What is USB OTG? Here’s how to use USB drives and more on your smartphone

USB on-the-go is a feature that allows your device to read data from USB devices, essentially becoming a “USB host” Most phones these days , especially Android devices, come with the option to serve as a host, and it’s likely most of your devices support it.

USB OTG connectors engage the USB-C port that splits into two connections: a USB Type-A and a USB-A.

You can also use the older, now less popular Micro USB connections.

USB OTG can help you extract data from older storage devices such as hard disks, SD card readers, thumb drives, or even external optical media readers for old CDs and DVDs.

You can also use external drives to record 4 K HDR videos with Dolby Vision or Log without interruptions, bypassing storage limitations without any lag.

Both Android and iOS devices support MIDI controllers, which can be used with apps like Garage Band .

You can use an app called Monitor Plus , which offers a professional metering interface similar to high-end field monitors.

The iPhone ’s support for OTG devices is rather limited, but you can still use it to connect external storage devices or digital cameras.

Certain iPad models, especially the Pro with M-series chips, support a broader range of connections using a USB-C dongle.