An OTG cable came into the limelight after launching Android OTG enabled smartphones. The OTG (USB on the go) is a pretty useful feature to connect your smartphone to various supported devices. The best part of the OTG is very cheap. You can buy a fully functional OTG on online for $3 below.
What can you do with a $3 OTG cable? In this article, I’ve selected three very important uses of using Android OTG cable. If you have any more unusual uses, please feel free to comment below.
1. Memory Expansion by Connecting an External Hard Drive or USB Flash Drive via OTG
No matter how latest smartphone you buy, we always feel low memory. Many of the mid-range and high-end smartphones coming with 16GB or 32GB internal memory options. Some mobiles like Xiaomi they don’t come with expandable memory option, it is like a hell to media lovers.
The time has changed, and every movie video clip or music video song is available in HD and 4K formats. The 16GB or 32GB fixed memory options are not enough to carry a big media library. By using OTG cable, we can connect the external hard drive to any size or USB Flash drive easily. All you need is a good File Explorer app on your device and USB debugging enabled mode.
2. Connecting a Game Controller
Playing games on a tiny smartphone screen is a difficult job. We feel finger pain more than we enjoy the gameplay. The Google Play Store is full of action and racing games. If you are looking for the best way to play games on mobile, try to connect Game Controller using OTG cable. Some apps support external controls; you can take the advantage of the feature and turn your Smartphone into a mini handheld gaming console.
3. For Connecting Net Modems
Some Android devices like Tablets lack SIM card support. If you are on a trip or WiFi unavailable area, you can’t connect the Android Tablet to the Internet. Using OTG cable, you can connect your USB modem to the tablet. Some Android devices support USB dongle internet; there is a chance to avail it.
4. For Connecting Keyboard
Ever felt bored while typing long messages or emails on the Android phone? A simple OTG cable can connect a keyboard to your Android device. No more painful typing on Android smartphone with this simple trick.
5. Connecting Mouse using OTG Cable
You can connect the mouse using an OTG cable. This works with both wired and wireless mouse. You just need to connect wired end to the OTG cable, whereas for wireless mouse all you need to connect Mouse receiver to the end.
6. For Charging Devices
It is one of the best tricks to transfer battery juice from one device to another. If one of your device facing battery down issues, you can charge with using another device with enough battery charge. It is one of the best tricks to charge a device from another device while you were traveling.
7. Smartphone as DSLR Controller
Most of the DSLR Cameras support Smartphone as their controller. Download and install DSLR Controller app on your Android device and then, connect a USB OTG adapter to your phone. There are plenty of DSLR Controlling apps available in the Google Play Store.
8. LAN Connection to an Android
Feeling strange? yes, you can connect LAN connection to your Android device. However, Android devices have Wifi and 3G or 4G communication features built-in. But if you don’t have a router to connect Android, this trick will help you. With an OTG cable, you can connect LAN modem to your Android device for the seamless Internet. All you need is a USB Port compatible router, Android device, and an OTG Cable.
9. Connect another Device for File transfer
You can connect Android Android device or tablet to charge from your device and vice versa. Yes, by using an OTG cable, one device can give power to other to charge. Also, using this technique, you can browse files on the connected device.
10. USB Working Fan or Light
It is one of the fun-filled tricks with an OTG Cable. You can connect USB fan or light to Android. These tiny fan and light dongles are available in Amazon to purchase.
11. Connect Printer to your Android Device
Don’t have PC/Laptop to start a print job? Not necessarily you need a PC/Laptop, you can start printing jobs using your Android device. Connect your Printer to Android using OTG cable and start your printing jobs without any hassle.
12. Connect External Mic to Android
If you are a podcaster or Youtuber, this trick is just for you. Mic with USB port is compatible with USB OTG Cable. So, you can start recording with decent quality on your Android.
13. External WiFi Card Reader
If you are using an old mobile which does have problems in sticking to a WIFI signal, or you are having a non-WiFi tablet which is too old or your WiFi receiver got some issues. Then you can purchase a WiFi card reader which works with your computer to receive WiFi signals, this way you can also attach the WiFi card with your mobile phone with the help of an OTG. Do note that this WiFi card must be a plug & play type as if there is a certain driver that needs to be installed and doesn’t work on the generic set of WiFi driver then there is a huge chance that it will not work with your mobile unit.
14. Print directly from your smartphone
Smartphones do come with separate drivers for the printers which you can use with the printer. You can attach the Bluetooth printers simply via Bluetooth and send the print commands, but it is less known to people that we can even attach the printers with our mobile phone so that we can print the images, and documents which are found on our mobile phones. This way we can easily save our time of powering on the PC and copying the file to it so that we can print our document/photos. Do note that via phone you will not get as much flexibility that you would have got with your mobile phone.
15. Connect MIDI Keyboard with Android Mobile
There are a ton of apps offered with which you can connect your MIDI supported keyboards and musical instruments with which you have the flexibility to record the music you are playing, and can even take more controls which will be based on the app you will be using along with your keyboard/music instrument. Do note that it will not be as polished and as good as that you would have found on your computer, but still in case of emergency it will work flawlessly.
16. Connect USB Selfie Flash LED Light
If you are traveling to somewhere then you must carry a USB LED Light with you that can act as a flashlight when attached to your smartphone via USB OTG, you must also keep in mind that the flashlight will be rated at just around 1.5W as it gets a very little energy from the mobile phone. But the light is sufficient enough to be used as a secondary light in case your phone doesn’t have a flashlight or have a broken flashlight.
17. Connect External Fingerprint scanner
Although all the devices come with a fingerprint scanner embedded still at times these scanner doesn’t work. Mostly these scanners can work on your mobile phone to authenticate something which is stored on your mobile phone, but for authentication of Aadhar card, and other such fingerprint based verifications you need another fingerprint scanner which can scan and send the details to the server to be verified. This way you can easily authenticate any Aadhar based transactions.
That’s all for now. Please do share your views and feedback in the comment box below. If we missed any OTG cable trick, please mention below.