Let me set the record straight, connecting a USB flash drive to a Samsung Galaxy S25 isn’t rocket science, but doing it right takes more than just plugging in an adapter and hoping for the best. I’ve been working with Samsung smartphones since before the Galaxy line had curved screens and triple cameras. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: most problems don’t come from faulty devices, they come from people skipping the fundamentals.
Now, the Galaxy S25 is a powerhouse, USB-C port, OTG-ready, One UI polished to near perfection, but even the best hardware won’t compensate for sloppy connections, mismatched formats, or cheap accessories.
That’s where this guide comes in. It’s not just a “how-to”, it’s a professional walkthrough written by someone who’s seen ports get fried, drives corrupted, and users frustrated because no one told them the details that actually matter.
If you want to connect a USB flash drive to your S25 the right way, safely, efficiently, and with zero guesswork, you’re in the right place. This isn’t theory. It’s technician-tested, field-approved knowledge. Let’s get to it.
What You Need Before You Connect
Before you even think about plugging that USB flash drive into your Galaxy S25, pause for a second. You don’t want to be that person, jamming in the wrong adapter, wondering why nothing shows up, or worse, shorting out a perfectly good port because you skipped the prep work.
Here’s the truth from someone who’s been elbow-deep in Samsung devices since the Galaxy S II: preparation isn’t optional, it’s everything. If you get this part right, the rest is smooth sailing. If not, welcome to the land of failed connections and corrupted files.
So, here’s your technician-grade checklist, the real essentials, not just what some help forum told you:
1. A USB-C OTG Adapter (and not the dollar store kind)
You need an On-The-Go (OTG) adapter that bridges your USB flash drive to the S25’s USB-C port. But not all adapters are made equal. Skip the generic stuff. Get one that’s USB 3.1 or better, preferably from a trusted brand. Cheap adapters can cause data lag, failed mounts, or even power surges. Yes, I’ve seen it.
2. A Compatible USB Flash Drive (with the right file format)
This part’s critical, and often ignored. Your flash drive should be formatted as FAT32 or exFAT. Anything else (like NTFS) and your Galaxy S25 might look at it like a foreign language. Want to move big video files? exFAT is your best friend. Avoid drives over 256GB unless you know how to handle advanced formatting.
3. Enough Battery or External Power
The S25 is efficient, but USB OTG draws power, and fast. If your battery is below 20%, don’t even try it. Better yet, keep a power bank handy if you’re transferring large files. Stability matters, especially during write operations.
4. Access to the My Files App (or a File Manager That Actually Works)
Samsung’s built-in My Files app does the job well, and it’s already tuned to work with external drives. If you’re going third-party, choose something like X-plore File Manager or Solid Explorer. Avoid shady apps with ads every three taps. You’re not here to play ad roulette, you’re here to move data.
5. A Little Patience and the Right Touch
I know this isn’t a gadget, but hear me out. Rushing the connection, yanking cables, or touching exposed ports with greasy hands? Recipe for failure. Connect slowly, observe the prompts, and give the system a second to breathe. Trust me, your phone will thank you.
You wouldn’t start a job without the right tools, and connecting a USB flash drive to a Galaxy S25 is no different. Get these essentials right, and you’re not just “making it work”, you’re working like a pro.
Step-by-Step: How to Connect USB Flash Drive to Galaxy S25
Let’s get one thing straight, this isn’t just about plugging something in. This is about doing it the right way, the technician’s way. Because when you’ve handled as many Galaxy devices as I have, you start to see patterns. And one of the most common? Users skipping steps, cutting corners, then blaming the phone when something goes sideways.
So, if you’re here to do this clean, efficient, and with zero headaches, follow along. This is the correct sequence.
Step 1: Power Up and Prepare Your Galaxy S25
Before anything touches a port, make sure your Galaxy S25 is powered on, unlocked, and sitting at 30% battery or more. Why? Because file transfers, especially big ones, can tax your system and trigger battery protection settings if you’re running low. And no, airplane mode won’t help.
Pro Tip: Close unused apps before starting. Less clutter = smoother access to external devices.
Step 2: Insert the OTG Adapter into the USB-C Port
This is where most people start, but here’s what they miss: alignment and quality. Insert the OTG adapter firmly but gently into the USB-C port. Never force it. You should feel a clean click, no wiggle, no resistance.
Tech Insight: A loose or cheap adapter can cause intermittent data connection drops, especially during write operations. That’s how you end up with corrupted files or unreadable flash drives.
Step 3: Connect Your USB Flash Drive to the OTG Adapter
Now plug your USB flash drive into the OTG adapter. The order matters, phone first, drive second. This ensures the phone is in control of the negotiation handshake (yeah, the phone and the drive literally talk to each other).
Watch for the notification. You should see a system prompt saying “USB storage connected” or a popup from the My Files app.
Step 4: Open the My Files App and Navigate to the USB Drive
This is where the magic happens. Open the My Files app (Samsung’s native file manager), and scroll down to the section labeled USB storage or USB Drive. Tap on it. You should now see your folders and files.
If nothing shows up? Stop. Don’t unplug and replug on repeat. That’s not a fix, it’s a fast track to hardware wear. Instead, go to Step 5.
Step 5: Safely Eject When You’re Done
This is non-negotiable. Don’t yank the drive like you’re unplugging a lamp. Open the notification shade, find the USB drive notification, and tap Eject. Wait for the “Safe to remove” message.
Tech Reminder: Removing a flash drive mid-write is a rookie mistake. Even if it “looks done,” background caching might still be running. Always eject.
Optional: Want to Copy, Move, or Back Up Files?
Easy. Inside My Files, long-press the file or folder, tap Move or Copy, and select the destination, whether it’s internal storage, SD card (if equipped), or straight to the cloud.
Pro Workflow: I often recommend users move heavy video files straight to a high-speed USB 3.1 flash drive. It keeps internal storage clean and speeds up performance.
And that’s it, the technician-approved, no-nonsense walkthrough for connecting your USB flash drive to the Samsung Galaxy S25. It’s not complicated, but it is precise. Do it with care, and your S25 will handle flash drives like a desktop workstation. Delete Call Log History on Samsung Galaxy S25
Final Thoughts
Let’s be clear, connecting a USB flash drive to a Samsung Galaxy S25 isn’t about showing off a cool feature. It’s about understanding your device at a deeper level. In my line of work, I’ve seen too many users treat smartphones like magic boxes, plug something in, hope for the best, and cross their fingers. That’s not how pros operate.
This guide wasn’t built on theory or guesswork. It’s built on experience. Real-world, hands-on, thousands-of-devices kind of experience. And if you’ve followed each step the way I laid it out, congratulations, you didn’t just connect a flash drive. You took control of your device like a technician would.
The Galaxy S25 is a beast of a machine, powerful, intelligent, and surprisingly flexible when you actually understand what it’s capable of. But even the best hardware needs a skilled hand to unlock its full potential. Now you’ve got that hand.
One last piece of advice before we close the lid on this guide: respect your tech. Use quality accessories, take the time to eject safely, and don’t rush the process.
Your smartphone isn’t just a phone anymore, it’s your workstation, your archive, and sometimes your last line of digital defense. Treat it accordingly.
And if anyone tells you connecting a flash drive is “just plug and play,” kindly smile… then do it right in front of them, and show them what real tech know-how looks like.