How to Transfer Photos from Android to Flash Drive Easily

While transferring photos from Android phones is mostly done wirelessly these days, there are still situations where you may need to do it via a flash drive. You may want to do it because:

• You want to back up your photos.
• You are submitting some confidential photos for work/school.
• Someone is asking you for copies of the photos you took.

Well, if you’re in one of the reasons above or you have an entirely different situation, this article is for you. Below, we are going to guide you on how to transfer photos from Android to flash drive the easy way. Read on for more details!

Method 1: Transfer Photos from Android to Flash Drive via OTG

Let’s start with the simplest one. This method doesn’t require you to connect your phone to a computer. There are only two requirements for this to work: an Android phone with OS version 3.1 or later and an OTG adapter.

USB OTG (On-the-Go) is a feature that’s available on phones running on Android 3.1 and up. It basically allows users to connect peripherals to the device such as a mouse, keyboard, external storage (flash drive), etc. And you can use it to transfer data, too.

Step 1

Connect the OTG adapter to your Android phone. Make sure that the port and the adapter are compatible. So, check if your phone has USB C or Micro USB port before purchasing one. Then, attach your USB to the adapter.

Step 2

Scroll down from the notification bar and select Explore to launch the File Manager/Explorer and you should see the USB’s name there. Don’t go in yet. Instead, look for the photos you need to transfer. Usually, it’s stored in the DCIM folder.

Step 3

Once located, select the photos or the folder. Then, tap on the 3-dot option and hit Copy/Move. Afterward, go to your flash drive and transfer the photos there.

When the transfer is complete, exit the File Manager. Scroll down from the notification bar and tap Eject USB or Unmount USB device.

Method 2: Transfer Photos from Android to Flash Drive via Windows PC

For this method, you need to manually select and transfer your photos from your Android phone to the flash drive. The Windows PC will act as the bridge between the two. All you need are a Windows PC with two USB ports and a USB data cable.

Step 1

Connect your Android phone (via USB cable) and your flash drive to the computer. For the Android phone, you may need to enable USB File Transfer for it to be recognized.

Step 2

Launch Windows File Explorer, and open each device on separate windows. On the Android storage window, select the folder/photos. Then, long-press/click and drag them to the flash drive window.

Step 3

Wait until the progress bar is complete before disconnecting both devices. The transfer windows should no longer be on the screen to make sure that every photo has been transferred. Lastly, safely eject the devices.

Method 3: Transfer Photos from Android to Flash Drive with MobileTrans

If you don’t want to manually locate the photos you want to transfer, there’s a reliable data transfer app called MobileTrans you can rely on. It locates the photos for you; there’s no need to open multiple windows just to transfer them.

MobileTrans is generally for transferring between Android and iPhone, but it can also be used to transfer and back up files to a flash drive and other external storage devices. With that, it’s the perfect transfer tool for dealing with photos with large file sizes.

And the best part when transferring photos using this app is that you can do it selectively or in bulk. Yes! You can choose the photos you want to be transferred, making sure that you won’t accidentally share sensitive images. Plus, all image formats are supported with no quality loss after the transfer.

Furthermore, you don’t need to stress out about compatibility, MobileTrans supports various Android brands such as Google Pixel, Samsung, Motorola, etc. as long as they run on Android OS version 2.1 or later.

Steps to Transfer Photos from Android to Flash Drive with MobileTrans

Step 1

On your PC, click on the banner above to download and install the app for free. Then, launch it and connect the Android phone and the flash drive. On the main screen, select the Phone Transfer tab and then “Export to Computer”.

Step 2

Next, select the data to transfer. In your case, choose Photos. There, you can choose all photos or just a few ones.

Step 3

After your selection, click on the Export button and then select the file destination. A box will appear and choose the USB flash drive.

Step 4

Just wait until the progress bar is full. Then, hit the Open Folder button to check if all the photos have been transferred to the flash drive. That’s it!

Conclusion

For whatever reason you may need to transfer photos from Android to flash drive, the methods work and are effective. It all depends on your situation and needs which one is the best route to take.

But as per experience, the first two are good for transferring a small to a moderate number of photos, while the last is best for bulk transfers of high-quality and large-sized images. Not to mention, it’s the safest and most reliable among the three.