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If you are interested in Huawei products, you have probably heard about the sensational HarmonyOS operating system, which runs not only the company’s new smartphones and tablets, but also smart watches and other «smart» equipment.
Prior to HarmonyOS, all Huawei smartphones were running EMUI Android (the current version is EMUI 11). The company took the «clean» current Android from Google and modified it, adding unique features and slightly changing the design. In fact, all other manufacturers do the same.
And so, at the end of the year, following the market, Huawei began updating its smartphones to a new operating system. But instead of the HarmonyOS expected by many, a certain EMUI 12 began to arrive on all smartphones of the company outside of China.
What is this system? Is it a continuation of the «classic» EMUI or is it the same HarmonyOS, only under a different name?
Actually, this is not an easy question.
EMUI 12 really looks exactly like HarmonyOS. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to most of the functions, including the integration of all company devices into a single workspace. In addition, in the EMUI 12 system itself, the word “Android” is not found anywhere else.
Whether EMUI 12 is built on the HarmonyOS microkernel or is it a regular modification of Android is not yet known, since Huawei does not disclose this information. However, in terms of user experience, the difference between EMUI 12 and HarmonyOS is minimal, because even the interface of HarmonyOS itself is based on the EMUI shell.
The serial number of the new EMUI hints at Android 12. It is on this OS that all the shells of other companies are built, on which most devices will work from 2022. However, in the case of Huawei, the version of Android does not matter much, as the company goes its own way and tries to distance itself from the Google operating system.
Therefore, EMUI 12 contains code from different versions of Android. Someone gets EMUI 12 based on Android 10, this review will focus on EMUI 12 based on Android 11. Well, the Android 12 code is currently not used by Huawei at all.
Overview of EMUI 12 Design and Overview
The new design is not only a feature of Android 12 and related skins, but also of EMUI 12. Again, now EMUI looks exactly like HarmonyOS:
First of all, it concerns the new control panel. Instead of a common «curtain» with notifications and various switches, as on most devices, EMUI 12 uses two separate panels — notifications and controls.
The notification panel can be opened by swiping down from the top left of the screen:
Only notifications and the player are displayed here. If you need to change some system parameter or go to the settings, you need to open the control panel by making the same swipe down only from the upper right part of the screen:
We have seen a similar logic of work in the MIUI shell from Xiaomi and on iPhone smartphones. But there are a number of interesting features here.
First of all, this is the player control panel (the first block in the upper left corner). By clicking on it, we can manage all the players installed on the smartphone. In this case, two services are used — Spotify and Huawei Music:
You can quickly and conveniently switch between them, but the main thing is that right here you can adjust the volume of the music. On most Android shells, this cannot be done without the use of physical keys.
You can also conveniently switch the sound source (smartphone, speaker, headphones) right here by pressing the round button in the upper right corner:
On the toolbar, you can place a large number of various switches and buttons, control Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi networks:
In general, both panels are made quite conveniently. The only serious drawback is that they can only be called up with a swipe from the top of the screen. If you swipe in the center, AI Search will open — a global search for a smartphone (applications, contacts, settings, notes) and the Internet:
Changes have also affected the desktop — «smart folders» from HarmonyOS appeared. Now you can create not only the usual folders that need to be opened to launch the application from there, but also groups of shortcuts that can be launched directly from the main screen:
Unfortunately, the company did not add handy service widgets from HarmonyOS to EMUI 12. Let me remind you that these are widgets that pop up above the application icon if you swipe your finger over it. For example, such a calendar appears in HarmonyOS if you swipe on the calendar icon:
This is one of the few differences between EMUI 12 and HarmonyOS.
As before, EMUI allows you to choose icon designs, wallpapers, AOD screen style, and various themes:
Dynamic themes are also supported, when the AOD screen (picture on the display is off), the lock screen and the desktop are connected by a common theme and animation (a kind of analogue of Xiaomi’s super wallpapers):
Of the interesting innovations in EMUI 12, we added the ability to smoothly change not only the text size in the entire interface, but also its boldness:
As you know, on any Android shell, to the left of the main desktop, there is usually a screen with Google news or branded widgets. Since there is not a single service from Google in EMUI 12, on the left is its own analogue — Huawei Assistant Today:
This screen can be customized or completely disabled:
Of course, EMUI 12 has nothing in common with Android 12 in terms of design and the new Material You concept that we discussed in the Funtouch OS 12 review.
Here is the usual lock screen (same as in previous versions of EMUI), and the list of widgets appears below the main screen, and not on a separate page:
Home screen layout can be customized by selecting the grid and style:
Huawei has slightly updated the design of its applications, changing colors and icons, adding some volume somewhere:
Of course, there are no programs from Google here. Therefore, the dialer, SMS messenger or email client is of our own design.
The presence of the call recording function depends on the region, but even if there is no such option, on EMUI 12 it can be solved in a couple of seconds by installing a special small APK file that adds the missing functionality to the stock dialer (the option to automatically record all calls also appears in the settings for specific or all contacts):
But otherwise, EMUI 12 is very similar to the previous EMUI 11, which, in turn, formed the basis of the HarmonyOS interface.
The list of recently launched applications looks familiar:
Multi-window works the same as before. You can launch any application in a floating window using the sidebar:
You can also minimize all windows to a special panel so that you can quickly and conveniently switch between them:
But all this happened before. Therefore, there is no point in dwelling on these functions in detail.
EMUI 12 supports one-handed mode, which is quite convenient to activate — just swipe along the bottom of the screen and hold it for a second. However, you cannot adjust the size and position of the small display:
Other features of EMUI include double-tap wake-up (screen off is not supported in the same way), knuckle control and a whole set of tools called Huawei Assistant:
EMUI 12 is well-optimized, all animations run smoothly and quickly, the system as a whole feels very responsive — just like HarmonyOS.
EMUI 12. Tools & Privacy
Android 12 has a lot of privacy-related innovations (access control panel, timeline for using smartphone sensors, camera and microphone usage indicator).
EMUI 12 does not have this, but the company offers its own tools, most of which were available before.
In particular, here you can hide the text of notifications on the lock screen until the owner of the device looks at the screen.
A password vault is built into the system so that you don’t have to remember all the passwords and enter them manually on websites or applications. There is also a function to block individual programs. When they start, the system will ask for a password or biometric data:
And the screen lock function allows you to lock any application from the list of recently launched ones so that you cannot exit it without entering a password or biometric data:
You can even register a «personal space» on your smartphone — in fact, a separate hidden account with its own applications, settings and data. Access to the main and personal space can be obtained directly from the lock screen using fingerprints of different fingers:
There is also an interesting option called smart unlock. E MUI 12 can skip the user without entering a password or biometrics if a trusted Bluetooth device is connected to the smartphone.
For example, you can add a smart watch to the list of unlocking devices, and if it is worn, the smartphone will not ask for a password:
Interestingly, if you take off your watch for even a second and put it back on, EMUI 12 will lock your smartphone and require you to go through biometric authentication again or enter a password. Pretty smart decision.
The only obvious security flaw is that a smartphone running EMUI 12 can be easily turned off without unlocking. Accordingly, if an outsider takes possession of your device, he can immediately turn it off, thereby preventing you from finding your device via GPS.
From the new non-security tools in EMUI 12 comes Device+. This is an analogue of Super Device technology on HarmonyOS:
This feature allows you to literally connect your Huawei smartphone with other devices with just one touch without wires and complicated settings:
Interestingly, even relatively old laptop models are supported. When I connected my Huawei MateBook to an EMUI 12 smartphone, I immediately saw the phone screen on the desktop:
Now these devices are fully connected. And I can control my smartphone from my laptop, copy text to the clipboard on my computer and paste it on my smartphone (and vice versa), copy files by simply dragging them from a folder on my computer to a folder on my smartphone (or vice versa), and also enter text into app on smartphone using laptop keyboard:
You can even play a movie on your smartphone and play it in full screen on your laptop or play a game on a big screen — everything works quickly and smoothly:
The EMUI 12 color scheme deserves special attention when the dark theme is enabled. The colors are well chosen here so that the eyes do not get tired of too high contrast (the worst combination for the eyes is pure white text on a completely black background):
But a drawback should be noted right away — the dark theme can only be turned on manually, while scheduled activation is supported on HarmonyOS. Perhaps this is some kind of omission and the company will fix this flaw in EMUI updates.
But you can’t find fault with the AOD mode, which displays various information on the off screen, in EMUI 12. Flexible settings are available here:
Unlike many skins, EMUI 12 displays notification icons from all apps in AOD mode.
Among other things, EMUI 12 has other interesting settings. For example, a device on EMUI 12 can be used as a Wi-Fi repeater. If your Wi-Fi router is located at one end of the house, and you want to work on your computer in another place where the Wi-Fi signal does not reach, you can do the following:
Also in EMUI 12, a convenient option appeared in the Bluetooth headphone settings — volume synchronization with the phone, which was previously only available in the hidden menu for developers:
If this option is disabled, you can adjust the volume of the Bluetooth headphones and the smartphone separately (for example, make the volume on the headphones maximum and then increase the volume on the smartphone more), and if enabled, synchronously.
Also, in the battery settings on EMUI 12, an assessment of its condition appeared. Previously, a similar function was found on devices from Apple. Now the system evaluates the maximum battery capacity as a percentage of the original:
But the availability of this function may depend on the smartphone, and not just the EMUI version.
But the charge consumption report has become less informative. Now it is impossible to know how many hours the screen has been on since the last charge, as the information for the last 24 hours is displayed:
And finally, I would like to say a few words about notifications. A rather convenient system for displaying unread messages on application icons (labels) is implemented here.
Often, the label on the icon is displayed as long as the notification itself hangs in the curtain. But as soon as you swipe the notification, the mark about the unread message immediately disappears.
EMUI 12 implements the same working principle as on the iPhone — the label on the icons disappears only if there are no more unread messages in the application itself. That is, notifications in the curtain and labels on the icons are not connected here.
In addition, you can select applications in the settings that will not display labels on their icons.
In general, EMUI 12 is noticeably different from other shells built on the basis of the new Android 12. Now Huawei has its own way and further its system will become more and more unlike others.
Most people in Ukraine and Russia use Xiaomi devices with global stable firmware. Firmware updates come quite often. We are talking about small assemblies in which there is an improvement in existing functions, increased stability and a small percentage of innovations. This includes the latest security patches from Google.
Method 1
Automatic update «over the air»
This is the easiest and fastest way. If you have a stable global, European or Russian firmware, new builds should arrive about once a month. You only need to give permission to download and restart your mobile gadget to install the latest version. In this way, you can only get official firmware. The following conditions must be met:
bootloader is locked; no root rights; installed system, not custom recovery.
To find out if there are new updates, you need to:
1. Go to «Settings» — «About phone».
2. Open the «MIUI Version» item.
3. Click «Check for Updates» at the bottom.
4. If an update is available, click Download. 5. Wait for the download to complete and click «Restart». 6. Wait 5-10 minutes while the phone is being updated. At this time, you cannot manually restart or turn it off.
You can also enable automatic download of new versions and update installation at night. To do this, on the page with updates, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and click on «Settings». Turn on the sliders for «Download via Wi-Fi» or «Download via mobile Internet.» When choosing the second option, keep in mind that there will be traffic.
Also check the box next to «Update automatically». If you want to receive early builds, then activate the corresponding line. But be prepared for the fact that some functions will not work correctly due to early updates.
Method 2
Manual update via Three Dots
If we talk about manual installation using OTA, then this process is longer. You need to connect Xiaomi to a PC, choose the appropriate version yourself, download it and transfer the mobile device to the memory.
A huge plus of updates through the “three dots” is security. The device is at minimal risk compared to flashing via Fastboot or TWRP recovery. Therefore, this method is ideal for inexperienced users.
Only the same versions of MIUI can be updated:
If you have China ROM installed on your device and you try to install Global via OTA, the consequences will be sad. At best, it will give an error, at worst, the device will become a “brick”.
As noted above, only identical versions can be updated. Therefore, it is very important to know the type of shell you want to install.
1. Open the settings and go to the «About phone» tab.
2. Look at the line «MIUI Version». If the firmware is global, the assembly name will contain the letters «MI», for example, QCMMIXM. The Chinese assembly is marked as «CN», the Russian one is «RU», the European one is «EU».
1. Go to the MiCommunity global forum and open the «ROM DOWNLOADS» tab.
2. Choose your mobile gadget model.
3. A new window will open showing the firmware versions on the side. Click on the desired skin.
4. Click «Download Full Rom».
5. We are waiting for the archive to finish downloading.
6. Connect your phone to PC via USB cable.
7. We transfer the downloaded archive with the firmware to the memory of the mobile gadget.
Now let’s move on to manual updating through the «three dots»:
1. Charge your phone up to 50-70%.
2. Open «Settings» and go to the «About phone» section.
3. Go to the «MIUI version» tab and click on the logo several times. At the bottom of the screen there should be an inscription that additional features are enabled.
4. Now click on the three dots in the upper right corner. We need the line «Select firmware file».
5. Specify the path to the previously downloaded archive using the built-in explorer.
6. Confirm that you want to reboot your device now.
7. Wait for the device to complete the update. During this time, do not carry out any unnecessary actions.
In this way, you can update the firmware through the «three points». Also, OTA mode allows you to install full firmware. This is relevant if some functions do not work in the mobile gadget, and the bug is related to the firmware.
Method 3
Firmware via Fastboot and MiFlash
This is already an unofficial method that will suit advanced users. Fastboot mode will allow you to update your mobile gadget to the latest version if over-the-air assemblies do not arrive. This method is often resorted to by owners of outdated devices that have ceased to be officially updated.
This option is also suitable for smartphones that were in a bootloop state. But only on the condition that all the required actions have been done earlier, since during a permanent reboot it is impossible, for example, to enable USB debugging or unlock the bootloader. To perform the operation, you need access to a PC!
Before installing the firmware in Fastboot mode, do the following:
1. Make a backup copy so as not to lose important data. 2. Unlock the bootloader. In short, you need to link your Mi account to your smartphone and unlock it through the Mi Flash Unlock utility. 3. Turn on USB debugging. To do this, open «Advanced Settings» — «For Developers» and turn on «USB Debugging». We confirm our choice.
4. Install all the necessary drivers on the PC: usb, fastboot and adb. They can be found on the w3bsit3-dns.com forum, in the section with your model. 5. Download the archive with firmware suitable for Fastboot Mode. The XiaoMi Community forum has a separate page where such assemblies will be presented. Unpack the contents of the archive into a separate folder. 6. On the PC, download the Mi Flash application. It can also be found on 4pda. Install the application on the system disk.
After completing all the necessary procedures, you can start flashing Xiaomi:
Method 4
Install firmware via TWRP Recovery
This is also an unofficial version, it is one that is great for installing official firmware, as well as custom ones. Some users like flashing through recovery more than through fastboot, since there is no need to connect to a PC.
The two main requirements are an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery installed. The appropriate firmware for your mobile gadget model must also be downloaded.
Now start installing new firmware via TVRP Recovery:
1. Put your mobile gadget into recovery mode by turning it off and holding down the power and volume up buttons.
2. Format the internal memory. This is an important step. To do this, click on the “Clear” tile in the recovery menu and select “Format Data”. In the input line, write «yes».
3. This does not complete the cleaning process. Now in the “Clear” item, click on “Selective Wipe” and check all files except “MicroSD card” and “USB OTG”. Swipe right to confirm.
4. Return to the original menu and click on «Reboot» — «Recovery». Make a swipe to the right. The device will reboot from recovery to recovery. This is necessary in order for all changes to take effect after clearing the memory.
5. Next, go to the firmware itself. If you have a memory card, transfer the firmware file there. If not, then you will have to connect the mobile gadget to the PC and transfer the archive to the memory.
6. Click on «Install», and in the lower left corner, tap on «Select a card». Specify the file drive on which the archive is stored — «Internal memory» or «MicroSD card». Using the built-in explorer, find the firmware file, click on it and swipe to the right to confirm. This completes the flashing process. It will only be necessary to wait for the operation to complete and reboot the device into the system.
IMPORTANT! If you install the official firmware, you need to patch the kernel or install SuperSU / Magisk. This is necessary so that after the firmware, the custom recovery does not fly off.
DIFFERENCE FROM OTA, FASTBOOT AND RECOVERY FIRMWARE?
OTA firmwares only have some data. That is, the user does not download the entire firmware weighing 2–3 GB, but only new updates, which generally weigh 600–800 MB. If the full assembly itself is loaded from the Mi Community website, then it does not differ in weight from the recovery.
Versions for Recovery and Fastboot are more stable. Owners of OTA firmware often complain about various lags and incorrect operation of some services. But in order to reflash a mobile gadget through recovery or Fastboot, you need an unlocked bootloader. This is a significant disadvantage, especially for beginners. Features of the Recovery and Fastboot firmwares is that you can install a different version. For example, Global on Custom ROM.
A new version of Android is in development, and it is expected to begin distribution across proprietary equipment in the second half of 2021. It is important to upgrade to a new version of the operating system, and here’s why: updates fix bugs, fix problems, make the mobile gadget more optimized, add new and interesting features, and “unload” the operating system. Not so long ago, the owners of the equipment of this famous Chinese brand were happy to install version v.10, and now EMUI 11 is coming out. Who should wait for it?
Which devices will be updated to EMUI 11
Huawei P40; Huawei P40 Pro; Huawei P40 Pro+; Huawei P30; Huawei P30 Pro; Huawei P30 Lite New Edition; Huawei Mate 40; Huawei Mate 40 Pro; Huawei Mate 40 Pro+; Huawei Mate 40 Pro RS Porsche Design; Huawei Mate Xs; Huawei Mate 30; Huawei Mate 30 5G; Huawei Mate 30 Pro; Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G; Huawei Mate 30 RS Porsche Design; Huawei Mate 30E; Huawei Mate 20X 5G; Huawei Mate X; Honor 30; Honor 30 Pro; Honor 30 Pro+; Honor 30S; Honor V30; Honor V30 Pro; Honor 20; Honor 20 Pro; Honor 20S; Honor V20; Honor Magic 2.
In the first quarter, new EMUI and Magic UI will receive:
Huawei P40 Lite; Huawei P40 Lite 5G; Huawei P40 Lite E; Huawei P30 Lite; Huawei P20 Lite; Huawei P Smart 2019; Huawei P Smart 2020; Huawei P Smart S; Huawei P Smart+ 2019; Huawei Mate 20 Lite; Huawei Y5 2019; Huawei Y5p; Huawei Y6 2019; Huawei Y6 Prime 2019; Huawei Y6 Pro 2019; Huawei Y6p; Huawei Y6s; Huawei Y7 2019; Huawei Y7 Prime 2019; Huawei Y7 Pro 2019; Huawei Y7p; Huawei Y8p; Huawei Y8s; Huawei Y9 Prime 2019; Huawei Y9a; Huawei Y9s; Huawei Nova 8; Huawei Nova 8 Pro; Huawei Nova 8 SE; Huawei Nova 7; Huawei Nova 7 Pro 5G; Huawei Nova 7 SE; Huawei Nova 7 SE Vitality Editon; Huawei Nova 7i; Huawei Nova 6; Huawei Nova 6 SE; Huawei Nova 5; Huawei Nova 5 Pro; Huawei Nova 5T; Huawei Nova 5i/5i Pro/5z; Huawei Nova 4/4e; Huawei Nova 3; Huawei Nova Lite 3; Huawei Nova Lite 3+; Huawei Nova 3i; Huawei Maimang 9; Huawei Maimang 8; Huawei Enjoy 20 5G; Huawei Enjoy 20 Plus; Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro 5G; Huawei Enjoy 10; Huawei Enjoy 10 Plus; Huawei Enjoy 10e; Huawei Enjoy 10S; Huawei Enjoy 9; Huawei Enjoy 9e; Huawei Enjoy 9S; Huawei Enjoy Z 5G; Honor 30; Honor 30 Pro+; Honor 30i; Honor 30S; Honor View 30 Pro; Honor 20e; Honor 20i; Honor 20S; Honor 20 Lite; Honor 10 Lite; Honor 10i; Honor 9A; Honor 9C; Honor 9S; Honor 9X; Honor 9X Lite; Honor 9X Pro; Honor 8A; Honor 8S; Honor 8A Pro; Honor X10 Max; Honor X10; Honor Play 9A; Honor Play 8C; Honor Play 8A; Honor 30 Youth Edition; Honor 20 Youth Edition; Honor 10 Youth Edition; Honor Play 4T; Honor Play 4T Pro; Honor Play 4 Pro; Honor Play 3; Honor Play 3e; Huawei MediaPad T3; Huawei MediaPad T5; Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite 10; Huawei MediaPad M5 Lite 8; Huawei MatePad Pro; Huawei MediaPad M6; Huawei MatePad; Huawei MatePad Pro; Huawei MatePad T; Huawei MatePad T 10s; Huawei MatePad T 10; Huawei Enjoy Tablet; Huawei Enjoy Tablet 2; Honor Pad V6; Honor Pad X6.
Update Honor and Huawei to EMUI 11
There are 2 options for installing the update — automatic and manual. It is logical that the automatic method will be the easiest and fastest, but the manual one is more accurate and more secure. We will consider both options, and describe them in detail.
Update via Wi-Fi
This method involves installation using FOTA technology. Here you do not have to connect a cable, PC or other third-party devices. The algorithm is simple and takes little time:
go to the main settings by clicking on the gear icon on the desktop; select the «About phone» section; click on the line «System Update»; The option is «Online».
Further, everything is automated, and you will have to check only one point — so that the mobile gadget does not turn off until the installation process is completed.
The manual version is more difficult. If you have not done flashing before, then it’s okay. It is suitable for those who failed to complete the automatic method. It is also possible to manually reflash a device with operating system problems — this is done forcibly. Follow a few simple rules:
if you are doing a flashing for the first time, then carefully read the instructions, and do everything as there; do not neglect the battery charge, charge the device up to 100% before starting work; synchronize the contents of your mobile gadget with the cloud, or transfer everything to a USB flash drive.
The first stage is the preliminary preparation of the mobile gadget. To do this, you will need a MicroSD flash drive with a capacity of 8 gigabytes or more. On it we will install the stock ROM. Next, unzip the SD update_Package.tar.gz file, download the UPDATE. APP. Make sure you have the latest drivers installed, as outdated ones simply won’t start. Further actions depend on what type of update you need.
The developers offer 3 options:
using HiSuite is a special program that works like a file manager; local update — just change the version through the installation file from the official site; forced update — applied if your device is broken, does not respond to requests, or you have limited functionality (then you force the device to update in an emergency).
This is the second possible way, which does not require special knowledge. Here you only need an empty flash drive of at least 8 GB, and the instructions below.
If you need to force update a device that has system problems, then use the step-by-step instructions:
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Source (Firmware Downloads Section): https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/googlefier-install-gms-on-huawei-honor.4180485/
*I’m confused, what do I download?
-Check your emui version, the important data is:
1.device name
-example C432 or C185 — just download the one for your device
*Where can I find the firmware?
-All of the firmware version that are in the download post I’ve downloaded from easy-firmware, yes I’ve paid 17$ to be able to download firmware for people, but you are welcome to get your firmware from a source which you prefer, please don’t pollute the thread with the firmware download links, there should be a separate thread for that.
0. Make backup.seriously, this will wipe your partitions and reflash them (your files will be gone)
1. Download your firmware
2. In case it’s from my uploads you just extract the “dload” folder to your usb/sd
3. Turn off your phone
4. Hold volume up and power, until you see the recovery (or here if your phone doesn’t have volume keys)
5. Select upgrade «Memory card / OTG update mode» and that’s it, it will first verify the firmware and flash
Available for download (Manual Downgrade):
HUAWEI P40 Lite 5G
Honor V30 pro 5G
Huawei Tablet M6
Check Post here
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome 2021!
In this article, I will talk about using the USB OTG (USB On-The-Go) function using the example of an Honor 4C smartphone with Android 6. The essence of the OTG function is that the smartphone has a built-in USB host that provides 5V power and connects other devices: external drives and input devices. The article shows how this feature works and which connections are really useful.
OTG adapter
To do this, you need an OTG adapter with Micro USB connectors / male — USB A (female). I purchased GC-MB2AF:
Flash drive with Micro-USB
Another option is that flash drives appeared on sale that do not need an OTG adapter, because they have a connector for connecting directly to smartphones, for example, Kingston DataTraveler microDUO:
The presence of two connectors at once — Micro-USB and regular USB allows you to use such a flash drive with both a smartphone and a computer without the need to purchase and carry an OTG adapter with you.
How to know if your smartphone has OTG
This feature is supported on Android 2.3 and above. However, some manufacturers simply ignore the installation of special software in order to reduce the cost of the smartphone and battery consumption. The easiest way to check for OTG is to inspect the phone’s factory box. Look for a special logo that may contain the appropriate abbreviation. If you didn’t find anything, then try to view the full list of smartphone characteristics, where there should be an item containing the phrase USB Host. Finally, you can check whether your device supports OTG or not by downloading a special USB OTG Checker utility from the Play Market, which will quickly give you the answer you need.
USB storage connection
When connecting a USB flash drive, a notification appears:
Clicking Browse opens the contents of the flash drive, and clicking Extract saves the changes, and the flash drive is disconnected from the phone in the same way as it happens on the computer.
All programs see the flash drive as an additional storage location, for example, the built-in Files application displays it as a USB drive:
The Total Commander application refers to it as just a USB, with a flash drive icon:
Other applications also correctly open folders and files on a USB flash drive — built-in video and photo viewing applications, external applications Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, OneDrive, etc.
The Blue Mail mail client attaches a file from a USB flash drive to a new letter without problems, but for some reason it does not allow saving an attachment from a letter to a USB flash drive — only to a MicroSD card.
The ability to work directly with a flash drive is very useful:
I used an 8 GB USB flash drive formatted in FAT32. After reformatting to NTFS, it still works with the phone.
It is possible that there will be some peculiarities with large volumes (more than 32 GB) or other file systems. For example, Honor 4C does not officially support MicroSD cards larger than 32 GB.
Connecting a 250 GB USB hard drive formatted in NTFS failed — the drive received power (LED on), but was not detected.
At the same time, the Transcend 20GB USB disk was detected successfully. Probably the difference in disk capacity.
Main functionality (what can be connected via OTG)
Using OTG, you can connect any device with a USB output to your phone:
When connecting a flash drive, for example, a file manager should open on the phone screen, which will give access to the information stored on the media. External drives are perhaps the most relevant devices when using OTG. With their help, you can significantly increase the storage for storing information.
Another popular way to use OTG among Android users is to connect to USB modems. And it’s true, because you can not overpay money for mobile Internet, but having thoroughly figured out, surf the Internet via a modem. However, doing this in a “legal” way will not work and you will have to nick into the appropriate software in order to find workarounds in the Android device.
By connecting the gamepad to your phone, you can use it to play games, thus diversifying your leisure time. However, not all video games support this and nothing can be done about it. After attaching the mouse, a familiar cursor instantly appears on the Android screen, with which programs can be launched by double-clicking.
Very often, typing a lot of text quickly is difficult on the phone’s usually small built-in touch keyboard, and here again OTG will greatly facilitate the task. By connecting a physical keyboard to your smartphone, you can easily type lectures, respond to haters in comments, or write a new chapter in your memoir.
Not everyone has the latest printer models equipped with a Wi-Fi module at home. In this case, the printer can be connected via an OTG cable and print the necessary documents via a smartphone.
If during a photo session you need to edit a photo and post it on social networks, or urgently send it to someone via a messenger, then the OTG function will come to the rescue again. By connecting your phone to the camera, you can instantly access photos through the same file manager. Moreover, through the phone you can control various camera settings, change the focus, adjust the desired parameters, and so on.
Recommended: Root-rights are not installed
There is no limit to the imagination in this matter, and if you get completely bored, then using OTG you can connect one phone to another. What will happen is that the phones will be able to charge each other, which, by the way, can also come in handy if you can’t find a power source anywhere else.
Connecting a mouse or keyboard
Through OTG, you can connect input devices — a mouse or keyboard. When connecting a mouse, there is no notification, but the pointer appears immediately:
Mouse positioning is more precise than a finger, but, in my opinion, it does not give much advantage for normal use. Hold your smartphone with one hand and use the mouse with the other?
The same with the keyboard — it will probably be more convenient to write a book or type long emails, but who does it from a smartphone?
Devices that can be connected to mobile devices
The USB HOST OTG function definitely allows you to connect flash drives up to 32 GB to almost any gadget. However, large storage devices, such as portable hard drives, which can be up to two terabytes in size, can only be handled by powerful devices. Printers and cameras connect without problems, but often you need to install additional software for this. Mice, keyboards, joysticks, even can be connected to modern gadgets in the same way. The connection to the TV or monitor is established through a system of two cables. In addition to Micro-USB OTG, you also need an HDMI cable or a Micro-USB-HDMI adapter. The interesting thing is that nothing prevents you from connecting several devices to your Tablet PC at the same time using such a connector.
Camera connection
They write on the Internet that cameras should work via OTG with smartphones, but this bundle of Honor 4C — Canon PowerShot did not work for me. Canon seemed to understand that something was connected to it (because it did not extend the lens when it was turned on), but the phone did not detect anything.
Most likely, the phone does not support the PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol), which the camera uses.
Flash drives work as MSC (USB Mass Storage Class) devices, so the successful operation of a flash drive with a smartphone does not guarantee that the camera will connect as well.
And so, the ability to connect the camera to a smartphone via OTG would be convenient, for example, to copy photos from the camera via cable to the phone. Instead, you will have to copy through a memory card, removing it from the camera, installing it in a card reader and connecting it to your smartphone via the same OTG — that is, you will also need a card reader.
Reasons
From the above, it is clear that the device cannot actually access the hard disk, that is, the problem is with the hardware components, not with the software. There are several reasons why this problem may occur:
Depending on the cause that caused such a failure, there are several ways to solve this problem.
Connecting another smartphone
An interesting option for transferring files between smartphones, or at least for charging another smartphone from Honor 4C.
I tried to connect Lumia 820 — no effect, no data, no charging. Most likely, such a load is too big for the built-in USB host.
Later I found a couple of old smartphones — Samsung on Android 4 and HTC on Windows Mobile: both were charged via OTG, but their files were inaccessible. The battery on a donor smartphone, of course, discharges very quickly with such a connection, and it makes sense only as an opportunity to urgently and briefly support another phone if it suddenly sits down and there is no external battery with you.
What to do if the phone does not support OTG
There are cases when, for some reason, the user cannot use the OTG function on his smartphone. This can happen for various reasons, one of them, as mentioned earlier, is the fact that the device simply does not support this option.
However, it also happens that the required firmware is in the phone, but when the cable is connected, no changes occur. There may be several reasons for this:
With mechanical problems in the device of the phone, it is better to contact the service center and not try to fix it on your own. If the device does not see too many files, then it makes sense to change the gadget to a newer version.
OTG technology is very useful and versatile, which in some cases can significantly facilitate the implementation of tasks.
Overview of Honor FlyPods wireless headphones
FlyPods wireless earbuds from the popular Chinese manufacturer Honor are created in the image and likeness of Apple AirPods. They also have a case that holds both earbuds. On it you can find four light indicators that display the charge level of the case itself.
Because it serves as a charging station. With it, you can charge the device without a network or any other power source.
There is also a button on its body. When it is pressed, a signal is distributed that the Honor FlyPods headphones are ready for pairing with a mobile phone. If the headphones are in the case. The indicator is not only on the outside of the case, but also on the inside of the panel with holes for inserts.
This indicator tells us about the amount of charge of the headphones themselves.
Honor FlyPods are streamlined. But this does not contribute to their falling out of the ears. They fit perfectly even when running. At the end of the leg is a microphone. No problems were found during testing. It perfectly distinguishes voice commands. And on the other end (it doesn’t matter, through a headset or phone), our voice is clearly heard by the interlocutor.
Troubleshooting
The easiest way to deal with this problem is to restart the equipment.
If the failure was temporary, it will not occur again when restarted.
The next task for the user is to determine if the problem is hardware or software.
Physical Damage
They could only happen if the system unit of the computer was hit, dropped, pressured or otherwise, and usually they are visible visually.
Remove the case from the system unit or the back cover from the laptop (de-energized) and inspect the hard drive and all its connections, and it is important to check the correctness and serviceability of the cables, both to the hard drive and to the motherboard. If any of the loops is disabled and the problem is easy to fix, then you can reconnect it yourself
If any of the loops is disconnected and the problem is easy to fix, then you can reconnect it yourself.
However, if the damage to the device is visually noticeable, then most likely the hard drive will need to be replaced by specialists.
External media
At the next stage, it is necessary to exclude the possibility that the download occurs from any other medium.
To do this, do the following:
Download Priority
This is a parameter that is configured in the BIOS, it determines which media the system should access in order to start booting.
You can check and change, if necessary, the download queue in the following way:
If this is not the case, then use the arrows to change the order of the equipment.
If so, then the problem is most likely with the hardware of the computer.
Second option: the device does not see the hard drive with the system at all and it is not displayed in the list (but it is connected correctly).
In this case, the hard disk itself is defective and needs to be replaced.
Battery
In some cases, all changes made to the boot queue in the BIOS are rolled back upon restart.
This indicates that there is a problem with the motherboard battery.
It should be replaced at a service center, but the cost of such a device is not high.
System problems
It is possible that the problem is in the operating system itself.
Checking this is easy enough — take an installation disk or USB flash drive, install it in the device and boot from it, setting it first in the boot queue in the BIOS.
Then go to System Restore, and use the command line to execute the three commands bootrec/fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot and chkdsk:/f/r one by one.
Other problems
If you tried to start a system recorded on an external hard drive connected to a computer via a USB port, it is recommended to reconnect the hard drive using a different port.
Since these ports can sometimes be unstable with hard drives.
Is it possible to connect a flash drive to a phone without root
Smartphones under 2020 can be connected according to the scheme above. Models older than 2013 will require third-party apps. Each phone released between 2013-2016 needs to be checked separately. The easiest and most accessible apps:
These programs work without making changes to root, support FAT and NTFS (both paid).
Gato Negro USB OTG File Manager is a free but lower rated app. Allows you to add, rename and delete files. Some users noted that the flash drive is recognized, but when trying to copy, it gives an error.
If you still need root rights, it is convenient to work in Kingo Root and KRoot Checker programs. At the same time, the developer warns that he is not responsible for the consequences. There is a danger of damaging the smartphone and being left without a guarantee. And yet, for all phone models you need to look for a separate instruction.
After connecting, you need to check Start StickMount automatically for a working device and allow Full access to all functions. After that, the sdcard / usbStorage folders will be placed in the file manager.
The program supports file systems of different phones without being tied to the firmware. The list of available ones includes: fat and fat32, as well as ext2, ext3 and ext4.