Many of us have found ourselves in the situation that we cannot access the flash drive from our device because the iPad does not recognize USB. This is a bug that occurs quite frequently. However, there are different ways to solve it, therefore, we want to provide you with a series of instructions that can be very useful to solve this problem on your iPad.
Fixing flash drive problems on iPad
To solve these problems by knowing how to connect an external drive to iPad, it is important to note that there are device difficulties involved in the process. That is, they can be through the iPad or through the USB. Let's see how to fix them.
force restart
One of the methods that is advised is to try force restarting your iPad. By forcing this restart, any function or app that could be running incorrectly is deactivated. This could be the cause that is hindering the boot process that we want.
It may seem like a very basic solution to the problem that iPad does not recognize USB, but it is recommended to do so, since with this we stop unwanted active processes and restore the physical components, such as the processor or RAM memory.
To force restart your iPad, you need to quickly press and release the “turn up the volume» > then quickly press and release the « buttonvolume down» > Finally, hold down the top button. As soon as the Apple logo appears, you let go.
This reset is valid for iPad Pro models from 2018 onwards.
Check the connection on the same iPad
Another method for your iPad to allow access to the USB stick is to check it on the iPad itself. There we make sure that our team can manage external disks from the app Files. Once you have confirmed that the USB memory is not shown there, you must carry out the following checks.
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Close background processes
It is likely that a "crash" occurred on your iPad because some program ran badly. You must then close all the programs that you have open, which may be running in the background.
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Close background tasks
There may also be certain specific tasks that are also being carried out in the background. To do this, you must restart the iPad, simply with switch off the team. This can solve problems that seem to be serious. You do a manual shutdown for about 15 to 20 seconds and turn the device back on.
Of course, you must do all this without having the USB connected. You should only plug it in after turning on the tablet and having opened the Files app.
Update software on iPad that doesn't recognize USB
Another way to solve the recognition of the USB flash drive on the iPad is, if possible, to update to the latest available version of the software. This prevents fundamental equipment errors.
We recommend that, in order to find out if there is a recent version of iPadOS compatible with your device, consult Settings> General> Software update. There you will find the new version available, which you need to download and install. You can do it without any problem if you have a stable internet connection and a minimum of 50% battery on the iPad or have it connected to be able to install it properly.
If you did not find any problem with the iPad, then it is necessary to rule out that the problem is the USB memory, so we recommend you review the following aspects related to it.
Compatibility with your iPad
Sometimes the problem is compatibility. Therefore, make sure, based on the description of the memory USB, that this works in the system iPadOS. Also, make sure that it can be used through the port on your tablet.
One aspect that you have to take into account is that iPads with a Lightning connector have restricted use with respect to external drives. This is because they have lower speeds than USB-C. This dimension is made because if your iPad is one of the first to hit the market, it could have this type of problem.
Using adapters on iPad that does not recognize USB
Its use has been considered because not all external storage device connections are compatible with iPads. For this reason, adapters, also called hub. However, we must be careful with them, since many of the recognition problems between the USB and the tablet are due to this intermediary.
We recommend making sure that said adapter is properly prepared to transfer data. Otherwise, if it's not the right one, the iPad probably won't even detect it.
It could also be the case that your iPad does not recognize USB because the adapter is defective, which you can check by placing it in another computer and checking if it also fails there. equally, you can connect another hub on your iPad, so that you can rule out that the source of the error is your USB.
New developments
One option to rule out problems between your iPad and USB is to continually update your equipment with the new developments made by Apple to improve the connection and recognition between these devices. For example, you now have the iPadOS system created exclusively for iPads, this system offers you a mechanism capable of reading external storage units, either hard drives or pen drives.
iPadOS does not imply that malfunctions do not occur due to the model or version of the operating system. However, with the 2018 iPad Pro there are cases of USB difficulties, which can be resolved by one of the following two options:
- The adapter USB-C to USB
- The adapter USB-C to Digital AV.
There are also several types for each of these adapters, but in this regard we recommend the Satechi which is advisable because it has both connectors on the same equipment. This allows you to access all your multimedia devices and get an optimal experience.
Now, if you have the right connector, you can easily plug the external drive into the iPad. To do this, open the app iPadOS Files in which you can manage how to connect that storage device. This app offers several very useful functions to apply to external storage units.
In this regard, you must access it through the interface bar where the device is identified and you enter its files. It also offers you applications for entertainment such as music.
One aspect to consider is that all this depends on the compatibility of your iPad, since it is likely that it will not support any external storage.
We also recommend you see the iPad types that exist