What is OTG?

The USB port for travelling!

With USB On-The-Go (USB OTG), devices such as smartphones or tablets can not only exchange data with a computer, but also control other USB devices themselves.

For example, you can connect a USB stick directly to your smartphone - without any detours. USB OTG makes your devices more flexible and opens up new usage options.

Thanks to the host functionality of USB OTG, your smartphone or tablet takes on a role similar to that of a computer: it controls connected USB devices directly, manages their power supply and enables data transfer in both directions - ideal for using USB sticks, keyboards or even external hard drives.

To connect your smartphone or tablet to accessories and peripheral devices, you need an OTG-capable cable or a suitable hub. With a USB OTG cable, you can connect a single device, such as a USB stick or a mouse.

A hub, on the other hand, makes it possible to connect several devices at the same time - from keyboards and hard drives to storage media. Depending on the hub, you can also connect a charger for the power supply, which is particularly important for devices with high energy requirements. A hub therefore offers you significantly more flexibility than a simple OTG cable.

Pay attention to how much power your connected devices require. A simple USB stick requires less power than an external hard drive, for example. An OTG hub is therefore often the better choice for powerful devices. To ensure that you can still utilise the mobility of USB OTG, operate your setup with a powerful power bank.

Connect storage media directly to the smartphone or tablet via USB cable

Thanks to OTG, you can connect different storage media such as USB sticks, external hard drives or memory cards directly to your smartphone or tablet using a USB cable. Smartphones in particular often have a limited storage capacity and therefore quickly reach their limits. In addition, some models cannot be expanded using a micro SD card. To avoid storage bottlenecks, you can use USB OTG and transfer your data conveniently.

In this way, you can keep the amount of data on your smartphone or tablet manageable and avoid having to transfer data via a PC or laptop. You can also use USB OTG to play media files on your mobile devices. For example, you can simply watch films or series that you have planned for your next train journey via the OTG instead of saving them on your smartphone or tablet. All you need to do is take a USB stick with you.

USB OTG for smartphones and tablets: a wide range of accessories

USB OTG allows you to combine a wide range of accessories with your smartphone and tablet. For example, a USB OTG cable is also suitable for connecting different gaming controllers. This makes playing your favourite games on the go even more convenient and precise. If you write a lot, you can also connect an additional keyboard via USB OTG. Depending on your requirements, purchasing an OTG-capable cable may be cheaper than buying a new Bluetooth keyboard.

Most manufacturers are now dispensing with the classic jack socket on their mobile devices. The USB port is then used as a connection for headphones and headsets, whereby USB OTG technology is also used. Overall, USB OTG offers numerous fields of application for tablets and smartphones. The standard ensures that the USB interface can be used uniformly for different areas.

OTG cables and hubs from Inline

We offer you an extensive range of OTG-capable cables and hubs for a wide variety of applications.

InLine® USB-C 3.2 Multi Hub (4x USB-A 5Gb/s), OTG, aluminium housing

4-port USB 3.2 Gen.1 hub in compact design with OTG function.

Data transfer rate of up to 5 Gbps per port
Each port supports hot swap and plug & play
OTG function - can be used with compatible smartphones & tablets
Supports Windows, MacOS, Linux and Android

Item no.: 33271N

InLine® Micro USB OTG Adapter Cable Micro-B male angled to USB A female 0.1m

Micro-USB OTG adapter cable, Micro-B plug angled to USB A socket. This adapter cable is used to operate USB devices such as mouse / keyboard / USB stick etc. on Android tablets and smartphones using the USB OTG (On-The-Go) function. The adapter can also be used on the battery/board computer of an e-bike, for example, to charge the mobile phone while riding. If the e-bike has a micro USB A/B socket for this purpose, such as those found on Bosch, Panasonic and Brose systems, this adapter can convert it into a USB A socket and the USB charging cable of the smartphone can be connected.

USB OTG adapter cable
Micro-B plug angled from USB A socket
Length: approx. 0.1m

Item no.: 31606W

InLine® USB 3.2 Gen.2 Adapter, USB-C male to USB-A female angled 90° OTG

USB 3.2 Gen.2 adapter
USB type C male plug to USB type A female plug
90° angled version
For USB hard drives, USB video cards etc. with USB Type A connector, to connect to a Host card with USB Type C port
Suitable for data transfer rates up to 10 Gb/s
Supports USB Power Delivery up to a charging current of 3 A
OTG compatible

Item no.: 35805W

InLine® USB 3.2 Type-C Multi Hub (3x USB-A + USB-C, card reader, HDMI, OTG

4-port USB3.2 Gen.1 hub in compact design with integrated type-C port, power delivery, OTG function, HDMI output and card reader.

Data transfer rate of up to 5Gb/s per port
Each port supports hot swap and plug & play
USB Typ-C female compatible with PD 3.0, supports external power supply of 100W max.
USB 3.0 card reader, write / read rate of up to 103 MB/s
HDMI output supports 3840x2160 (30Hz) resolution - USB type C alternate mode required
OTG function - can be used with compatible smartphones & tablets
Supports Windows, MacOS, Linux and Android

Item no.: 33271O

InLine® USB 3.1/2.0 OTG T-Adapter, USB-C male or Micro-USB to A female

USB 3.1 or USB 2.0 adapter
Optional USB type C connector or Micro-USB to USB type A socket
For adapting and charging smartphones
OTG compatible, suitable for connecting mouse / keyboard or card reader to smartphone
Suitable for data transfer rates up to 10Gb/s (via USB type C), up to 480Mb/s via Micro-USB
Supports USB power delivery up to a charging current of 3 amps

Item no.: 35804