If your pen drive is not showing or not detecting on your Smart TV, Android TV, Google TV, Samsung TV, LG TV, Sony TV, Mi TV, TCL TV, or any other Smart TV, then don’t worry. This problem usually happens because of USB port issues, wrong pen drive format, USB debugging settings, or TV software glitches. In this guide, we will show real working methods step by step to make your pen drive work again on your TV.
1. Try Another USB Port on Your TV
Sometimes the USB port itself stops working properly. Many Smart TVs come with 2 or more USB ports, and one port may not provide enough power or may stop detecting USB devices.
• Remove the pen drive from the current USB port.
• Insert it into another USB port on your TV.
• Wait a few seconds and check if the USB popup notification appears.
• If the pen drive starts working in another port, then the previous USB port may be faulty.
2. Open File Explorer if USB Popup Does Not Appear
In many Android TVs and Google TVs, the USB popup notification does not appear automatically even though the pen drive is connected successfully.
• Connect the pen drive to the TV.
• Press the Home button on the remote.
• Open Apps > File Manager/File Explorer.
• Check if the pen drive storage is visible there.
Sometimes the USB works normally but the popup screen simply does not appear.
3. Completely Unplug and Replug the TV
Smart TVs can get temporary software or USB cache glitches. A full power restart can fix this issue.
• Turn OFF your TV completely.
• Remove the TV power plug from the wall socket.
• Wait for 1 minute.
• Reconnect the power cable.
• Turn ON the TV again.
• Insert the pen drive and check if it detects properly.
This method fixes many USB detection issues on Smart TVs.
4. Change USB Debugging Setting in Developer Options
Some Android TVs and Google TVs may stop detecting USB devices properly because of USB debugging settings.
• Open Settings > Device Preferences > Developer Options.
• Find USB Debugging.
If USB Debugging is ON:
• Turn it OFF and restart the TV.
If USB Debugging is already OFF and still not working:
• Turn it ON once.
• Restart the TV.
• Turn it OFF again.
Reconnect the pen drive and test again.
5. Change Pen Drive Format to FAT32, NTFS, or exFAT
One of the most common reasons for USB not detecting on TV is unsupported pen drive format.
• Connect the pen drive to your computer or laptop.
• Open This PC.
• Right-click on the pen drive.
• Open Format.
Now change the file system format:
• If the pen drive is not working in FAT32, format it to NTFS.
• If it is already NTFS and not working, format it to FAT32 or exFAT.
After formatting, reconnect the pen drive to the TV.
Important Note
Formatting will completely delete all files and data from the pen drive. If you have important photos, videos, or documents, take a backup before formatting the USB drive.
Final Tips
• Avoid damaged or fake pen drives.
• Try using a smaller USB drive if the TV is old.
• Keep TV software updated.
• Avoid unsupported or very long video file names.
• Use supported formats like MP4, MP3, JPG, and PNG.
These methods solve most pen drive not showing or USB not detecting problems on Smart TVs, Android TVs, Google TVs, Samsung TVs, LG TVs, Sony TVs, Mi TVs, TCL TVs, and other televisions.
