How to Access USB Storage on a TP-Link Router from Android or iOS

User Application Requirement

Last updated: May 8, 2026

TP-Link routers with a USB port let you access a connected USB storage device from an Android or iOS phone. You can access the USB drive on your local network or remotely via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) from anywhere. This guide covers how to configure your TP-Link router USB settings to enable sharing and how to connect to the drive from your phone.

Note:

1. If you are unable to access the USB drive after following these steps, refer to Can't access my USB drive plugged into TP-Link router for troubleshooting help.

2. If you need to access the USB storage device on the computer, please refer to the FAQ: How to access USB storage device on the TP-Link Routers from Windows or MacOS?

Key Takeaways

TP-Link routers with a USB port support two ways to access a connected USB drive from a phone: locally via Samba (SMB) and remotely via FTP.
To access the USB drive locally, enable Samba sharing in the router's USB settings and use a third-party app such as ES File Explorer to connect.
To access the drive remotely, enable Internet FTP in the router's USB settings and connect using the WAN IP address shown in the router interface.
TP-Link recommends enabling the Secure Sharing option to require a username and password before anyone can access the USB drive.
Only FTP is supported for remote access. Samba is for local network access only.

This article tells you how to access the USB storage device on Android and iOS phones via Samba, FTP locally and remotely.

Step 1: Configure USB Settings on Your TP-Link Router

1. Plug the USB storage device into the USB port of the TP-Link router.

2. Connect your device to the router via Wi-Fi or an Ethernet cable, open a browser, enter https://tplinkwifi.net/, and log in with your credentials.

3. Go to USB settings. (Advanced > USB> USB storage Device). If the router recognizes the USB storage device, it will show in the status.

TP-Link router web UI showing USB Storage Status with a connected drive displaying total, used, and free space.

4. Considering the safety, we suggest you enable the Secure Sharing option to prevent others from accessing your USB drive without login.

TP-Link router web UI File Sharing screen showing Secure Sharing toggle enabled, folder selection, and admin password highlighted.

Step 2: Access the USB Drive from Your Android or iOS Phone

If you are on the same Wi-Fi network as your router, use Option 1. If you are away from home and want to reach your files remotely, use Option 2.

Option 1: Access the USB Drive Locally (Samba)

First, please ensure that Samba for Windows and Local FTP are enabled.

TP-Link router web UI showing SMB and FTP access methods highlighted with their respective addresses and ports.

iOS

We recommend using a third-party APP like “ES File Explorer” to access the USB drive. Here we take the “ES File Explorer” as an example.

Open the APP, and click “Services” at the bottom. Normally, the APP will discover the smb services in the local network.

Click “TP-SHARE” on available devices, then enter the username and password.

iOS file manager Services screen with the Services tab highlighted and TP-SHARE SMB device highlighted under Available Devices. iOS file manager TP-SHARE connection screen with account and password fields highlighted and Connect button shown.

If the APP is not showing available devices, please click the “+” button.

iOS file manager New connection screen showing SMB and FTP options highlighted among available connection types.

Then type “tplinkwifi.net” in the URL option.

Type your username and password to connect.

iOS file manager SMB connection screen with URL, account credential fields and connect button highlighted. iOS file manager FTP connection screen with URL and account credential fields highlighted and Connect button shown.

Android

We recommend using a third-party APP like “ES File Explorer” to access the USB drive. Here we take the “ES File Explorer” as an example:

Open the APP, and click “Network”.

Android file manager Home screen with the Network option circled in the bottom section.

Click the Scan button to detect the SMB server. Then click “TP-SHARE” in the scan result.

Android file manager Network screen showing LAN, FTP, and other options with a Scan button highlighted.

Type the username and password to log in.

Android file manager SMB login dialog with username and password fields highlighted and OK button shown.

If the app doesn’t detect it, we can also add it manually.

Android file manager Network screen showing the overflow menu open with the New option highlighted. Android file manager New connection dialog showing FTP and LAN options highlighted for FTP and SMB access.

Then type “tplinkwifi.net” in the URL option. Type your username and password to connect.

Android file manager SMB Server dialog with server address and account credential fields highlighted and OK button shown. Android file manager New FTP Server dialog with server address and account credential fields highlighted and OK button shown.

Option 2: Access the USB Drive Remotely (FTP)

Please note that only FTP is supported for remote access.

Check “Internet FTP”, then click " Save " to enable the Internet FTP service.

Use the address in the screenshot to visit the USB remotely.

TP-Link router web UI showing Internet FTP enabled with a public IP address highlighted and instructions to enable it.

Android/iOS

We recommend using a third-party APP like “ES File Explorer” to access the USB drive. Here we take the “ES File Explorer” as an example:

Click the “+” button to add the FTP server.

iOS file manager Services screen showing saved connections, with the Add button highlighted in the bottom right. iOS file manager New connection screen with FTP option highlighted among available connection types.