Easy Way to Make a Dual Flash Drive! (micro USB and Normal USB)

Replacing your flashdrives USB plug with a dual (micro and normal) plug!. Perfect for phones and computers with no cables!

With this easy mod you will be able to use any flashdrive with your phone and with your computer with no extra cables. This mod involves replacing the normal USB plug with a dual plug! This dual plug has a micro USB host plug inside of a normal USB plug. This way you can use it on normal USB ports and on your phone! A host cable is used to make your phones micro USB port behave like a port you'd find on your computer. This is done by grounding a pin that normally is not used. I have two other projects on my profile that further explain how host cables work as well as how to make one. Be sure to check them out!

Step 1: Find a Dual Plug and Remove It!

I found this really odd fan that plugs into your phone for taking 'hair blowing selfies', as weird as that is. The only thing that caught my eye was the plug. It was a dual plug that plugs into a normal usb port and into your phone using a micro host. I took it apart to see if the micro usbs data pins were being ran with the normal usb data pins. After a quick test with my multimeter I found that they were there, which means I could use it for things that transfer data, like flash drives, keyboards, mice etc. I removed it and cleaned the pins. You can also find these online too!

Step 2: Remove Your Flashdrives USB

Flash drives are usually made with surface mount plugs and through hole supports which means they are kinda tricky to take apart. It is very easy to lift up the pads and etches that the plug is soldered onto so be very careful when removing yours! I added solder to the pins and kept them heated with my iron while I slowly lifted them away from the pads. For the through hole supports I just heated both joints back and forth and slowly rocked it away from the board. Use solder wick to clean up the pads and holes.

Step 3: Adding the Dual USB

Simply place the dual head on the flash drive in place of the old head and solder the support joints (strain joints) and the four pads. Then close it up!