Android file transfer: How to movement data between your phone and computer

Moving files between your Android device and a Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook doesn't have to exist hard — or dependent on any cloud services.

Contributing Editor, Computerworld |

Table of Contents
  • Android file transfers for Windows computers
  • Android file transfers for Mac computers
  • Android file transfers for Chrome Os computers
  • Don't like cables?

Evidence More than

Your smartphone is a powerful calculator in your pocket — and with Android, role of that PC-similar muscle ways being able to plug your phone into whatsoever Windows, Mac, or Chrome Bone system and and then drag and drop files either manner.

Different iPhones, Android devices allow you to admission their file systems directly from a desktop, without the need for any cumbersome interfaces or complicated procedures. In fact, transferring files to or from an Android device is basically no dissimilar than plugging an external hard bulldoze into your computer and moving data to or from it.

All you need is your telephone, your computer, and a cable to connect 'em — with micro-USB or USB-C on the phone side and USB-A or USB-C on the computer side, depending on the specifics of your devices. (Most electric current Android phones use USB-C, whereas most pre-2016 devices take the older micro-USB standard. USB-A, meanwhile, is the traditional connector port you're used to seeing on computers, though more than and more models now likewise offering USB-C.) There's a decent run a risk that the same cable that connects your phone to its wall charger will work.

Got it? Adept. Hither'due south what you need to practice next, depending on whether you take a Windows, macOS, or Chrome Bone organization:

Android file transfers for Windows computers

With Windows, things are as simple as tin be. Just plug your telephone into any open USB port on the estimator, then plow on your phone's screen and unlock the device.

Swipe your finger down from the peak of the screen, and you lot should run into a notification about the electric current USB connection. At this point, it'll probably tell you your telephone is continued only for charging.

android file transfer usb notification JR Raphael/IDG

After you lot connect your phone to your computer, a notification will allow you prepare it for transferring files.

Tap the notification and select "Transfer files" or "File transfer" in the menu that appears. If media files are all you're planning to move, you could too use the "Transfer photos" (sometimes listed equally "PTP") option, which'll treat your phone like a digital camera. One time you've made your selection, become to your desktop and open up a File Explorer window using the method that makes the most sense for your Windows configuration:

  • Click the File Explorer icon in your taskbar
  • Open the Start menu and click This PC or Figurer
  • Click the This PC, Estimator, or My Estimator icon on your desktop

Then look for an icon representing your phone alongside other portable devices and drives. Click or double-click that icon, and ta-da! Yous're staring at your Android phone's internal storage. You tin can at present click around and browse folders, drag and driblet files between your telephone and PC, or manipulate the data in whatsoever way you want.

android file transfer windows JR Raphael/IDG

Your Android phone's storage looks like any regular hard bulldoze when viewed from a calculator.

Android file transfers for Mac computers

Got a Mac? The Android file transfer process is a chip more complicated for y'all — but fright not, for it's still pretty darn easy.

The master difference is that earlier things will work, y'all'll need to download and install an official Google programme called Android File Transfer. To use the program, your Mac must exist running macOS x.seven or later, and your Android device must have Android 3.0 or later — something that should pretty much be a given with whatever reasonably recent Android production.

Once the program'southward in place on your Mac, just plug your telephone into your estimator, turn on your phone'south screen and unlock the device, and and then expect for the same USB status notification described above.

Tap the notification and select "Transfer files" or "File transfer." The Android File Transfer plan should then automatically open on your Mac, and y'all should be able to browse your phone's storage and transfer files to your heart's content.

If the official Android File Transfer program doesn't work well for you lot — a vexingly common complaint among Mac users these days — consider the favorably reviewed third-political party Commander One Pro as an culling. It costs $30 for a single license, $100 for a five-user squad license, or $150 for a 50-user company license.

Or — well, skip downwards to the final section of this story for one other option.

Android file transfers for Chrome Os computers

Yous'd expect file transfers betwixt Android phones and Chromebooks to be as simple as can be, considering that Google's the driving forcefulness behind both of those operating systems — and by golly, you'd be absolutely correct.

Just like on a Windows system, all you've gotta do to connect your Android phone to a Chromebook is plug it into any open USB port, and so tap the USB charging notification on the telephone and select either "Transfer files" or "File transfer" from the prompt that appears — or select "Transfer photos" or "PTP" if you desire your phone to be treated like a camera, with a focus exclusively on multimedia files.

Once you lot do that, the Chrome OS Files app should automatically appear on your Chromebook with your phone present as one of the storage options. The organisation will probably even prompt you to back upward all of your phone's media files to Google Drive; yous can let that, if you'd similar, or dismiss information technology and only elevate and drib files in either direction every bit needed.

android file transfer chrome os JR Raphael/IDG

Pulling up your Android phone'south storage on a Chromebook is easy every bit can be — and typically includes a one-click pick to re-create all your device'southward media files as well.

There'due south actually not much to it — nor should there be.

And if you lot want an even simpler way to take care of business concern...

Don't similar cables?

Hey, wait a infinitesimal — aren't there apps and cloud services for this sort of thing? Sure there are, and we've got you covered there, too. Check out "Transferring files wirelessly between devices" in our in-depth Android file management guide for everything there is to know.

This article was initially published in August 2017 and updated in Oct 2019.

Contributing Editor JR Raphael serves upwardly tasty morsels about the man side of engineering science. Hungry for more than? Join him on Twitter or sign up for his weekly newsletter to get fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday.

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