How do I use my phone as a USB drive?

[Android Central Question]

I've just got a Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact to replace my Z3C. I always used to be able to use by Z3C as a USB drive, and with my XZ1C I can transfer files, but it only allows me to 'Read Only' files on the SD card. How can I edit files on my SD card on my phone whilst using my computer?

 

[Rukbat]

First, pull down the notification bar and make sure you're connected as MTP, not PTP. That should fix it. (And it's faster to copy the files to the computer, modify them there, then copy them back to the phone.)

 

[UKGreg]

No, that doesn't work. In older versions of Android I had the option of 'USB transfer', but now that option is no longer available, and the MTP option only allows me to read only. So now I'm having to copy and paste all the time, which is just a faff

 

[Rukbat]

There hasn't been USB Transfer since about 4.0, but since KitKat, only an app that created a directory (or the superuser, which is what you are if the phone is rooted) can write to a directory. There are fixes, such as writing to a profile file, but the phone has to be rooted to do that.