Unable to browse phone files from laptop while USB tethering

[punstress]

Samsung Galaxy J7 Star, Android 9

I used to be able to work with files from my phone from my Windows 10 laptop, but now when I turn USB tethering on, the file explorer window shuts immediately. If I untether then replug the cord in, the files are visible again, but when I turn tethering on, gone.

I know I used to be able to fix it when this happened, but everything I googled does not match my options. I think it was under Storage before.

Can you tell me what I need to do to keep seeing the folders and files on my laptop? Thanks, people.

 

[Rukbat]

Tethering and connecting the phone as a drive are kind of opposing ideas. If you want to see the files on the phone, just plug it in, choose MTP from the pulldown, and Windows should see them. Tethering uses the USB connection to connect the PC to the internet.

 

[ManiacJoe]

Also, depending on the version of Windows you are running, Windows File Explorer is a little buggy in the last few updates to the 19xx versions of Win10.

Rukbat has you pointed in the right direction.

 

[punstress]

Sorry, MTP from what pulldown? I don't have anything called MTP when I pull down from the status bar.

I know I can access files when not tethering, but I have always been able to do both at the same time, except sometimes I was unable due to some setting, which I would change and then all was good. As I said, I think it was under Storage but there's nothing under there now that I think would help me.

I use Windows 10.