Question Transferring file from Android to Windows

[gandalf458]

Hi. I'm trying to transfer a 30MB file from my phone (Android 15) to my Windows 11 PC. I can't email it which would be my usual approach as it's far to big. Any suggestions?

 

[gomezz]

I use the File Manager+ app and Windows Explorer to FTP between the two devices.

Other options are to use Bluetooth or a USB cable.

 

[spARTacus]

Plug the phone into the PC via USB cable. Prompts on the phone and/or the PC should then guide you the rest of the way.

 

[coulis]

You can upload from phone here https://www.swisstransfer.com/en-us and write the download link to your pc.

 

[notforhire]

Plug the phone into the PC via USB cable. Prompts on the phone and/or the PC should then guide you the rest of the way.

easy peasy

 

[B. Diddy]

Assuming your Google Drive space isn't completely full, you can upload it to Google Drive on your phone, and then go to the Drive website on your computer and download it from there.

 

[gandalf458]

Plug the phone into the PC via USB cable. Prompts on the phone and/or the PC should then guide you the rest of the way.

I tried that before asking. I get no prompts except it says on my phone that it's charging. The phone does appear in file manager, but it just says the folder is empty.

 

[notforhire]

I tried that before asking. I get no prompts except it says on my phone that it's charging. The phone does appear in file manager, but it just says the folder is empty.

make sure your phone is unlocked

 

[gandalf458]

Thanks guys. I think I may need to use cloud storage of some sort. I was hoping to copy direct from 1 device to t'other. Daft thing is if I try to send a big file using Gmail from my PC it tells me it's too big and it will send a link to Google drive instead and email the link; but it doesn't do that on Android.

 

[gomezz]

I tried that before asking. I get no prompts except it says on my phone that it's charging. The phone does appear in file manager, but it just says the folder is empty.

Sounds like it is not a fully wired USB cable. Try another full spec cable,.

 

[edubfromktown]

Use LocalSend app (which is free) that works on numerous platforms.

 

[B. Diddy]

I tried that before asking. I get no prompts except it says on my phone that it's charging. The phone does appear in file manager, but it just says the folder is empty.

When you connect via USB, swipe down the notification panel and look for a USB notification. Tap it and see if there's an option to change from Charge Only to File Transfer (or MTP).

 

[me just saying]

I use the File Manager+ app and Windows Explorer to FTP between the two devices.

Other options are to use Bluetooth or a USB cable.

the best way is to plug it into your windows computer using the phone link app that is already installed on the pc.

another way is to attach it to an email, save it in the draft folder, then open the email account on the computer then copy the file over from the draft.

 

[spARTacus]

When you connect via USB, swipe down the notification panel and look for a USB notification. Tap it and see if there's an option to change from Charge Only to File Transfer (or MTP).

There's also a Default USB Configuration setting under Developer Options that you could try to play around with, if for some reason from the phone end it seems to only ever want to recognize for charging.

 

[mustang7757]

Assuming your Google Drive space isn't completely full, you can upload it to Google Drive on your phone, and then go to the Drive website on your computer and download it from there.

Yeah the way I do it I haven't used wired for transfer in years.

 

[gomezz]

Me neither. But I would if doing a full refresh of my downloaded music library for example which would be of the order of 200GB

 

[BerryBubbles]

This may sound a little simplistic, but every once in a while, I have to reboot my PC & phone both to be able to view the phone folders on my PC after connecting the USB cable. Otherwise my PC just shows the empty phone folder.

Not sure what causes the glitch, but rebooting both devices clears it up. It's worth a try.

 

[Mooncatt]

The USB cable is going to be the standard. If you have a non-Samsung phone, a Bluetooth adaptor on the computer, and Wi-Fi, you can use Google's quick share. You'll need their app from the Play store, plus their companion app on your computer. I've found this to be much faster at the actual transferring, but does take a few extra steps to get things paired up and started. For a 30 MB file it may not be worth it vs USB, but can save a decent amount of time of you are transferring hundreds of megabytes.

If you have a Samsung phone, it may not work. Their Quick Share is not the same as the Google version, and only the Google version has the PC companion app. I use the Google version with my Sony phone, but my wife and kids have Samsung devices and it won't work. Even if I try to install the Google version on their phones, it redirects me to Samsung's version or something (it's been a while and I don't remember the exact issue). They have the same name and logo because Google bought the naming rights, but the two versions haven't been cross-compatible in my experience.