Unable to transfer photos or files from Samsung S25 to PC<---SOLVED

[billinaz]

Im going crazy trying to figure out why I cannot copy photos from my android to my PC. Im using a USB cable connection on both ends (I dont want to use Google images, I want to retain the original quality).
I have the USB settings set to transfer files (but transferring images does not help).
I can see the photos in Windows explorer but when I try to transfer to the PC the download window just hangs until it times out.
If I double click an image, the same thing happens.
Ive tried another cable, restarted the PC and the Phone (Samsung S25 Ultra) but still no luck.
Ive had androids for a very long time, this is the first time this has happened. Does anyone have any ideas why its not working?

I used another phone (Samsung S24 Ultra) and it works perfect, so Ive isolated it to some phone setting issue. I just cannot figure out what one.

Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

As a workaround, have you already tried uploading the photos to your Google Drive in the cloud, then downloading them from there to your PC? The original quality would be retained if you use Google Drive.

 

[billinaz]

As a workaround, have you already tried uploading the photos to your Google Drive in the cloud, then downloading them from there to your PC? The original quality would be retained if you use Google Drive.

No, but considering Im moving a years worth of photos, that would take quite a while.


It has to be something with the setting on this phone, as using another phone works the way it should.

I just cant figure out what is on this phone blocking the transfer.

 

[billinaz]

OK, I figured it out. Im putting my solution here for anyone with the same issue.

1.) I use phone link to be able to get and send text messages and access photos on my phone wirelessly.

2.) When I plugged in the phone and saw the phone in windows explorer I could see the photos but could not transfer them. What I missed was the Phone link created an entry in Windows explorer, and plugging the phone in added another under the list of drives (Under OS).

Being the same name, I missed there were 2 of them, and clicking on the drive under OS had the phone transfer files like it should.

 

[Flyrod]

All this Bull, having to use special apps, rub your belly while tapping your head then say mother may I ? just to move files from your phone to a thumb drive, external drive or PC is criminal ! Yes Google, your doing bad things. I guess you forgot your do good jingle long ago. Its no coincidence that the difficulty of transferring files became hard when Big tech started trying to sell clouds. Before that when you plugged in a external device it just worked. They hope you will forget how easy it use to be and buy a cloud. Dont forget they also took your SD cards out of your phones just to get a little up sale on memory. nothing good about that.

I am glad Bill found a way but it should have never been a search or required extra software. Your PC should have instantly recognized the phone and displayed the file structure in file explorer. [Mod Redacted]

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! For what it's worth, it's always been a little iffy to transfer huge amounts of data at a time over USB, even before the advent of the cloud. That's why I usually suggest transferring files in smaller batches over USB.

 

[mustang7757]

Moved this to the s25 Forums