1000+ unique media and news posts every 24 hours…
Are you trying to transfer files from your Android device to a Windows computer? This isn’t something most of us do very often, but when it’s necessary, figuring out how to transfer files from Android to PC can be a bit of a complicated process. Luckily, there are actually several methods you can try! Let’s go through some of the most useful ones together.
QUICK REPLY
The easiest way to transfer files from Android to PC is to use a USB cable. Simply connect your phone to your computer. On your smartphone, double-tap the ‘Charge this device via USB’ notification. Then select File Transfer / Android Auto. After this, you can see your device in the This PC folder on your PC. Then easily navigate through your files Copy/Slices them to any folder on your computer.
However, there are plenty of other methods you can use to transfer files from Android to PC. Keep reading to find some useful alternatives.
GO TO KEY SECTIONS
Editor’s note: We formulated these instructions using a Google Pixel 8a running Android 15 and an HONOR MagicBook 14 running Windows 11. Some steps and options may look different depending on your device and software version.
Using a USB cable is probably the easiest way to transfer files from Android to PC. It is also one of the fastest methods because it uses a landline connection. This makes it a good method to transfer larger files easily and quickly. It also makes it easier to transfer multiple files at once.
If this doesn’t work for you, it’s best to try a different cable. Please note that not all cables are suitable for transferring files. Some will only charge fees. We also noticed problems using it USB-A Unpleasant USB-C cables in the past, so you may want to switch to USB-C to USB-C cables if possible. If the problems persist, you can simply use one of the other methods to avoid annoyances.
Smartphones with a microSD card are rare, but there are still some out there. We even have a list of the best smartphones with expandable storage here. If you rock one of these, transferring files between Android and Windows is quite easy. Just use a file manager to move files from Android to the microSD card, then connect the microSD card to your Windows computer and copy/paste the files. By the way, the same method works with a USB stick. However, you may need a dongle or a converter.
Another easy method to transfer files from Android to PC is to use Bluetooth. This process is simple and easy and requires no fiddling with cables. That said, Bluetooth is very slow. Not only in terms of transfer speed, it also cannot transfer many files at a time. It’s a good method if you just want to send a document or image file, if you don’t feel like dealing with the other methods.
This is my personal favorite because I keep almost everything in the cloud. That said, cloud storage services require data usage, and it can be quite a bit if it’s a large file you’re trying to transfer from Android to PC. Depending on your data speed, uploading may also take longer. However, if you can overcome these hurdles, using cloud storage is very easy.
You can use services such as Google DriveMicrosoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Meta and many others. Since we’re an Android-focused site and this is an Android tutorial, we’re assuming most of you are already using Google Drive. Let’s focus on that for these instructions, but any service will work.
Share quickly was previously known as Close Share. This feature uses multiple wireless protocols to determine the best method for sending files to other devices. These include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, hotspot and other methods. It’s fun and easy to use, but there is one drawback: Quick Share requires a Windows app to be installed. Let us show you how the process works.
Link to Windows works much the same as Quick Share. You can share files between Android devices and Windows computers. However, it requires initial installation. You also need the Link to Windows Android app on your smartphone.
Of course, there are a plethora of third-party apps that allow you to transfer files from Android to PC. If for some reason you are not a fan of the methods mentioned above, a quick search on the Google Play Store will give you options. AirDroid, EasyShare, Send Anywhere and WeTransfer are among the most popular and trusted.
I like AirDroid because it offers some really cool extra features. These include screen mirroring, remote control, notification sync and call support. Let’s stick with that for these instructions.
No. Some cables only work for charging and not for transferring data. Unfortunately, there’s also no easy way to determine if a cable is rechargeable just by looking at it. Before purchasing it, you should look at the cable specifications to see if it can handle data transfer. Or just test all the cables you have around until one works!
No, different cable standards have different maximum transfer speeds. Although they all look very similar, not all USB cables are built the same. We have one USB Standard Guide that goes into more detail here.
Yes! Just like Android, there are several ways to transfer files from Android to Mac. Many of the methods in this guide are even available for Mac!
A wired connection beats any wireless or cloud method, so if you want the fastest possible transfer speeds, you should stick with a USB cable. Preferably a faster cable such as a USB 3.1 or 3.2 cable. These can handle speeds of 10 Gbps and 20 Gbps accordingly.
1000+ unique media and news posts every 24 hours…