Android won't connect to computer via usb. Ways to physically connect your phone to a PC

14.07.2019 Internet, Wi-Fi, local networks

Computer can't detect Android device via USB? The problem is quite common, and its cause can be either a banal cable breakdown or a malfunction in the operating system. In most cases, in order for your gadget to be successfully detected by a computer, you need to activate the correct connection type in its settings.

In this guide, we will describe in detail what can cause the device to be incorrectly detected on a PC via a USB cable, and we will also consider all options for solving the problem.

Debugging via USB on different versions of the OS is located in different sections of the menu:

Version 2.3 and earlier - Settings > Applications > Development.
Version 3.0 to 4.1 - Settings > Developer options.
Version 4.2 and new - Settings > About phone > Build number (quickly click on it about 7 times), after that go back to Settings > Developer options.

If after these steps, when the cable is connected, the phone or tablet simply charges, then the reason for this phenomenon is that it is connected in media player or charging mode.

Wrong connection mode selected.

In this case, when reconnecting, open the notification shade and select "Enable USB storage" in it.

Or go to the Android system settings and try to find a menu with connection methods, in which select "Connect as a media device (MTP)".

Correct connection mode.

Tethering enabled

The problem may occur due to the modem mode being enabled. Go to network settings and make sure that this mode is disabled.

Accordingly, if it is activated, then it is necessary to disable it by simply dragging the slider to the "Disabled" mode or uncheck the box next to it (it all depends on the version of the system and shell).

One of the first things to do if the computer does not see the Android smartphone via USB is to check the connection. There is a possibility that there is a malfunction in the cable or one of the computer (device) connectors.

In the event that the system does not notify that a new USB device is connected, then you need to make sure that the USB connectors are working. Just plug in any other device (for example, a regular USB flash drive) into the connector and check how it works. If it is not detected, the connector may be defective. Try connecting your Android device with a different connector.

If the computer detects the device, but does not want to recognize it as a disk drive, it is likely that an additional driver needs to be installed.

Driver update

One of the most common reasons why the computer does not see Android when connected is the lack of installed drivers for your phone. Also, drivers for working with an Android device may be accidentally deleted or simply need to be updated.

In order to configure the driver yourself, use the instructions below.

The subtleties of connecting a device on Windows XP

If the connection is established on a computer with the Win XP operating system, for correct identification in the system, you may need to install an additional Media Transfer protocol, which can be downloaded. If the device is old (2010, for example), it may work correctly without installing the protocol.

If you are using a relatively new device, it is recommended to upgrade to a more recent version of the Windows operating system.

Alternative synchronization option - Bluetooth or WiFi

If you cannot solve the problem due to which the personal computer or laptop does not see the Android phone, but you urgently need to transfer files from the device to the PC, you can use one of the applications for exchanging data via Bluetooth or WiFi. Among such applications, pay attention to or.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons for this problem, and they are all different. But the most common is the activation of any other connection mode on the phone, except for the USB drive we need. Therefore, first of all, we recommend paying attention to this.

Also, a conflict may arise due to the active “Modem Mode” function, drivers, and in some cases due to a malfunction in the equipment.

In addition, it should be recalled that manufacturers recommend using only original USB cables, since cheap Chinese counterparts not only fail quickly, but can also harm the USB ports of the device.

01.10.2017 10:27:00

There are 3 main ways to connect the Internet to a PC using a cell phone:

Use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot
Set phone as usb tethering
Create connection on PC via phone

Let's examine each of these methods in detail.

Phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot

The easiest way to connect your computer to the Internet using a mobile gadget is to turn your mobile phone into a wireless access point. We will tell you how to do this using a smartphone on Android version six.

Open the settings, click on "More" and select "Tethering mode". Next, select "Wi-Fi hotspot". After you turn on the access point, the name of this point and the password for entering will appear. You can also set up a WPS connection for secure Internet access. The system will ask you to choose one of two connection modes: by pressing a button or via a PIN code.

Here you can also see the number of connected or blocked users.

The last step is to set up the wireless network in your PC settings. If everything is done correctly, start the mobile Internet on your device, and the computer will see your phone as an access point. It remains only to enter the password and you can work.

Please note that connecting a computer through a hotspot on the phone has two significant drawbacks:

The Hotspot feature puts a lot of stress on the battery, so the Android phone drains pretty quickly.
The computer must be equipped with a Wi-Fi module. Therefore, this method is suitable, for the most part, for laptops.

Connect phone to computer as USB modem

The second method by which you can connect your computer to the Internet is more complicated, but it is suitable for both a stationary PC and a laptop, and it does not require a Wi-Fi module. Let's analyze this method step by step:

Step 1. You need to connect your phone to the computer with a USB cable.

Step 2. The computer will inform you that the necessary drivers have been installed, and a window will appear on the phone screen with a choice of usb connection. Click Cancel.

Step 3. In the phone settings, select "More", then click "Tethering Mode". Here you need to click on the button that turns on the usb modem.

Step 4. The computer will start installing the necessary drivers. You will need to allow connection to the modem that the phone has turned into and specify the type of connection. After that, the Internet on the computer will be connected.

As a rule, the modem driver is installed in the memory of the smartphone itself. Sometimes such software can be found on a disk bundled with the device. We also draw the attention of those who use a computer with an operating system older than Windows 7. To connect the Internet via a cell phone in this way, you will have to download and install all the necessary drivers yourself.

Create a new connection on the PC for the phone

You can access the Internet from a computer through a phone by creating a new connection. This method also consists of several steps:

Step 1. Connect your phone to computer via USB cable. As described above, the system itself will install all the necessary drivers from the gadget's memory.

Step 2. Next, you need to create a new Internet connection. Open the "Control Panel" on your computer, then select "Internet and Network" and click on the "Network and Sharing Center" item. Here you need to select the line "Setting up a new network connection". After that, the "Setting up a network connection" dialog box should appear. Here you need to click on the line "Phone connection setup", and then on the "Next" button.

Step 3. The system will now ask you for your username and password for the service provider and the number you are dialing. As a rule, it is *9**# or *99#.

If everything is done correctly, it remains to click the "Connect" button, after which the computer will access the Internet via a mobile phone. If you managed to do everything right, then the PC will connect to the Internet.

This method also has a couple of disadvantages:

The quality and speed of the connection depends on the telecom operator
If the owner of the phone is using a non-fixed rate, connecting through a new access point can quickly empty the mobile account.

One way or another, all three ways in which you can connect a computer to the Internet using a phone are designed for full-fledged work on the Web. You just have to make sure that the smartphone is charged, and there are enough funds in the account.

You can also watch a tutorial video on connecting a computer to the Internet.

We will devote the last lesson of the second step of our tutorial to how to set up parental controls on a smartphone. Do not miss!

In connection Android device to computer there are no requirements and difficulties. To determine the phone by the computer, you need to connect the cable to the PC and the USB port of the computer or laptop. The contents of your internal memory or SD card will be displayed on my computer - Removable Disk. To view the files, just use the computer's explorer.

As you can see, you can connect an Android device to a computer without much difficulty, but sometimes errors occur and data is not displayed in Windows Explorer. Most problems occur with Android tablets. If the information is not displayed after connecting to a PC, you need to go to Settings and select the USB Connection section. And there check what settings are set for the connection.

In this menu of yours, you need to check if there is a check mark, "Media device" MTP, which will allow you to transfer data to computers running Windows OS, MAC OS. But if the problem with the connection still remains, you can connect the phone's flash memory using a card reader. Once connected, Windows will notify you that a new device has been detected, and the "Enable USB storage" window will appear. After installation, all files will be available in the "My Computer" explorer, and you will already be able to copy and delete new files on your flash drive.

The computer does not see the connected Android tablet or phone

It is also recommended to check the "USB debugging" setting on your computer. To do this, go to on your gadget in "Settings - For developers - Debugging by UBS". We put a tick on this menu item, after which we check the connection and synchronization with our computer again. If you still have questions and problems, you can describe them in the comments. Also, if you have problems with memory when installing applications, you can read the material devices.

There are various ways to connect your phone to a computer - synchronization can be either wired or wireless. You can sync as an Android device, as well as iPhone, iPad and the like.

How to connect phone to computer? In this article, we will look at several methods and figure out which one is best suited for this.

How to connect smartphone to computer via USB

The first and easiest way. When you need to move a large number of files from your phone to your PC or vice versa, this method is the most suitable, as it allows you to transfer a powerful data stream in a relatively short time. The most advanced today - USB 3.1 Gen2 - provides data transfer at speeds up to 10Gb / S. When connecting devices with a 3.0 interface to devices with a 2.0 connector, the connection will work, however, the data flow density will be limited by the smallest generation marker, in our case towards the cord

What to do if the phone is not visible to the computer via USB

First you need to figure out if the USB ports of the phone and computer are working, if the device drivers are installed and check the visibility in the panel of connected devices.

If none of this helps, try pasting USB to a different port on your computer, you can also use a third party USB cable, if you are not sure that the problem is in the hardware. Most often, problems arise from improper use of equipment, or from the lack of drivers necessary for operation.

How to connect phone to computer WiFi

Any touchscreen smartphone is equipped with WiFi a module that allows you to synchronize your phone and laptop, and even a phone with a desktop PC, if the user has an additional adapter in his arsenal. This method is less productive due to the presence of design flaws in the wireless connection, such as signal quality and transmission speed, but it turns out to be one of the trending ones in terms of distribution, for the reason that it does not require an extra wire for synchronization, and WiFi the module is now present in every smart gadget.

The fastest way to connect your phone via WiFi can be done with the installation of a special application;

WiFi is more optimal in cases where you often use the phone and cannot be limited by the cord, or all USB ports are completely busy. It has the widest range and non-critical restrictions on the transmission rate;

For a simple data transfer, a standard program from emulating FTP server, for example, you'll be surprised, " FTP server ". Any of them can be found in play market, they are incredibly easy to use.

If you want full control over your phone through WiFi module, you can also download one of the utilities in Play Market by choosing from such Phone explorer and AirDroid. By downloading and installing one of the applications, you will receive IP the address that, after pairing the devices, you need to drive into the address bar of any browser. Thus, we will open an interface that allows you to manage inaccessible to the usual USB connection capabilities of the phone, whether it is call control and SMS, or connecting the device as a camera

Synchronization of computer and phone via Bluetooth

The most outdated and least ergonomic method, which is used only in rare situations. Its disadvantages are a very limited range and an annoyingly slow data transfer rate.

To connect devices via bluetooth, you will need to install the latest updates available for your laptop Bluetooth module driver or adapter drivers when you try to pair your phone and desktop PC. In 95% of cases, you will find the necessary components on the website of the manufacturer of your gadget.
When all bluetooth the modules are connected and working, in the connection settings on the computer we are looking for available devices, you will find your phone - you can connect;
In the window that appears on the phone screen, set the authorization key for the incoming connection;
On the computer, enter the previously entered key and log in to the file system of the smartphone.

All! You can work. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in connecting the phone to the computer.

Connecting iPhone to Computer via USB

Connecting an apple smart to a computer is even easier than with Android, for a number of reasons. In the absence of mobile Internet or Wi-Fi, you can update iOS versions on your device via USB, for this you only need the latest version of iTunes installed, in which synchronization is performed

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Computers and mobile gadgets that belong to one person, family or team are a single information environment. Ideally, it provides not only the availability of the entire data array from each device included in its composition, but also provides the ability to control some devices using others.

How to connect your phone to a computer in order to access information, control or certain functions of another device, for example, use it as a webcam, microphone, flash drive, monitor?

Ways to physically connect your phone to a PC

To establish a physical connection between the phone and the computer, use 3 interfaces:

USB. Connecting via a USB cable is the easiest and most obvious option. To access user files stored on a smartphone, as a rule, no settings are needed: it usually appears in Windows Explorer immediately after connection. Simple push-button phones sometimes require the installation of special software and drivers.
Bluetooth. For this type of connection, both devices must have Bluetooth adapters. Phones and laptops have them by default, but for desktop PCs they have to be purchased separately. When connected via Bluetooth, the PC user has access to folders and some functions of the mobile gadget.
WiFi. Normal network connection over the air. A computer and a smartphone can interact as equal members of the same local network, as a server and a client, as well as an access point and a client device.

How to connect your phone to a computer via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Connecting devices via a USB cable rarely causes difficulties for anyone, so we will not dwell on it. Consider the methods of wireless connection.

Bluetooth

To establish a connection, make sure that Bluetooth adapters are enabled on your computer and phone. On Windows 10, this option is enabled in the "Settings" - "Devices" application, on Android smartphones - in the quick access panel.

Click the "Add Bluetooth or other device" button shown below.

In the next window, select the connection type - bluetooth.

Click your phone in the list of discovered devices. Check the digital code that will appear below in this window and on the phone screen. If the code matches, click Connect.

To access the features of your mobile gadget, scroll down the "Bluetooth and other devices" window to the "Related settings" section and click "Devices and printers".

Find your phone among the connected devices and right-click on it. The context menu shows the options for using it that Windows provides.

In my example, there are practically none, and in order for the computer to interact with the phone, for example, as with a flash drive or as with a webcam, you will have to install a third-party application, like MyPhoneExplorer.

WiFi

The most common way that a PC and a mobile phone interact over Wi-Fi is to use one of the devices as an Internet access point for the other. As an access point, a smartphone connected to the World Wide Web through the 3G / 4G networks of a mobile operator is more often used.

Setting up such a connection is very simple:

We go into the settings for managing wireless networks and turn on the modem mode.

In the modem options, select "Wi-Fi access point". In the next section, we define the access point settings. In most cases, it is enough to set a password for connection here, the rest is optimal by default.

After that, you can connect a computer to the access point.

The reverse way to connect a smartphone and a PC is also possible - when the access point is launched on the computer. The function is supported by all editions of the system, starting with Windows 7 (except for the starter and home basic editions).

Creating a virtual access point in Windows is also not difficult. Windows 10 has a "Mobile Hotspot" feature, which is launched through "Settings" - "Network and Internet". It is enough to move the slider to the “on” position - and the access point is running. Of course, in order for the phone to access the Internet through it, the computer must be connected to it itself.

In addition, permissions must be set in the Internet connection properties on the PC, as shown in the screenshot below. From the "Home network connection" list, select a wireless connection.

There is a similar function on Mac OS X. There it is configured through "Sharing" - "Internet Sharing". For computers using Wi-Fi. The access point name and password are set in Wi-Fi Settings.

Most modern smartphones and computers (equipped with wireless adapters) support data transfer technologies over Wi-Fi. In particular, WI-FI Direct and Miracast. Both standards use a direct connection of devices to each other, that is, not through a router.

Wi-Fi Direct wireless media transmission technology is implemented on the vast majority of smartphones of popular brands and models - Xiaomi Redmi 4 pro, Xiaomi Redmi 4X, Samsung Galaxy, ZTE Blade, ASUS, Lenovo, etc. The function is enabled in the advanced settings section of Wi-Fi networks -Fi:

When Wi-Fi Direct is activated, the phone starts searching for nearby devices that support this feature. When a suitable device is found, to start the transfer, just select it from the list.

To connect Wi-Fi Direct, network discovery and file and printer sharing must be enabled on your computer. The network profile must be private.

In addition, the media streaming function must be active on the PC (the easiest way to open this window is through the system search):

And the permission to access shared media files for the selected mobile device is enabled:

To display a photo or video on the phone screen or use it as a speaker for playing music, just open the context menu of the file on the PC, click the "Transfer to device" item and specify which one.

Miracast technology, unlike Wi-Fi Direct, allows you to display not only multimedia, but any content on the display of another device. To connect your phone screen to your computer and vice versa, make the following settings:

On an Android smartphone: open the "Settings" app, go to the "Display" section and select "Wireless Monitor". To see the phone screen on a computer, select a compatible PC from the list that will be the signal receiver. If you want to display a picture from the computer screen on your phone, turn on the "Used by others" function.

On a computer: open the Action Center in the system tray and click the "Connect" tile. Next, select a mobile device from the "Connect" list. If both devices support Miracast technology, the phone will connect to a computer monitor, or rather, it will act as a monitor itself.

Programs for synchronizing phone and computer

The possibilities of Wi-Fi Direct and Miracast technologies are far from limitless and provide access to only a small fraction of the functions of the connected device. You cannot fully manage your phone using a computer. But no one does this, because there are special applications for such tasks.

Etc.

In addition, any supported remote access tool, such as Teamviewer, can be used for such tasks.

The Android Screencast program deserves special attention. It is unique in that it does not require installation of a client module on a mobile device, so it can be used even if the screen does not work on the phone. The only condition is that USB debugging is enabled.

Access to data on smartphones with a broken or non-working screen is also provided by the manufacturers' proprietary utilities listed above. The main thing is to have time to install the utility before the incident happened and carry out at least one synchronization. If the sensor does not work on the phone, most likely, some functions will not be available.

Can these programs save data if the phone does not turn on? As a rule, no. The phone can not work for many reasons, and the failure to boot the operating system is just one of them. To extract information from faulty devices, programmers and special service software are used, which are not freely available. In addition, special training is required to work with such tools. In a word, if your phone does not turn on, you can try to reflash it, but to save data, it is easier and safer to contact a mobile service.