how to transfer things from one computer to another

Android data file remove: How to move data between your phone and computer

Wiggly files betwixt your Humanoid gimmick and a Windows PC, Mac, or Chromebook doesn't take to represent catchy — or dependent connected any cloud services.

By

Contributing Editor in chief, Computerworld |

Contents

• Android file transfers for Windows computers
• Humanoid file transfers for Mac computers
• Android file transfers for Chrome OS computers
• Don't like cables?

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Your smartphone is a powerful computer in your pocket — and with Android, office of that PC-like muscle means being fit to plug your ring into any Windows, Mac, OR Chrome OS scheme and and then drag and drop files either way.

Unlike iPhones, Android devices give up you to access their file systems directly from a desktop, without the ask for any cumbersome interfaces or complicated procedures. In point of fact, transferring files to or from an Humanoid twist is basically no different than plugging an external disc drive into your data processor and billowing data to or from it.

All you need is your phone, your computer, and a cable to connect 'em — with micro-USB or USB-C on the telephone broadside and USB-A or USB-C on the computer side, depending connected the specifics of your devices. (Most current Android phones use USB-C, whereas most pre-2016 devices give birth the elderly micro-USB standard. USB-A, meanwhile, is the traditional connector port you're wont to seeing on computers, though more and more models directly also offer USB-C.) There's a decent chance that the synoptical cable that connects your phone to its wall charger will work.

Got it? Ripe. Here's what you need to do next, dependant on whether you have a Windows, macOS, or Chrome OS system:

Android file transfers for Windows computers

With Windows, things are as simple as can be. Just plug your speech sound into whatever open USB interface on the computer, then turn on your phone's screen and unlock the device.

Pilfer your finger's breadth down from the top of the screen, and you should undergo a telling around the current USB connection. At this point, it'll probably tell you your phone is connected only for charging.

JR Raphael/IDG

After you colligate your phone to your computer, a notification bequeath let you prepare it for transferring files.

Tap the notification and select "Transfer files" or "File transfer" in the menu that appears. If media files are all you're planning to move, you could also use the "Transfer photos" (sometimes listed as "PTP") pick, which'll goody your phone like a integer camera. Once you've made your selection, attend your desktop and pioneer a File away Internet Explorer window using the method that makes the most sensation for your Windows form:

• Pawl the Charge IE icon in your taskbar
• Open the Set out menu and click This PC or Computer
• Click the This PC, Computer, or My Computer ikon on your desktop

And so look for an icon representing your phone alongside other portable devices and drives. Click or double-clink that icon, and ta-DA! You'rhenium staring at your Android phone's internal computer storage. You can now click around and browse folders, drag and drop files between your phone and PC, or manipulate the data in any way you want.

Jr Raphael/IDG

Your Android call up's storage looks suchlike any regular hard drive when viewed from a reckoner.

Android file transfers for Macintosh computers

Got a Mac? The Android file shift process is a trifle more complex for you — but dread non, for it's still pretty darn impressible.

The important difference is that before things will work, you'll need to download and establis an functionary Google broadcast known as Android File Transplant. To exercise the program, your Mac must be running macOS 10.7 Beaver State by and by, and your Android device moldiness have Humanoid 3.0 or later — something that should pretty much Be a given with any reasonably modern Android product.

Once the program's in place on your Mac, just plug your phone into your computer, turn on your phone's screen and unlock the device, and then look for the aforementioned USB status notification described above.

Knock the notification and select "Transfer files" operating room "Lodge transfer." The Android File Transfer program should then automatically open on your Mac, and you should be competent to browse your phone's storage and transfer files to your essence's content.

If the regular Android File Remove program doesn't work well for you — a vexingly common ailment among Mac users these days — think the favorably reviewed tierce-party Commander One In favour of as an alternative. IT costs $30 for a single certify, $100 for a five-user squad certify, surgery $150 for a 50-user company license.

Or — well, cut down to the final section of this level for one other option.

Android file transfers for Chrome OS computers

You'd expect register transfers between Humanoid phones and Chromebooks to be as simple as can be, considering that Google's the drive behind some of those operating systems — and past golly, you'd embody perfectly right.

Meet equivalent on a Windows system, all you've gotta do to connect your Android phone to a Chromebook is fire hydrant it into any open USB port, then tap the USB charging notification on the phone and select either "Transfer files" operating room "File transfer" from the prompt that appears — or select "Transfer photos" operating theatre "PTP" if you want your phone to be treated like a camera, with a focus exclusively on multimedia files.

Formerly you perform that, the Chrome OS Files app should automatically appear along your Chromebook with your earphone present as one of the storage options. The organization will likely even prompt you to back up all of your telephone's media files to Google Drive; you can allow that, if you'd like, operating theatre dismiss it and simply drag and send away files in either direction pro re nata.

JR Raphael/IDG

Pulling ahead your Mechanical man telephone's storage happening a Chromebook is slowly as john be — and typically includes a one-chatter option to copy all your gimmick's media files arsenic well.

There's really not much to it — nor should there be.

And if you require an even simpler way to take care of business...

Don't like cables?

Hey, wait a minute — aren't there apps and cloud services for this sort of matter? Sure there are, and we've got you covered there, too. Check up on "Transferring files wirelessly betwixt devices" in our in-depth Android file direction guide for everything in that respect is to know.

This clause was at first published in August 2017 and updated in October 2022.

Contributing Editor Jr Raphael serves up tasty morsels all but the manlike broadside of engineering. Supperless for Thomas More? Unite him connected Twitter or sign aweigh for his weekly newsletter to get fresh tips and brainwave in your inbox every Fri.

Copyright © 2022 IDG Communications, Inc.

how to transfer things from one computer to another

Source: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3214452/android-file-transfer-how-to-move-data-between-your-phone-and-computer.html