ANDROID-WINDOWS CONNECTIVITY

ANDROID-WINDOWS CONNECTIVITY:  Now days sharing files between android and windows PC is a common day-to-day activity and although many users follow the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), there many other ways files can be share including the Android debug bridge (ADB) and Bluetooth.  I sometimes get stuck when I connect my android device and when I go checking that option "USB for file transfer" on the phone then to check my device manager on the computer, the phone storage is not seen anywhere. This is especially true with the latest android versions.  It becomes frustrating that even after checking the other options like the Photo Transfer Protocol and the one for music (PTP, MIDI), still you fail to read you phone as a camera or music device.  It turns out then that, you won't be able to use our conventional methods to share files between the PC and smartphone using a USB cable.   On this page, we are going to see some of the easiest ways files can be shared between you windows PC and your smartphone.

1.  THE ANDROID DEBUG/DAEMON BRIDGE:  First, before you start sharing files between the PC and your smartphone, you need to install some software that will aid you through the process.  The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) explained earlier is a very efficient way of doing this.  I have found it easy for me to share files to and from the computer with ease and less hassle plus, being very fast compared to other conventional means though it maybe a bit hard for a basic user but with explanation, everything tends to become a walk over.  Although this can be done using the Windows PowerShell protocol, I have sometimes had issues using it and found it easier, using third party software just because I am just a basic user and an android enthusiast and not a geek expert or technologist.

Requirements;  For you to transfer files using the adb, you need to have some requirements close.

1.  A computer running windows:  This is where we are going to install the third party software to exchange files with the phone and I am assuming, you are running windows on it.  

2.  Your smartphone:  This is where the files will be exchanges with the PC and please make sure you have USB debugging active.  If you don't know how to activate it, click on the link below for the description.

How to activate USB debugging in smartphones

3.  Minimal adb and fastboot setup or Android adb installation setup

You can download minimal adb and fastboot setup from the link below  

Minimal adb and fastboot setup

4. A functioning USB cable

5.  Your smartphone drivers

Download smartphone drivers

Steps;

1.  Insert the USB into your PC and connect with your smartphone at the other end.

2.  Make sure you have activated the "developer options" in your phone and you have checked "USB debugging" option.  If you don't know how to do it, follow the link below.

HOW TO ACTIVATE USB DEBUGGING

3.  Open minimal adb and fastboot and choose the option "Run as administrator"

4.  To continue using the adb in order to be able to share files, click here.

For video demonstration on sharing files, follow the links below for YouTube videos.

1.  Share files between computer and android via Bluetooth  

2.  Copy the entire sdcard of your smartphone to PC via adb commands

Besides using the adb, there are some tools that can aid you do the transfers and here are some of them;

1.  BEACON ROOT TOOL KIT:  The beacon root tool kit is very useful in android phone rooting and installing custom ROMs and I personally found it also useful in file transfer and installation of android apps.

Download Beacon root tool kit

2.  CHEETAR TOOL:  The cheetar free tool used to be a samsung flash tool but having a another functionality for other smartphones.  I was using it to install custom ROMs and I found it also useful in file transfer and unlocking bootloader.  It is also user friendly with an easy to understand interface

Download Cheetar tool

RELATED;

1.  ANDROID APPS DOWNLOAD  

2.  ULTIMATE SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD

3.  SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD LINKS AND VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS