6 Easy Ways to Transfer Files from Your Computer to Your Android

Have you ever wanted to transfer files from your computer to your Android phone? For example, if there’s a picture on your computer you want to show your friends by using your phone. Here are some simple ways to move those files for those of you who need this option only occasionally.

1. Use a USB Cable

Using a USB cable is one of the oldest and still very efficient ways of moving your data from your computer to your phone.

1. Connect your phone to a USB port on your computer.

2. Check to see that your computer is allowed access to your phone.

3. Pull down the notification bar on your Android, and tap Android Notification.

4. If the notification does not say “USB for File Transfer,” tap the notification and select the transferring files option from the list.

5. On your computer open File Explorer by clicking the Windows Button in the bottom-left corner of your screen.

6. Find your Android on the list of devices and drives.

7. Double-click your Android.

8. Open the folder where you want to place the file.

9. Open another File Explorer window, and locate the file you want to move to your phone.

10. Either copy and paste or move the file from the original destination to the appropriate folder on your phone.

You can do this transfer in reverse by moving files from the phone’s storage to your computer.

2. Cloud Accounts

If you need access to a lot of different documents daily, and you want to view the ones saved to your computer on your phone, you can use a cloud storage account. Access these accounts on a PC in a browser. Install the Android app for that same service on your phone. Whatever you upload to your drive from your laptop will automatically be found in the app on your phone.

Some useful apps to consider for this method of file sharing are Google Drive, Amazon Drive, Dropbox, Box, Mega, NextCloud, One Drive, and Resilio Sync.

3. Email

If you have one or two small files you want to transfer to your phone, a simple way to do this is to use your email app. Send it to yourself from your computer by opening a new message and clicking the attachments icon to select the files you want to send.

Open the message, and download the attachments to your phone.

4. Bluetooth

Another alternative for sending small files is using Bluetooth. It is a slower process than some of the others, but is faster once it’s set up.

To do this successfully, you first need to pair your devices.

1. On your computer, click the Windows button, and then click the settings icon. It looks like a gear.

2. Click Devices.

3. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on. If it is not, click the toggle switch to enable it.

4. Next, click the Add Bluetooth or other device option on that same menu.

5. Click the Bluetooth option.

6. Select your device from the list and click Connect.

Once they pair, you shouldn’t have to do it again, so transferring files is now a simple process.

7. Open File Explorer and find the file you want to move to your phone.

8. Right-click on the file.

9. Hover your mouse over the “Send to” option, and click on the Bluetooth option.

10. Double-click on the device you want to send the file to.

11. Check your phone and click Accept.

If the transfer fails, it’s most likely because the file is too large, and you’ll need to try another method, like Wi-Fi.

5. Over Wi-Fi

Using Wi-Fi is a great way to move large files between the computer and your phone. To transfer data in this way, you need a particular app for your phone, but not for your computer. Apps you can use include Pushbullet, Airdroid, or Pushline. To use this method, sign up for an account on your preferred platform on your computer, install the app on your phone, and follow the instructions for transferring files.

6. Micro SD Card

If your phone has a micro SD card, you can also transfer files from your computer by using that. Remove your micro SD from your phone, insert it into an adapter if necessary, and then open File Explorer to transfer the files in the same way as you would over a USB connection.

There are more sophisticated ways to move your data back and forth between your devices, and if you need to do it regularly, it may be worth your time to look into some of them. But if you only need to move files every once in a while, these solutions will work well for you.