How to Connect Android Phone to Windows PC?

In today’s digital world, phones have become part of our lives and with the advanced capabilities of mobile phones; we can do a lot with the phone. People use their phones to store photos, files and download content from the internet. Sometimes you may need to transfer files between your phone and your computer. This post discusses several ways of connecting your Android Phone to Windows PC.

Connect Android to PC
Final Words

Connect Android to PC

Follow one of the below methods to connect your Android phone to Windows PC.

Method 1: Using a USB Cable

If you want to transfer files back and forth, you can easily do so by connecting your phone to a PC using a USB cable. However, this connection is ideal file transfer but cannot be used to remotely control your phone.

Connect the micro-USB end of the cable to the phone’s charging port and the USB end to the PC USB port.
Unlock the phone and swipe down the screen to access the notifications.
Look for the USB connection notification and tap it. Check the option to use the USB to “Transfer files”.

Click the notification that appears on your computer screen. On the window that opens, click the “Open device to view files” option.
Press the “Win + E” keys to open the Windows file explorer. Click “This PC” and you will find your phone.
Double click the device to open and browse the folders and files on your phone. You can copy files to and from and to your phone.

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Method 2: Connecting Android Device to a PC with Bluetooth

Most modern PCs have a Bluetooth feature that allows you to connect and transfer files between your Android phone and the computer.

Turn on Bluetooth on Both Devices

Unlock your phone and swipe down the screen. Tap the Bluetooth icon to turn it on. You can also enable Bluetooth from the phone settings.
On your computer, open the Windows settings app and select “Device” settings.
On the left pane, click “Bluetooth” and if switched off, slide the toggle switch to the right to turn it on.

Pairing the Devices

On your Android phone, long press the Bluetooth icon to see the available devices.
Tap the desktop device to pair it with your phone.
A dialog will pop up on both your mobile and computer screen. Select the “Pair” option on both screens to complete the connection.

Transferring over a Bluetooth Connection

To transfer files from the PC to your phone, right-click the Bluetooth icon on the notification area or the system tray.

On the resulting menu, select “Send a file”, select the Bluetooth device from the paired devices and click “Next”.
Browse the computer to select the file you want to transfer and click “Next” to initiate the transfer.

On the phone notification, tap to accept the file.
To transfer a file from the phone to the computer, right click the Bluetooth icon on the computer notification area and select “Receive file” option.
On the phone, locate the file you want to transfer, long press it and select the option to share.
Choose Bluetooth from the sharing options and tap the paired PC to initiate the transfer.
On the computer, you will get a notification. Accept the notification to receive the file on your computer.

Method 3: Use Microsoft Your Phone App to Connect Android Device to Windows PC

Your phone is a cloud service provided by Microsoft that allows you to access your phones files, messages and notifications from a Windows computer. This connection is ideal when you have no access to your phone as it enables you to view notifications and texts from your PC. You can follow the steps below to connect your Android device with Your Phone app.

Install ‘Your Phone’ app on your Phone and Computer

Open Google Play Store on your phone and search ‘Your Phone’.
Select ‘Your Phone’ app from Microsoft and tap the “Install” button.
Launch the app and sign in with your Microsoft account and tap “Continue”.
You will be prompted to allow several permissions. Follow the prompts, tapping “Allow” on every prompt.
On your computer, ‘Your Phone’ app is preinstalled in Windows 10 but in case it is missing, you can download and install the app from Microsoft Store.

Setting up Connection with Your Phone App

Click the Windows start button and at the bottom of the apps list, select “Your Phone”.
If the app is not installed you can download and install from Microsoft Store.
You can also link the phone by clicking the gear icon on the start menu to open the settings and then select “Your Phone”.
Click the “+” icon beside “Add a phone” and follow the instructions to complete the connection.

If you are not signed into Microsoft account, provide your credentials to log in.
Select “Android” as the type of the phone you want to connect and click the “Link a Phone” button.

You will be notified on your phone screen asking you to allow the phone to connect to the device. Tap “Allow” to continue.
Follow the screen guidelines on your computer to set up the features.
You can now view your phone’s notifications, messages and phones from the PC.

Final Words

Most people use both an Android Phone and a Windows PC. While the phone allows you to continue with your task on the go, you may need to transfer some files to either device to pick up things from where you left. You can use one of the above methods to access, transfer files between your Smartphone and Windows PC, and continue your operations seamlessly on either device.

How to Connect Android Phone to Windows PC?

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