Luckily, if you’re a longtime Windows user, fixing the problem should be a simple trip to the Device Manager. It may also show up under a generic name–in our test case, it shows up as an unspecified MTP device, but is indeed a Nexus 6P. If you see your device under “Unspecified” then your computer needs some user intervention. You can confirm that your computer is indeed “seeing” an MTP device but not recognizing it by opening the “Printers and Devices” control panel. If the above tip does not help, then you likely have a driver problem.

Often, simply selecting that will do the trick. Generally, it will have options like “Charge this device,” “Transfer images,” and “Transfer files.” Again, the wording may vary slightly, but the option you want is “Transfer files.” When you tap that option, a new menu will show up with a handful of options. It may say something like “USB charging this device” or “USB for file transfer.” The verbiage may vary slightly depending on your device’s Android build and manufacturer, but regardless it will have something about USB. Plug the device into your computer, pull down the notification shade, and select the “USB” option. Your phone may only connect in charging mode by default, when you want it to be connected as a storage device. If your Android device isn’t appearing in File Explorer as it should, it may be a result of how your phone is connecting to the computer. You never know when you have bum hardware, and no amount of software troubleshooting can fix that problem. Plug it directly into your computer instead of a USB hub. Also try another USB cable, or another USB port on your computer. Restart your Android phone, and give it another go. Start with the Obvious: Restart and Try Another USB Portīefore you try anything else, it’s worth going through the usual troubleshooting tips.

This driver works great for being able to use the computer to send commands to your device, but it may mess up your easy-peasy file manipulation. However, if you’ve ever attempted to unlock your device such as to install a new ROM or root it, then you may have at one time or another installed the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) driver on your computer. Plus, you need to be able to copy files over, which means your PC needs to see and treat your device as traditional attached storage. Of course, you can do this from your phone or tablet, but using a traditional desktop computer can turn a potentially long, tedious operation, into a short, blissful one. RELATED: How to Manage Files and Use the File System on Androidįrom there, you can browse the device’s storage and easily add or delete files. Normally, when you plug in your Android device, Windows will recognize it as an MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) device and quietly mount it.

Which device did you plugged in