Android 6.0 connection to PC. We connect the Android phone to the computer as a USB flash drive. Connecting the product with different versions of Android
Older Android devices support USB mass storage for transferring files to and from your computer. Modern Android devices use MTP and PTP protocols - you can choose either of the two.
To select a USB connection protocol, open the Settings application, click Memory, then the menu button and select USB connection to a computer. When a device is connected to a computer via USB, the protocol it uses is shown in a notification.
Why modern Android devices don't support USB mass storage
USB mass storage—also known as the “USB mass storage device class”—is the method by which older versions of Android allowed the computer to access its memory. When connecting an Android device to a computer, I had to click the “Connect memory to computer” button so that the device memory
Android became accessible to the computer via USB mass storage. When disconnecting from the computer, you should click the “Disable USB memory” button.
USB mass storage is a standard protocol used by flash drives, external hard drives, SD memory cards, and other USB storage devices. The drive becomes fully accessible to the computer, just like an internal drive.
This work scheme had disadvantages. The device connecting to the memory required exclusive access to it. The memory was disconnected from the Android operating system when connected to the computer. Files and applications stored on a memory card or USB drive became inaccessible when connected to a computer.
System files need to be stored somewhere; they cannot be detached from the device, so Android devices contain a separate /data partition for “system memory” and a /sdcard partition for “USB memory” on the same internal storage. Android installs applications and system files in /data, while user data is stored in /sdcard.
Hard partitioning resulted in insufficient space for applications and too much space for data. You cannot change the size of partitions without obtaining superuser rights on the device - the manufacturer selects the size for each partition at the factory.
Since the file system had to be accessed from a Windows computer, it was formatted as FAT. Microsoft holds patents on FAT, which is an older, slower file system without a modern permissions system. Android currently uses the new ext4 file system for all partitions because Windows doesn't have to read them directly.
Connecting your Android phone or tablet to your computer as a typical USB drive is convenient, but it has too many disadvantages, which is why newer Android devices use different USB connection protocols.
MTP – storage device
MTP stands for “data transfer protocol”. Androids, when using this protocol, appear to the computer as a “data storage device.” The Data Transfer Protocol was promoted as a standardized protocol for transferring audio files to digital music players using Windows Media Player and similar programs. It was supposed to allow other media companies to compete with Apple's iPod and iTunes.
This protocol is very different from USB mass storage. Instead of exposing the Android device's file system to Windows, MTP works at the file level. An Android device does not provide all of its memory to Windows. Instead, the computer sends a request to the connected device, and it responds with a list of files and directories. A computer can download a file by requesting it from a device, which will send the file over the connection. If the computer sends a file to the device, the device stores it. When you delete a file, the computer sends a signal to the device, telling it to delete the file, which the device does.
Android chooses which files to show and hides system files so they can't be seen or changed. If you try to delete or edit an immutable file, the device rejects the request and displays an error message.
The computer does not require exclusive access to the drive, so there is no need to connect or disconnect memory or create separate partitions for different types of data. Android can use ext4 or any other file system. Windows is not required to understand the Android file system.
In fact, MTP works very similarly to USB mass storage. For example, the MTP device shows up in Explorer so you can view and transfer files. Linux also supports MTP through libmtp, which is included with popular Linux distributions. MTP devices also show up in the Linux file manager.
Apple Mac OS X does not support MTP at all. iPods, iPads and iPhones use their own proprietary syncing protocol with iTunes, so why would they support a competing protocol?
Google provides an Android file transfer application for Mac OS X. It is an MTP client and transfers files to Mac. Google does not provide this application for other operating systems because they have MTP support.
PTP – digital camera
PTP stands for Picture Transfer Protocol. When using this protocol, Android appears to the computer as a digital camera.
MTP is based on PTP but adds additional capabilities. PTP functions similar to MTP and is used by digital cameras. Any program that captures photos from digital cameras can extract them from an Android phone if PTP mode is selected. PTP serves as a standard protocol for interfacing with digital cameras.
In this mode, the Android device will work with digital camera applications that support PTP, but not MTP. Mac OS X supports PTP, so you can use it to move photos from your Android device to your Mac over a USB connection without any special software.
In case of an older Android device, you will have to use USB mass storage. New devices allow you to choose between MTP and PTP - PTP is needed for programs that only support it.
If your device has a removable memory card, you can remove it and insert it directly into the memory card slot on your computer. The memory card will appear to the computer as a drive, which means you can access all the files on it, run file recovery software, and do everything else that MTP does not allow.
31.10.2016 Frank 0 Comments
So your wish has come true - you bought or received your first Android smartphone. What to do next with the little robot now? Where are its settings, otherwise some functions are not liked by everyone or do not work at all.
Yes, the capabilities of Android devices greatly exceed what you are used to using a “normal” phone, and some solutions may even seem strange and inconvenient.
How to find configuration functions in this labyrinth? What programs should I use? What to neutralize and what to leave?
Here, of course (in this post), I will not answer all the questions, only the main ones - “settings”, but you can easily find other answers in the “Android” menu (at the very top).
From the very beginning, it must be said that today there are many versions of Android and the pictures may differ slightly from your screen.
In addition, manufacturers often modify their devices, change the appearance of the system and add new functions to them that you will not find in others (the most progressive in this regard are Samsung, HTC, Sony and LG). But some things still remain the same, and I will write about them today.
How to open factory settings android
On almost all versions of Android, by default the settings icon is located on the initial (main) screen and looks like a gear. Google probably borrowed it from Chrome. See pic below.
By clicking on it, the entire available factory arsenal will immediately open to you. Scroll down the window until you get to the desired item.
Where are the usb settings in android?
As for USB, the developer only provided for debugging, but if you want to configure the use of a smartphone or tablet via USB, then you need, depending on the version, to grab the top or bottom of the screen and pull in the appropriate direction and click on the line “transfer media files via USB "
Now you can choose the most suitable option.
As for USB debugging, starting from version 5.0 and higher it must be activated.
To do this, simply click 4 times on the “Build number” option, which is located in the “About the device” section and the “Software information” option.
Then a new item “Developer Options” will appear in the settings, and in it “USB debugging”.
Where are the keyboard settings in android?
Click on the Settings icon. Then scroll down the screen and go to the “Language and Input” section.
There, depending on the Android version and device model, you will find a large number of different functions.
In particular, the choice of languages for the keyboard, modes, auto-correction of words, spell checking, turning on numeric keys, sound, punctuation and much more.
There is also a reset option right there - this is if you suddenly do something wrong and cannot do it as before.
This is of course far from all the Android settings, but only minimal, so to speak, for the first use. If any difficulties arise, the comments section is at your service. Good luck.
Articles and Lifehacks
A regular memory card that is used in your mobile device can become a storage device, you just need to know how to enable USB storage on Android. The indicated task sounds somewhat frightening to an ignorant person. But in reality there is absolutely nothing to be afraid of. To complete it you will need:
- Mobile device running on the Android operating system;
- Computer with USB port;
- USB cable that comes with the gadget.
Connection procedure
The actions you have to take are absolutely simple, and even the most novice user can handle them. So, you will need:- Connect a working Android device to the computer using a USB cable;
- When the PC “sees” the gadget, the message “Enable USB drive” will appear on its display; you will need to click on this inscription;
- Some models automatically turn on the USB drive when the device is connected to the computer. In this case, you don't need to press anything else;
- After these steps, the line “Open folder to view files” will appear on the PC monitor, and the new equipment connected via a USB cable will be recognized as a disk drive.
What to do if you can't enable storage
This problem can be solved as follows:
- Go to the main menu of your Android device;
- Find the “Settings” section there and select “Network”;
- Here, go to “USB Settings”;
- Click on the line “Connect USB storage”;
- Now connect your mobile device to your computer and make sure that the problem is resolved.
USB (Universal Serial Bus)– literally “universal serial bus”. It is a serial interface for data transfer that is widely used in electronics and computing, and mobile devices based on the Android operating system are no exception. However, everything does not always go smoothly enough; certain problems may arise.
However, everything is in order. First, let's figure out what types of USB connectors exist. There are five of them in total:
From left to right: microUSB, miniUSB, B-type, A-type “mother”, A-type “father”.
microUSB- the smallest of the connectors, used in miniature electronic devices such as smartphones, phones, tablet computers, e-readers, and so on. Recently, it has become most widespread among Android devices due to its versatility, practically displacing miniUSB.
miniUSB– somewhat larger than microUSB, but also used in small electronic devices. Today it is practically not used in branded tablets and smartphones on Android, although it was previously widespread. However, it is found in Chinese devices; moreover, due to its cheapness and simplicity, some more famous Chinese manufacturers are returning to miniUSB, after some period of installing microUSB in their devices. Most often found in cameras, camcorders, and so on.
B-type– a connector that can most often be found in printers, scanners and other computer peripherals when size does not really matter.
A-type“mother” (receiver) – a connector that is installed on personal computers and sometimes on tablets to connect an A-type connector. This type of connector can also be seen in USB extension cables and USB OTG cables.
A-type“male” (connector) – for connecting to the corresponding A-type receiver.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the extension of the USB 2.0 specification - USB OTG (USB On The Go), which is designed for easy connection of USB peripheral devices with each other. This is especially true for tablet computers, smartphones, e-readers and other Android-based devices, since with the support of this specification and with the appropriate USB OTG extension adapter, you can directly connect flash drives, cameras, external USB HDDs, etc. to the mobile device Further.
There are also a number of proprietary USB connectors that are created by individual companies, but this practice is gradually becoming a thing of the past - the market as a whole is leaning towards universal connectors, and this is a definite plus.
Now let's figure out what to do if, when you connect an Android device via a USB cable to a computer, the mobile device is not detected, but only charged (the latter indicates the functionality of the connector as a whole - power is supplied to it).
First, let’s double-check whether the checkbox is checked in “Settings” - “Connecting to a PC” - “Ask”. If it is installed, try removing it and installing it again.
If this does not help, we try to use another USB cable (miracles of the Chinese industry are especially prone to failure), connect it to another USB port of the computer (it is highly recommended to use the ports that are located on the back of the system unit, if we are talking about a desktop PC, since these ports are directly, without extension cables, soldered to the motherboard), in the end, try another computer to connect, if possible. If none of the above helps, you can try replacing the flash card with another one. It is also not recommended to use any unnecessary adapters or extension cords - very often they are the cause of the problem.
Still having problems connecting to your PC via USB? No problem, he moves on. We prohibit or remove Task Killer if it is installed, or add “Synchronization with PC” to the list of exceptions - this application may simply prohibit the device from synchronizing with the computer. You can also try enabling USB Debugging. This item is located in the menu “Settings” - “Applications” - “Development”:
If the problematic device is a mobile gadget from Samsung, and the computer does not “see” it either through Kies or through Odin, then you should try to completely remove Kies, all old Samsung and Samsung PC Studio drivers, and then install Kies again. The same applies to HTC devices with the proprietary HTC Sync program.
Manually selecting the driver for the USB device may also help. To do this, go to “Device Manager” in the “Control Panel” of Windows. We are looking for a problematic device - it will be displayed with an exclamation mark. Right-click on it and select “Update driver” - “Select driver installation from your computer” - “Select drivers from those already installed.” In the list, select a universal USB controller - a composite USB device (sometimes a driver from Microsoft may also be suitable). After this, the system will automatically install the selected driver and the device can be used in USB flash drive mode. If you suddenly get an error with the “Blue Screen of Death”, you need to restart the computer in safe mode without turning off the device. After loading Windows in safe mode, look for our mobile device in Device Manager, right-click on it and remove the driver. After this, you can try to “slip” another driver into the system to work with the device connected to the USB - after which it may be detected normally.
Alternatively, you can install the Android USB Driver. Also, most programs for synchronizing an Android device with a personal computer, such as HTC Sync or Samsung Kies, install their own drivers. Important – we recommend disabling anti-virus programs on computers while installing drivers.
Sometimes resetting to factory settings (the so-called wipe) through the settings of the mobile device, or through Recovery mode, can help. The reset will remove all user-installed applications and restore factory default settings.
It is highly advisable to correctly remove drivers for devices from your personal computer before reinstalling them. They are often hidden in the Device Manager as soon as the device is turned off or sends a command to hide. Often, drivers of the same name may conflict due to version mismatches. Well, let's start clearing the list of unused devices, which can often be the reason for the “inoperability” of an Android gadget when it is connected via USB. First, disconnect all external USB devices from the computer. Create an environment variable DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES with a value of 1. To do this, right-click on “My Computer”, select “Properties”, “Advanced”, click “Environment Variables”. In the window that opens, click the “Create” button at the top. In the “Variable name” field enter:
DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES
In the “Variable value” field, enter, respectively, 1. Click “OK” twice to close the menu.
By creating this variable, Device Manager will show all drivers installed on the system, including hidden ones or those that have ever been connected to a personal computer.
Go to “Device Manager”, in the “View” menu item, select “Show hidden devices”. Now you can start cleaning the operating system from various “junk”. First, open the “Disk Devices” section. The nuance is that every time you connect a new flash drive, a new driver is installed for it, and it is installed even if you connect the same flash drive, but to a different USB port. The drivers of all disabled removable media can be safely removed, since when they are connected to the computer, the drivers for them will be reinstalled. Among these drivers, you can also find the driver of your Android device, possibly installed incorrectly, and perhaps even more than one. These entries can also be safely deleted, as they can cause problems - in any case, when you reconnect an existing Android device, the driver for it will be reinstalled or the user will be prompted to install it. In the “Hidden” devices section, you can delete absolutely all hidden (gray) devices, since these are nothing more than unsuccessful attempts to install a driver for a device, and they are definitely not needed in the system. In the “Storage volumes” section, you can also delete all hidden (gray) entries, since these are “letters” assigned to previously connected flash drives - in any case, when the flash drive is connected again, they will be assigned again. In the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section, you can remove all hidden (grayed) devices. After cleaning the operating system from unnecessary drivers, restart the computer. After the reboot, we connect the Android device, it will be detected by the Windows operating system as a new device, and drivers will be automatically installed for it, or you can install the necessary drivers manually. After another reboot of the computer, all problems with conflicting drivers should be a thing of the past.
Modern Android devices have many hidden functions unknown to the average user. Among such examples is the possibility of using a phone or tablet with Android OS as a flash drive. The process of editing files, transferring them from the device, and recording the necessary information becomes easier. To connect your Android as a USB flash drive, there are several methods given in our article.
To determine the sequence of actions, you must take into account the version of Android you are using. To determine information, on the gadget you need to find the “Settings” item, in which (usually at the very bottom of the menu) information about the device is located. The section contains technical specifications, certifications, information about the version of Android used.
How to connect Android as a flash drive with version up to 4.0:
- Using a USB cable, connect your device to the computer.
- It takes a little time to recognize the device; you should not perform any manipulations with the phone (tablet) during the process.
- A USB connection icon will appear on the gadget’s screen and may offer a choice of connecting as a media device. We have no use for these functions now.
- If the PC stubbornly does not “see” the device, it is necessary to debug it manually. To do this, in the “Settings” menu you need to find the “Applications” item. In it we also find the “For Developer” section, after which we select the “USB debugging” button from the list. After this procedure, there are usually no more problems with connection.
More modern devices with Android version 4.0 and higher are connected using the previous algorithm. The only difference is that if connection is impossible, debugging is carried out in the “Settings” section, where the “Memory” item is selected. Here is the “Settings” category, in which the USB connection is debugged. In this case, you need to choose to operate the device as a media device.
How to choose usb android connection mode
On new versions of the Android operating system, the capabilities of this function have been slightly expanded. When connecting to a computer, a notification window usually automatically pops up on the device screen, allowing you to select the connection mode.
Android as a flash drive operates in the following modes:
- “MTP” - exchange of a removable device and a PC with any type of data, video and media files.
- "RTR" - moving photos and videos if such a function was impossible in the "MTP" mode.
- Only the device is charged.
New models of Android phones and tablets are better adapted to connecting via a computer, including via Bluetooth. Usually problems arise with outdated models. If, after all possible manipulations, the computer still fails to establish a connection with the gadget, you may need the help of a specialist, including an “examination” of both devices.
Setting up a USB connection
When connecting to a PC, the data transfer mode is usually automatically selected. To prevent this from happening, and to ensure that the phone itself works like a flash drive, you need to make the following settings.
How to switch flash drive mode on Android:
- In the main menu on the phone, select the “NGastroyki” item.
- In different models, the adjustment may be located in different folders, so we are looking for the name “SD Card” or similar.
- Next, select the “Connect SD card” command.
- After that, connect the device to the computer via a USB cable.
- After the manipulations have been completed, the computer will automatically recognize the phone as a flash drive.
Disabling the phone from this mode is much easier. To do this, lower the “curtain” of the top menu and find the icon indicating that the device operates as a flash drive. To stop this option, just click on the signal icon, after which the connection will proceed as normal.
If you have connection problems
As mentioned earlier, modern devices are usually easily recognized by the system and do not require the installation of additional programs and drivers. At the same time, you can often encounter various situations when a connection cannot be established for unknown reasons. It is extremely difficult to foresee all possible solutions to problems, but the information provided can help.
Types of connection problems and methods for solving them:
- On Android it is difficult to find the location of the memory card. To make your search easier, you can download a special application similar to ES Explorer. With its help, the CD card can be easily displayed, and connecting to the computer will become much easier.
- In some cases, it helps to change the USB port, cable, or restart the device and/or computer. Such manipulations solve non-critical system problems and ensure good communication when connected.
- If the computer stops seeing the device after updating or installing new software, this may be the problem. The same rule applies to the telephone. Some applications may make it difficult to synchronize devices, so be sure to disable running programs, as well as Internet messages.
- Resetting to factory settings and saving the data first may also help solve the problem. Please note that in some cases it is impossible to resolve connection failures on your own, so you have to contact a service center.
Few owners of modern devices know that they can easily connect Android as a flash drive, saving time when transferring data. In addition, this function makes it possible to install the necessary programs on a tablet or phone without using wireless connections. The features and algorithm of this procedure are discussed in detail in our information.
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