How do I connect my tablet or smartphone to a PC?

[#1]

Question

How do I connect my tablet or smartphone to a PC?

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Answer

If the computer recognizes the Android smartphone or tablet but does not display any folders, this is usually due to the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) not being activated.

The MTP connection is activated as follows:

1. Unlock your Android device.
2. Connect your smartphone or tablet to your computer via a USB cable.
3. Drag the top menu bar downwards.
4. Select Media device (MTP) or File transfer according to your Android version.
5. The file transfer window will open on your computer.

Once MTP has been activated, Android usually only asks whether MTP should be allowed when the device is reconnected. If no folders are displayed despite MTP being activated, the cable should be reconnected or the device switched off and on again.

⚠️Note⚠️ Please note that the dialogues may differ slightly depending on the Android version installed.
The USB cable used must be suitable for data transfer. There are also USB cables, often supplied with stand-alone chargers, whose pin assignment is only suitable for charging.

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The information in this article refers to:

• Devices with Android operating system

ChangeLog:

• 2024-10-09
  Initial version

Article in other languages:

• Deutsch

Review Date: 2025-04-09