One of the most common tasks is to transfer files from their mobile device or tablet to their desktop computer. Sometimes it's a photo, sometimes it's a song, and many other times it's a document, presentation, or other file to be transferred. There are actually several ways to transfer files from Android to PC.
AirDroid
AirDroid is one of the most popular apps to transfer files from Android to PC. He can also do other things. Features include sending and receiving SMS/MMS from your PC, checking notifications from your device, and more. It can even find a lost phone, control the camera and use apps. You will also be able to transfer files to your computer from your phone. You get the basics for free. It's not perfect, but it works well.
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Google Drive
Google Drive is a great method to transfer files from Android to PC and back again. There are a variety of services to choose from, including Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box.com, and others. File transfer is quite simple. You upload the file to cloud storage on a device. You then download it to another device. Most cloud storage apps have their own dedicated apps. It makes the process easier. We have our best cloud storage apps list linked towards the top of this article.
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Feem is a simple app that does one thing very well. It transfers items from devices connected to the same WiFi network. This includes mobile phones, tablets, computers, laptops, etc. Each device simply downloads Feem and runs it. From there, you can transfer whatever you want and from those devices. WiFi does not need to be connected to the Internet. A LAN is all you really need. It's simple, effective, cheap, and the Material Design is pretty. ShareIt is another app in this same style that does well.
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Pushbullet
Pushbullet is one of the best apps to transfer files from PC to Android and back. It can also do many other things. This includes sending and receiving SMS/MMS messages, sharing your clipboard between devices, checking notifications and, of course, file transfers. It's not as complex as some other services. However, this one just works. The free version lets you send the occasional text or transfer small files. The pro version brings you all the features. It costs $4,99 per month.
DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAYResilio Sync
Resilio Sync (formerly BitTorrent Sync) is kind of a wildcard. It works like cloud storage. However, the cloud storage server is your own desktop or laptop computer. You can sync as much data as you want, transfer files back and forth at will, and much more. It should also support Mac, Linux, and Windows. It is certainly among the most secure options. Your stuff is never on a cloud server. It's just that your phone and your device are talking to each other. The app is completely free with no ads or in-app purchases. This is the one we recommend first. It takes a bit to set it up.
DOWNLOAD ON GOOGLE PLAYSolid Explorer
Solid Explorer is one of the best file management apps on mobile. It can also transfer files from your Android device to your PC. It can connect to things like FTP, SFTP, WebDav, SMB/CIFS, and other clients. You can also connect to different cloud storage accounts to transfer files this way. You will need to configure one of these things for this to work. Solid Explorer does a great job of managing everything once you do. The app has a free trial
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Transfer your data without apps
If apps aren't your thing, there are still other ways to transfer files from your PC to Android and vice versa.
- Use Bluetooth – If your laptop has a Bluetooth module or if you have a Bluetooth dongle for your desktop or laptop computer, you can pair your device with your computer using Bluetooth and send files that way. Transfer rates are very slow. You only want to use this solution for small files. You probably don't want to use this for things like large videos or lots of files at once.
- USB OTG – USB OTG cables allow you to connect your device to USB peripherals such as mice, keyboards and external hard drives. This also includes flash drives. You can use the cable to transfer documents to your flash drive or external hard drive or off of these on your Android device. They are also relatively cheap on sites like Amazon and eBay.
- Share on email – It only works with small files like photos or documents, but you can email most file types. Most emails have a limit of around 25MB for attachments. It will work for the occasional photo.
- Use your data / charging cable – this one is pretty obvious. Just plug your phone into your computer using the USB cable that came with your charger. This should work for most things.
If we missed any of the best methods or apps to transfer files from Android to PC, let us know in the comments.
