Your Android smartphone is like a mini computer in fact most of what you can do with your laptop you can also do with your mobile phone. So knowing how to transfer files between your phone and PC will make your work much easier. There are many ways you can transfer files from your phone to PC however this article will only explain how to do it with a USB cable.

The USB cable that comes with your smartphone can be used to charge the phone and transfer data. However some USB cable can only charge your phone and not transfer data. Check the information that comes with your USB cable.

How to transfer using the USB cable

1. Connect the USB cable to your device and to a spare USB port on your PC. You may see a notification on your computer telling you that a device is being installed (USB drivers being added). Unlock your phone or tablet and check the notifications panel to see a ‘Use USB for… notification.

2. Select the Transfer files option and then open the  File Explorer on your PC. You should now see you your device listed (Galaxy note 8 for example) in the This PC

section of the window. Click on the device name and select either the internal storage or the MicroSD card if you have one.

3. You will see various folders in whichever storage section you choose. You can now copy and paste or drag and drop files from your computer to the relevant folders on your device. For example, Music files placed in the Music folder, will automatically be found by your music app on the device.

4.  If you are having problems with this process, try the following:

•  check your computer’s settings to make sure that Windows automatically detects new hardware.
• Restart your computer and restart your device. 
• Try a different USB cable and then try a different USB port on your PC.