Why does the computer not see the phone as a USB flash drive. The computer does not see the device on Android: causes and solutions

Often when you connect a smartphone or tablet to a PC, the device only charges or there is no reaction at all. In this article, we have collected frequently occurring problems and solutions.

Why the computer does not see the phone via USB

The reason lies in connection problems. Sometimes the problem is complex, consisting of 2-3 or more problems. Most often, the connection is broken due to:

1. Damaged or incompatible USB cable.
2. Missing or conflicting drivers.
3. Not working USB port on a PC or laptop.
4. Android device microUSB problem.
5. An unsupported version of the operating system.
6. Incorrect connection mode.
7. System failure on PC or mobile device.

Ways to solve connection problems

Below we will consider methods for solving problems, as well as diagnosing.

Check or replace USB cable

An operated cord eventually becomes unusable due to frequent deformations or thermal damage. In case of visible damage, the cable should be replaced. If the cord works, visually whole, but sometimes fails, then there is a high probability of hidden damage. This cable must be replaced.

A cheaply purchased sync cable often contains only one power line, and there is no data line. Therefore, such a cable is not suitable for connecting to a PC and needs to be replaced. It is rational to use the cable that comes with the phone or a high-quality analogue.

Install or update drivers

For a new device, it is often necessary to download and install drivers. The current version of the drivers is on the manufacturer's website.

In order to save on digital media and user convenience, manufacturers embed drivers in the memory of a mobile device. Therefore, the connection setup is performed automatically the first time you connect to a PC. If a failure occurs, this process is disrupted and manual installation is required.

Legacy drivers sometimes do not support new driver versions. Similarly, in new driver versions, there is no support for older systems. Therefore, you should use drivers written for the appropriate version of the operating system.

To check the relevance of the drivers, you should go to the device manager - in the properties of "My Computer", make sure that there is no yellow triangle opposite the mobile device.

Find out if the USB port is working or change the connector

If you have a USB splitter or a PC, it is recommended to connect directly to the connector on the motherboard. Because this eliminates malfunctions and lack of energy when using long cables.

Sometimes one or two USB ports do not work correctly, in which case it is recommended to change the connector. As a last resort, use another PC.

Check microUSB port

Often, a phone connector fails as a result of: damage, manufacturing defect or contamination. Therefore, you should blow out the connection hole.

If a smartphone or tablet is charged using the AC adapter, a software glitch may occur. To solve it, you should reboot the system, as a last resort, reset the settings or change the firmware.

In rare cases, one of the pins of the microUSB port is unsoldered. In this case, only diagnostics with preliminary disassembly of the device will help.

Fix connection mode

Often the device does not respond to connecting to a PC due to incorrect settings. As a result, only charging or other unnecessary mode works. The fix is ​​to change the USB configuration or USB connection.

Action algorithm:

1. Open settings and go to "Memory".
2. In the upper right corner, select the connection type: USB storage or MTP.

Important! In some models, the place to select the connection is often different. For example, in Motorola Turbo 2, the item is in the developer section. Sometimes when connecting to a PC, an item with a choice of connection is displayed in the status bar.

Other

1. Restart PC and mobile device.
2. Reinstall motherboard USB drivers.
3. Disable temporary shutdown of USB ports in power mode.

Below are some common problems and solutions. For an expanded view of the recommendations, you should click on the highlighted item.

The computer does not see the phone via usb, but it is charging

The computer does not see the phone

1. Make sure that the USB ports on the PC and mobile device are working.
2. Reinstall motherboard drivers.

The computer sees the phone, memory is not displayed

Computer can't detect Android device via USB? The problem is quite common, and its cause can be either a banal cable breakdown or a malfunction in the operating system. In most cases, in order for your gadget to be successfully detected by a computer, you need to activate the correct connection type in its settings.

In this guide, we will describe in detail what can cause the device to be incorrectly detected on a PC via a USB cable, and also consider all options for solving the problem.

Debugging via USB on different versions of the OS is located in different sections of the menu:

• Version 2.3 and earlier - Settings > Applications > Development.
• Version 3.0 to 4.1 - Settings > Developer options.
• Version 4.2 and new - Settings > About phone > Build number (quickly click on it about 7 times), after that go back to Settings > Developer options.

If after these steps, when the cable is connected, the phone or tablet simply charges, then the reason for this phenomenon is that it is connected in media player or charging mode.

Wrong connection mode selected.

In this case, when reconnecting, open the notification shade and select "Enable USB storage" in it.

Or go to the Android system settings and try to find a menu with connection methods, in which select "Connect as a media device (MTP)".

Correct connection mode.

Tethering enabled

The problem may occur due to the modem mode being enabled. Go to network settings and make sure that this mode is disabled.

Accordingly, if it is activated, then it is necessary to disable it by simply dragging the slider to the “Disabled” mode or uncheck the box next to it (it all depends on the version of the system and shell).

One of the first things to do if the computer does not see the Android smartphone via USB is to check the connection. There is a possibility that there is a malfunction in the cable or one of the computer (device) connectors.

In the event that the system does not notify that a new USB device is connected, then you need to make sure that the USB connectors are working. Just plug in any other device (for example, a regular USB flash drive) into the connector and check how it works. If it is not detected, the connector may be defective. Try connecting your Android device with a different connector.

If the computer detects the device, but does not want to recognize it as a disk drive, it is likely that an additional driver needs to be installed.

Driver update

One of the most common reasons why the computer does not see Android when connected is the lack of installed drivers for your phone. Also, drivers for working with an Android device may be accidentally deleted or simply need to be updated.

In order to configure the driver yourself, use the instructions below.

The subtleties of connecting a device on Windows XP

If the connection is established on a computer with the Win XP operating system, for correct identification in the system, it may be necessary to install an additional Media Transfer protocol, which can be downloaded. If the device is old (2010, for example), it may work correctly without installing the protocol.

If you are using a relatively new device, it is recommended to upgrade to a more recent version of the Windows operating system.

Other Possible Causes and Solutions

If all the methods described above did not help solve the problem when the PC does not see the Android phone, then the reason may be something else.

• Clearing memory.

Sometimes, you need to delete unnecessary files if all the memory on the memory card is full. Try cleaning and USB connection again.

• Checking your phone for viruses.

To date, a lot of viruses roam the Internet, including those designed specifically for mobile operating systems. Download an antivirus on your device and scan it. After that, try to connect it to the computer again, if the content is displayed, do not be too lazy to scan the device's memory again, but already with the antivirus installed on the PC.

Alternative synchronization option - Bluetooth or WiFi

If you cannot solve the problem due to which the personal computer or laptop does not see the Android phone, but you urgently need to transfer files from the device to the PC, you can use one of the applications for exchanging data via Bluetooth or WiFi. Among such applications, pay attention to or.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons for this problem, and they are all different. But the most common is the activation of any other connection mode on the phone, except for the USB drive we need. Therefore, first of all, we recommend paying attention to this.

Also, a conflict may arise due to the active “Modem Mode” function, drivers, and in some cases due to a malfunction in the equipment.

In addition, it should be recalled that manufacturers recommend using only original USB cables, since cheap Chinese counterparts not only fail quickly, but can also harm the USB ports of the device.

Many smartphone users do not use all the capabilities of the device, some out of ignorance, and some out of fear of disturbing something in stable operation. This article will focus on connecting the phone to a computer / laptop. We will not talk about the reasons for the connection, but we will consider the main problem, namely, why the computer does not see the phone via USB. There are many reasons, ranging from software, ending with a virus attack and hardware problems. About everything in order.

Hardware

So, when connected, the computer does not see the phone via USB, the surest way to start is by checking the hardware.
Possible problems.

First of all, pay attention to characteristic sound, which plays a Windows-based computer when any device is connected via USB and a light indication on the phone if:

• the computer makes a sound - you need to check the software part;
• there is no sound - the problem can be both software and hardware;
• there is a light indication - we are looking for a software error;
• there is no light indication - the problem can be both software and hardware.

Damaged cable- inspect it for integrity and check if it is clogged inside.

Check socket on the computer/ laptop, to do this, connect another phone / tablet.

• USB flash drive, mouse, printer, etc. - if the computer's usb connector works with other devices, go ahead.
• Check the same cable with another phone / tablet on the same computer - if it works, then we will look for a problem in the software part.
• If other devices do not work with the same cable, then replace the cable, and if they work, the problem is software → go to the section of software errors and their solutions.
• There is not enough power - this is possible if you connect the cable to the computer through a hub (hub).

Connect directly to the computer, the reason may be just insufficient power, even if the hub comes with its own additional power to a regular electrical outlet. If it still doesn't work, then move on.

Why did your computer stop seeing the phone via USB? The reason may lie in the computer's hardware and may be a USB descriptor request failure (Code 43). In this case, you need to check the power and its power:

In addition, you must perform the following step by step on the computer:

• Relieve stress and remove clots of static.
• Check the power settings of the USB ports, which are often turned off to conserve power.

Read more about these steps in the article on our portal.

Software part

Having ruled out hardware failures, we move on to software errors. The reason that the laptop does not see the phone via USB may be due to a number of errors. Let's break it down into several categories and go into more detail about each.

Drivers: to be or not to be?

To the question - why does the laptop not see the phone via USB, if everything worked before? Perhaps something happened to the drivers, you can easily check this by going to the "Device Manager".

If the error is fixed and there is no longer an “Unknown device” in the list, you can not update the rest of the drivers.

Viruses: looking for a gray cardinal

The PC does not see the phone via USB, why? It is possible that your Android phone is infected. In fact, the user does not always feel the presence of malware, some of them work extremely quietly and accurately, but at the same time introduce problems into the stability of the OS. It is easy to check this using special software tools that are free and available in the Play Store.

• Type in the search bar without quotes "cureit" → click "search". The result will offer you “Dr.Web Light Anti-virus” → tap “Install”. Click "Open".

• Next, tap on "Accept" in the License Agreement. The program will ask you to give access to media and files → click "Allow". In case of an overlay message, open the settings and check the permissions.

I would like to note that on the XIAOMI MI 5 phone - it also works on the basis of Android, during such a check, viruses were detected and pointed to the "9Apps" application.

By the way, it was he who endlessly gave out banners with advertisements that spontaneously output sound (speech, music, etc.). At first glance, a harmless application, but it blocked the installation of a number of programs, including updating the operating system. The installation of the application occurred independently, as usual in a batch installation - due to the user's inattention. So, when you connect the phone to the computer, only charging occurs - this is how it looks on the computer screen.


In this case, this was fixed as follows:

After that, we recommend that you remove this application from your phone and run a full scan again. It is important that the removal is carried out in the "Flight" mode. If the above steps didn't help and/or you didn't find the questionable application, then proceed further.

Wrong USB mode

There is also an extremely unexpected situation, the smartphone is defined and Windows does not give any errors, but when you turn to the phone on the computer, you do not find any files.

What to do? So, if the computer does not see the files (contents) of the phone via USB, you need to check the mode of its operation.

Go to the root!

If all the above actions did not lead to a result, then only a radical method remains - resetting the system to factory settings. Depending on the model of your smartphone, the menu may differ, let's look at it step by step with screenshots using the Sony XPERIA M5 as an example.

For Samsung phones, the path will be as follows:

• "Settings";
• "General settings" - if this item is not present, then continue;
• “Backup and reset”, this item, depending on the firmware version, may also be called: “Archive and reset”, “Reset”, “Confidentiality”.
• "Reset Device", otherwise known as "Reset Data".
• There will be an item "Delete everything" or "Reset device".

Successful communications!

Have a great day!

If your computer does not see the mobile device because it is not connected via USB, there may be several reasons for this, as well as solutions. We will try to name all the reasons and give detailed instructions to fix the problem.
Everything that we write below is applicable to smartphones on the Android operating system, but can be used for other devices, and even for devices with other software.

Why Android phone is not visible via USB

If your old mobile device connected to a PC on the Windows XP operating system without problems, then the problem is in the new smartphone. In this case, you can solve the problem by updating the software or installing a hardware independent protocol from Microsoft on Win XP. It is this MTP protocol that is responsible for data transfer via USB.

To download the Media Transfer Protocol Porting Kit to your computer, visit the company's official page: . It will take a little time to install the protocol, and after the process is completed, the PC must be restarted. If this was the problem, the mobile device will be detected on the computer.

If your smartphone/tablet is locked with a password or pattern, it must be unlocked, otherwise you will not see the contents of the memory from the PC.

If you are connecting a mobile device via USB, you should see the corresponding message on it. There should also be a USB icon on the Windows OS toolbar.

The phone does not connect via USB to the computer, but only charges

The latest versions of the Android OS connect to the PC via USB in battery charging mode by default. To change the mode, use the option to select a different option.

Additional Information

• Synchronize through any "cloud".
• Use one of the best applications that allows you to easily and quickly connect your computer and android devices. You can install the Windows version of the program and use all its functions. For example, using this tool, you can not only synchronize data, but also have access to contacts, receive messages on the desktop, view and work with the phone's display by controlling it with the mouse. The program is so simple and intuitive that even the most inexperienced user will quickly master it.
• Create an FTP server on your smartphone.