One of the benefits of owning an Android device is that you can transfer any files from your PC to your phone without any restrictions. However at times, as it has happened with me, my PC simply refused to recognize or detect my Android device.
While this problem can be fixed easily, but depending on the cause of this error, there can be many solutions for it. Unfortunately it’s not possible to directly identify the cause of this error and fix it. So everything depends upon trial and error.
Here are a list of all the fixes that I’ve tried to get my Android phone detected by my Window PC. Go ahead and try them all and do let me know about the one that worked for you in the comments below. Also feel free to share any other fixes that has worked for you but is not listed below.
#1: Make sure that the USB Data Cable is not Defective.
It might seem silly to suggest something like this, but it is actually a reason why your Android phone might not be getting detected by your Windows PC. USB Data Cables for android phone are primarily meant to charge your phone. However the USB Data Cable that came with your Android phone might be charging your phone properly, but this doesn’t mean that it is not defective. So try using a different USB data cable, preferably an official one manufactured by your phone’s Manufacturer.
#2: Plug the USB Data Cable into a different USB port.
The USB ports on the front of your PC start malfunctioning earlier than the ones that are provided on the back on your PC. So it is recommendable to plug the USB data cable to the USB ports provided at the back of your PC. And since these USB ports are connected directly to the motherboard, they should always be your first preference.
#3: Install the updated Android USB Device Drivers
Windows does come with generic USB drivers for Android, but they cannot be trusted to be compatible with each and every android device. So you should always install the USB drivers that are provided by your phone’s manufacturer.
Here’s a list of the download links to USB drivers provided by major Android smartphone manufacturers. Download Android USB Drivers For Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC and other Smartphones
#4: Reinstall the Android USB Drivers
Many a times, as it has happened with me, reinstalling the Android USB drivers and a quick Windows reboot helped me to get my Android phone detected on windows. While the cause of this problem is still a mystery to me, but as long as it works it should be fine for you too.
In order to uninstall your Android phone’s USB drivers, go to the Device manager on Windows and find your phone. It should be listed under Portable Devices.
Right click on your phone and select Uninstall. Once the USB drivers are uninstalled, disconnect your phone restart your PC.
One your PC turns on, connect your Android device with your PC and the Windows update should automatically search for the drivers for your phone and install them. If the Windows update isn’t able to find and install the drivers for your Android device, you can download the respective driver provided in fix #3 and install it.
#5: Make sure that the Android device is connected as a Media device ( MTP )
Your phone might be getting detected by your PC, but until and unless your Android device is connected as a media device, you won’t be able to view its contents in the Windows explorer. So always make sure that your Android phone is connected as a Media device.
You can find the MTP option by navigating to Settings > Storage.
Next tap on the 3 vertical dot icon to the top right and select USB computer connection.
You can then select the Media device (MTP) option.
On some other android phones such as Samsung’s you need to connect your phone to a PC first and a tap on the Connected as a Camera or Connected as a Media Device notification that appears on your phone.
Then you select the Media Device (MTP mode).
#6: Enable USB Debugging.
In case you are trying to connect your Android phone with your PC in order to use tools such as Odin and the ADB, you will have to enable USB debugging first. Prior to Android 4.2, the USB debugging option can be found in the Developer options in the phone’s settings.
On phones running Android 4.2 or higher, the Developer options is hidden by default. Here’s how you can unhide the developer’s option and then enable the USB debugging option.
How to Enable the Developer Options on Android 4.2 and above devices
#7: The USB hardware on your Android phone may be faulty.
Last but not the least, if any of the above solutions didn’t work for you, then the problem may be with the your phone USB port. you should take your phone to an authorized service center and fix it as soon as possible.
